My Experience changing my Drivers License today..

[antda 13]

Hi Warlord and Everyone Else,

I agree, I've felt "more at home, fitting in, and belonging" in the USA than I ever felt in Canada. The funny thing is that I'm not a USC yet, and yes, I am definitely looking forward to US Citizenship soon! The main reason why I moved here was because of my husband, whom I really love and care about. But like you, I think of it as a bonus too, as there are other reasons why I would have moved to the USA too, as I didn't feel like I really belonged in Canada. Likewise, my husband joked around too and mentioned that he would live in Canada with me, to which I responded: "Absolutely not! I would not live in Canada ever again then why the heck should you live in Canada too?". So thus, I moved here to to be with him in the USA (unexpectly though, as who knew that a two week vacation would turn into a whole lifetime of living here in the USA...). And yes, visiting here, getting married here, and living here with my husband in the USA was the best decision that I ever made!

I too have only experienced the mostly positive things here in the USA, and am looking forward to seeing more positive things that the USA has to offer too...

Ant (A happy soon-to-be American in the USA....)

I never liked living in Canada and always had more friends in the US and just fit in better with the American way. Meeting my wife was actually just a bonus after already being here. She has talk (jokingly I hope) that it might be cool to try and live in Canada, I laughed and said I wouldn't live there again if my life depended on it ha ha.

For me all I have experienced in the US is the positive and the only things I see from Canada are the negatives. People laugh at me here the way I bash Canada all the time, many of the (All US Citizens) stand up for Canada which is even funnier. Anyways, I'm just happy I'm finally home to where I belong in the USA...

Edited March 14, 2007 by AntandD

[J. Canuck 0]

Moved to Iowa to be with the girl of my dreams, stayed to go to school, going back to Canada with me wife thrown over me shoulder when I have my degree(s). B)

I had plenty trouble with USCIS, no trouble at the DMV. The stereotypical questions came from inlaws and random strangers....

"Do you have roads?" "Do you have telephones?" "Are there alcoholics in Canada?"

After nearly four years....it's finally settled down.

[no one 0]

Moved to Iowa to be with the girl of my dreams, stayed to go to school, going back to Canada with me wife thrown over me shoulder when I have my degree(s). B)

I had plenty trouble with USCIS, no trouble at the DMV. The stereotypical questions came from inlaws and random strangers....

"Do you have roads?" "Do you have telephones?" "Are there alcoholics in Canada?"

After nearly four years....it's finally settled down.

"Do you have roads?" - nope, we all drive around in our snowmobiles!

"Do you have telephones?" - what are telephones? nowadays, we use voice-chat over the internet.

"Are there alcoholics in Canada?" - *thinks for a moment* nah, we don't sell our alcohol in grocery stores.

So far, no one's asked me any questions such as these. The most popular topic is the weather. It feels like summer here in NorCal! I love it, but I also miss the crazy snowstorms back in Toronto right now.

[Jashley820 0]

Totally agree...I quit my Marketing job back in June '06 (thinking my K1 would be through in July...I am STILL waiting!!) and so I've been feeling very ineffective lately...but it's all for love!! My Fiance doesn't like Toronto, so I made the choice to move down to the US. I am not there officially, but I visit often, and it's hard to be away from Friends and Family. Thank goodness my future in-laws are so great!

Well I'm not going to speak for the other Canadians here but the only reason why I'm moving is to be with my husband as it makes more sense for his career to stay there for now. If the marriage ended, I'd come back to Canada in a heartbeat.

Patriotism is all fine and dandy except when it single-handedly dismisses critiques in a STFU kind of way. That doesn't sit well with me.

I'm agreeing with you too. The only reason I'm here is because of my husband as well

Don't care one bit about patriotism or "the American Dream" (sorry, Ant, I had a career going on for me back in Canada and didn't need to move here to fulfill any dreams... my "dream" is to be well-travelled and a citizen of the world, and the term "patriotism" actually sends a shiver down my back).

I agree. I too am here for my husband. I had a well established career back in Canada, and family and friends. But made the choice to come here for him. Grant it I will make the best of a life here I can for us and our family. But should something change or happen to him I would also move back without a second thought.

