biggish data

Dual Citizenship?

QUOTE (trailmix @ Dec 3 2008, 07:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you have a right to be in this forum? Of course you do, it is a public forum, however if you wander in to a CANADA forum and take swipes at Canada, do not feign surprise when your comments are not given a warm reception. You are not from Canada, you do not understand the experience of people here and you never will (just as I do not understand your experience of Canada).

So essentially, you (and every other Canadian here) can say whatever you want about the U.S. (awful or not), while I am not permitted to do the same about Canada?

Honestly, I could say the exact same thing about how "you are not from the United States." I often find many comments here insulting, most resulting from an overall lack of knowledge and unrealistic expectations. Granted, I'm guilty of this as well.

However, I can't see why others here are allowed to do or say what they please, while I am not. Most of my negative commentary has revolved around the incredible screw ups that I've endured from the Canadian government. I won't say that the U.S. government is perfect (it's not and it never will be), but I find it ludicrous that my name has been incorrectly documented (and all attempts to correct it have been denied), I had to pay a fee to get my SIN card fixed and it took three months to receive my PR Card, which was due to it getting lost the first time around.

Would anyone else here even stop for a moment to complain about the U.S government if something like that occurred? I doubt it. In fact, I'll bet those mistakes have already happened and someone has complained.

Apparently, my issues with Canada are irrelevant and considering unworthy of consideration, while whatever is said about the U.S. is perfectly okay. How is that fair at all?

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-12-03 20:30:00

Dual Citizenship?

My opinions are just that -- opinions. Just as most of you find life more comfortable in Canada, so do I in the United States. Maybe you love your country. So do I. Maybe you'd never have left Canada if not for your spouse. I wouldn't have left the U.S. if not for my spouse, either.

It's very difficult for me to see every other post in this forum when it's some form of condemnation for the country I grew up in and admittedly love (it seems the reverse is true, as well). I'll freely admit that I like Canada. It's not home, however. It never will be and as much as I might try to become settled here, I can't deny the fact that I would rather live in the United States.

Perhaps that's difficult for some to understand here. Apparently, all I do is lecture and tell everyone how ignorant, ill-informed or stupid they are. I find that somewhat surprising, but everyone has their own interpretation. Often I feel it's the other way around. There are many comments I would love to make, but I keep them in-check. If I had wanted to insult any here, believe me, I could (and would) do so. Considering my own irritation with some individuals in this forum, it's amazing I've been as "admirably restrained and forgiving" as some have claimed to be with me.

What truly interests me is the so-called ideal behind this forum. As far as I knew, the Canadian forum is for any and all people who have some family-oriented business in Canada. My wife is a Canadian citizen, therefore that acknowledges me the right to post here. Whether or not anyone agrees with my statements is another matter. I don't agree with many comments made here and I make that known. So what? I know others here do not agree with me. They have made that glaringly obvious.

As Krikit made quite clear in her diatribe towards me, "We don't hate the US and we don't hate its people. We just get frustrated by some things and some situations." It is the same for me, only the other way around. I don't hate Canada, but I do get frustrated with some things and some situations. If any group of people could understand how it feels to be uprooted from one country to another, I'd have imagined those on VJ would.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-12-03 02:05:00

Dual Citizenship?

QUOTE (trailmix @ Dec 2 2008, 05:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Dec 1 2008, 11:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's not really the point. Yeah, there's a border and it's enforced, but all I was getting at was Ontario and New York seem similar in attitudes and perception. In some ways, Texas and Alberta seem similar too. They don't share a border. It's all about how the majority tends to think.

So you have lived in Texas and Alberta long enough to observe how the majority think in those two places and draw parallels?

If so, how do the majority tend to think in those two places, in your opinion?

I love hypocrisy. I really do. It's so cute.

Seriously... almost every time I make a statement about Canada, someone chimes in with a snide comment about how long I've been living in Canada. Apparently, I am unfit to make any opinion on Canada.

Yet somehow, every Canadian is more than qualified to comment on the United States, no matter how long they've been there. They could've been in the U.S. for a month or 10 years. It doesn't seem to matter.

I can't be the only one who sees how ludicrous that is, can I? If those here can comment on the U.S. (and it's usually negative commentary, I might add), then why the hell can't I do the same about Canada?

I did decide to move to Canada, after all. If those who moved to the U.S. see themselves as fit to state opinions on the country, then I am just as entitled to do the same.

Besides... if you need reassurance for some reason or another, most of my ideas have been formed by my wife, who's lived the vast majority of her life in Alberta and has visited Texas many times. So I think she'd be more than qualified, wouldn't you?

Edited by DeadPoolX, 02 December 2008 - 02:14 PM.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-12-02 14:12:00

Canadians, please read!

QUOTE (Krikit @ Aug 26 2008, 09:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Kathryn41 @ Aug 26 2008, 11:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Liquor stores and beer stores are closed on Sundays. Some groceries stores may not open until Sunday afternoon and some smaller businesses may remain closed, but generally you won't find any hardships between what is closed and what isn't. The majority of businesses - except for government offices and such - are open on Sundays. All touristy things will be open, all restaurants, museums, things like that will be open.

Probably wouldn't matter much in Quebec since they sell alcohol in convenience/grocery stores. Not that you'd be going to the liquor or beer store on a Sunday in Montreal when you're only there for the day.

They are definitely open in Ontario on a Sunday.

They also do that in the U.S. too. They don't do that in Canada? I mean besides Quebec. I could have sworn I saw that, but maybe I wasn't paying attention.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-08-26 10:44:00

The perfect shirt for Customs!

For all of you that get nervous when driving or checking in at an airport, try wearing THIS SHIRT next time you have to through Customs. Maybe it'll work.

If that doesn't succeed, there's always the old standby of THIS SHIRT too, but it may not be quite as popular.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-08-27 13:50:00

Off Topic Time Waster

sports

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-08-27 11:41:00

Mac and cheese study reveals Canada's social inequality

Well, if you think about it, the name "Macaroni and Cheese" does make more sense. Yes, I know you're probably used to saying "Kraft Dinner," but which describes the actual meal better? If you didn't already know that Kraft Dinner consisted of "macaroni and cheese," then it could be just about anything. The American version lays it all out on the table for you.

The one good feature about the Canadian title -- in my opinion -- is that you could really screw around with someone's mind and tell them that Canadians eat all sorts of things. Who knows... maybe they'd believe it?

"Mmm... that was good."

"Glad you liked it."

"What is Kraft Dinner, anyway?"

"It's mashed up moose entrails and polar bear toenail fungus. That's what gives it that glossy yellow shine."

If anyone here tries something like that, please record it and put it on YouTube.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-09 03:58:00

Mailing Medication

QUOTE (thetreble @ Sep 9 2008, 07:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Funny this came up. I had the same situation happen to me and I'm struggling here in the US because the doctor will not give me more than a one months supply at a time. I need BC for more than just the non-baby factor. I have a hormonal condition that makes me get really sick every month if I don't take the estrogen supplements.

