Eh???
Okay, so we're here in the Great White North, and it's 110 degrees out. What up with that???? My brain hurts from all of the unfamiliarity and homesickness and trying to maintain normalcy for the kids, so I'll give a few of the highlights from the past few days....feel free to put on some Bryan Adams and settle in with a Labatt's.
- We almost didn't get across the border. I can't go into details yet, but it was all very White Nights. Trust me.
- Grocery shopping was like traveling to Oz. Most of my usual brands were there, but in different packages. I walked by the Kraft Parmesan four times because I was looking for the familiar green can, when it's actually packaged in a giant Yoplait-looking container here.
- Butter is typically not cut into quarters here.
- A woman at the store asked me about the twins, and when I answered, she cut me off with a hearty , "Are you from the STATES???" Then she, crazed, whipped out a pen and paper, wrote down all of her phone numbers, and begged me to call her. I guess she wants me to be her little American mascot. I'm great as an ice breaker at parties.
- The food here is really, really good, and really, really authentic. Chinese takeout is the real deal, without a crab ragoon in sight.
- I went to a party the other night and was told that I have an accent. Never mind that the host is Syrian, his wife is French Canadian, and the other guests were Hungarian, Romanian and Polish. Almost the entire Eastern Block was represented, but I have an accent.
- The cable guy overheard me talking about current events, and he chuckled and said, "Americans are funny." And then he walked away. The cable guy.
- I found out that Canada has a special visa for strippers. It took my husband forever to get his papers as a physician, but a stripper can hop right on into, well, Canada's lap. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
- JCrew ships here from the States!!! Woo HOOOOO!!!!
- Twelve bottles of Harp beer went for $20.00. Even Bud is that expensive. Hubs says that unless I plan to jump on the pole for some cash, we only get one beer each every two days or so.
- My son doesn't understand why he has to say "bum" here, instead of "heiney" or "butt." I tried to explain that we've entered polite society, but he's hanging on strong to these words as well as his favorite, "heiney gas."
His new teacher will be thrilled.
There's so much more, but I have to go hang toilet paper holders in my, er, washrooms.
Okay, so we're here in the Great White North, and it's 110 degrees out. What up with that???? My brain hurts from all of the unfamiliarity and homesickness and trying to maintain normalcy for the kids, so I'll give a few of the highlights from the past few days....feel free to put on some Bryan Adams and settle in with a Labatt's.
- We almost didn't get across the border. I can't go into details yet, but it was all very White Nights. Trust me.
- Grocery shopping was like traveling to Oz. Most of my usual brands were there, but in different packages. I walked by the Kraft Parmesan four times because I was looking for the familiar green can, when it's actually packaged in a giant Yoplait-looking container here.
- Butter is typically not cut into quarters here.
- A woman at the store asked me about the twins, and when I answered, she cut me off with a hearty , "Are you from the STATES???" Then she, crazed, whipped out a pen and paper, wrote down all of her phone numbers, and begged me to call her. I guess she wants me to be her little American mascot. I'm great as an ice breaker at parties.
- The food here is really, really good, and really, really authentic. Chinese takeout is the real deal, without a crab ragoon in sight.
- I went to a party the other night and was told that I have an accent. Never mind that the host is Syrian, his wife is French Canadian, and the other guests were Hungarian, Romanian and Polish. Almost the entire Eastern Block was represented, but I have an accent.
- The cable guy overheard me talking about current events, and he chuckled and said, "Americans are funny." And then he walked away. The cable guy.
- I found out that Canada has a special visa for strippers. It took my husband forever to get his papers as a physician, but a stripper can hop right on into, well, Canada's lap. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
- JCrew ships here from the States!!! Woo HOOOOO!!!!
- Twelve bottles of Harp beer went for $20.00. Even Bud is that expensive. Hubs says that unless I plan to jump on the pole for some cash, we only get one beer each every two days or so.
- My son doesn't understand why he has to say "bum" here, instead of "heiney" or "butt." I tried to explain that we've entered polite society, but he's hanging on strong to these words as well as his favorite, "heiney gas."
His new teacher will be thrilled.
There's so much more, but I have to go hang toilet paper holders in my, er, washrooms.
posted by The June Cleaver Diaries at 5:20 PM
16 Comments:
A special visa for strippers? Wow, and to think we Canucks have to cast around for something to be patriotic about! And no, I don't say it like a-boot. At least I don't think I do, but my son claims he has caught me doing it. Oh well...
To Love, Honor and Dismay
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I DO know that, any person in the States can send something to you (from Target, let's say) and I don't think we have to pay the crappy fee at the border. Also...find out if Greyhound crosses the border. Someone told me that you can even ship FURNITURE by Greyound at it is the cheapest EVER!
I don't think I could ever say bum.
LOL...its sooo nice to hear someone else understand my point of view on life north of the border :)
Junie,
Keep playing the American card & perhaps you can get free beer from good looking hockey players. No mullets, please. We must keep our standards.
Yikes! Can't believe you're gone. Lord knows we could never connect in Rochachacha the last few years. Maybe now that you've moved we'll actually plan something.
You'll have to send your new contact info or I'll keep haunting your blog :~) H
Wow...it truly must feel like being in a different world. You don't think about things like the food items being in different packaging.
Good luck with the transition. And hugs to the kids, I'm sure their heads are spinning, too.
I was so happy when I saw June Cleaver in my Bloglines!
My husband got hung up at the Canadian border too. Apparently they have issues with the word "consultant".
oh my god, this is fabulous. MORE! tell us more! ;)
i found the stripper visa thing particularly funny.
yeah girl!
what do you think of milk in a bag? That's always been my fave Canadian grocery item. I don't remember beer being that pricey... maybe you should switch to Molson. I hear it's free there.
I hope you and your accent have a good week and that you find all of your stuff. We're still missing an entire box of CD's from our last move. sigh.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to take my hiney to the bathroom. heh.
Was there a lot of dancing?
Isn't it fun to be the zoo animal? I remember the Germans just LOVED me, and especially Christopher. Such oddities!
Too cute. Thanks for letting us live vicariously through your adventures.
Catherine
THanks for the snark and sympathy,ladies (and Andrew).
I can't do the milk-bag thing. It's too much like an Udder on a Shelf.
Heather--- new address cards go out this weekend, hopefully.
Bags O'Milk? Whaaa?
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It seems all wrong, somehow, that moving to Canada means drinking LESS beer.
Can't wait to hear more about your culture shock.
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