Hi!

[melina123]

I'm in NH, USA now but boy do I miss home!!! I'm born and raised in montreal. I LOVE CANADA....hopefully we'll move back soon....but preferbly to ontario parce'que mon francais est tres mauvais

They have a french canadian club here in manchester...I'm hoping they let me in because it would be nice to have a bit of canada here. I met a fellow canadian at the DMV today of all places! She was french and she is part of the club and lives two blocks from me.....there's hope yet!

I miss:
Second Cup
Indigo Books
Kojax's
The dollor stores
Depaneurs (I asked someone where the closest "dep" was today, they thought I was insane )
Feeling safe
Having a diverse population around me.
THe jazz Fest

There's also a list of things I do not miss but they all seem blurred out from home sickness....one for sure is the cold. I went up for x-mas and OMG!!! The cold really bites you in the butt.

Hopefully we'll be home soon...untill then I'll be here hopig for some fellow canadians posting about the cool, and taxes....what is Chretien up to these days anyway? I miss him and his politics!
When are the elctions in Quebec? who is the favorite party?

Melina

[Daphne]

Well, we are so glad to have you in the states!! I had no idea what the places or items you missed are but I would love to know!! What made you decide to move to the states?

[melina123]

Hi Daphne,

Why are we in the states? Well, we graduated university together and both landed dream jobs in Boston. Careers that were out of dream range and since back in canada we were newly married and had just graduated universty but were still working at our old jobs we thought it was a great move. Our plan was to take the money and run back to canada within two years. However, in the states money seems to come a lot easier. It is great for starting a family. And DH career is taking off. We had a baby a.s.a.p so she could get american citizenship which would give her a wide range of options when she is older. She now is citizen of th E.U, Canada and the USA...pretty cool.

I love the USA because it is very basic. Work hard: get ahead ... dreams come true here all the time with hard work. Our car repair place here was owed by this guy from india who came over with nothing but worked three jobs to support his family 2: a car repair man 2: McDonalds clean-up crew 3: night janitor. He evenually saved up enough to owed his own gas station and just sold it to reiter. He has his million dollar home on the beach, owns his cars out right and his family of five have all gone through college. That is why I think the USA is so great, because you can work your way out of any situation.

Canada however is a little diiferent. The USA and Canada constitution start off simular but have one diference that I think says it all it the differences between countries.

USA: Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
CANADA: Life, liberty and the security of person

In Canada the governemt pours money into health care and education. The trade off ins that our industries and reseach are lagging to the USA. However the poverty is lower and litercay rates are higher than in the USA.

I want to go back home because that is where my friends and family are and I've always pictured raising a family in Canada. I'm also scared because I watch the news a lot and I know that they over dramatize things but with all the kidnapping/war/rapes/guns.....it all seems to much. I try to keep in mind that I came to the USA 09-05-01 and 6 days later the terrorist attacks happened...so I'm not aware of what life in the USA was like before that. I'm just scared a lot of the time here. I want to not have to worry about DH going into Boston to work everyday.

If we move back to canada this amazing stress will be lifted from me and it would be wonderful...except the very high taxes, long waits to see doctors and freezing cold winter and very hot summers.

Well, I hope this cleared up why I am in the states and why I want to go back home. I love the states for what it is but it is to much for me. Hope this post in understandible! Thanks for reading to this point.....I'll stop writting now.

[homesteadmamma]

Hi Melina - here is a Canadian news website you might enjoy reading seeing as your Canadian.

http://www.cp.org/english/hp.htm

A couple of things:

- Quebec will be having a new election in the next month. I'm not sure the date but I think its this month.

- Prime Minister Chretien is stepping down in Feb. and Paul Martin will probably be the next Liberal leader. Sheila Copps is also in the running for leader. No one else has stepped up yet.

- our weather is warming up, but it has been an extremely cold winter this year.

- our GST is still at 7%

- Canadians do have lots of stress, with loss of jobs, medical system that isn't working well and the high cost of living.

But Canada is a great place to live!!