Off Topic

[CanAmCharlotte 0]

Just wanted to vent and see if anyone else was feeling the way I do today. Misery loves company and all that. If you''re anything like me, you probably feel slightly ungrateful venting to the person who brought you here in the first place. I'm sure all aspects of my message have been covered in the Canadian 'Off Topics' or 'Vent' threads numerous times, but what the hell, it's my pity party and I'll cry if I want to.

First of all, I should tell you I live in a very nice, safe neighborhood (note US spelling) of Charlotte, NC. My life is fairly trouble-free. I have a dream job and an adorable husband who claims to miss me if we're apart for more than a few hours. Basically life is grand for this lucky Canadian transplant.

However.......every day I look out the window (I work from home) and see the illegals working on the landscaping of our community. I only say 'illegals' because that's what the neighbors tell me. I have had a hellacious immigration process due to an administration error by USCIS which initially cast me as a criminal (!!!) and like you, have spent a great deal of time, money, and effort setting the record straight and wading through the immigration quagmire. I have had my fingerprints taken three times so far and will have them taken at least once more. I get (moderately) hassled when I cross the border and constantly stress about receiving RFE's on my I-751 petition. Honestly, I had no clue, and I mean no clue, the process would be this draining. Sometimes I wonder if I should have just moved here and waited for amnesty (is that the right term?).

Secondly, the US healthcare system is doing my head in! Remember the good ol' days back in the motherland when you walked into your doctor's office or Emergency and never cracked open your wallet except to show your health card? Mmmm...fond memories indeed. I had a physical this morning and I have never seen so much paperwork in my life. It was up to me to call my insurance company in advance with a script the doctor gave me asking if this was covered, if that was covered, yadda yadda yadda. Oh yeah, also, I had a freak accident one month after arriving in the US--I tore a calf muscle while running. I had some temporary insurance with a large deductible until my 'regular' insurance kicked in. So I hopped into the Urgent Care department of the nearest hospital, spent a total of five minutes with a doctor and hopped out with a $1700 bill!!! Jeez at least they could have waxed my legs and sprayed a tan on them. They left it up to me to find a fracture boot (more money). If there is one thing I want handled by the next president, it's healthcare reform. I am lucky enough to be able to afford the premiums but the current system is overly complicated, discriminatory , and just plain does not work. Although simplified, everyone should see Michael Moore's movie 'Sicko'. Quite an eye-opener.

Rant over.....feeling a little better already.

Jo-Anne.....out

[Flames9_RN 358]

we already have a vent forum on the CDn site,lol Illegals dont bother me at all. I have been throughout the world thanks to being in the Cdn Armed Forces and seen some pretty crappy places! And if I were in their shoes, i would do the same thing! I think 1 would be crazy to want to live their whole life in a unhealthy conditions, one has to do what 1 has to do! I was fortunate to be born in Canada, not as if I picked to be born there,lol Everyone has their opinion on illegals, so be it. I'm a student RN and have worked at free health clinics, and glad to provide that service to people that otherwise would be suffering. And one doesn't have to be illegal to goto these clinics, just have no insurance. What does bother me (not that much,lol) is seeing a family drive up in a new Mercedes and want to be seen! Why raise my blood pressure over trivial things in life, that my 2 cents!!

[Mephys 2]

I am in a position between the 2 of you.

I understand the human part, like Flame said, where if I was those people I would have probably done the same, as a survival point of view.

Then there is the bureaucratic part, where I am frustrated that I did all the paperwork from A to Z to be legal, and it was time and money consuming. Why can't they do the same.

I understand your frustrations Charlotte, and I hope it made you feel better to vent. And it is frustrating to have to worry about medical bills. However, I did appreciated 2 weeks ago when i went to the urgent care twice for GI issues that I was seen right away both times, and didn't have to wait 4 hours liek I used to in Quebec. It's got good and bad sides to it.

[Flames9_RN 358]

another point--is I sleep soundly each night, not worrying about immigration officials busting down my door! So their is peace of mind doing things the legal way!!

[Chica Yeyé 41]

we already have a vent forum on the CDn site,lol Illegals dont bother me at all. I have been throughout the world thanks to being in the Cdn Armed Forces and seen some pretty crappy places! And if I were in their shoes, i would do the same thing! I think 1 would be crazy to want to live their whole life in a unhealthy conditions, one has to do what 1 has to do! I was fortunate to be born in Canada, not as if I picked to be born there,lol Everyone has their opinion on illegals, so be it. I'm a student RN and have worked at free health clinics, and glad to provide that service to people that otherwise would be suffering. And one doesn't have to be illegal to goto these clinics, just have no insurance. What does bother me (not that much,lol) is seeing a family drive up in a new Mercedes and want to be seen! Why raise my blood pressure over trivial things in life, that my 2 cents!!

And that's why I like flames. No drama, a lot of human touch. You will make an amazing nurse my friend.

[Flames9_RN 358]

That's $5000 please!! lol

[Krikit 1,164]

However.......every day I look out the window (I work from home) and see the illegals working on the landscaping of our community. I only say 'illegals' because that's what the neighbors tell me.

Be very careful not to judge others based on hearsay. In fact, be very careful not to judge others, period. Nothing is ever black or white. Nothing.

[Mephys 2]

That's $5000 please!! lol

lol

I got bit by a cat few months ago, and I kid you not, when I got the bill, I found out the nurse fee to put a 30 cents bandaid on my finger was 13$, and that same bandaid got removed by the x-ray technician 5 minutes later... They got ways to screw you up

[Flames9_RN 358]

u think its easy to put on a bandaid? jeez!! I failed that exam 4 times!!! lol

[Mephys 2]

u think its easy to put on a bandaid? jeez!! I failed that exam 4 times!!! lol

Try it on a dog next time They don't really "give the paw"

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Just wanted to vent and see if anyone else was feeling the way I do today. Misery loves company and all that. If you''re anything like me, you probably feel slightly ungrateful venting to the person who brought you here in the first place. I'm sure all aspects of my message have been covered in the Canadian 'Off Topics' or 'Vent' threads numerous times, but what the hell, it's my pity party and I'll cry if I want to.

