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.
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!
I am a Canadian from Nova Scotia but I have been studying in the US for 5 years now. I did 3 years at Berkshire Prep School and now am studying at the University of New Hampshire on an athletic scholarship. I am a true Canadian at heart and always will be, but I do love the United States. I am a political science major and I find myself intrigued, certainly lately, in American politics. I love New England, especially Boston, it reminds me of a bigger version of Halifax!
We moved down to Phoenix, Arizona in 2000 when I accepted a position with America West Airlines. Calgary and Vancouver were our homes in Canada. Our family is enjoying our lives in the warm southwest US. However, we stay in touch with our friends in Canada and enjoy meeting other fellow Canadians in Arizona.
I am from Windsor, Ontario. In 2001 I was visiting family in Texas when I met my husband. We have been married for 6 years and have a beautiful baby boy. I love it here. The weather is great and I have a wonderful job. I miss my friends and family a lot, but usually go home to visit about once a year.