Any way, I went to the doc here and she checked me out and she gave me a years supply...ONE MONTH AT A TIME. I can't seem to make it to the pharmacy every single month on time, and have already missed two months of pills this year. I asked her for 3 months at a time and she said they don't do that here. Not to mention, the pill I took in Canada they do not have in the US and I had to get some dodgy equivalent.

I'm just very frustrated with it all.

It may not be your doctor's fault. Health insurance providers will only pay for one month's supply of medication at a time, regardless of what you're looking to get. So while your doctor could "allow" you to get three months worth at once, your health insurance provider would only cover one-third of it.

When your doctor said, "we don't do that here," she was referring to the fact that most patients wouldn't be able to afford to pay for medication out-of-pocket. That's why only one month is given at a time.

If there was a way to prove to your health insurance provider that you require access to more than one month's dosage at a time, then perhaps your doctor would allow it in her prescription. If she still wouldn't at that point, it'd be time to find a different doctor.

As for "some dodgy equivalent," I'm sure whatever you're taking is just as good as what you had in Canada. Believe it or not, the U.S. actually does lead the world in pharmaceutical development. Sometimes names get changed between countries or even the "brand name" and "generic." As long as the active chemicals and the dosage are the same (or as close to it, since birth control pills can vary widely), you will be fine. Unless, of course, you're acquiring your medication from strange some man in a trench coat in a dark alleyway. Then all bets are off.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-09 09:37:00

Mailing Medication

I can't help you with this particular issue (some others people on here have that covered anyway), but if and when you do get coverage, do NOT mention your birth control if it's expensive. Health insurance plans won't cover preexisting conditions and the medication necessary for them. In other words, they'd pay for your birth control if you decided to get it AFTER applying and getting accepted by an HMO or PPO, but if you're on it BEFORE and they know about it, you'll still have to pay.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-09 06:22:00

Communication Proof

We bundled it with ours too. Basically, they want to see that you've been communicating on a regular basis for longer than a couple months or so. There are plenty of other (and better) ways to provide proof, such as photos, airline boarding passes, passport stamps, bills that correspond to when you've seen each other (i.e. you were in your SO's country and bought something, so the receipt shows you were there and purchased it).

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-22 02:56:00

QUOTE (thetreble @ Sep 22 2008, 08:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Sep 22 2008, 09:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also don't mean for this to sound nasty, but medication that's meant to prevent seizures is probably just a little more important than birth control pills.

You didn't sound nasty and I understand why you would say that. You definitely have a condition in which you need a certain type of medication.

However, I was put on birth control because I have a medical condition called dysmenorrhea. I would literally have contractions every single month, comparable to child birth. It would often be so bad I would throw up and hallucinate. So not to tell you that you're wrong, but I literally could not function for 3-5 days a month with my condition and as you probably guess, work won't let me take a week off a month!

Well, yeah... that's a whole different ballgame. From what I've heard, Dysmenorrhea can range from extremely uncomfortable to excruciatingly painful. I can see why you'd be upset at having to take anything but what you knew would work.

QUOTE (trailmix @ Sep 22 2008, 08:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I hope you get this sorted out Deadpool, it must be very frustrating indeed.

Now - tell us how you are finding Canada - tell us some good stuff, there must be some

There is good stuff, but right now, there seems to be more negatives than positives. That's not inherently due to Canada or my wife, but we're moving to another province and I'm having to adjust to the many differences between American and Canadian life all at once. At first glance, Canada and the U.S. may seem very alike (and in some ways, they are), but there are a lot of "little things" that suddenly appear and make me a do a double-take or ask, "What?"

I'm sure I'll more readily absorb the good once the initial stress and hassles of moving (both to a new country and province) have worn off. Until then, I'm a little high-strung, unfortunately.

QUOTE (Kathryn41 @ Sep 22 2008, 02:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Deadpool - good luck with getting your medication. I know that for many years the insulin that I needed was not yet approved for use in Canada and I had to wait until I got to the US to use it. We made compromises that were acceptable but not great. I wasn't able to get the most effective insulin for my needs until I moved here. I don't know if it is available iin Canada yet. At least if you need to you can always drive to the US and pick your medicine up. You will still need to have a US doctor to write the prescription, but I suspect you already know that.

Wow. That's pretty dangerous, Kathryn. If a diabetic doesn't get his or her insulin managed properly, there can be all sorts of complications. I'm glad you've got that under control now.

As for my medication, I should be able to get it (some way or another) and it helps that my dad is a physician, so he can write me prescriptions whenever I need them and probably work around the insurance companies better than I could.

QUOTE (Carlawarla @ Sep 23 2008, 05:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What have you decided to do DeadPoolX? Each situation is a lot more work than just ordering it from the drugstore nearest you. I would hope you could get at least 3 months supply and only head down to the US then once every 3 months. If it's about an hour to get to the closest border, then you could maybe make it a weekend getaway with your lovely wife?!

I'm also hoping that it's not too far from being approved in Canada. Sometimes things take awhile, but they eventually get approved.

Let us know how things work out! Best of luck!

I really don't know why this medication hasn't been approved in Canada. It's not like it's a narcotic or anything. It has absolutely no "street value" whatsoever, so I can't see that being a factor. Maybe the drug company itself is demanding too high of a price to sell medication within Canadian borders? I don't know.

A weekend getaway? That sounds like a good idea to me.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-24 17:10:00

QUOTE (Emancipation @ Sep 22 2008, 07:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Sep 22 2008, 08:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Granted, lacking the birth control you prefer is definitely annoying, but it probably won't cause you to have a stroke or go into a coma or even die, should you lack it.

Not to be nitpicky here, but my gyno told me "take birth control or get cancer.. your choice"..

Well, I'd have to say that would be a somewhat unusual situation.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-22 09:02:00

QUOTE (thetreble @ Sep 22 2008, 05:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

DeadPool, were you not the one in a previous medical thread that was basically telling me not to complain about insurance companies and not getting the exact medication I need because it is not available here in the us?

I'd say get your dad to ship it. You obviously need it so make sure you don't go without it. If something happens to it in the mail, I'd drive to the US to get it.

Any way-I hope you are able to get it. Nothing is worse than being without the things that you HAVE to have to be healthy.

I was. I also don't mean for this to sound nasty, but medication that's meant to prevent seizures is probably just a little more important than birth control pills. Granted, lacking the birth control you prefer is definitely annoying, but it probably won't cause you to have a stroke or go into a coma or even die, should you lack it.

If you'll also recall, I stated that other medications that contain the same chemical compounds (i.e. generics) were most likely just as good. I'd be happy to take a generic form of this if it were available in Canada.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 22 September 2008 - 08:51 AM.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-22 08:50:00

No, I'm not talking about food or shopping.

I require anti-convulsant medication and over the years, I've been on just about every single drug in that category. It wasn't until I found my current medication that something worked really well and with very few (if any) side-effects.

The problem is that this particular medication is NOT AVAILABLE in Canada. I've checked with London Drugs, Rexall, and Shopper's Drug Mart. None of them have it and the pharmacists have told me that Canada doesn't have it. I've found the same information on various websites, as well. It just so happens, by the way, that this drug is (quite possibly) the only anti-convulsant not dispensed in Canada, which makes all of this even more frustrating.

