O Canada - my home and not-so-native land?
it's been hard for me to blog the last few weeks, because I've had a secret. What was on my mind I could not blog about. Not until I spoke with certain people first, took certain steps. But, it's all good now, and so I can tell you.
I gave notice yesterday, at my POE. I'm leaving at the end of the month. End of the year, I suppose, as well. I'm moving to Canada. Ironic that I should do it now, and not in 2004, but since I'm not doing it for political reasons, I guess that doesn't matter. Obviously, I am going to be moving in with Wil. We are looking to get a place for February 1st. And really, I could not be happier.
Moving to Victoria is a lot more complicated than moving to, say, Portland or Los Angeles. It's a gigantic pain in the ass, to be honest. I'm doing the research, but from what I can tell, I'm going to have to inventory and price every single item I move over there. Every. Single. Item. Like I can remember how much my monkey socks cost! This is what I am going to spend January doing. Separating things into 1. Taking, 2. Storing and 3. Garage Sale. I've never had one, but I have some friends who might have a few things to sell, not worth an entire GS themselves, but combined I bet we'll have a good stash.
I can't work there, without a VISA. Luckily, I am in a situation where, if we are very careful and budgeted, I can take time off. I'm going to be... wait for it.... a HOUSEWIFE! Hahahahaha! Oh man, just thinking of it cracks me up. I don't know... what do you think I should do with my time? Improved blogging output, for one. In fact, I hope to do a lot more writing. Learn to cook, maybe? Kick off my shoes and get pregnant? Who knows.
So... what do you think? Be prepared for much discussion of immigration and the politics of introducing Your Cat to His Cat, and Him, and a New Home, all at once, over the next few weeks.
Wil and his cat, Momo
Comments
Comments closed on older entries, whenever I get around to it, to avoid spam.Holy crap! Congratulations!!!! Damn :)
Posted by: DrinkJack
|
6 décembre 2006 18h21
Okay then... you're like the third blogger that is somewhat "local" who is moving away before I have a chance to meet them.
Y'all are doing this to avoid me, right?
Best of luck. :-)
Posted by: Dave2 | 6 décembre 2006 19h03
Wow! Congrats... and housewife?
Speechless.
Posted by: mdstblz
|
6 décembre 2006 20h14
haha. i knew this was coming...defector! no no, i mean CONGRATULATIONS!
Posted by: river selkie | 6 décembre 2006 23h02
Wow! Congratulations!
Good luck with all the immigration stuff. Having spent 5 years, on and off, wrangling my rights to live and work in the USA, I don't envy the journey you're about to take. Mine ended happily and my wife and I are heading back to America soon - but my advice is to research EVERYTHING before hand. I ended up shooting myself in the foot thinking everything was going to be okay when I just 'turned up.' I actually got deported once from JFK. Twice across the Atlantic in under 18 hours.
I'd recommend getting an immigration lawyer from the get go - and a word of advice (we learned the hard way) is make sure he's recommended by people you know and LOOK him up on the internet to see if there's any feedback about him. Two years after hiring him, we discovered that typing our lawyer's name into google took us - before his website - to a forum posting saying: "Do NOT hire this man."
AAAAAHHHHHH!
Posted by: Roland Hulme | 7 décembre 2006 4h23
Jodi, even though you will still be over 1000 kilometres away from me, I am so excited you're coming to Canada! Hooray!!
Good luck with the moving and cat-integrating (I've been there, and can only conclude my cat wants me to die a loner.) I'm sure it will go well, though, after they figure it all out.
Are you immigrating "for good" (i.e., working toward citizenship), or being an non-resident for a while to test the waters? It might be fun to take courses at UVic
in something random like new media or housewifery (:P), but I would not recommend paying international student tuition for that, so maybe look into it.
Anyway... yay!
Posted by: madrigalia | 7 décembre 2006 8h15
Jodi, that's awesome news. I'm truly happy for you!! Congratulations!
Posted by: Chris | 8 décembre 2006 5h23
conga-rats and yay for happiness!!! :)
Posted by: loon
|
8 décembre 2006 8h06
I see it's been said before, but, Congratulations.
Who's going to care for the spiders after you've gone?
Posted by: delmer | 9 décembre 2006 15h18
Umm... WHAT THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!?!?! You know they don't let my kind into Cananda! I'm going to wilt away into a pile of loneliness without my favorite big-sister-like-cousin-who-i-rarely-see-anymore-due-to-my-blossoming-real-estate-career!
Seriously, congratulations, and as soon as i get my criminal rehabilitation from Canada I will happily come visit. Love you!
Posted by: Kirsten | 11 décembre 2006 21h54
Wow! Sorry to be so late in saying congratulations, but I've been otherwise occupied.
Victoria is a great city to live in. There are loads and loads of cool places to visit on the Island.
What part of Victoria are you going to live in? I lived in Esquimalt for about five mintues and hated it. Liked James Bay and loved Oak Bay. Do people still go sparking at Mt Tolmie and Mt Douglas?
Immigration is not too bad as long as you do your planning. Showing up saying here I am (even though you are very nice) is not a good idea.
Starting a family maybe, wow that is wonderful!
Posted by: perry | 20 décembre 2006 5h55
WOW, so you ARE moving to Canada! Jeez, see what happens when one doesn't read your blog for a few weeks? Congratulations on your decision! I know for sure that you will be VERY happy where you are going. It will be sad thinking that I will never see you again (sad for me, probably not for you...LOL). TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, JODI!!!
Posted by: Paco | 22 décembre 2006 12h08
Oh sweet mother! I stop reading for a couple of months and you pack up and move to friggin' CANADA!! Nooooo....!!!
I am very pleased that you and Wil are going to be cohabitating. That's fantastic!
But who is going to recommend little hole-in-the-wall places for me to get cupcakes and hotdogs and etc? (Did I tell you I am hopelessly addicted to Cupcake Royale? I am a groupie!)
Congrats on your happiness and future together!
Posted by: zanie | 20 février 2007 14h18