Going to miss Canada

[kashewmoo 9]

This will be the second time I've moved to Colorado (and the third time moving out of the country), and ultimately at the end of the day, while there are many things I miss about Canada, being with my wife is what makes me happy - the place we live comes second - and anything to bring this long haul to an end is so important to me.

I think it helps in that I've always had a strong support net. Her immediate family lives in the same city, and we both have mutual friends from when I lived there the first time who are really excited for me to return. I'm of course going to miss my family and friends back here at home, but it's really only a plane ride away.

I think that the two things that are freaking me out the most about this move in particular is our marital status, and of course, health care. Colorado still doesn't recognize marriage equality, and while civil unions are in full effect there and federally we're protected, there's still that tiny part of me that worries about all the what-ifs or implications of not being recognized as married by the state - in particular once we begin a family.

With regard to health care, my wife has an amazing plan that I'll be added to immediately when I arrive, but I've had her go over the details with me several times over just to make sure I understand what the financial stress could be in the event of an absolute worst case scenario. The monthly premium cost doesn't bother me all that much, for I've been paying for MSP and extended medical here in BC that costs me an arm and a leg, but deductibles and out of pocket costs and all the other potential dollar signs does make me feel a bit uneasy.

I think it helps too that I'm sick and tired of living on Vancouver Island, and to return to smack dab the middle of a country where I can drive for hours and hours on end sounds like paradise. But I've always been a bit of a roamer, really.

[twin810s 23]

I've had so many people here ask me questions about Canada that it almost seemed like a scene out of a movie. We went to a BBQ and I literally was drinking beers and playing a Q&A game with everyone and they were genuinely so amazed at some of the things I told them.

This probably is just a southern thing but people always compliment my green hair, my piercings and my gauged ears. Or ask me lots of questions about body modification. In Vancouver, a lot of people walk around like this, so when people first started asking I thought it was weird they were so intrigued by something I view as normal

With my hubby living in Canada (for not very much longer)... the most amazing thing Americans have heard us say is that Taco Bell as french fries. I know he will miss that ha. The fry supremes are amazingness.

[CanGirl 95]

With my hubby living in Canada (for not very much longer)... the most amazing thing Americans have heard us say is that Taco Bell as french fries. I know he will miss that ha. The fry supremes are amazingness.

OH YAH lmao I forgot about taco bell french fries. My husband will be so jealous when I tell him!

[mitchanme 18]

I was so worried about missing the west coast of Canada, but as it turns out I don't care if I ever go back. I've been here in Iowa for about 7 weeks while waiting to go back to Vancouver for my interview. I've started saying I'm from "near Seattle" as often people don't know where British Columbia is. Sometimes Seattle doesn't ring a bell either. People who do know I'm Canadian sometimes get a funny look and ask "don't you speak French" . In small town Midwest it's highly unusual to see a license plate from another state, let alone another country- people stop and stare. I have my dogs with me and take them lots of places and it's been a great ice-breaker, more strangers talk to me than without them.

Healthcare is definitely a big worry. My hubby to be is self employed and currently has no healthcare plan, but we absolutely have to once we are married so even though he doesn't really want me to work, I feel like I should get any kind of job just for the medical benefits.

Nobody has even heard of a perogy. A bag is a sack. A toilet is a stool. Bacon is bacon, there ain't no back bacon. Prescription drugs are expensive, vitamins are cheaper. Mail gets delivered on Saturdays. The library has no such thing as a british murder mystery. Learn to say "huh" instead of "eh". I would kill for some fresh fish!

Wine in the Midwest is sweet. If you like decent European wine, don't plan on buying it here. I got some Washington state white though and it reminded me of the beach.

The trains are so cool! Coming from Vancouver island, they're fun to see. It goes by here a couple hundred feet from the driveway, the engineer always waves.

Most of all, don't worry about missing things, just immerse yourself in the new life. I never thought it would be so easy, and I really was the most beach/fishing oriented person. Being with the absolute love of your life is great!

