A bunch of random questions from an excited Fiance.

[VeeNDee 44]

Just have to add - the dollar store is an ACTUAL DOLLAR STORE. Nothing over $1! Boggles my mind every time I go there haha. Went to the dollar store in Canada and it was $1 - $30 items!

[thatangela 134]

If you're a drinker - and it sounds like many of your are - you haven't lived until you've been to a Total Wine.

I seriously want to pack a sleeping bag and live there.

[chiggins82 88]

I was introduced to Two Buck Chuck last visit to US... Mind blown.... and earlier trip I was introduced to Sam's Club Liquor..... I'll miss lots about Canada, but not the price of a drink!

[Flames9_RN 358]

Costco..in some States..not all..has Booze! They make a great rum..not as good as my Flor De Cana rum from Nicaragua..but still good...I have heard their Kirkland whiskey is nice as well

[LiliBurd 85]

If you're a drinker - and it sounds like many of your are - you haven't lived until you've been to a Total Wine.

I seriously want to pack a sleeping bag and live there.

Let's go camping!!! I will check definitely check it out next trip!

[floridaboundcanuk 7]

Floridaboundcanuk - A year? Oh good grief. Lol. I feel slightly annoyed at this point that my lovely finance lives in PA and not a state where our file would get sent to the CSC. I don't have a Nexus card, but it might be a good thing to look into. I still a have few trips planned over the course of the next... Year. Sigh. My plan is to not let it become overwhelming, and hoping I stick to that. Visiting is relaxing to me, and it feels more like home, so I hope that mindset sticks with me. I do love how cheap everything is. Have you noticed the price difference in meat and cheese?! It's mind blowing! I will certainly enjoy the idea of Hockey Night in Canada though. it's the little things that will make the transition easier, I think. And I won't mind the 6 months before I get EI, it will just be a nice backup to know that I won't have to settle for a job once I am able to work. That's a refreshing thought. And I'm already researching everything possible. I even contemplating getting my shots done now rather than waiting. Lol.

Moemac59 - I feel I really need to listen to the advice and make sure I'm prepared before crossing the border, and certainly look into a Nexus card. Anything to make thing it easier, is great in my books. Also, I sure hope time flies. This past year has gone by extremely fast, despite it feeling it will never end. If that makes sense, lol.

Another question... How long should it take for us to get our NOA1 text/email? Our I-129F was accepted at the Lewisville office on the 23rd in the morning, and I still don't have anything. As well, when filling out the forms, I filled out the forms for us to BOTH get the notifications, will they do that, or will just be my fiance who is in the US? And, one other thing, it said to make sure the forms were up to date, but the G1145 has a date of September 30th. It did when I filled it out, and it hasn't been updated. Will that cause any issues? Also, where is my NOA1 alert? I'm slightly impatient... Not a good quality when I'm stuck in the Texas office I'm sure.

Yeah, sorry - it was 9 months from around filing that I got my visa, but you still have to make preparations. All of that took closer to a year. Don't get your shots done until you need them. Meat differs from state to state. I find beef and bacon more expensive than canada here in Florida, but I can get a big block of cheese that would have been like $30 at home for $6 here. It's borderline absurd. Gas is way cheaper too, paying less than half of Ontario. Keep in mind if you want a Nexus card I'm hearing it'll take you 5 months from the day you submit and you'll need to be interviewed at the airport or border as to why you want it. No worries though, my fiancee (now wife) told the officer point blank it was to visit me, and it was no problem. As a side benefit whenever you fly you get your own security lane and skip the giant lines, even within the US. You'll get your NOA within 2 or 3 weeks. Pretty much everything from now on is 2 or 3 weeks when communicating back and forth. Also, you should know that if you get sent to an office that has a long wait time, they forward it to somewhere else. At least that was my experience. Also, if you have decent credit get an american express card. Like now. When you cross the border you will have ZERO credit. If you get an american express card from here www.americanexpress.ca that has an american equivalent (change the site to american to check) then when you get a job they have a one time only service where they will change your canadian card into an american one, thus establishing you credit and starting you off. You need to have the card at least a year before you are eligible, so if interested hop to it.

As an NHL sidenote, I watch the Leafs every game through NHL GameCenter - you can watch through an xbox if you have one or android, etc.. You have to pay for the season ($160 US) but it's just like watching on tv cause it is, I watch TSN and Sportsnet, etc.. If you're interested make sure you use this trick. Get a VPN for your computer (google it if you dont know) you can use a free one - then set it to England or Europe and when you go to pay it's magically $99 US instead.

Edited October 31, 2014 by floridaboundcanuk

[floridaboundcanuk 7]

If you're a drinker - and it sounds like many of your are - you haven't lived until you've been to a Total Wine.

I seriously want to pack a sleeping bag and live there.

Yup. I used to work for the LCBO in Ontario and left to move here. Thank god I don't have to lie to customers anymore. The wine sold there en mass is just cheap $5 ####### they charge $15 - $20 for. At Costco and Total Wine I've picked up bottle for $18 I used to sell for $45. By the way, I'll answer the question everyone wants to know. Why the big difference? The answer is because they can. They let an importer buy it for cheap, they pay the importer, the actual tax (in Ontario) is 18% and the rest is just gouging rip-off profit for the sake of it. The only wine products you'll find around the same price as the LCBO is the Italian wine. I have no idea why. The mass produced stuff like Masi is a little cheaper, but the rest is the same. Although, if you're lucky enough to have a Trader Joe's they have Amarone's and Barolo's etc.. for WAYYYY cheaper. $18 vs $40 - $60. Don't even get me started on the hard stuff.

[thatangela 134]

Costco..in some States..not all..has Booze! They make a great rum..not as good as my Flor De Cana rum from Nicaragua..but still good...I have heard their Kirkland whiskey is nice as well

The vodka is just fine, too. We get a big-####### bottle for about 20 bucks in WA. Since I taught my American that Caesars are way better than Bloody Marys, we have to keep vodka in the house.

[Flames9_RN 358]

The vodka is just fine, too. We get a big-####### bottle for about 20 bucks in WA. Since I taught my American that Caesars are way better than Bloody Marys, we have to keep vodka in the house.

agree Caesars are better