ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaWhat could be better than 14 babies?
From the article:

QUOTE
"However, to make that work, that means someone is going to start deciding for other people how, when and why they can have children. That's a very big step and one that we might not be prepared to take."


She certainly would never in a million years be allowed to adopt a child. My husband and I would be rejected out of hand by many adoption agencies because he is over 50 and we have been married less than 5 years. Yet somehow it is problematic to stop someone like this from reproducing? The mind boggles.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-02-03 11:01:00
CanadaMedical exam in Montreal
Todd, as Carla said, you probably did get all of the vaccines as a child except chicken pox because I don't think it existed and tetnus because you need a new booster of that one every 10 years. You may be able to get a record from your province's health department (I know there are people on here who have done this), but a lot of people have also said that they've gotten the titer test and found that in spite of having been properly vaccinated as children, they had low immunity. My husband just went ahead and got all the vaccines. We assume he got the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella as a young child (would have been mandatory for school), but he got both measles and mumps as a child anyway. We just assumed the shot wasn't effective for whatever reasons and that it would be better to have immunity to rubella. The panel physician took his word for it that he had chicken pox and wrote "varicella history" on the form. That was good enough both for the K1 visa and AOS.

SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-03-03 13:38:00
Canadaaos stress
I agree that a new employer letter is probably better. In our case, though, we sent a copy of the one we used for the consulate and had no problems (my boss was on vacation and the one we gave the consulate was only three months old at the time---although it was addressed to the Vancouver Consulate K visa unit so it could not have been more obvious we were reusing it). If it is a huge hassle to get a new letter and the old one isn't terribly dated, you should be okay with it.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-03-23 15:11:00
Canadaaos stress
The only thing they absolutely require, per the instructions, is a tax return (or transcript) from the most recent year. Sometimes, though, people will get RFEs for different things that will help them prove they have enough resources to qualify (usually the pay stubs, which you have already said you have). What we did was send a copy of the employer letter my boss wrote for me when we interviewed for the K1 (to show that this is a permanent position), 6 months of pay stubs, and my 2007 tax return. This was enough. If you have an employer letter, it will show them that your husband's job is a secure permanent position. I'd definitely send the copies of the paystubs since you already have them.

One other thing---in case you don't know this yet---if you send a copy of his return, you must also send copies of his W2, any schedules and 1099s that show the income reported. I realize you are young and may not have much of that, but he could have a 1099 from the bank just showing a small amount of interest on a savings account. If so, send a copy. If you order a tax transcript from the IRS (which is free, but I do not know how long it takes to receive), you do not have to send that.


SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-03-23 10:35:00
CanadaShould I be worried, yet?
Oh well with that explanation, yeah, the check thing does make sense. If he's never had a bank account and the stupid checks aren't labeled, what goes where could seem random! I recently had to tear up a check because I signed the memo line without thinking, and I can't even count how many times I had to void checks because I wrote out the amount on the line for who it's to---and I've been writing checks for nearly 30 years. He has no reason to be hard on himself.

And it is probably a blessing in disguise because now you won't have to deal with making an address change with USCIS or having an NOA1 go to his roommates after he moves out. Yeah, it is a setback, but once you have the visa in hand, you are going to have a whole life to spend together and this brief delay is going to be a lot less significant than it is now. That is what we kept telling each other while we were apart and waiting to be together. And yeah, it didn't really work so well at the time, but it turned out to be true.


SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-03-24 13:32:00
CanadaShould I be worried, yet?
Thanks for finding that, Trailmix. I could not remember how much we paid, but thought it was about that much (well, 2-something, anyway). I probably meant certified mail, too, not registered. I'm pretty sure what I was talking about is the same thing Trailmix is talking about.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-03-24 10:51:00
CanadaShould I be worried, yet?
Yeah, I'm not sure I understand that, either, about the check.

The good news is the packet came back BEFORE your fiance moved. If he holds off on sending it until he has moved, you won't have to worry about the change of address because they will now have the new address. Yes, he will have to redo the forms that ask for his address, but you aren't entirely at square one since you still have the evidence gathered (and I don't think YOUR G-325A is affected).

