This year marks the 25th anniversary of my moving to the United States. My wife is American - two of our children were born in Canada and two were born in California. I was raised in Port Alberni, British Columbia from 1956 to 1971.
This past summer in the Seattle area had a tinge of magic to it. We enjoyed long, lazy days of warm sunshine, the type I remember as a boy when I spent day after day out at Sproat Lake swimming around and enjoying those wonderfully carefree years that we only get to live once. I feel lucky to have lived those years in such a beautiful place.
Even though I don't envisage moving back to my homeland, I live close and get to visit there often so I feel blessed. In some ways, Canada resembles little the country I grew up in, but change hasn't dampened my affection for it. I'll always love Canada and I'll always be a Canadian.
I'm particularly grateful to the people who put this website together. It's a wonderful way to take a few minutes out of each day to be Canadian again. Thank you.
I've been down in the U.S. a little over 11 years. I was in Boston for 2 years then moved to Florida when I met my American wife online. Yes, I get extremely homesick - the lack of seasons in Florida is a little much and believe it or not I miss snow! I get home to Halifax, Nova Scotia usually about once a year; twice if I'm lucky. I'd love to hear from others in the Orlando area and elsewhere so feel free to email me. Especially if you're as homesick as me, we all need to form a support group. :)
Before I left Canada for Europe in 1987, I had travelled the provinces extensively. However, it took leaving Canada for me to really feel my Canadian roots. Now, after spending over 10 years in Europe and 8 years in Texas, I am more Canadian then ever... I have a Canadian flag lapel button, windsock, bumper sticker & keychain. Today, my "dual citizen" teenage daughters thoroughly enjoy their trips up to Canada for snow, hockey & hearing the "eh" word! They still give me grief about my "about" pronounciation & spelling of certain words (You know what I mean). However, I overheard one of their conversations recently...."My mom is a Canadian and that's just way cool".
I so enjoy reading about Canadian expats. My husband, 2 kids and I moved to Florida 10 years ago from Alberta. While this is slowly becoming home there is so much that I miss about what we now call the "old country". My husband and I were back in Alberta in July for a family reunion and while there stocked up on some of the food that we consider essential but can't get down here. I just finished the last of my Timmy's coffee and there is still one coffee crisp in the freezer. My recipe books are mostly collected from Canada and so any baking that I do turns out better with good old Canadian duram wheat flour which we are sure to bring back after every trip home. We are getting ready to have our Canadian Thanksgiving celebration on Sunday and sadly don"t know of any other Canadians in the area to connect with. If you live in the Ft Myers, Bonita or Naples area and want to get together with other Canadians I hope you will get in touch.
The other day my friends and I were commenting on the coming Canadian Thanksgiving, and it occurred to me that I have been away from my home country for 10 years. I grew up in Vancouver and came down for the opportunities in Engineering and settled near Boulder. I also lived in SoCal for a time, but missed the clean air and wide open spaces of Colorado. I love being in the Rocky Mountains, the clear blue skys and in the fall, the golden aspens. It is heaven for anyone active in the outdoors.
I was back in Vancouver this summer and it never ceases to amaze me how it keeps reinventing itself; gleaming towers of glass and steel compete for height with the evergreens on the North Shore. In a sense the Denver skyline against the Front Range gives me a similar sense of "home". I go back to BC enough not to miss it too badly, I can find decent seafood here, I even have a recipe for Nanaimo Bars, but why oh why isn't there anyplace to go curling? ;)
Hi. My name is Bob and I was born and raised in Enfield, Nova Scotia. I moved to the frozen state of Minnesota in Septemebr of 1998. I met my wife on the internet back then and packed up my wordly possessions and headed south. Huh, that is what I thought anyway until I truly looked at a map and realized that Minneapolis/St Paul is farther north of Halifax, and North Branch is yet another 60 miles north of the twin cities.
I was lucky with the move down here, I worked in Halifax for a US company and they just so happened to have an opening here in MN. So luck was on my side, I had my lady and a job.
It has now been approximately nine years since I moved down and I hardly notice that I am in a different country until sometimes when I look up and see an American flag. Everything is going great with my life. My wife and I have adopted three children with special needs and have adventures every day. I still work with the company that transferred me down and have been promoted a few times since I have been here.
I miss Nova Scotia some days but we pack up the kida and head for Lake Superior, it's big with waves and a surf (sort of). It doesn't smell the same but if you close your eyes it works. We go back to Nova Scotia every two years or so to visit family. If anyone wants to talk just send me an email and I will be happy to reply. Take care all!
We moved here 6 years ago from Ontario and really enjoy living in the Salt Lake Valley. Great people, breathtaking scenery and unlimited fishing and hunting opportunities are just some of the perks here. But, I must admit we still get real homesick for Canada. I guess home really is where your heart is.
I'm from St. John's, Newfoundland, and I've lived in the U.S. for 12 years. I am currently a music teacher in a private school just north of Tampa. My wife is a public school teacher, and we have two daughters. We have also lived in Ontario, Colorado, and Michigan.
The opportunities in this country are tremendous. I've been able to earn masters and doctoral degrees in my field, all of which were provided for me through generous fellowships and scholarships.
We try and get home at least once a year (my wife's from Nova Scotia), and have many visitors, especially in the winter!
Gary C.,
, Newfoundland and Labrador
October 6, 2006 permalink
I was born and lived in Montreal for most of my life. I travelled extensively before coming to Dallas via a job transfer. I have worked and lived in Dallas and surroundings since 1995. I now reside in McKinney.
I am fluent in French, English, Italian and Spanish. I would love to meet other Canadians and especially those who like me lived in Montreal!
I do go back and forth quite often. I miss Montreal, which is such a cosmopolitan city. I miss my family and friends - yes, I am the only one here. My home does become a "hotel" at some points, since family and friends do come and go. Au plaisir de vous lire!
I've been in Oklahoma for 9 years now. I met my husband in a chat room in late 1996. I wasn't looking to meet a mate, just wanting a group of people to "chat" with. He says he knew right away that we were perfect for each other; I wasn't so sure, but after I visited him in OK and he visited me in Vancouver, I finally realized he was right. I packed up my things, flew down to Oklahoma, and we got married. My family thought I was crazy, but I felt he was worth taking a chance for. I've never regretted it. I have worked at the local hospital, and now work for the local library system
I finally got back to BC for a visit a couple of months ago; I'd really been missing the look & feel of Vancouver. The landscape, climate and culture here just don't suit me (not to mention the ticks, chiggers, fiddleback spiders and ragweed). We're hoping to retire to Oregon at some point in the future, but for now he has family obligations here.
I haven't pursued US citizenship, because I feel strongly Canadian and that's what I'll always be. (Even if it means I'll never get called for jury duty!)
