Connect2Canada is working to connect Canadians living in the United States, and to that end, we are collecting the personal stories of Canadians living abroad.
Hi folks - I think this is great connector - I'm originally from Winnipeg and playing hockey growing up as all canucks do, got me drafted (in a good way) into the NHL and ended up coming to the states to play with Detroit and Washington before finishing up with the Quebec Nordiques.
I now live in Annapolis - still looking to go farther south in search of warmer climates and palm trees - Winnipeg, as you know, has NO palm trees...
I go to most of the Capitals home games and would love to hook up with fellow Canadians in the area...
Originally from Bedford, Nova Scotia, I moved to Melbourne, Florida about six years ago after accepting a position with a local company as a Geospatial Analyst. When I first moved to Florida, I thought I'd only stay for a few years, however, I met my fiance three years ago, and that all changed!
While I love my fiance and enjoy living in Florida, I am always very homesick for my homeland and family. Luckily I've been blessed to have a fiance and friends who understand this, and will instinctively pop in a Michael Buble or Great Big Sea CD when I'm missing home.
Like many others, I miss the culture, food, chocolate treats, and of course Tim Horton's. I typically visit Canada twice a year, but always take every opportunity I can to visit my homeland.
I'm always looking to meet other Canadians in the Central Florida area and beyond, so please feel free to contact me if anyone is interested in starting up a social networking group for Canadians in the Central Florida area.
I moved to the Bay Area from Montreal after graduating with my bachelor in Engineering and have been living here for 3 years! I'm on a TN Visa and came here specifically because I wanted to work in "Silicon Valley" and be at the heart of the tech industry. I have worked at 2 major companies already and have gained so much experience!
I miss Montreal so much though! California is gorgeous but the endless driving and urban sprawl is enough to make anyone go crazy. I also miss poutine and all the great Greek restaurants.
Because I moved here for work I am not sure if I'm going back to Canada anytime soon.. it will depend on which company will give me the best job offer. I do know that I will one day go back to Montreal (most likely when I have a kid and want to settle down) I am mostly focused on my career right now so I will let that determine where I end up next! Quite the adventure!
I visit Montreal on average 4x a year.. during Christmas, during the spring (Cabane a Sucre), during the summer (Jazz Fest), and during the fall (apple picking etc..). I also fly out to Montreal whenever there is a wedding (just for the weekend here and there)
I was one of 4 Canadian musician / hockey players who attended upstate NY St. Lawrence University in the 70's. We formed a unique audience-interaction-based rock band called Nik & the Nice Guys.
After graduation, singer Mike Keenan went on to coach the Rochester Americans. I was a CPA in Rochester NY at the time, and we re-formed the band to raise money for charity.
In the late 80's, after Keenan was hired by the Philadelphia Flyers, we performed at 2 NFL Super Bowl parties in New Orleans. We've been performing at such events ever since!
Nowadays, we're known as America's Number 1 Party Band and perform at big events all over the world. Keenan is coaching the Calgary Flames and I am the band manager. It is a little known fact that our show formula is based on combining horn-based rock, Les Femmes de Nik choreography and CANADIAN CULTURE!
It's hard to believe, but I've been in the States for 11 years now. I moved from Cranbrook, BC to Bloomington, Indiana to attend grad school where I not only earned a degree, but gained a husband as well. Following graduation we took jobs at a community college in southern Idaho and have been here for 5 years already. I love my job, but I miss Canada terribly.
Like many of you, I have a long history with the States. My parents were American, and I have held dual citizenship since I was 12. We spent most of our summers traveling to see family throughout the States. Now I have a daughter of my own, and I am incredibly proud that as of February she too holds dual citizenship. One of my biggest hopes is that my daughter grows up feeling as connected to Canada as I did to the States.
We travel north at least once a year (which is not often enough) and as she gets older I look forward to introducing my daughter to money you can actually tell apart, good doughnuts, self depreciating humour and the omnipresent Nanaimo Bar (at least if you grew up out West).
I met my husband in 2007 through mutual US friends of ours that were holidaying in BC. It was a whirlwind romance and I relocated to Indiana last fall where we were married and then purchased a new home and acerage. Our 'kids' currently consist of 3 cats and two horses. I love living here and am looking forward to the extended growing/gardening seasons! The climate is quite agreeable and I do not miss the several feet of snow (at the moment) that we had back in BC. We stay quite active kayaking, running, and participating in other outdoor adventures. I look forward to spending time revamping our flowerbeds this spring and starting a small garden. I do miss my friends and family back home and have been homesick off and on. We have wonderful friends here and I enjoy the hospitality of the Midwest and the kindness of people here. I went home to Canada for a visit in January and stocked up on Canadian stuff and I'm going to try to get my Mom to send something Canadian down every once in a while... something Tim Horton's!