As for the cost of mailing, Udella & Wiz is correct---it maybe costs an extra dollar or two to send it registered mail with return receipt requested (which you absolutely should do so that you know they've received it and can follow up if they don't get you into the system within a week or two). Sending it overnight mail---which most people seem to do---is what can add a lot more to the cost. We did not send ours overnight mail because it just seemed stupid to pay that much extra to get it there maybe 5 or 6 days earlier than it otherwise would arrive when we knew it was going to sit there gathering dust for several months anyway.

Good luck!
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-03-24 10:33:00
CanadaShould I be worried, yet?
Yes, he should file a change of address form with the post office. He also needs to give USCIS his new address (is it form AR-11?---I am not sure of the procedure for that since it wasn't something we needed to deal with). If for some reason the NOA1 goes to the apartment he is leaving and is NOT forwarded, I am pretty sure you can get a duplicate from USCIS. (Okay, I'm not 100% certain of this---I do know you can get a duplicate of your NOA2 from them, so I assume it is also possible to get a duplicate NOA1).

You could get the NOA1 either before or after the check clears.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-03-23 15:45:00
CanadaShould I be worried, yet?
When I filed, it took 10 days for CSC to cash our check. Vermont tends to be a bit faster than California, but there can also be a pretty big variance. It is definitely too soon to worry about it.

If you have not done this yet, check the threads in the case status branch to see how long it is taking others who filed around the same time you did at VSC. That will give you a better idea.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-03-23 15:17:00
CanadaDress Code for Montreal Interview
QUOTE (Udella&Wiz @ Apr 1 2009, 01:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
They don't care - although you should probably stick with shoes and a shirt smile.gif


You might want to consider adding some pants or a skirt to that ensemble, though. Just saying.

Serious answer: you should be fine with what you are planning to wear. Good luck on your interview.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-01 14:21:00
CanadaAnyone a gardener?
I planted sunflowers once and they did quite well. And I am not a particularly good gardener. They did get to be VERY TALL so if you have very limited space, they may not be the best idea.

If you want to plant vegetables as well as flowers, marigolds are supposedly a very good flower to have alongside the vegetables.

You might also want to consider asking at local nurseries.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-02 17:25:00
CanadaWe have our interview Monday
Heh, I wondered that too. There actually is not one between the "dancing" one ---> dancin5hr.gif and the "joy" emoticon ----> dancin5hr.gif but there is also a "dance" emoticon, that is different ---> kicking.gif

unsure.gif

I'm glad they are finally giving you an interview! This has been a ridiculously long process for you guys! Congratulations in advance.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-03 15:25:00
CanadaRMP Police Report
My husband also got his done while he waited. I think some RCMP offices are able to do that and others are not, though. We were at that stage a year ago, and I vaguely remember that there were some posts on here discussing which Edmonton offices could do it while you wait and which couldn't. Don't remember the charge, but it was not free.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-03 17:00:00
CanadaWhy I don't want children
Yeah, it's also not even just the decision to have kids but WHEN to have them and how many to have. I'm no supporter of Sarah Palin, but I was appalled at a person who called into a radio show questioning whether she showed poor judgment by choosing to have 5 kids. #######? John McCain and Georg Bush Sr both have 6 kids and Mitt Romney has 5 as well. Didn't seem to be an issue with any of them.

I have a friend who has 5 kids and people always ask why she had "so many children." And Sprailenes' comments about people asking why she only has one are not unusual either. Every family is different. We don't all need to have EXACTLY 2 kids sometime between 25 and 35.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-09 11:27:00
CanadaWhy I don't want children
QUOTE (Galateia @ Apr 9 2009, 01:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'm 28 and want kids less than ever.

I've had some truly offensive things said to me by people who felt that it was appropriate to talk smack about my choice not to have them; I often wonder what they would have said if I'd reviled their choice to have kids the way they did my choice not to.

Thankfully, now that I'm almost 30, people have toned down their condescending remarks about me changing my mind when I'm older, as if I'm a pigtailed toddler saying she doesn't want to wear dresses, ever!


I still get some of that at 42. My situation is different---I really would have liked to have children, but my ex was unwilling to consider adoption and our biological child was stillborn. By the time I was on my feet enough financially to consider adopting as a single mom (after dumping his sorry #######), I was in my late 30s with parents who were starting to need more help from me and it just seemed too daunting to try to do it all without a partner. I knew that when and if I got married or just had another partner, it would almost certainly be someone older than me who already had grown kids so if I did not adopt on my own, I likely would just have to settle for skipping over the mom stage and being a step grandmom, which actually became appealing by the time I hit 40.

