Really Canada? Why Not!

I went to college in Duluth, the largest US city closet to Thunder Bay, ON. Living in Duluth, you encounter many tourists, correction you encounter many Canadians. I absolutely had no interest in visiting Canada; because really, what do they have up there that we don’t? And to say the least, I had no interest in developing a relationship with one (their all cocky and rude Frenchman right???).  Those were my ignorant thoughts having to serve Canadians on a regular weekend at Olive Garden. Whenever one of my tables was seated with a group of Canadians, as a server, you always tried to give your table away. They would run up a large tab, and almost never leave a tip. No offense to my Canadian friends and family, but hearing the word AHH 20 times in 5 minutes is irritating (a word I have never understood the necessity of).  In one of my last months of living in Duluth, would you know it, but I met a cute, nice guy. One problem, he’s Canadian. It didn’t bother me that he lived 6 hours away, or that he was a few years older than me, just the fact that he’s Canadian. How in the world do you date someone that lives in another country?

Before starting our relationship, we both had to agree that our nationality would not affect our relationship. And we just made it work. We took turns making the six hour drive every other weekend. After we dated for x amount of months, we decided ok, it’s time to answer the question “Where are we going to live?” We want to take the relationship to the next stage, but we have to tackle the issue of who is moving. I was totally against moving to Canada from day one. But the more I thought about it over those months we dated, I thought, why not? What do I have to lose moving? It will be a fresh start to life. I’m getting married, I don’t have a career established here yet. Why not start a new life married, with a new job, in a new country? Sounds like fun right? I can’t say it was as easy as I thought it sounded or as fun at times. Because little did I know, being an immigrant is tough and you lose almost everything you have. You have to give up some of your rights and some of your things to create a new life in a new country. You literally have to start over, and that’s what I have had to do. Despite some the challenges I have encountered, I can say I have no regrets doing it, and would do it all over again. And I know that my husband would do the same for me. We have decided that our home is where we are.  It may be in Canada today and in the States tomorrow.