My father, who's been my physician for years, was shocked to learn Canada didn't have this drug, especially since it's gone generic. Of course, we were both surprised a year or two ago when we found out that Aleve is prescription-only in Canada, too. Fortunately, I was able to stock up on that before coming up here, since Aleve is OTC in the United States.

My current supply is rapidly dwindling and although I still have health insurance with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, it'd be crazy to fly down there to pick up medication. Since I'm running out of options, I've narrowed my choices down to the following solutions:

My dad ships me my medication. Theoretically, this should work, but Customs could intercept it and confiscate it, even though it'd be prescription medication (with no "street value" whatsoever) with all the proper paperwork involved.
Drive down to the U.S. and head to the nearest Walgreen's. I have an account with them and my prescriptions are all listed in their computers, so it'd be easy to request refills online and pick them up at any Walgreen's store. According to Google Maps, there is a Walgreen's approximately 52 minutes away (one-way) from where I am in Canada. That's not an excessively long drive, but it'd require me to pass through the border twice simply to get medication and probably do so on a monthly basis.
Look into one of those "online pharmacies" and see if they can send me what I need. I don't particularly like or trust them, but it might be my only option if I become truly desperate.

I realize some of you might be asking, "Why not try some other medication?" Well, the answer is, "I have." In the past, I've tried just about everything on the market. The reason I'm on what I am now isn't because I particularly love it, but because it works well for me. If something else worked just as well (with few-to-no serious side-effects), I wouldn't mind switching to it. But I haven't found that to be the case.

Oh and by the way, the reason I'm a little worried about this is because if you stop anti-convulsant medication suddenly (i.e. "cold turkey"), you can have life-threatening seizures and strokes or lapse into a coma and even death. Those are generally considered bad. If you're really, really lucky, you might just end up with "the worst migraine of your entire life," but I'd rather not bank on that.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-22 02:47:00

Going to Canada

QUOTE (flames9 @ Sep 25 2008, 05:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I like hitting the road early, no one else is up,lol

Except the police. It's easy for them to spot you driving too fast real early in the morning, too.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-25 12:18:00

Lesbian Couple Wants to be Together

QUOTE (Reba @ Jul 5 2008, 08:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The US federal government however does not recognise same sex marriage, and USCIS is a federal office. As they do not consider same sex marriage legal, they would not be eligible for marriage based immigration to the US.

This is true. Even if you did somehow get to the U.S., there are only a select few states that allow civil unions or marriages. So you'd be confined to those states.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-07-05 09:42:00

Canadian TV

I don't know any of those, but my wife and I will be getting the "watch a lot" Telus TV package. The only U.S. channel I'll really miss is The History Channel. I know Canada has History Television, but it's nowhere near as entertaining.

One thing I don't understand is... where's HBO? Showtime? Cinemax? Starz? The commercial-free movie channels on Telus aren't ones I'm familiar with at all.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-24 17:52:00

WOOT WOOT! RAISE THE ROOF!

That doesn't surprise me. Most places in the U.S., despite some claiming to be "progressive" or "liberal," become quite confused if and when a husband takes his wife's surname. Tradition, for the most part, seems to be a somewhat stronger element in the U.S. than it is in Canada or at least, it is from what I've seen. If a woman wanted to take a man's last name, no one would bat an eye, but if a man takes her's, the legal and social ramifications could get quite ugly.

As a side-note, if a woman decides to hyphenate her maiden name with her husband's surname, she may run into difficulties with various organizations. Many credit card companies, for instance, have problems fitting a hyphenated name onto their cards and some will flat-out refuse to do so; if they do it, be prepared for them to remove the hyphen or drop one of the two names at a moment's notice.

Even worse, very few airlines have made any provisions for hyphenated surnames. Most of their computers literally can't process it and to update the software, hardware or both, would require more money than the airlines are willing to spend on a minority of individuals. Many women have had to deal with terrible ordeals at airports (i.e. security issues, boarding pass problems, not allowed on flights due to name mismatch, etc) due to airline computer systems being unable to handle their hyphenated names in some manner or another. What usually happens is that women with hyphenated names bring along their marriage license as proof, in the event they get held up by some illogical and overzealous employee.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-10-11 06:02:00

Canadianisms

Seeing as how I'm now living in Canada (and had been a native Texan my whole life before this move), I have to say that I haven't noticed very many -- if any -- differences in food. To me, it all tastes pretty much the same. Whatever variation there is can be attributed to different brands or restaurants. I haven't found one particular product to taste a "certain way" in the U.S. versus Canada. Then again, I could easily count on one hand the number of times I eat fast food per year. Perhaps I lack the credentials to tell the differences in flavor between the American and Canadian Wendy's franchises.

Whatever the case, menus are generally set up according to the taste preferences of the region. What might be preferred in Houston, TX may not go over well in Boston, MA and vice-versa. Understanding this, it's easy to see that some items Canadians have known their entire lives may not be readily available in some (or maybe even most) areas of the United States.

Interestingly enough, I did learn something new, although it has nothing to do with food. Canadian debit cards do not have a MasterCard or Visa logo on them. Every debit card I've ever seen (in the U.S.) has had either the Visa or MasterCard logo imprinted on it, whereas it seems Canadian debit cards have no need of them. Why this is, I couldn't say. Perhaps it has something to do with the Interac system, which doesn't exist in the United States or maybe because all Canadian debit cards are issued "online" (which means these cards require a PIN to function), in contrast to U.S. debit cards which are considered "offline" and therefore, can be swiped and signed like a credit card, without ever typing in a PIN.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-10-11 05:05:00

I don't know when Canada created the PR Card, but I need it to be allowed back into the country if traveling by a commercial carrier. In other words, if I were to use a train, ship, or airline, I'd need it. Technically speaking, I should be able to use my own car and drive back-and-forth without needing the PR Card, but I wouldn't want to chance it. I've found that more than half the time government employees don't know their own rules and policies (and even if they do, they don't bother following them).

My Record of Landing is not a "travel worthy" document. It even says so on it. I'd imagine this is mostly for commercial carriers again, in the event I decided to suddenly take West Jet to Las Vegas for the weekend. I find it funny that I could, theoretically, drive down to the closest major airport in the U.S. and fly from there. But once again, I'd be taking a chance that CBSA would let me back in (as a PR) and the whole process would probably be very hectic, time consuming and cost much more.

As for the DPS, it stands for "Department of Public Safety." Why isn't it called the DMV? Who knows? Texans like to be unique. I also made a glaring error before about driver's licenses in Texas. For some reason, I wrote "six months" when I meant "six years." There's obviously a small difference involved.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-10-14 22:56:00

QUOTE (AntandD @ Oct 11 2008, 09:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi DeadPoolX,

Thanks for your reply. Oh my gosh! I can't believe that Immigration Canada actually lost your PR card! I hope that by you filing out a declaration, they should re-send/re-issue you a new replacement one, which you hopefully will get soon. By the way, how exactly does the government lose a card? I've heard of government losing one's paperwork before, but to actually lose a card...wow..

