Canada - British Expat Forum

We have decided that within the next 5years we shall return to the UK.

Nothing to do with Canada but more to do with my Irish Gypsy heritage. Both Steven and I need to wander and find new challenges and even in the Uk we owned 5 houses before coming out here cos we always got bored in one place.

Some people's spirits are happy to remain working in the same shop all their life, live in the same house etc.

Others need adventure. That is where Steven and I fall in. We are planning on driveing around the world with the Children and the Polepics truck before heading to the Cotswolds.

The only BIG stumbling block is USA. For Steven to take the Polepics pictures he needs a work permit - you cannot just be freelance - you have to be affliated with someone who is willing to sign that they are hiring you for even $5 a photo file. Then you get a work permit.

But NAtional Geo etc say they no longer do that and only deal with internal photographers, even though they admitted that a family of 6 travelling the world, sending in written assignments on the people, cultures and events they are going to and photographing from a unique perspective does sound like the sort of thing their readership wants.

So we spoke to Lonely Planet - again they love the notion but told us people just give them photos for free as any one can take pictures.

The fact that Steven is an International photographer with equipment that only 4 others in the World have seems to escape their notice.

And Steven cannot hire himself.

Shame cos he was going to send a % of the sale of any photos - either to the media, or the person, or people that hire him, or from any exhibitions that could be put on to "A bed for every child" charity.

So am putting my thinking cap on, cos we can afford to do the trip, but cannot do the trip unless we can get work permits, so, if anyone knows how this can be done, or of anyone that would be willing to pay for Steven to go on an around the world assignment say in exchange for xyz number of photo files from the countries he goes to (on an unlimited licence useage for their own marketing purposes)- as long as Steven retains the copyright to sell on to interested parties and exhibitions, please please let me know.

Gee, Caroline. My first reaction to your post was, "Oh dear, what a shame". Then, as I read on, I realised that this is one hell of an exciting adventure! In 50 years time you won't be sitting in your rocking chairs, regretting what might have been. And what a wonderful opportunity for the children too. GOOD LUCK!!!

BE will do everything we possibly can to try to help you - I'll contact you privately about that.

Cheers Kay.

I know on the sound of it, it sounds oh dear.

But the the truth is so far removed from that.

We love it here, and Steven having been an airline pilot before we have been to many countries and have loved them all.

Life is a journey and you have to live it and as strong proponents of Home Education what better experience can you give your children then the trip of a lifetime.

The inital plan was to do it and then return back here (we have been thinking about this for a few months), but then my Dad went to hospital with skin cancer and has half of his nose removed and we decided then to end the trip where we started off - back in the UK, and for our children to enjoy their grandparents while they can.

We will rent bakc in the UK as that then gives us the wandering bug option leter on again.

Sounds great, Caroline. I'm sure it will work out for you - because the two of you will make it happen.

Kay saw your post first and told me you were leaving Canada and, of course, I thought "Oh, dear". But this sounds like a fantastic adventure. And no, you're not lucky (though your kids are ) - it's an opportunity that you've pretty much created for yourselves. Good for you!

Apologises to the spelling police on here but I was typing while holding a baby and being one handed.

I wish you good luck, Caroline. You are clearly adventuresome go-getters who will surely have a great life wherever you go. Do please keep in touch. Do you plan to web-post your adventures somehow? I have enjoyed and appreciated your many posts on BE.

The whole intention is to post web stories and updates from the various cultures and events that we encounter.

On top of that we are looking to sell images of Steven's too web providers, magazines, newpapers or other interested parties on an image licence basis whereby they hire Steven to e.g. take 15 images from ground and the Polepics system in each country for their own marketing uses on an unlimited lifetime usage.

That enables (or so we thought) for those that hired Steven to get some unusal pics that cannot be gotten from anywhere else as hiring a helicopter or crane to take pics is very expensive.

Also those shots then enable Steven to put on a travelling exhibition in major cities around the world - gaining publicity for what we are doing and raising money for "The bed for every child charity".

However due to work permit laws around the world esp USA this may all come to nothing as we cannot just free lance any more - you now need to be either affiliated with the press etc or be hired via contract on a free lance basis to enable the work permits in each country. Europe for us is not an issue as being British we do not need permits to work in Europe but for elsewhere............

So I guess the worse case is Canada and European shots only. But what a shame that would be.