Oh Canada!
After one long day (11.5 hours) and one morning (5 hours) of driving, I finally arrived back home on Wednesday. It definitely feels good to be home. I really missed my apartment and being around people I know! Academically and professionally, my move across half the country was the right thing. Personally, it was more akin to torture. But I survived and returned home mostly undamaged. And that's what's important.
I found out when I returned home this week that my apartment complex has decided to raise their rents a non-trivial amount. So, I can no longer afford to live here after July. Which leaves me about a month to find a new apartment. It wouldn't be so bad to move (I've gotten good at it this year!), except that I have no job after November/December. And if I find a job, there's no guarantee that it will be anywhere near my current location. Hence, I cannot sign a 12-month lease unless I win the lottery and find myself swimming in extra money. So I'm trying to find an affordable 5-month lease on an apartment. *sigh* These kinds of abodes are not plentiful, let me tell you that.
This weekend I embark on the first of three trips I have this month. Two are work-related, one is vacation. The vacation I'm looking forward to, the others not so much. I'm headed to Canada for a few days starting Sunday, and I'm actually starting to get a little bit distressed about the whole "leaving the country" thing. I actually read the State Department Travel Page today to learn what I should do. This left me with a whole new list of things to worry about. For example, I have no idea if my medical insurance will cover me "abroad"! Nor have I registered with the American Consulate in Canada yet! I don't know what the local laws are regarding anything and it's possible that I may not be able to find proof of ownership for my laptop before I leave. (The last thing I want to do is have to pay some kind of duty on my computer in order to bring it back into the US or something). I feel completely unprepared for this kind of exotic travel. That, and the whole money exchange thing always gives me a headache. So wish me luck in my Canadian job-seeking endeavors next week.
I found out when I returned home this week that my apartment complex has decided to raise their rents a non-trivial amount. So, I can no longer afford to live here after July. Which leaves me about a month to find a new apartment. It wouldn't be so bad to move (I've gotten good at it this year!), except that I have no job after November/December. And if I find a job, there's no guarantee that it will be anywhere near my current location. Hence, I cannot sign a 12-month lease unless I win the lottery and find myself swimming in extra money. So I'm trying to find an affordable 5-month lease on an apartment. *sigh* These kinds of abodes are not plentiful, let me tell you that.
This weekend I embark on the first of three trips I have this month. Two are work-related, one is vacation. The vacation I'm looking forward to, the others not so much. I'm headed to Canada for a few days starting Sunday, and I'm actually starting to get a little bit distressed about the whole "leaving the country" thing. I actually read the State Department Travel Page today to learn what I should do. This left me with a whole new list of things to worry about. For example, I have no idea if my medical insurance will cover me "abroad"! Nor have I registered with the American Consulate in Canada yet! I don't know what the local laws are regarding anything and it's possible that I may not be able to find proof of ownership for my laptop before I leave. (The last thing I want to do is have to pay some kind of duty on my computer in order to bring it back into the US or something). I feel completely unprepared for this kind of exotic travel. That, and the whole money exchange thing always gives me a headache. So wish me luck in my Canadian job-seeking endeavors next week.
posted by Meredith | 7:25 PM
3 Comments:
Chill. I've gone to Europe, India, and Japan in the last two years, and have done precisely none of the things on your list. It's Canada, America's overly polite, almost-state. There's nothing to worry about.
Is Canada even really like leaving the country? I thought it was about the same as the U.S. Mexico just about is. You'll be okay. But it is funny to see Craig get his panties in a wad.
Nah, Canada is just like going to another state. I wouldn't worry about any of that checklist you wrote about. I did, however, get stopped at the border once and was asked if the officials could look in my trunk. My were they surprised when they only found a suitcase and not the piles of firearms they most surely suspected I had in there (don't I just *look* like a dangerous person?). LOL!
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