Thanks too, for that interesting information about the breakdown of a Social Security Number. By the way, where did you find out this info, if you don't mind me asking? Yes, it's good to learn something new like this. I'll share this information with my husband too, as we were wondering about his and his twin's numbers before, thinking it was based on birthday or something like that.

Ok, based on the theory of the meaning of the numbers you suggested, I still have to wonder: Why my and my husband's first three digits are different, even though both applied at the same local SSA office (lol..though many years apart, of course)? What exactly is a "group number", and what consitutes an individual being categorized in one group, versus another? Ah, the mysteries of the SSN...

As for your Canadian driver's license, yes, do obtain a record from the Texas DMV about your previous driving record. You definitely have the previous driving experience, so they shouldn't question that. And you definitely do not want to do any driving tests all over again when you don't have to (especially with the MTO in Ontario, where they have a really messed up triple testing graduated licensing system). That's odd that your Texas license doesn't have an issue date. Do all driver's licenses in Texas have no issue dates? Meanwhile, if your US license is still valid, I think you can still drive around in Canada with that, while your PR card is processing and you haven't gotten your Canadian license yet (though check first just to be sure).

Good luck in getting your PR card situation sorted out and Good luck in getting your Texas driving record and in eventually getting your Canadian driving license too.

Ant

I honestly have no clue how they lost my PR Card. Apparently, Immigration Canada is blaming the whole ordeal on Canada Post (although they originally attempted to somehow blame me). I'm not quite sure why I'd try to lose my own PR Card -- especially with Thanksgiving coming up in the U.S. -- but they pointed at me first.

I even got asked the question, "Are you sure you didn't overlook or fail to recognize your card?" Granted, I've never immigrated to another country before, but I could probably figure out what my PR Card looks like, especially since it'd come in some sort of package or envelope marked by the government.

I learned the SSN info mostly through various websites online. The explanations are all there, but it's still a little confusing. That's probably because no one really knows what's going on.

There could be many reasons why you and your husband's SSN don't match. One possibility is that since the first three digits can be based off the individual's mailing address (and not the office itself), your husband may have lived in a different ZIP Code at the time of his birth. His parents might have merely acquired his SSN a short time later. For all we know, that office could have been the closest one nearby or maybe the ZIP Codes changed through the years. That's far less common, but it can happen.

I've already requested documentation from the DPS (the Texan version of the DMV) and it's arrived at my dad's house. He'll be sending it up to me shortly. I don't know why Texan licenses lack an issue date. Perhaps they feel everyone will know that a DL is only good for six months, so if someone needs to know that info, they could subtract six from the expiration date. I can legally drive on my American DL for a total of three months (in whichever province I live in), after which I must switch to a Canadian DL if I wish to drive. Technically speaking, I could jump from one province to the next and extend the lifespan of my U.S. driver's license, but that's more trouble than it's worth (and a temporary measure, at best).

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-10-13 02:45:00

UPDATE: Immigration Canada lost my PR Card. I now have to fill out a declaration form stating it's not in my possession and wait to receive it all over again. Hopefully this time, they won't lose it.

QUOTE (AntandD @ Sep 30 2008, 01:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's interesting to know about the test scores. Hopefully they don't do that anymore in colleges/universities, as that would be a contributor to identity theft indeed. And it's interesting to know too (I didn't know before), that the last 4 digits are personal identification numbers for each individual person. No wonder my husband and his twin have the same numbers, except for the last 4 digits, and yes, it has caused a lot of confusion before since the numbers are so similar. I wonder what the first 5 digits represent then? Are the first 5 digits other identification information in code (for example, birthday, time of application, etc.?)?

The Social Security Number is a bit weird, but here's how it breaks down:

The first three digits usually represent the state in which someone was born; however, since the early 1970s, these first three numbers can also be based off the ZIP Code for the individual's mailing address. In other words, if someone immigrates to the U.S., obtains an SSN and lives in Los Angeles, CA but for whatever reason, their mailing address was in Nashville, TN, the first three digits would be assigned according to the latter.
The middle two digits are merely "group numbers." They assign the individual to a group and also serve to break the number up into a more easily memorized form.
The last four digits are "serial numbers" and identify the person themselves.

It's a bit convoluted, but Social Security was originally intended to be a temporary measure during the Great Depression and perhaps shortly thereafter. It was never designed to become a permanent program and last this long, which may explain the difficulties the U.S. is having with it today.

QUOTE (AntandD @ Sep 30 2008, 01:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

By the way, DeadPoolX, when you do apply for your driver's license in Canada, you should definitely ask if you can have a direct transfer of your US driver's license. No point in doing the tests (whether written and/or road) if you don't have to. And don't be shocked either, at the higher licensing and registration fees that you have to pay there, compared to here in the USA...

I've looked into that and it seems I need to provide "proof" that I've been driving for "two or more years" before I can simply trade in my Texas license; otherwise, I'll be required to retake the tests. My Texas DL doesn't have an issue date; however, these licenses are good for six years and I recently had to renew mine. The DMV here may not know this, and without an issue date, they'd only have my word to go on and the driver's age is meaningless. I've been driving nonstop since I was 15 (I'll be 29 in less than a month), so I think I have the experience. I've requested documented evidence of my driving record from the Texas Department of Transportation, which should be enough.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 11 October 2008 - 05:47 AM.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-10-11 05:45:00

QUOTE (AntandD @ Sep 26 2008, 02:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was surprised too, that when I got my SSN, it was on a flimsy piece of paper. Gee, you would think that they would put it in plastic or something, since it is used often. And I found it funny too, that it says "not to carry it with you", even though almost everyone around here asks for it, so much so, that I've pretty much had to memorize it (and hope that it's correct, as I can't seem to remember numbers correctly) because I can't carry it with me...lol....

The reason they say "don't carry it with you" is because the American SSN, unlike the Canadian SIN, is used for far more than just employment purposes. Just about every organization -- including credit card companies, health insurance providers, universities and employers -- need to see your SSN. Someone's SSN can, in many cases, identify them (and everything about them, too). Although the U.S government states that "Americans are not identified by social security numbers," that's not true and everyone knows it.

In recent years, many organizations have shied away from using the SSN as a catch-all identifier, since the Internet allows for a greater opportunity to conduct "identity theft." For instance, there was a time (as recent as the 1980s) that universities would post test scores outside classrooms and in hallways, using the SSN to identify each student.

As for getting your SSN on a "flimsy piece of paper," that's normal. No one I've ever met has carried their SSN card on them. I'm not even entirely sure where mine is, other than "somewhere at my dad's house." You basically have to memorize it, which is pretty easy (it's almost as long as a ten-digit telephone number) and you'll be required to use it so often, you probably won't forget it anytime soon. The most important part of any SSN are the last four numbers, as most organizations use those as "proof of identity."

QUOTE (Texanadian @ Sep 27 2008, 06:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I remember going to get my SIN number in Canada. I was about 14 years old. I walked in. Waited for the person in line to finish. Then walked up, filled out the form and left. Whole thing took 5 minutes tops.