[Erica & L 50]

With my hubby living in Canada (for not very much longer)... the most amazing thing Americans have heard us say is that Taco Bell as french fries. I know he will miss that ha. The fry supremes are amazingness.

One time I told someone I was going to bring Mushroom Poutine to a party and they thought I was talking about drugs LOL

And yeah most people down here are always surpised that I don't have an accent because they assume everyone talks like they're from Newfoundland or Nova Scotia.

[Tithen 4]

I miss the health care. I miss the easy math conversion. I miss certain kinds of food. And I miss my family.

I don't miss being poor and eating KD and spaghetti with just sauce. Or having to eat Mr Noodle rather than wanting it because it's terrible and oh so good.

I used to be a phone call from home. "Hey, can I come home?" and someone would show up at my door when I got off work. Now it takes months of planning to get there (I'm about to hit my 3 year moving here mark and I've only been home twice).

I left a metro city, for a smaller one. Since moving here I've lived in towns with 2000 people, 2 million people, 100k people. I just adjust.

All in all I like living here. I'm happier than I was when I lived in Canada as a whole. And I miss my cousins who were just 7 and 8m old when I left. But when I go home everything picks up just like I'd never been away (the midnight phone calls from the little one who is now 4 sobbing because I'm leaving even though I JUST got there are both heartbreaking and hilarious). I love my husband, and his son. And I wouldn't trade him for anything, not even free healthcare.

[chiggins82 88]

I have already had moments since we decided I would be moving to the US. We are just starting to get the I-129F in order... It's funny because US and Canada seem so similar until you are moving there... I am mostly scared about only have having him as a friend. He is great and he is my best friend, but I need my own life too. I fear how dependent I will be for a while.

I have a feeling missing my family will be huge too. They are down the street here, but having to book planes to see them will be a big adjustment.

Really also going to miss all-dressed chips, ketchup chips, Canadian news and TV, Kinder, Poutine and KD (Though both available in US, they seem different), Health care, Vacation time (and earned days off for me)... The list will go on and on.

I will be really looking forward to more free shipping with online shopping and just general availability and selection options. What ever we carry, US always seems to have 5 more flavours.

For me, I made a deal with my boyfriend. If I hate there, I get to pick the next move for us and if I truly just do not want to be in the United States then we will both move to Canada once I have dual citizenship.... I have a feeling that once I am there it will be ok. Just have to get through the adjustment.

[warlord 73]

I think the only things I missed were certain foods. Like normal black olives with the pits in them and the different flavored chips you could buy that had a bigger variety than here. I missed the Harvey's hamburger chain and how amazing Chinese food is in Canada as it compares to here.

Can't think of anything else though. I know when I moved in the 90's the health care thing in Canada or at least Southern Ontario was a disaster, doctors weren't taking new patients, hospitals were closing like crazy and in Windsor anyways, the only way many of us could even see a doctor was to endure a 9 hour wait in the emergency room in one of only 2 hospitals that hadn't closed, in a crowed room with people laying on the floors like a 3rd world country.

And as for public transit, you just have to live in the right places, just like in Canada. Here in Denver, we have a good network that is expanding with FasTracks and such. It's the first city I've really ever lived in that I finally feel connected by public transit. So that isn't a country by country thing, it's a population area vs population area thing.

You'll get over it and find so many more things here that you'll love as well that are better than Canada in time. I go back and visit every few years and I can't even think I could manage it there. It's just too different than what I'm used to now. (I could never get used to saying 'eh' or raising my voice like a question for every statement I make ha ha)...

[serena28 2]

I miss healthcare in Canada. I've had one of the worst experiences in terms of healthcare in this country. Until I had a job, my coverage was pretty good but right after marriage when I quit, we had to get a private health plan. Private health insurance is expensive and so far (because I'm pregnant) We have paid about $3500 in doctor visits and tests done in only the last 4 months.