Turns out I got married at 41 to a man 10 years older than me who had never had kids either. The thought of starting to raise kids when we are 45 and 55 or so respectively just doesn't appeal, much as I wish one or the other of us had at least one child from a previous relationship. But people still say "oh you never know." And that is somewhat true---we might decide to adopt a child who is much older, say a 10-year-old foster child, and my mom had an unplanned pregnancy when she was older than I am now, so nothing is impossible---but the tone of it is always that idea that I just don't know my own mind "yet."

My personal favorites are the stereotypes: if you don't have children, it is because you are selfish, inconsiderate, or cold and distant. Honestly, I don't know anyone without children who really fits those stereotypes. And in my situation, having a child would be the most selfish thing I could do. It would likely mean shifting the burden of taking care of my parents onto my sister, who is single and less financially secure than we are. How fair is that?

The other side of these why-I-do/don't-want-children discussions is always people who don't want children complaining that their friends who do have children have become complete bores who don't talk about anything other than the details of their kids' potty training. In all honesty, not one of my friends with kids ever fit that stereotype. True, I like kids and really enjoy hearing what cute new thing they learned, but even I'd be bored hearing every detail of when little Zoe or Evan went to the potty today---as would nearly every parent of a toddler I've ever met.

Not sure why either stereotype persists, given that I don't know anyone who meets either of them. But they do, and these discussions almost always break down into an us versus them kind of thing.

Okay, that's the end of my rant about it.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-09 10:22:00
CanadaPaauhau Rental
Wow, that looks like a really big yard. Pretty tiled floor, too. Congratulations, Cat!
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-03-31 15:45:00
CanadaHappy Birthday Raymaga
Happy birthday, Raymaga!!!

This post makes me want cake.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-14 12:50:00
CanadaBackwards Question- Visiting my fiancé in Canada
I would. Canadian customs tend to be a bit easier than US, but they do basically operate on the same principle. Plus it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I never had a problem, but I was asked more questions when I was entering Canada to visit my fiance (now husband) than I ever was on any previous visit. I was always flying and always had a round trip ticket, which probably helps.


SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-15 12:10:00
CanadaWhat's the best (cheap) way to move your stuff?
My husband used UPack to ship his belongings. I can't remember what it cost, but it was pretty reasonable. When you factor in the cost of gas, it was not that much more expensive than renting a U-Haul. If your fiance (or anyone else, for that matter) can make the drive with you, another option is to rent the U-Haul and have one person drive the U-Haul while the other drives your car. Or you can do what Krikit suggested and really just take what you can carry in your car.

I looked into getting a U-Haul with a trailer hitch for a long distance move once a lont time ago, and the smallest truck that had a hitch to tow my car was much bigger than what I needed to move everything in my one-bedroom apartment--which also made it more expensive to rent, harder to drive, and more expensive to buy gas for. I'd recommend against that option.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-02-18 11:50:00
CanadaAPPROVED!!!!
Congratulations, Poprocks!
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-17 10:26:00
CanadaTravis & Kim and July09Bride - Good luck with your interviews in Montreal on Thursday!
QUOTE (July09Bride @ Apr 16 2009, 10:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Well, it's over! We were approved!!! And, to top it off, we met Kim and her mom this morning while in the waiting area. smile.gif


kicking.gif kicking.gif kicking.gif Congratulations!!!



SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-16 10:44:00
CanadaTravis & Kim and July09Bride - Good luck with your interviews in Montreal on Thursday!
Good luck to both of you and to the Friday people as well.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-15 10:14:00
Canadawhy did u choose to live in US instead of Canada?
Cost of living in Alberta vs cost of living in southern Illinois, mostly.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-17 15:11:00
CanadaMontreal Interview
Congratulations!
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-19 10:35:00
CanadaHockey thread!
Okay, I will definitely do that.



SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-22 06:28:00
CanadaHockey thread!
Which game? We are thinking of going on Sunday. We were, um, kind of waiting to see how the Blues' series would go before buying tickets.

I forgot to mention the other good thing in last night's game was David Perron scored one of our goals and both he and TJ Oshie played really well. That is a very small consolation but for whatever reason we really just love the Kid Line.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-22 06:21:00
CanadaHockey thread!
QUOTE (Texanadian @ Apr 21 2009, 10:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Well I turned on Verses to watch the Vancouver-St. Louis game tonight. They had 1 hour of broadcast and it only showed highlights from all the other games!