When I got my US SS number, I spent 45 minutes in line behind about 30 people. The first 45 minutes nobody at the window was taking any customers. After that it was another 30-35 minutes to get to the window. Borrrrrrring. And I showed up at 10:30AM. It wasn't like I showed up before the staff got there.

Had the Canadian government spelled my name correctly, I'm sure the process of getting my SIN would have been quite smooth. I honestly don't know how difficult it is to get an SSN, however, since U.S. citizens receive one at birth.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-28 01:18:00

Well, here's an update...

My wife and I went down to both the immigration and SIN offices at the Canadian Government building this morning. We decided it made more sense to check with Immigration Canada first, since the SIN office had stated that they couldn't change anything without approval from them. So after a short wait in line, the extremely irritable and less-than-interested woman working the desk told me shouldn't help, since my "landing papers" had my name written incorrectly.

I replied that it was a mistake (and one I didn't make), so I would like it fixed. At the very least, I would like it written correctly within the government databanks and a printout that I could take to the SIN office. Once again, the woman refused and stated that this was a "common problem" and it's "not a big deal if my name is written like that." She then proceeded to ignore me.

As I'm sure many of you can tell by now, I have a temper. I don't like being screwed with. I raised my voice to a level that indicated extreme annoyance (but not shouting) and told her that I want this fixed, and if she couldn't help me, there must be someone there that could. Pointing to some chairs nearby, she told my wife and I to sit down and that someone would be by soon to talk to us. My wife urged me to sit, so I did. That was probably a good thing too, since at that point, I felt like eviscerating that lady.

After about ten minutes, that same rude and obnoxious lady called me to her desk. She asked for some information (mainly my Client ID) and I heard her say to whoever she was speaking with over the phone, "No... he's acting ridiculous and won't just accept his name as it is." Yeah, I'm sure she wouldn't mind have her name altered by the government of a country she recently moved to and then get told to just "deal with it."

So another 20 minutes or so passed and someone -- I can only assume it was the manager or whatever title she may have held -- showed up and called me over. She explained to me the error they made and supplied me with a document from Immigration Canada (signed by an immigration officer) in order to allow the SIN office to process my request. The manager said that if this didn't work, I might have to request the SIN office change my middle name to a single initial or drop it altogether. I replied that I'd asked to do that already, but they refused and said they were unable to do it. The manager thought that was odd and then said that I may have just been unlucky and spoken to a jerk. She also added that the immigration officer who processed my entrance into Canada could have fixed my name. I told her about my awful experience coming in, where neglecting to inform me that name corrections could be done at that time was the least of my worries. She suggested I make a complaint, which I might still do.

With that document in-hand, my wife and I made our way to the SIN office. Once we sat down for a one-on-one with someone there, the woman said that since my "landing papers" had my middle name spelled a certain way (correct or not), they had to go with that. I informed her that there was an error and provided her with my passport, my visa, my marriage certificate and the signed document from Immigration Canada -- all of which had my middle name spelled correctly. She bluntly told me that it didn't matter what I showed her. All she could go by was what's on the "landing papers."

I said that I filled out my SIN application with the correct middle name. She shrugged and said that they "perform an interactive application" there, and don't bother with the paper applications. My wife wanted to know why I was told to fill one out then. The lady said that it's procedure, but they don't look at them.

At this point, I was thinking I had found my second candidate for evisceration and it wasn't even noon yet. I decided to ask if I could drop my middle name. The lady replied, "Yes, you can do that. But it'll be a $10 service fee." I questioned why I couldn't have done this before or why I wasn't allowed to do it previously. She said I couldn't do this over the phone and if in-person, I need to ask.

Apparently, I need to know they'll screw up my application before they do in order to stop it from happening. That has to be one of the most ridiculous ideas I've ever heard. Naturally, that's how government works.

I told her that I'd pay the fee and drop my middle name. Before I could speak again, she stated that if I paid in cash, I'd need to give her exact change. Since I didn't have a ten dollar bill on me, I handed her my debit card. However, since my U.S. debit card has the MasterCard logo on it, she insisted it wasn't a debit card, but a credit card and told me it would be processed as such. Knowing I wouldn't win an argument with this halfwit, I handed her a Visa credit card that I earn miles on instead. I found it somewhat amusing that she got annoyed when I demanded to see my information before I signed my name on the charge.

Finally, when it was all done and everything was (supposedly) fixed, she attempted to "chat" with us and act friendly. My wife and I did the bare minimum as far as niceties were concerned, but we were sick of the blatant stupidity there. Besides, neither of us were too interested in talking to someone who basically "used the system" to wrangle a little more money out of us for something that should have been done right the first time.

That's about it.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-26 16:07:00

So I've put off getting my SIN and PR Card because my wife and I were looking for a new apartment in another province. We figured that the Canadian government would need the correct address to ship both to and since we wouldn't be staying very long at our current one, it didn't seem logical to supply them with that.

Obviously, logic and government are the polar opposites of each other.

When I "landed" in Canada, the psycho immigration officer demanded to know my address. I told her that where I'm staying now would not be my permanent address, since my wife and I would be moving very soon. She barely let me finish, told me to "zip it" and said, "Give me your address or you aren't getting in." Well, I complied and told her it, even though it wouldn't be my address for much longer. She then handed me a "change of address" form for the PR card and told me to go.

After several weeks of looking, my wife and I found our new place, so I looked over the form the immigration officer had tossed at me. There was a government website address on it, which claimed I could fill in the necessary information online. I liked that -- especially since I hate speaking to low-paid non-interested government employees -- and attempted to go there, only to find that the URL no longer existed. Using Google, I found the new link, but I was a little annoyed that forms were being given out with non-existent website addresses on them. I filled out the info and sent it off.

My SIN was next, so I filled out that form by hand and brought that into the Canadian Government service center. They took it, processed it and gave me a sheet of paper with my SIN on it, to use as a temporary measure until my card gets mailed to me.

All sounds good, right? Guess again!

I had a nagging feeling that writing the "change of address" form online wouldn't be enough, so I asked the lady in the SIN department about it. She said whatever address was written down at the time I entered Canada as a permanent resident is where my PR card will be shipped to. I arrived on August 14th and since it supposedly takes 30 working days (six weeks) for it to arrive, the card had likely been shipped out already and is headed to my soon-to-be-old address.

I immediately went to the immigration office to ask them about this and at first, the lady there said my card was going to my new address. She then took back her words, smiled and laughed and said, "No, it's going to the original one on file." She then handed me a sheet with a number to call.

I get home and call that number. The very unfriendly CSR who answers tells me I have two options: I can either forward my mail to my new address (which is what I'm going to do) or wait for the card to be returned and have a new one issued again, starting the six-week cycle over. While I understood she couldn't do much after-the-fact, her attitude pissed me off. Her tone of voice indicated that she felt she was doing me a favor my even speaking to me.

Then I noticed something as I get off the phone. There were two glaring errors on my SIN. The number seemed correct (how would I know if it wasn't?), but my new address was missing the apartment number (which is probably useful if I'd like to actually receive my mail) and they somehow managed to misspell my name.

