We finally embarked on our much awaited trip on April 6th. Following an assiduous attempt to ensure that all paper-work and documentation was in order, and finally dozing off at 4 am the same morning, we started our journey at around 1 pm.
We first reached the US Customs and declared the greens we carried in cashiers check. Having done that, we got back into our car and fired the engines. And then, it was the moment! We went up to the Canadian border at Blaine and proudly declared, "We're landing!".
15 long months of persuasion, innumerable photocopies, notarizings, Fedexs, passport photos and all in all, a good five grand of investment now awaited fruition.
What followed next was all too smooth and may be categorized as mundane. We went up to the Immigration, presented our papers, provided a Canadian address for mailing our Permanent Residence cards and were finally greeted with a smile and "Congratulations!". Though I had expected the immigration officer to greet us with the very standard and curiously awaited, "Welcome to Canada!", I believe, the radiating familiarity of my recent frequent visits to the country dissuaded him from doing so at the cost of sounding artificial. Next, it was the Customs and none too different. Our arduously prepared Goods to Follow list were stamped and acknowledged. We were waved a bbye, and yoooohoooo, we were on our way into Canada as permanent residents.
Ah, the joy of km/h speed limits, the term petrol, the measurement in litres and back to the world of DD/MM/YY!
The next day, we applied for our Social Insurance Numbers stayed for a day more and toured a few suburbs around Vancouver before again crossing the border to return to the US.
One thing I have to say. The whole border crossing thing, the fact that you are crossing over to another country by road, in a car, gives me a kick. I have now done this for a few times, but then again, everytime I do it, I scream in utter excitement as I pass the border officials to step into the respective country.
Anyway, for now I am basking in the newly attained PR status, which for once, means a lot to me - simply because, now, you cant kick me out just because I dont have a job! And I so love the idea of leaving jobs at will and vacationing for a month or two! Lets see if I can really do that now.
Viva le Canada!
We first reached the US Customs and declared the greens we carried in cashiers check. Having done that, we got back into our car and fired the engines. And then, it was the moment! We went up to the Canadian border at Blaine and proudly declared, "We're landing!".
15 long months of persuasion, innumerable photocopies, notarizings, Fedexs, passport photos and all in all, a good five grand of investment now awaited fruition.
What followed next was all too smooth and may be categorized as mundane. We went up to the Immigration, presented our papers, provided a Canadian address for mailing our Permanent Residence cards and were finally greeted with a smile and "Congratulations!". Though I had expected the immigration officer to greet us with the very standard and curiously awaited, "Welcome to Canada!", I believe, the radiating familiarity of my recent frequent visits to the country dissuaded him from doing so at the cost of sounding artificial. Next, it was the Customs and none too different. Our arduously prepared Goods to Follow list were stamped and acknowledged. We were waved a bbye, and yoooohoooo, we were on our way into Canada as permanent residents.
Ah, the joy of km/h speed limits, the term petrol, the measurement in litres and back to the world of DD/MM/YY!
The next day, we applied for our Social Insurance Numbers stayed for a day more and toured a few suburbs around Vancouver before again crossing the border to return to the US.
One thing I have to say. The whole border crossing thing, the fact that you are crossing over to another country by road, in a car, gives me a kick. I have now done this for a few times, but then again, everytime I do it, I scream in utter excitement as I pass the border officials to step into the respective country.
Anyway, for now I am basking in the newly attained PR status, which for once, means a lot to me - simply because, now, you cant kick me out just because I dont have a job! And I so love the idea of leaving jobs at will and vacationing for a month or two! Lets see if I can really do that now.
Viva le Canada!
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