How did you prepare?

[ricnally 259]

Because this isn't politico and specific discussions about politics seems to make people wacky.

As was clear in my post, I'm talking small "L" liberal, and small "C" conservative, and the book is about values, not (shudder) politics.

[Stubby and Rio 4]

If that's the case, then why have I found butcher shops and grocery stores where their websites and sale flyers are entirely in Spanish? And whose Yelp reviews talk about how the store clerks speak mostly Spanish? And who have better pricing than English-flyered butcher shops and grocery stores so I'll probably do most of my shopping there?

My husband and I are leaving in two weeks for San Antonio TX; we are in Lewiston NY now. Though Austin is not as heavily populated as SA with Spanish speaking majority; I agree that you should take classes and learn the language to make yourself more marketable for jobs....TX has a huge Mexican community and a lot of the services stores etc...cater to that. I have been applying for jobs in SA and have been asked on every application if I am Latino, I also have the choice not to answer that question....many job postings in my field are looking for bilingual candidates....I cannot speak for Austin but I understand completely your concerns...I love Austin it is a beautiful city and very cultured....

I agree with NLR and Udella....many products though the same " taste different " LOL

good luck

[Stubby and Rio 4]

My husband and I are leaving in two weeks for San Antonio TX; we are in Lewiston NY now. Though Austin is not as heavily populated as SA with Spanish speaking majority; I agree that you should take classes and learn the language to make yourself more marketable for jobs....TX has a huge Mexican community and a lot of the services stores etc...cater to that. I have been applying for jobs in SA and have been asked on every application if I am Latino, I also have the choice not to answer that question....many job postings in my field are looking for bilingual candidates....I cannot speak for Austin but I understand completely your concerns...I love Austin it is a beautiful city and very cultured....

I agree with NLR and Udella....many products though the same " taste different " LOL

good luck

my husband is from San Antonio spent two years travelling there during our relationship.....I am slowly learning Spanish as well

[LSL 3]

I'm moving to MA from Toronto so weather wise not much difference. I'm trying to familiarize myself with stores that are similar to some of the Canadian ones, but I think for me the biggest thing to prepare for is job search. I'm working on getting my local licensing and registration done so that when I move I can look for work right away.

There are similarities between US and Canada in my profession, but some things are also done differently there and I will most likely have to learn it on the job and adjust accordingly... not to mention their health system...that obviously requires to get used to.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

The same reason why you find business catering to French outside Quebec. The rest is kinda self explanatory. Be careful in a lot of those shops, not all but some are the equivalent to buying seafood she side of the road.

Because there isn't an officially bilingual province outside of quebec, there aren't pocket communities of francophones in Ontario and all the maritime provinces (I'm sure there are some in the other provinces and territories, too, I just don't know about them as much). Sorry, but I'm actually quite offended by some of your implications.

And honestly? Some of the best seafood I've ever had was bought off the side of the road and I've found the best way to determine the freshness of meat in a butcher shop is to watch the foot traffic. For example? Best cheap meat in Toronto? Chinatown. So many people buying meat that it doesn't have time to go bad. Either freeze it as soon as you get home or cook it immediately to be sure, but I used to be a butcher and it was one of the best known bits of information amongst butchers here. If you weren't looking for a specialty cut, just go to Chinatown on Spadina. Most of the seafood there was fresher than the white fishmongers, too. The trick with fish is to watch the eyes. Shellfish with opening and closing shells should be tightly closed and should pop open when cooked. Crab and stuff is harder, so I never buy dead crab or lobster unless it's been flash frozen at sea. Meat smells different when it goes bad, too. VERY different.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

My husband and I are leaving in two weeks for San Antonio TX; we are in Lewiston NY now. Though Austin is not as heavily populated as SA with Spanish speaking majority; I agree that you should take classes and learn the language to make yourself more marketable for jobs....TX has a huge Mexican community and a lot of the services stores etc...cater to that. I have been applying for jobs in SA and have been asked on every application if I am Latino, I also have the choice not to answer that question....many job postings in my field are looking for bilingual candidates....I cannot speak for Austin but I understand completely your concerns...I love Austin it is a beautiful city and very cultured....

I agree with NLR and Udella....many products though the same " taste different " LOL

My fiancée has been very reassuring about Austin since she's been there almost a year and a half now. She likes to tell me how comparatively liberal it is to the rest of Texas. Which makes me chuckle a bit because, as stated by others here, their liberal is still pretty conservative by our standards! She's also been going around to her favourite products and reading off the ingredients labels to me. Turns out? Basically nothing she buys has HFCS other than candy and she's even got her own sourdough starter now.

[floridaboundcanuk 7]

Because there isn't an officially bilingual province outside of quebec, there aren't pocket communities of francophones in Ontario and all the maritime provinces (I'm sure there are some in the other provinces and territories, too, I just don't know about them as much). Sorry, but I'm actually quite offended by some of your implications.

And honestly? Some of the best seafood I've ever had was bought off the side of the road and I've found the best way to determine the freshness of meat in a butcher shop is to watch the foot traffic. For example? Best cheap meat in Toronto? Chinatown. So many people buying meat that it doesn't have time to go bad. Either freeze it as soon as you get home or cook it immediately to be sure, but I used to be a butcher and it was one of the best known bits of information amongst butchers here. If you weren't looking for a specialty cut, just go to Chinatown on Spadina. Most of the seafood there was fresher than the white fishmongers, too. The trick with fish is to watch the eyes. Shellfish with opening and closing shells should be tightly closed and should pop open when cooked. Crab and stuff is harder, so I never buy dead crab or lobster unless it's been flash frozen at sea. Meat smells different when it goes bad, too. VERY different.

Whatever floats your boat bud!

[inlovesalem 17]

Because there isn't an officially bilingual province outside of quebec, there aren't pocket communities of francophones in Ontario and all the maritime provinces (I'm sure there are some in the other provinces and territories, too, I just don't know about them as much). Sorry, but I'm actually quite offended by some of your implications.

And honestly? Some of the best seafood I've ever had was bought off the side of the road and I've found the best way to determine the freshness of meat in a butcher shop is to watch the foot traffic. For example? Best cheap meat in Toronto? Chinatown. So many people buying meat that it doesn't have time to go bad. Either freeze it as soon as you get home or cook it immediately to be sure, but I used to be a butcher and it was one of the best known bits of information amongst butchers here. If you weren't looking for a specialty cut, just go to Chinatown on Spadina. Most of the seafood there was fresher than the white fishmongers, too. The trick with fish is to watch the eyes. Shellfish with opening and closing shells should be tightly closed and should pop open when cooked. Crab and stuff is harder, so I never buy dead crab or lobster unless it's been flash frozen at sea. Meat smells different when it goes bad, too. VERY different.

Actually New Brunswick is officially bilingual. All signs must be in both French and English, and not easy to find any good paying jobs without knowledge of both official languages...only in private sector, and even then...

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

Actually New Brunswick is officially bilingual. All signs must be in both French and English, and not easy to find any good paying jobs without knowledge of both official languages...only in private sector, and even then...

Oh, I know. I guess i wasn't clear. Tone gets lost on the net, but that was a sarcastic 'because there's not.' The idea that French people should stay in Quebec really upsets me.

[inlovesalem 17]

Oh, I know. I guess i wasn't clear. Tone gets lost on the net, but that was a sarcastic 'because there's not.' The idea that French people should stay in Quebec really upsets me.

I see, and I agree! Yea I lost the sarcastic...lol

Edited October 19, 2013 by inlovesalem