I called them up too. The much-more-friendly CSR gladly fixed my address (or so she said; at this point, I don't exactly have a whole lot of faith in these departments), but stubbornly refused to do anything about my name. She said, "I can't change your name since that's what Immigration Canada has written down."

Let's see here... I've had my name my whole life and Immigration Canada has had access to it for maybe seven or eight months (including the entire visa process) at most, yet they seem to think they know what my name is better than I do. Call my crazy, but I think they made a mistake. Every piece of documentation from the United States can prove it too, including my birth certificate, driver's license and passport. Going beyond the U.S., the Canadian Consulate General in Los Angeles and my marriage certificate (which is from British Columbia) has it written correctly too!

Regardless, she refused. She did, however, tell me that if I wanted it changed (gee, ya think?) I'd need to go to an Immigration Canada office in-person, convince them it was an error on their part, and have them print out documents showing I am correct. Once I do that, I'll need to hotfoot it over to the SIN office, hand over the papers I've received from Immigration Canada, and then they'll supply me with a fully corrected name on my SIN.

That seems a little unnecessary, doesn't it? I understand it's due to bureaucracy, but I really do think I'd know my name by now, seeing as how I'm getting pretty close to 30. If they asked me to "pat my head and rub my stomach" at the same time, well... that might not work so well, but I do know my name.

All in all, it's been a very, very lousy day.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-24 17:48:00

Finding a bank in the US

Well, I haven't been in this spot (I'm the USC), but I think Bank of America is fairly lenient. You could always attempt to open an account with RBC's American branch. It used to be called "RBC Centura," but they changed the name to simply "RBC Bank." If you have a Canadian RBC account, you can move funds back and forth easily. Even if you don't, RBC might be more willing to give you an account, since you're Canadian.

One thing you might want to know is that RBC Bank only has brick-and-mortar branches in several states, so they're not widespread. That's fine if all you ever need is online banking, but there might be a time when you need to walk into a branch itself.

If none of the above works, then your husband could always open up a new checking account with you on it. I know you said his bank wouldn't allow him to add you, but if he opens a new one with you on it from the start, that might work. Especially if it's with a different bank.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 15 October 2008 - 07:35 AM.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-10-15 07:34:00

QUOTE (thetreble @ Oct 20 2008, 12:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Reverse profiling..interesting.

I would assume someone such as myself is not profiled but merely it was a random check. Without knowing what was in my suitcase, and being a PR, I think searching me was kind of useless. You usually don't search someone who lives in one country and flies home for a few days. It is not like I went on a vacation to NY and bought a whole bunch of ####### to bring home as presents.

Any ways...what ever the reasons, only happened to me once out of the many times I have traveled thus far in my life. It really wasn't a big hassle, and I gave no cause in secondary for them to not let me through.

Almost every time my wife returned home to Canada after visiting me in the U.S., she used to get pulled aside and questioned by CBSA. CATSA, as well, tend to screen her more thoroughly too. What's interesting about this is that both CBP and TSA waive her by with barely a glance. In general, CBP asks her a couple of very basic questions (at most) and a TSA officer once gave her a "thumbs-up" since she followed the rules.

Apparently, most people don't do that or pretend they don't know any better. I have no idea how anyone couldn't know about putting liquids and gels in a baggie today; even if they didn't, TSA officers go up and down the line asking if people need them. Somehow, people still get up to the screeners and act surprised that they needed to have those items in a baggie!

CBP once hassled me going back to the U.S., which was weird. The officer started asking me questions such as, "What business did you have in Canada?" and "How much money did you spend?" I wasn't the friendliest to him. I didn't have to be, either. The U.S. is my home country, so he couldn't deny me entry even if he wanted. Honestly, I sometimes think these people go off on power trips simply to intimidate others.

On the flipside, the best entry into Canada for me was in YYC. The CBSA officer didn't even look at me or speak to me when I handed him my passport. He stamped it immediately and allowed me in. I stopped for a moment and thought, "That's it? No questions? What's going on here?" But then my brain kicked into high gear and told me to move it or lose it!

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-10-20 13:07:00

QUOTE (SapphireDreams @ Oct 20 2008, 10:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (thetreble @ Oct 20 2008, 10:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Oct 19 2008, 02:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was released and allowed into Canada after about 45 minutes of interrogation.

Ever since then, I've avoided YVR as an entry point. I've also heard that YYZ is terrible, as well. I suppose it has something to do with the heavy traffic coming through there. Whatever the case, I've found that flying into nearly any other airport nets better results than Vancouver or Toronto.

It may not be as rare as you think, Sapphire Dreams. I was also pulled into secondary last year while going through YYZ. They thought that since I had visited new york, I should have more presents for people I guess. When they opened my suitcase they only found 3 pairs of pants and a few shirts. I had been away for a considerable amount of time so that puzzled them. I didn't bring a lot home because I was planning on bringing more clothes FROM home, back to NJ. I wasn't doing anything wrong and I was already a PR at that point. If they want to see something, they will...if you get my drift.

Well that goes back to my original point, they are usually looking for some sort of profile and you must've fit their profile. And, they were more concerned with what you were bringing in then your reason for visiting. That's my point, the Canadian Border Agents don't seem to care very much about intent to immigrate so much as charging you duty on gifts. I have a friend at work who is searched everytime she returns without fail in secondary. They told her she fits a profile in their system that always comes up. Let's just say she never lies about what she spends on her vacations!

Interesting. That doesn't surprise me. All security agencies use profiling techniques, even if they claim not to or aren't supposed to do so. TSA is a good example. That organization likes to say they don't profile individuals, but seeing as their job is to screen airline passengers in the U.S., they're probably looking for whoever is considered "dangerous" at the time.

The one thing that puzzles me is why would I come up representing a certain profile at YVR, when I never did at any other airport in Canada? It seems a bit odd. The only thing I can assume is that YVR (like YYZ) have a lot of traffic, plus the CBSA officer I first spoke to was relatively young (and perhaps inexperienced) and it was right before Christmas at around midnight. Maybe those working at the airport at that time of year and day were annoyed and took it out on foreign visitors.

I do know that customs officers seem more "easy going" the earlier you speak to them. In other words, you'll probably receive less hassle if you go through them in the morning versus the evening or late night. I'm not sure why, since it can't be the same officer working all those hours. Whatever the case, that seems to hold true in most cases.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-10-20 11:26:00

QUOTE (Caladan @ Oct 19 2008, 08:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I flew to Edmonton to help C. fly down; I cleared Canadian immigration in Toronto, and said that I was here to help my fiance move to the United States. The agent did a quick double-take -- "on this visit?" and I said something to the effect of 'Yes, ma'am, he has a U.S. fiance visa and we're getting married in July.' No problems.

(As a side note, isn't it true that if one is intending to immigrate to Canada as a spouse, one can declare that at the border as they permit 'inside Canada' adjustment? Anyone know the details of this, or if I'm at all in the ballpark? )

I'd assume that if the intended immigrant traveled through the border with his or her spouse and they could provide proof of their marriage and proposed plans to have the non-Canadian immigrate legally, it'd work. Otherwise, why would the CBSA officer believe the story? Anyone could walk in claiming they're on a spousal visa that way.

