« Welcome to Canada | Main | The Day After »
August 07, 2006
A Chance to Breathe
Mason and I had a chance to go out and decompress over this whole situation. We decided to go have a nice dinner at The Keg (which incidentally is a Canadian franchise) and talk about some of the stuff running through our heads. It amazed me the tremendous amount of feelings I had flood my brain at once when I got home - elation, sadness, guilt, excitement, happiness, worry, fear, anticipation, anxiety and many, many more. I didn't even know it was possible to feel all of these emotions at the same time. I went from reading the letter over, and over again, to crying to bouncing off the walls. The reality of the situation is starting to sink in. The big question is what's next...
First off, I mail the passports off to the Consulate in Seattle tomorrow morning - they state they will have them back to us in 15 business days.
Then tomorrow I give my boss my 30-day notice (literally), since I was hoping for September 8th to be my last day of work.
I've just booked a flight to Toronto using Mason's United Miles for August 18th through the 25th - giving me a week to try and find a place to live for both of the dogs and us. This is going to be the most stressful part I think, and the part I am most worried about. (A Cancer needs his shell, er...I mean home.)
The plan for right now is to leave the State and begin the move to Canada on September 26th or 27th for a three-day drive ending us up in Toronto by October 1st.
Ugh, my stomach is killing me know.
For those of you keeping track at home, here is the timeline so far:
Application Submitted: 02-14-2005
Application placed in queue: 03-21-2005
Transferred to Seattle Consulate: 02-09-2006
Initial Assessment Complete/Request for Additional Info: 03-07-2006
Medical Examinations: 03-13-2006
FBI Clearances Received: 04-07-2006/04-20-2006
Second Round of Documents to CIC-Seattle: 04-20-2006
Request from CIC-MSB in Ottawa for further medical: 05-12-2006
Application approved (WE'RE IN!), Requests for passports: 08-07-2006
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.masonick.com/cgi-bin/mt/mtb.cgi/183
Comments
18 months: right on schedule. ;-)
I know it hardly seems "right on schedule" to you, waiting all this time. But given everything we've all learned about this process, it went about as smoothly as could be expected. At least that's how it seems to me!
Also Nick, email me about your upcoming visit. Maybe we can help, eh?
Posted by: laura k at August 8, 2006 06:05 AM
YAY!!!! You did it and I'm SO thrilled for you both!! :-)))))))))) I really hope Canada is everything you expect it to be.
Posted by: SeaWitch at August 8, 2006 06:28 AM
I really hope Canada is everything you expect it to be.
Welcome to Toronto... Laaaazy Chicago, lying on its side. :)
Posted by: loneprimate at August 8, 2006 07:12 AM
I just want to say congratulations! I have been reading your blog for a bit now, and this is my first post. I hope some day that I will be able to move Toronto as well! I wish you two the best of luck!
Posted by: justMike at August 8, 2006 08:08 AM
I am so happy for you both. I literally have checked your blog every day for updates. You have been my yard stick for what we can expect since we are one year behind you in the process.
Good luck in finding your new home in TO. Freedom is on the horizon!
Posted by: Tom at August 8, 2006 09:04 AM
Niko:
Thanks for re-posting the Timeline - Saved me from going back to find it. As for the house-hunting stress, I've got to believe it will be a good kind of stress!
Posted by: West End Bound at August 8, 2006 12:53 PM
L-Girl: You're right though! Mason and I were saying that last night at dinner, that we are right on time.
Sea Witch & Lone Primate: Thank you!
JustMike: Welcome! Thanks for the comment, and best of luck to you too.
Tom: Glad to be of help, I totally understand since I did the same with others.
WEB: Anytime!
Posted by: Niko at August 8, 2006 08:34 PM