It is so confusing with the deductible and out of pocket deductible and all that gibberish which really didn't make sense to me until we really had to start paying. Oh and the the $3500 doesn't even include the $400 PER MONTH insurance cost for just me. It is ridiculous!

Oh and thank god for Obamacare changes because if it wasn't for that, NO ONE and I mean NO insurance company would've given me health coverage since I got pregnant BEFORE enrolling in to a health plan. Starting 2014, they cannot reject you for health coverage with a precondition so thank god for that!

[VeeNDee 44]

I feel your pain. I just had a baby, WITH insurance and it cost us many thousands of dollars. I don't understand how us paying over 1k a month in insurance for a family means I still have to pay thousands more dollars for treatment. I thought insurance was supposed to cover costs. How naive of me.... Anyway we hit the deductible. And the co-insurance whatever nonsense that is. And almost hit the out of pocket for the whole family. And when my daughter was born, anything we went to together was charged to her and she started ALL over with a new deductible/co-insurance. Sigh. Not to mention co-pays. The amount they would charge for things was ridiculous too. For example she struggled with IUGR while I was pregnant so I had to go in for twice weekly non stress tests. I would sit in a room. BY MYSELF. For 20 minutes. With a heartbeat monitor strapped on recording movement. After 20 minutes, a nurse would come in, look at it and say 'looks good!' and I'd leave. That cost $880. Per visit. It's highway robbery I swear.

I miss healthcare in Canada. I've had one of the worst experiences in terms of healthcare in this country. Until I had a job, my coverage was pretty good but right after marriage when I quit, we had to get a private health plan. Private health insurance is expensive and so far (because I'm pregnant) We have paid about $3500 in doctor visits and tests done in only the last 4 months.

It is so confusing with the deductible and out of pocket deductible and all that gibberish which really didn't make sense to me until we really had to start paying. Oh and the the $3500 doesn't even include the $400 PER MONTH insurance cost for just me. It is ridiculous!

Oh and thank god for Obamacare changes because if it wasn't for that, NO ONE and I mean NO insurance company would've given me health coverage since I got pregnant BEFORE enrolling in to a health plan. Starting 2014, they cannot reject you for health coverage with a precondition so thank god for that!

[VeeNDee 44]

Oh and the reason our monthly insurance cost was so high was this horrible concept of companies hiring 'vendors' for their work. So my husband works over 5 years for the same company as a 'contract vendor' and as a result they don't have to pay benefits since they're hired through another company. And since I was pregnant in 2013 I still got refused as pregnancy for pre-existing condition. So we had only one option- my husband's vendor contract company offered insurance but we had to pay the full premium. Ka-ching. Thankfully this year 2014 we're now on a government plan and it's better coverage and costs less!

[CanGirl 95]

Oh and the reason our monthly insurance cost was so high was this horrible concept of companies hiring 'vendors' for their work. So my husband works over 5 years for the same company as a 'contract vendor' and as a result they don't have to pay benefits since they're hired through another company. And since I was pregnant in 2013 I still got refused as pregnancy for pre-existing condition. So we had only one option- my husband's vendor contract company offered insurance but we had to pay the full premium. Ka-ching. Thankfully this year 2014 we're now on a government plan and it's better coverage and costs less!

Good to know that the government plans are not as terrible as everyone in the US seems to think they are. I know they are not familiar with good healthcare as we in Canada are. They seem to think that Obamacare is so bad and it never should have happened. I think it is a great idea just maybe executed in the wrong way, for the way Americans think. Just my 2 cents.

[Lights 56]

Well... I'm almost there. I just had my medical exam a few days ago and I'll be going into my interview next week. I still have about 2 months to go because I'm not planning to move right away.