I immigrated to Canada from outside the country (which is why the visa got processed much quicker), so all of this is based on my best guess.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-10-20 03:00:00

I'd also suggest going with the third option. If you have some proof of the K1, I'd bring it, just in case you get an officer who wants some evidence. Whether or not the visa has anything to do with them directly is moot -- you're asking for permission to enter a foreign country, which they can deny based on a million little things. If you have the proof, that'll show the officer that you're not intending to enter Canada and stay.

As for personal experiences, the one time I had tons of trouble entering Canada was at YVR. The CBSA officer I spoke to had a fit when I answered his question with, "I'm here to visit my girlfriend." His mouth dropped open and he looked at me as if I said I were carrying cocaine, an AK-47 and some explosives. Needless to say, a "Chinese Fire Drill" ensued and I was called back to secondary for questioning, where I was grilled quite thoroughly. I was released and allowed into Canada after about 45 minutes of interrogation.

Ever since then, I've avoided YVR as an entry point. I've also heard that YYZ is terrible, as well. I suppose it has something to do with the heavy traffic coming through there. Whatever the case, I've found that flying into nearly any other airport nets better results than Vancouver or Toronto.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-10-19 13:07:00

QUOTE (cattattude @ Oct 21 2008, 03:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To steal a line from OT - DPX why do you hate Canada?

That makes me want to sing, "Blame Canada!"

I don't hate Canada. If I did, I wouldn't have moved here; instead, I'd have urged my wife to move to the United States. This pet peeve of mine (historical inaccuracy) isn't directly related to Canada, as it occurs within every country, including the United States. This just happens to be the Canada Forum, so we're naturally going to discuss Canada far more often than any other nation.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-10-22 02:50:00

QUOTE (MsZ @ Sep 24 2008, 05:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"I had one guy at my old job say: "So we beat the Canadians at their own game""

You should have said, "Basketball?" And he won't know what you're talking about. (For anyone else who doesn't, basketball was created in Canada.)

I'll admit that my daughter's friends ask my husband to say "out and about" but he enjoys the attention. They treat him like a rock star.

Well... sort of. James Nesmith, the inventor of the game, was indeed Canadian; however, he created it at Springfield College, which is in Springfield, Massachusetts.

I believe this reworking of historical fact is quite common. For example, I've heard comments such as "Canadians burned down the White House during the War of 1812" or that "the creator of Superman was Canadian." Neither of which is strictly true.

Using the above examples for reference, the British burned down the White House during the War of 1812. Whether or not these soldiers came from Canada is irrelevant; they were British. Canada didn't become it's own separate entity until 1867 and before 1946, there was no such thing as a Canadian citizen. Those who resided in Canada were considered "British subjects." So even if the soldiers had made their homes in Canada, they wouldn't be considered Canadians -- they'd be British. It'd be like defining the colonists as "American" before the Revolutionary War and eventual split from Great Britain.

As for Superman... one of his two creators was a Canadian named Joe Shuster (the other was Jerry Siegel, an American). Shuster's family moved to Cleveland, Ohio when he was 10, so for all intents and purposes, he grew up as American.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-10-21 14:48:00

QUOTE (Reba @ Sep 2 2008, 06:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

its easy really. We have Labor Day in the US, and Labour Day in Canada. What's so confusing about that?

And I totally understand what Ant means by not looking like a typical Canadian. Outside of Canada, most folks would think a Canadian either is an Eskimo (Inuit to be proper), or a WASP (white, anglo saxon protestant...ie: English looking). But to we Candadians who know better, and know that Canada is the only really and truly multi-cultural country on the planet, where we don't have to hyphenate ourselves (ie: we're not African-Canadians, or Irish-Canadians, or Egyptian-Canadians, we're just plain ol' Canadian). In the US, its totally different. If you don't look like you're from here (ie: your skin is brown and you have funny lookin eye sockets lets say), then you have to hyphenate, and you can't possibly be "from here". You have to be "from somewhere else". I get that all the time here. People tell me I can't be Canadian, they just think I kinda look American, because I'm white and have blue eyes. Until I say "eh" they won't believe that I'm Canadian, because that's all they know about Canada. They know we say eh, and they know Bob & Doug McKenzie. And maybe John Candy. And unfortunately, Celine Dion and Tom Greene

I have lots of Canadian friends who look foreign. Until they open their mouths to speak, then you know without a shadow of a doubt that they are indeed Canadian. I have a friend whose parents are Chinese. He was born in Columbia, but grew up in Canada, and knows no other way of life. He's Canadian. His parents are Chinese though. And he looks Chinese obviously, but he's never even been there. His wife is Canadian, but she only just got her citizenship a couple of years ago. She looks more Canadian than he does, but she talks funny because she's originally from Latvia and has a funny accent. My dad's side of the family are all English, but they "look Canadian". Until they speak, then you can tell they're originally from England. Or sometimes they may be mistaken for Australians or Kiwis, but only by people who have no clue, and think Australia and New Zealand are just so much more exotic sounding that just merry old England. I can even affect an English accent when I want to ** with people's heads. I did that once in a bar in Denver Colorado, just for kicks n giggles, because our server said he though everyone in Canada sounded the same as people from England

I stole my beer glass. It said Alcatraz on it. Very un-Canadian of me of course, but it was a cool looking glass. It broke a couple years later.

Unfortunately, Reba is right. Many -- perhaps even most -- Americans prefer to segregate themselves rather than "belong to one group." I find that interesting, considering the U.S. was supposed to be a melting pot. Perhaps this is in reaction to that stance.

Whatever the case, you'll find plenty of hyphenated individuals running around the U.S., all of whom will thump their chests at being American, but only when it suits their purposes. At other times, they'll divide themselves up into their own groups, based upon culture, race, language or more recently, legal status (which is insane, but for some reason tolerated), usually in an effort to point a finger at some other group or the government for being "racist" or "exclusionary" in some other form.

This is a sore subject for me, because my brother's best friend, who was born in Africa, and has two biological American parents had some problems due to this. My brother's friend has white skin, red hair and freckles. When he and his parents moved back to the United States, he was a little confused. On the forms for school registration where they asked for his race (I know they don't do this in Canada, but this is considered "standard operating procedure" in the U.S.), he wanted to write down "African American." That seemed logical -- after all, he was born in Africa, has two American parents and is an American citizen himself. He was told he couldn't check that box since "he wasn't black."

So let's recap here: In the U.S., you're not considered an African American if you have two American parents, you're a U.S. citizen and you were born in Africa itself so long as you're white, but... if you're black and an American citizen, you're automatically referred to as an "African American," even if you've never stepped foot on that continent and you never will. I suppose this could be extended even further to include legal immigrants (who're black) from any countries except those within Africa, as well.

Just to clarify, this example isn't about hatred or any sort of animosity towards blacks. This is about how idiotic I feel the whole "hyphenated American" situation is at the moment and how it's affecting policies that may seriously impact our lives.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-09-09 04:33:00

QUOTE (Krikit @ Aug 28 2008, 10:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wouldn't care whether they thought it was pretentious or not. I'd still use it properly. People who would judge you based on using the word "university" aren't really the type of people who would matter in my life.

