May 9th, 2007
On Being a Foreigner and a Shop-o-holic
I am a Canadian that has been living in America (married to a US Citizen) for four years now. Generally I go through my everyday life as if nothing is weird or out of place, but then there are times when it is suddenly extremely obvious that I do not have the benefit of living in my home country.
For example, I have been trying to plan a trip for the end of this month to go back home. At first it was the logistics of fitting in everyone I wanted to visit that was an issue. Now, however, I am more concerned about actually being able to cross the border.
Why? Well, I have no ID. Or rather, I have no passport, my Permanent Resident Card is expired, Passport Canada has my original Birth Certificate, and I am supposed to be leaving in two weeks.
I have found out some interesting things. Canadians DO NOT need a passport to re-enter Canada. Ever. Never will. All we need is our birth certificate and picture ID. Permanent Residents of America DO NOT need a passport to enter America. All we need is our Green Card. I am assuming that the “letter” they sent me saying I have a one-year extension on my card will also be accepted. I don’t know why they keep hollering on about the passports. Maybe for once the “normal” people who live where they are born are the ones who will get shafted. HAH! How is that for justice?
So, should I try to cross the border? Should I cancel my trip? Should I get a divorce and move back to Canada so I never have to deal with this pain-in-the-ass crap ever again? Or should I just spend all my money until I am drowning in a sea of amnesia-inducing yarn purchases?
I think the last option is the best one, or at least the one that will give me the best blog fodder.
Adrian over at Hello Yarn makes some stunning yarn. Buy! Forget about youor troubles! And most importantly, don’t ever immigrate anywhere that doesn’t have enough available yarn to purchase!
And see that nice, narrow depth of field on my picture? I just bought myself a new Canon 50mm 1.8 lens. I really want the 1.4, but clearly some instant gratification was in order considering the circumstances. At this rate, I might not even have enough money left over to live for the rest of the month, let alone take a vacation.
May 9th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Oh, man, do I hear you on the immigration thing. My husband’s Irish and we have been through some craziness, mainly due to the fact that his green card renewal (I’m sure there’s a more technical term to go along with the $1000 form) took about a year to process and his old one expired in the meantime, and the office that was handling it was dissolved and no one knew where to send him. I just asked him and he advised you go to the Canadian embassy here in town and tell them your story. He did that once and the embassy gave him all the paperwork he needed to travel.
I love my Nikkor 1.8 50mm lens! I have a 1.4, as well, but it’s old and therefore not AF. Someday I’ll get enough time to play with it seriously.
Hey, and never fret. I ship to Canada.
May 9th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
AHH!
don’t leave us dear crystal. OR- if you do, take me and arlo and alex with you.
I like canada.