Lessons learned
6 years ago
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
IKEA
We have discovered IKEA. If you live even remotely close to a major urban center, you probably have one close by. Run, don't walk.
"As she began loyal, thus she remains."
This is the official motto for Ontario, Canada. Populated early on by British loyalists fleeing the whole revolutionary scene in the "colonies". This led to the current practice of putting little crowns on their license plates. The American in me bristles at all of this (and the occasional prayers for the Queen in church - not that I'm against praying for anyone, but it doesn't seem right somehow - I want to shout "down with the monarchy" or "no taxation without representation"). In any case, here we are. I'm humbled to admit that merely a month after starting this blog, I'm already quite behind in updating it. I'll attempt to give you the short story about our less-than-ideal departure from Caronport, SK, and our journey to this Anglo-phile bastion...
So, first of all, hats off to QwestHaven Relocation for actually getting all our things here, mostly unscathed. The road, however, was not pretty. I had hoped to have a leisurely departure from Caronport - a day for the movers, a day for cleaning, and a day to breakfast with friends and wave goodbye to our little town. What really happened was last minute rescheduling, various moving crew members quitting, a 4:30 PM start time for packing the truck, having to recruit local high school students to stand in for the recently departed moving crew, and a harried and hasty departure from town. Once we actually got on the road, we did have an enjoyable cross-country trek (aided by Red Bull for me and a couple of loaned DVD players - thanks to Jeff & Stacy, and Mom!) We managed to squeeze in a lovely visit with friends we hadn't seen in years (a shout-out to Josh and Bryonie for putting up with wine and nibbles in a Holiday Inn Express room) and a fun visit to Chicago. We rolled into Caledonia, Ontario (population approximately 10,000 former British loyalists) on Monday, July 21st, and spent our first evening in our new home. The movers came the next day and the rest is history. (Some of that history involves already having locked ourselves out of aforementioned new house. This is a great way to get to know the neighbors!) We had prayed for a smooth transition, and friends, for the children, and God has been pleased to grant both. We inherited a trampoline in the backyard and our kids have been having a blast getting to know both the trampoline, and the children across the street, who seem to have been waiting for us to show up. Interesting tidbit about Ontario -- your milk comes not in cartons, but in liter size plastic bags. You have to purchase a milk pitcher (my ignorance on all these points provided great amusement for at least one employee at the local supermarket) in which to put your plastic bag, and then you cut off one corner to pour the milk. Very environmentally friendly, but a little strange nonetheless. Fair warning to any of you who come to visit us. Humidity is another factor we're getting used to. I guess the great thing about having lived the oh-so-transient Air Force and student life is that no climate is exactly BRAND new. We can say - "Remember this humidity from Mississippi?" Or plug in some other condition and locale. In other news, I've applied for an academic advising position at Redeemer University College, where Ryan will be teaching, and now that I've interviewed, I'm just waiting to hear something. Which leads me to my current frustration - waiting on Citizenship and Immigration Canada. I'm sure that things are just as bleak for my Canadian friends trying to go live in the US, but since I've nothing to compare my experience to, I'll judge that it is officially very trying. Ryan's work permit expires tomorrow and we've been waiting weeks and weeks for our renewed permits to arrive. Initially we were told to send them in at least 30 days in advance. Processing time has now been extended to 48 days and I can imagine that this will only go up. Meanwhile, we have "implied status" which means that while we can legally remain in the country and work, we are prisoners in this foreign land. If we leave, we may be denied re-entry. This has already resulted in the cancellation of a weekend trip to the Finger Lakes and a journey to Syracuse, NY to see some good friends. It was also threatening to ruin (or at least make uber-stressful) my trip next weekend to my sister Lindsay's graduation from college. I insisted to Ryan that I would indeed go and was willing to sit on the US side of the border for as long as it took. However, kindly Etienne at the CIC call centre informed me this morning that since Ryan's work permit is what makes us legally entitled to be in Canada, that it is only Ryan who is trapped here. The rest of us are free to come and go as we like, until such time as we are officially rejected by the Crown. Good news for me. Props to Etienne, despite the half-hearted efforts of some of his comrades at Citizenship and Immigration.
So, first of all, hats off to QwestHaven Relocation for actually getting all our things here, mostly unscathed. The road, however, was not pretty. I had hoped to have a leisurely departure from Caronport - a day for the movers, a day for cleaning, and a day to breakfast with friends and wave goodbye to our little town. What really happened was last minute rescheduling, various moving crew members quitting, a 4:30 PM start time for packing the truck, having to recruit local high school students to stand in for the recently departed moving crew, and a harried and hasty departure from town. Once we actually got on the road, we did have an enjoyable cross-country trek (aided by Red Bull for me and a couple of loaned DVD players - thanks to Jeff & Stacy, and Mom!) We managed to squeeze in a lovely visit with friends we hadn't seen in years (a shout-out to Josh and Bryonie for putting up with wine and nibbles in a Holiday Inn Express room) and a fun visit to Chicago. We rolled into Caledonia, Ontario (population approximately 10,000 former British loyalists) on Monday, July 21st, and spent our first evening in our new home. The movers came the next day and the rest is history. (Some of that history involves already having locked ourselves out of aforementioned new house. This is a great way to get to know the neighbors!) We had prayed for a smooth transition, and friends, for the children, and God has been pleased to grant both. We inherited a trampoline in the backyard and our kids have been having a blast getting to know both the trampoline, and the children across the street, who seem to have been waiting for us to show up. Interesting tidbit about Ontario -- your milk comes not in cartons, but in liter size plastic bags. You have to purchase a milk pitcher (my ignorance on all these points provided great amusement for at least one employee at the local supermarket) in which to put your plastic bag, and then you cut off one corner to pour the milk. Very environmentally friendly, but a little strange nonetheless. Fair warning to any of you who come to visit us. Humidity is another factor we're getting used to. I guess the great thing about having lived the oh-so-transient Air Force and student life is that no climate is exactly BRAND new. We can say - "Remember this humidity from Mississippi?" Or plug in some other condition and locale. In other news, I've applied for an academic advising position at Redeemer University College, where Ryan will be teaching, and now that I've interviewed, I'm just waiting to hear something. Which leads me to my current frustration - waiting on Citizenship and Immigration Canada. I'm sure that things are just as bleak for my Canadian friends trying to go live in the US, but since I've nothing to compare my experience to, I'll judge that it is officially very trying. Ryan's work permit expires tomorrow and we've been waiting weeks and weeks for our renewed permits to arrive. Initially we were told to send them in at least 30 days in advance. Processing time has now been extended to 48 days and I can imagine that this will only go up. Meanwhile, we have "implied status" which means that while we can legally remain in the country and work, we are prisoners in this foreign land. If we leave, we may be denied re-entry. This has already resulted in the cancellation of a weekend trip to the Finger Lakes and a journey to Syracuse, NY to see some good friends. It was also threatening to ruin (or at least make uber-stressful) my trip next weekend to my sister Lindsay's graduation from college. I insisted to Ryan that I would indeed go and was willing to sit on the US side of the border for as long as it took. However, kindly Etienne at the CIC call centre informed me this morning that since Ryan's work permit is what makes us legally entitled to be in Canada, that it is only Ryan who is trapped here. The rest of us are free to come and go as we like, until such time as we are officially rejected by the Crown. Good news for me. Props to Etienne, despite the half-hearted efforts of some of his comrades at Citizenship and Immigration.
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