You know what? You're right! While in Canada, I'll use the term properly as I know it and say "college." Whatever anyone else thinks is irrelevant.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-08-28 13:49:00

QUOTE (vanee @ Aug 27 2008, 06:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Aug 27 2008, 04:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There's another one, actually: College. When I first met my in-laws, my wife told me to say "university" instead of "college." I found that odd, since I've always said "college" and that generally means the same thing as "university" in the U.S., but apparently, it has a different connotation in Canada.

It's just sounds funny. No one (except pretentious a-holes) actually say "I'm attending university!" No matter where you go, from Harvard to some community college, everyone seeking education past high school says, "I'm going to college!"

That's one I struggle with. My husband told me that in the US, it sounds pretentious to say that you went to or are going to university. In Canada, though, you call college college and university university. Nothing pretentious about it -- it's like calling apples apples and bananas bananas.

I went to both college and university, and I think and mean 2 different things when I use each word. How can I call a banana an apple when there's a word for banana to show that you're talking about a banana and not an apple? I'll have to if I don't want to sound pretentious, but it's crazy to me that using the right word sounds pretentious and I have to use a word other than what something is to avoid coming across wrong.

Imagine if you had to call both pencils and pens pens because the word pencil sounded pretentious. That's how it feels to me. Saying bathroom instead of washroom is much easier -- it's just a different word for the same thing.

I know and understand that's how it feels to you, but to us -- to Americans -- it feels the same way when someone says "I'm attending university" instead of "I'm going to college." To us, it all means the same thing. The "right word" is subjective, after all.

I'll be learning to make a clear distinction between "college" and "university" since I'm now living in Canada. That feels very wrong to me, but it's how things operate here, and I accept that.

I think a lot of this has to do with the differences between American and British English. I've noticed that countries with much stronger ties to the UK (such as Canada and Australia) will not only differentiate between "college" and "university," but make statements such as "I'm attending university" or "I'm going on holiday." Granted, the latter is one I haven't heard too often (it seems to be more common in the UK and Australia than in Canada), which is good, since that phrase really drives me up the wall.

I hate it -- hate it! -- whenever someone says, "I'm going on holiday." It's moronic. You can't go on a holiday. A holiday is something that occurs on a set day or series of days, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. Those are holidays. You don't "go on them." Maybe you'll get a day or two off work for a holiday, but that's hardly enough time to visit a country that's half-way across the world, now is it?

You can, however, "go on a vacation" during those "holidays" or any other time as well. That makes a lot more sense, doesn't it? To say, "I'm going on a vacation!" Yes! You can take a vacation, but can't take a holiday!

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-08-28 01:46:00

QUOTE (iteachkids81 @ Aug 27 2008, 01:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Aug 27 2008, 10:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

RE: "Pop, Washroom, and Change Room"
A good example is what Canadians call "running shoes." In the U.S., the southern states (including Texas) generally refer to these as "tennis shoes" while the northern states call them "sneakers." I've always called them "sneakers."

I have always referred to sneakers as sneakers.

Funny story from when I taught kindergarten in NYC. I always took the kids to the washroom. its not a bathroom at school, there is no BATH in there. and it isn't a rest room, you aren't there to rest! LOL so I taught them to ask to go to the washroom, or I said that we were lining up to go to the washroom. When they got to grade 1 next year (yes grade one, not first grade!LOL) the teachers automatically knew which kids were from my class because they would ask to go to the washroom.

I was surprised to find out that in Canada, you don't refer to 9th through 12th Grade the same way we do in the United States. My wife said you just call it "Grade 9, 11, 10, and 12." I've always known them as my "Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior" years in high school. Coincidentally, college classifications are done the same way as well.

There's another one, actually: College. When I first met my in-laws, my wife told me to say "university" instead of "college." I found that odd, since I've always said "college" and that generally means the same thing as "university" in the U.S., but apparently, it has a different connotation in Canada.

It's just sounds funny. No one (except pretentious a-holes) actually say "I'm attending university!" No matter where you go, from Harvard to some community college, everyone seeking education past high school says, "I'm going to college!"

Edited by DeadPoolX, 27 August 2008 - 03:20 PM.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-08-27 15:19:00

RE: "Pop, Washroom, and Change Room"

As someone else said on here, "pop" (in reference to soda) is a regional issue. Some areas of the U.S. refer to it as "pop" while others call it "soda" and some merely call all of it "Coke." I tend to call it "soda," since that's how I've always heard it, but I don't know if that's how Texans usually say it. My parents were from New York, so perhaps some of the terminology I use might differ from the average Texan. A good example is what Canadians call "running shoes." In the U.S., the southern states (including Texas) generally refer to these as "tennis shoes" while the northern states call them "sneakers." I've always called them "sneakers."

The term "washroom" was actually first used in the United States, but for some reason or another, it slowly faded away in favor of "restroom" or "bathroom." Apparently, "washroom" caught on at some point in Canada and never left. Those who're older in the U.S. might remember it being used, but I'd say anyone who's 50 and under today probably wouldn't recall it. I've never referred to the "laundry room" as the "washroom," so that's a new one to me. I've just called it the "laundry room" or the "utility room."

I've never heard "change room" used instead of "locker room" but if I had, I could figure out what it means. The phrase "to change" suggests that one will change their clothing. If they did something different, like change into a frog or a mountain lion, that would be highly unusual. However, the term "locker room" is what's common in the United States, since places where people change clothing generally have lockers to store the other set of clothes.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-08-27 12:09:00

QUOTE (jundp @ Aug 22 2008, 02:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Sprailenes @ Aug 20 2008, 11:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also get the whole: "Do you know a so and so from Vancouver?"

YES AS A MATTER OF FACT I DO. WE'RE BFF'S!!! WOW WHAT A SMALL WORLD EH!?

That works for gay people too. Since my brother is gay and lives in California, I often get "OMG I KNOW A GAY PERSON TOO! DOES YOUR BROTHER KNOW ______________?!?!?!?" Yes, all gay people, much like all Canadians, have a network and they stay in touch telepathically. Amazing, really.

That seems to work for people from pretty much anywhere, really. When I'm outside of Texas, such as either U.S. coast, the northeast or even the deep south (no, Texas is not part of that), I can get asked all sorts of stupid questions. Plus, I'll sometimes get the inevitable: "Hey, I know so-and-so from Texas! Do you know him too?"

The latter hasn't happened nearly as often in Canada (but it has occurred a couple of times) and the former is almost a regular thing, if someone knows I'm a Texan. Usually the first statement made is, "The weather must be a lot different down there!"

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-08-24 10:25:00

QUOTE (Krikit @ Aug 21 2008, 08:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (trailmix @ Aug 21 2008, 09:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You should not eat whale blubber or club baby seals.

The Trailmix is right! Down with whale blubber and baby seal clubbers!

Can we eat baby seal blubber and club whales instead?

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-08-22 10:05:00