I'm lucky in the sense that I'm not too afraid of healthcare. My fiance and future husband has been with his company for several years (almost 10) and as a senior member of the management team, our healthcare is practically fully covered by his company. which is better than when I worked for a start-up. I paid for MSP and my extended health myself. His plan is also ridiculously good compared to what I've heard from his friends and family. Apparently there are 2 types: 1 where you HAVE to go to a doctor in your network and one that you get to choose. His company allows you to choose your own doctor etc. This makes me feel at ease. I have all my life insurance in Canada and I am making plans to pay a year of premiums in full. Considering I have to since they don't do direct deposit from a US bank. Though Sunlife will cover you in the US and Canada, they just can't take your money from the US. Having that does make me feel more at ease. I think I still would like to get additional private health care, but not sure. I have to discuss that more with my fiance.

In terms of moving... Yes, I'll miss my family and friends so very much. I am very close with my parents and not being able to see them daily or almost daily seems a bit scary to me. But my family is very excited for me and they're hoping to retire in the next few years and spend those 5-6 months in the US with us and the other in Vancouver. So it's not so bad. I'm also from Vancouver and I'm moving to SoCal, which isn't much different. Other than the horrendous traffic at certain times. Thankful that we're not residing by LA. It's nice to be by a beach though with real sun .

I don't know... I don't feel that scared. I think in the beginning I was a bit overwhelmed but now that we're closing in on the day I'm actually moving... I'm very excited. My company is also HQ'd in the US, so although I may not want to stay with them forever, I do have something familiar and a company that's willing to hire me again once I'm legally able to work. I'm glad my fiance and I waited a few years to do this... we could've done it much sooner but we really wanted to plan it out so we were financially in a good position. Although, I'm sure there are things that will pop up that we haven't planned for, we will be somewhat prepared and the struggle wouldn't be as tough as it would have been should we have done this years before.

[twin810s 23]

Regarding insurance: It also depends what type of coverage you have. With myself working in the healthcare industry, I have great insurance. I've learned that the past few months - I've only had to pay my $150 (3 copays) for 3 visits to the hospitals that equaled to about $8,000. I had testing done that I had to pay $15 copays for visits (about 6 of them)totaling about $10,000. With my insurance I do not have a deductible - so again, just depends what insurance you have. And in regards to Canadian healthcare, I've witnessed the "care" they provide and it's not superb. I've witnessed patients lined up in the hallways bleeding to death and people waiting in the waiting room for hours and hours. You would never see that happen here (unless it's a crappy city/neighborhood of course). I was just shocked at what I was seeing. It made me sad. I'm sure this just varies hospital to hospital - but I look at it as you get what you pay for. I'm very happy once my husband moves here and know that if/when that time comes, he'll be taken care of. And before I get attacked, which I don't see why I would ha, I'm not knocking Canadian healthcare at all. I just had to back up the US healthcare being that I'm employed in that industry. Every situation, hospital and type of coverage is different.

Oh, and the only thing bad about Obamacare is that some people are still not eligible OR still have to pay a lot for it - so some still see it as a lose/lose situation.

Edited April 15, 2014 by twin810s

[kc247 22]

Yes the health insurance isn't ALL bad I would say...it is just bad for people who don't have good health insurance. From what I understand about what I am getting..we have to pay everything up to...$6000? I mean if I had something horrible happen that cost way more than that...it wouldn't be so bad, but I don't like the idea of going to the doctor for a little thing and I have to pay. The main thing I am worried about is pregnancy costs/having a baby. We don't PLAN on having a baby for 3-5 years from now, but never say never right? If I was to get pregnant right now, we would of course have the baby, and that is what worries me..what if something happened. We can't afford thousands of dollars for health care. Hopefully nothing happens between now and whenever I/he gets a job that has good health insurance benefits, but I worry a bit too much! He doesn't have to worry about it while he's in school (until he is 26) because he is with his parents insurance still which I find a bit frusterating that I can't be added to, even though he is my husband.. but oh well, eventually it will be all good I am sure!