First of all, I should tell you I live in a very nice, safe neighborhood (note US spelling) of Charlotte, NC. My life is fairly trouble-free. I have a dream job and an adorable husband who claims to miss me if we're apart for more than a few hours. Basically life is grand for this lucky Canadian transplant.

However.......every day I look out the window (I work from home) and see the illegals working on the landscaping of our community. I only say 'illegals' because that's what the neighbors tell me. I have had a hellacious immigration process due to an administration error by USCIS which initially cast me as a criminal (!!!) and like you, have spent a great deal of time, money, and effort setting the record straight and wading through the immigration quagmire. I have had my fingerprints taken three times so far and will have them taken at least once more. I get (moderately) hassled when I cross the border and constantly stress about receiving RFE's on my I-751 petition. Honestly, I had no clue, and I mean no clue, the process would be this draining. Sometimes I wonder if I should have just moved here and waited for amnesty (is that the right term?).

Secondly, the US healthcare system is doing my head in! Remember the good ol' days back in the motherland when you walked into your doctor's office or Emergency and never cracked open your wallet except to show your health card? Mmmm...fond memories indeed. I had a physical this morning and I have never seen so much paperwork in my life. It was up to me to call my insurance company in advance with a script the doctor gave me asking if this was covered, if that was covered, yadda yadda yadda. Oh yeah, also, I had a freak accident one month after arriving in the US--I tore a calf muscle while running. I had some temporary insurance with a large deductible until my 'regular' insurance kicked in. So I hopped into the Urgent Care department of the nearest hospital, spent a total of five minutes with a doctor and hopped out with a $1700 bill!!! Jeez at least they could have waxed my legs and sprayed a tan on them. They left it up to me to find a fracture boot (more money). If there is one thing I want handled by the next president, it's healthcare reform. I am lucky enough to be able to afford the premiums but the current system is overly complicated, discriminatory , and just plain does not work. Although simplified, everyone should see Michael Moore's movie 'Sicko'. Quite an eye-opener.

Rant over.....feeling a little better already.

Jo-Anne.....out

Excuse me? Do they have a tatto in their foreheads? Stereotyping, much? Sheesh.

[Mephys 2]

Excuse me? Do they have a tatto in their foreheads? Stereotyping, much? Sheesh.

That was in the other thread

[Flames9_RN 358]

no, but they walk around with bottle of Corona,lol I could go for a corona right now!!! Our grounds crew here are of South American ancestory, man,they work thier butt off. Excellent work ethic and great role models for others. I have no clue if they are illegal or not!! Don't care! Washington post had an excellent article on illegals last yr or year before. they followed two illegal men around for a week. Was not a pretty existence!! They worked their butts off and were constantly worried about being departed. Their families back home really depended on their $$$ for survival. I have high respect for people like that! I'm sitting on my fat ### on a comfy chair, AC, internet connection, not many worries, and here they are working long days, paying rent on a small room with prob no AC, lucky to have a small TV and sending most of their $$ back to their families.

[CanAmCharlotte 0]

I don't think I made my point very clear. I really wasn't judging the illegals; I don't know their stories and put in their shoes I certainly might do the same. It's just been frustrating to have been treated the way I have been by the USCIS when I've gone by the letter of the law (I know, I know.....boo hoo poor me!). Before moving to the US I worked as a teacher in a Toronto high school where some 95% were recent immigrants and probably around 10% had refugee status. I could totally sympathize with the deplorable, often dangerous situations in their native countries. The thing is, they went through the proper channels and were living as landed immigrants free and clear. I guess you could say the Canadian system works for those who really need a new start. I'm stunned they knew where to go in their homelands to start the process (e.g., Sierre Leone, the Sudan). My problem is not so much with the illegals here in the US as it is with the US immigration system that makes it necessary for some people to break the law in order to better their lives all the while not exactly rewarding those who jump through all the hoops to do it legally. It doesn't really work well for anyone.

J

we already have a vent forum on the CDn site,lol Illegals dont bother me at all. I have been throughout the world thanks to being in the Cdn Armed Forces and seen some pretty crappy places! And if I were in their shoes, i would do the same thing! I think 1 would be crazy to want to live their whole life in a unhealthy conditions, one has to do what 1 has to do! I was fortunate to be born in Canada, not as if I picked to be born there,lol Everyone has their opinion on illegals, so be it. I'm a student RN and have worked at free health clinics, and glad to provide that service to people that otherwise would be suffering. And one doesn't have to be illegal to goto these clinics, just have no insurance. What does bother me (not that much,lol) is seeing a family drive up in a new Mercedes and want to be seen! Why raise my blood pressure over trivial things in life, that my 2 cents!!

[aravis227 1]

I am in a position between the 2 of you.

I understand the human part, like Flame said, where if I was those people I would have probably done the same, as a survival point of view.

Then there is the bureaucratic part, where I am frustrated that I did all the paperwork from A to Z to be legal, and it was time and money consuming. Why can't they do the same.

I'm right here with you...I'm somewhere in the middle. As we all know, the immigrations system is ridiculous...it's expensive and takes a really long time to get anything done. It's hard enough for my fiance and I who both speak English and both have decent work...I can't imagine living in the conditions of some other countries and trying to get through the process and I can completely understand people moving illegally.

On the other hand...it IS expensive and it HAS taken a really long time and he STILL isn't here. I don't think it's fair for anyone to just step around the law because it's inconvenient.