Immigration Update

Alright, here is the background information:

• I’m a US citizen
• My husband is Canadian
• I want to live in Canada with him
• Immigrating sucks

So after trying every way possible to stay together during my immigration process- I have come to realize that there is no easy way to do so.  Last winter I “moved” here and thought applying for Permanent Residency would be easy/ no big deal.  Wrong.  Came back home with my parents in Illinois. 

I have been researching how to do this crap for a year now, and after coming to Saskatchewan and trying to get a job then apply for PR from within Canada and that FAILING after 12 weeks of waiting, I have accepted the fact that I must return home once again and file from outside of Canada.

I have to fill out a stack of paperwork (which I am 90% done with- yay), provide pictures and any other type of documentation that proves I did not marry my husband for his wealth (ha!) or for a better life in Canada (HAHA!), get an immigrant medical examination in Chicago (checking to see I have all my teeth, am not HIV +, crazy, a TB carrier, an alien, or infected in any other way), pay $1000, and then I’m done!  How easy?!  Then I get to wait 3-11 months for the verdict. 

I feel stupid for not doing this sooner, but honestly- it’s hard and time consuming!  Plus until recently I was thinking it took 2 years to process  and didn’t know where I should be before committing to that, AND if you fill out the forms wrong or forget something you can totally screw yourself over.  AND I didn’t know I had to get a medical examination, didn’t have the money, and we weren’t married until last June and if we were to apply as common law partners before then we really didn’t have enough documentation to prove it (shared bills, bank accounts- you can’t get that stuff in a country where you aren’t a citizen!). 

It has just been so incredibly difficult to get accurate help and get straight answers… so if ANYONE or anyone you know is trying to live or work in Canada feel free to contact me because I will help you!  I feel sorry for anyone else in a similar situation… especially when these Canadians keep shipping their cute hockey players to US schools!  But anyway, if you too are immigrating and have questions or are seeking tips- I would be happy to help.

Devastation

Merry Fucking Christmas!

After 12 weeks of waiting for the Canadian government to review my application for a shit $9 an hour cashier job… the answer is no.  Refused!  The pharmacy that wanted to hire me does not have permission to do so.  And I had to call the offices to find that out!  They didn’t even bother to let me or the pharmacy know!!!  What the fuck?  What is wrong with these people? 

So now I guess the next step is to apply for Permanent Residence, which takes 2 years, and I don’t know how the fuck I’m supposed to support myself when I can’t work and my husband is in school.  I’m guessing he will have to drop out and get a job, but one income still doesn’t cover our meager monthly expenses and my stupid student loans.  And if he quits school then we have to start back up with his student loans too! 

This is so ridiculous I can’t even see straight.  I have now officially wasted a year of my life trying to get a job in Canada- it would be easier for me to be on welfare there than to work and support myself!  And now here I am again, stuck with no plan, no money, and no job.  Fuck. You. Canada.  Thanks for absolutely nothing.

Wow.

It sounds mean, but sometimes the best way to feel better about your own situation is to look at some one else’s (some one who has it worse than you, that is). 

I, myself, was having a horrible day because I’m down about this whole Canadian immigration process and after spending the morning on the phone with the immigration office was once again reminded of what a long and expensive process moving to fucking Canada is.  I don’t know what’s wrong with these maple leaves, but they all hate me and don’t want me to be with my husband.  That’s what it felt like at least.  And we’re poor, and I want to go back to school, and I’m a little homesick.  Poor me…

UNTIL!  I turned on Oprah today, and she had on a couple SO in debt, about $135,000 in debt to be exact.  So, after watching how messed up they are I felt a lot better about my situation.  I might be totally poor and couchless, but at least the only debt I have is a few student loans.  And while this whole immigration thing blows majorly at least I don’t have 6 kids, no health insurance, and a $600,000 mortgage. 

So that sounds really mean, but honestly, when you’re feeling down about your own situation it is important to be thankful for what you DO have because there is always going to be someone out there worse off than you.  Again, that still sounds mean… okay it’s an insensitive way to help yourself!  But it made me feel better… and I will never use a credit card for anything other than an extreme emergency.  Oh, and don’t worry about the couple on Oprah… their lives suck right now but they have Suze Orman helping them now!

“Is it kind?  Is it necessary?  Is it true?” 

~ Suze Orman’s advice

Canada is a Wasteland

I want to take a moment to say how sick I am of being in Canada today.  Being in a country where you are not a citizen blows, and I hate anyone who tries to tell me otherwise.  Unless you have an unlimited budget, it completely sucks to be an immigrant.  I cannot get a job, I cannot open a bank account (not like I have any money anyway), and people hate Americans here… they act like they don’t- but they do. 

I am currently waiting for the government to give my future employer permission to hire me, THEN I have to file for a work visa.  This is for a job as a cashier at a drug store.  Are you serious Canada?