####### mad.gif


I did not realize that. We got the game on a local channel instead, but I thought Versus was carrying some of the other games. We were able to get the Ducks-Sharks game later, but I was too disheartened to pay much attention and I don't know what channel (we have like 4 different cable sports networks).

Here's a recap that probably misses a lot---and I don't pretend to be unbiased here, either. Vancouver went up in the first period. We thought if they took the lead the Blues would just collapse and it would be a humiliating blowout. They held their own for a while, though, but then the Canucks scored a second goal and we switched to the Cardinals game, and then (since they were down 0-4) the Pens-Flyers game. But we switched back just in time to see the Blues suddenly remember what a good team they really are. They scored two goals towards the end of the 2nd period to tie it up. Plus they were playing with confidence and finally seemed to rattle Luongo's cage.

Then (still 2nd period) they pumped in a third puck and the replay clearly showed it went into the net---but the ref lost sight of the puck and blew a whistle. Of course the replay can't show exactly when he blew the whistle, so it was called no goal. That would have been the winning goal, because neither team scored for the rest of regulation and it went into overtime.

The Blues outshot the Canucks in overtime something like 2-to-1 without scoring. Then the Canucks started taking dumb penalties---yes, in overtime---and somehow the Blues couldn't take advantage of it (we played much better in 5 on 5). In the last 20 seconds, the Canucks got one in and there went our opportunity to make the second most amazing comeback in all of sports history, second only to their regular season record. Not sure if they would have done it, but if anyone could have done it, it's them.

Meanwhile, the Cards did come from behind and win their game 6-4.

Now GO SHARKS!! and GO FLAMES!!
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-22 06:11:00
CanadaHockey thread!
I don't hold out much hope of coming back and winning the series, but I am at least hoping they will bring back Kariya (well rested and enough of an NHL veteran to maybe play with confidence), get in one good decisive win tonight, and at least make Vancouver actually earn a win Friday rather than just handing it to them.

It is POSSIBLE (albeit highly unlikely) that a win tonight could give them the boost they need to come back and win Friday. If they could do that, I think we'd stand a chance. If Vancouver ever takes the lead, they are going to crash and burn spectacularly though.

In round 2, we will be rooting for anyone but Vancouver---even if it's the Blackhawks.

SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-21 09:47:00
CanadaHockey thread!
QUOTE (Rob and Mel @ Apr 20 2009, 10:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I hate the Ducks, but only because the entire concept is so contrived. They were a marketing campaign.......... Besides, aren't professional team mascots supposed to be intimidating or something fierce or proud? Ducks? Come on. Should call the team the Orange County Tampons.


rofl.gif

I've always thought the Los Angeles Earthquakes would be funny, considering we have the Hurricanes and Avelanche.

Naming a team after a kids hockey team in a movie (the Mighty Ducks) was questionable and gimmicky to begin with, but once they dropped the "Mighty" bit (based on the fact that by now no one remembers where the Mighty Ducks moniker came from to begin with), why not just change the name to something more apt altogether?

Mind you, ducks are fierce and proud if you park your car in a neighborhood they frequent. Not quite as much so as pidgeons or seagulls, but still.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-20 10:40:00
CanadaHockey thread!
QUOTE (wowswift @ Apr 20 2009, 01:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
ummm go sharks. as a USC who favors all bay area teams (native norcal, so we like the 49ers, and giants too, unless you suck and like the raiders and a's) but go sharks. always been my fav since they started, (most likely cuz they have a rad logo) but took my newfie hubby to his first NHL game to see the sharks. gg, the lost but we saw a penalty shot, OT, shootout, but no fight sad.gif


True---the Sharks have the best logo in the NHL, at least in the western conference (I kind of ignore the east, to be honest). They also have a nice jersey color. My husband LOATHES the Anaheim Ducks because they have Chris Pronger and he really can't stand Pronger. So yeah, now that it looks like we won't be the ones having to face them in round 2, go Sharks!



SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-20 09:20:00
CanadaHockey thread!
*Sigh*

The first period was flippin awesome. If only they would play like that for a full game on Tuesday, we'd have a chance of not being swept. cray5ol.gif

It was still fun to go.


SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-20 00:00:00
CanadaHockey thread!
Yeah, I think our boys will win it tonight and Tuesday. Being down 0-2 is easier to come back from than being in last place in the Western Conference, and we actually pulled that one off. But we still have to win at least one game in Vancouver. I think if we lose any of our home games we are done for. It was exciting to get into 6th place but I kind of think we may have faired better against the Sharks. Hubby still thinks we can take it in 6. It should be fun tonight.

Flames, we are still hoping Calgary can make it. They looked pretty good in game 1 (better than the Blues did, actually). None of our plethora of sports channels carried game 2 of that series, so I only know they lost to Chicago. We're rooting for the Flames unless they play against us later on (family in Calgary).
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-19 09:46:00
CanadaHockey thread!
QUOTE (Holliday @ Apr 13 2009, 11:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Best of luck to your Blues in the series! They scare me. Heh.


Since Holliday has been so nice in this thread, I should probably return the favor. Your Roberto Luongo made 2 effing incredible saves last night---ones that I don't think were, strictly speaking, humanly possible! Kind of frustrating, because I really don't think our guys were outplayed in either game. Game 1, both teams pretty much sucked, except for Mason and Luongo. Second game both were great--but Luongo made those unbelievable saves and Andy McDonald hit the frikkin goal posts three times when he was able to get past Luongo. Ack!!

Oh well, tomorrow they have to play HERE, and I think that's going to be different.

One thing that is really amusing me is they have this pre-game rally thing planned for tomorrow afternoon before the game. It's outside Scottrade Center---and they are predicting thunderstorms. I've got this image of 20,000 people trying to take shelter in the porto-potties with the tornado sirens going off.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-18 10:30:00
CanadaHockey thread!
Sweet! We just got tickets for game 3 of the Blues-Canucks series.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-16 13:36:00
CanadaHockey thread!
QUOTE (Holliday @ Apr 15 2009, 04:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
BOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! (Kidding!)



Time for my pre-game nap!

GO CANUCKS!!


A pre-game nap would have been a good idea for me. It's two hours later here when they play.

I wish Luongo weren't quite so good. But if the Blues focus on playing hockey and putting some pressure on him instead of shoving and tripping Vancouver players and taking dumb penalties, they might do better tomorrow.

Oh well, it ain't over til it's over, to quote the inimitable Yogi Berra. Or, to quote my husband, you haven't won anything until you've won four. GO BLUES!!

It was kind of nice seeing them show the Vancouver skyline. That was right near the hotel we stayed at when we went for his visa interview. We are sentimental saps.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-16 09:38:00
CanadaHockey thread!
This was posted on another forum I use:

http://www.edmontons...116546-sun.html

Planning the parade route?



SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-15 15:38:00
CanadaHockey thread!
kicking.gif My powers of persuasion just astound me. jest.gif

Just kidding.

Game 1 tonight.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-15 10:26:00
CanadaHockey thread!
Carla, cheer for the Blues!! If we advance, hubby and I are going to try to score tickets. We will try for game 6 if we can, but I can't figure out if it's sold out or they are not yet selling tickets. Last I looked, you could still get tickets to games 3 and 4, but nothing under $183 per ticket.

Blues-Canucks will be close. They are pretty evenly matched.

This is really fun.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-14 12:46:00
CanadaHockey thread!
Congratulations, Sapphire! If we had done that, we could afford playoff tickets! Gotta love a team that goes from being dead last to 6th place in the space of two months. I grew up playing pond hockey---or, rather, canal hockey on the frozen Erie Canal (don't tell my mom)---but never really followed the NHL until now. It wasn't marrying a Canadian that made me a fan; it was the Blues doing what they just did.
SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-04-13 08:59:00
CanadaHockey thread!
Heh, they did a retrospective of the truly horrid jerseys the Canucks were forced to wear over the years during the intermission when they were playing the Blues last week. Those were pretty atrocious. The commentator had a lot of fun with it, though, pointing out that in one incarnation, the orange V "looked like throwup" and that the Canucks had to wear "the ugliest uniforms in the sports universe." Usually, I use the intermissions of hockey games to get a snack or take the dog out (because really, the interviews about what went wrong or right during the last period are pretty lame...), but that one I watched.

SonoranSongbirdFemaleCanada2009-03-24 10:18:00