[Mephys 2]

Moved to Iowa to be with the girl of my dreams, stayed to go to school, going back to Canada with me wife thrown over me shoulder when I have my degree(s). B)

I had plenty trouble with USCIS, no trouble at the DMV. The stereotypical questions came from inlaws and random strangers....

"Do you have roads?" "Do you have telephones?" "Are there alcoholics in Canada?"

After nearly four years....it's finally settled down.

Nice........hope you didnt forget to mention that we are living in Igloos.......

[Krikit 1,163]

Nice........hope you didnt forget to mention that we are living in Igloos.......

My sister and I actually had that asked of us once..... "Oh wow. You're from Canada?!!! Do you live in igloos all year round, or do you come out in the summer?" Thanks to Sis, somewhere out there is a male who thinks that we do live in igloos but that we build wooden huts during the warmer months to avoid wet clothing.

Edited March 15, 2007 by Krikit

[Flames9_RN 358]

Had an American guy stop by in July in Prince Albert Sk, asking how much further North he was going to have to go to snowmobile!! lol

Edited March 15, 2007 by flames9

[fukarse 0]

Tick another one of a kind experience off my list, only found in America!

Welcome to the land of the 'generally unsophisticated'. You will not find a greater number of geographically ignorant individuals assembled together on one land. I sometimes wonder why the USC's here don't consider moving to the OTHER country

If I had a job offer in Canada, for example, I'd move there in a heartbeat.

[BelwinMills 0]

I know a lot of people look to VJ for information about changing their licenses over. Just thought I would share my experience :

So I went to change my Alberta license here in Illinois, and after my experience in the Social Security Office I knew this was going to be fun. I went down there armed with all my documents required and my marriage certificate so that they could change it to my married name.

Well I got the the counter and told the young woman what I was there for and showed her my paper work. She immediately asked her supervisor if my license was from Canada. He said to me that I didn't have a Canadian License. I said yes I do..its a Canadian license. He said no its not. I said Alberta is a province in Canada..that is my last address before here..he took off with my license to ask someone else if this was true. So while he was gone , she took my Birth Certificate and asked if Nova Scotia was in Australia. Then I realized these people have likey not left Chicago before now. I explained to her where Nova Scotia was to give her an idea. Finally the guys comes back with my Alberta license and says to the young woman "She's right. It's in Canada" sounding a bit surprised. I just laughed and thought to myself..wow...the majority of Americans really have no idea what is out there beyond their borders!

All in all it was not that difficult to change the license. I did have to do the Eye Exam and written exam before they would issue the Illinois one. Some states make you do the road test as well as the written.

Tick another one of a kind experience off my list, only found in America!

Thanks

That is very funny. We usualy in the USA just study American cities and regions. In highschool we can take geography as an elective if we want. Now that we have these state test we study towards them. That means math reading science.

So you didn't have to take the written or driving test here in IL? Wow!!! Just asking because my husband has a Jamaican licenses. How long could you drive on you CA licenses before you got your IL licenses?

Take Care

Well they will make you do the Eye Exam and the Written for sure..and in some cases they will have you do the Road exam. Everything I found before I went to the DMV just said they may or may not do the road exam, they don't say when they would have someone do the road test. But you could always call the DMV and ask just so your fiance can prepare when he is ready. All the best.

[Killer_Clown_2009 0]

I had to call social security today and the person I spoke with asked me if I spoke French (because I was from Canada, and probably also because I come from Saut Ste. Marie (French name)). It was pretty cool. He actually seemed to know more about Canada and Canadian french than most did.

[Mephys 2]

I had to call social security today and the person I spoke with asked me if I spoke French (because I was from Canada, and probably also because I come from Saut Ste. Marie (French name)). It was pretty cool. He actually seemed to know more about Canada and Canadian french than most did.

is your state somewhere around quebec ? just curious, they might know if they are around....even though we could be surprised, i heard some people in Maine have no idea where canada is

[Flames9_RN 358]

I called IRS a few days back about my RRSP. The lady was polite, but clueless. So when they do not have the answer, they take down ur questions, phone #, etc and get 1 of their "experts" to call u back (within 15 days!! lol) SO, she is readin my questioon back to me. She starts off stating I'm a USA citizen, I politely say no, I'm not a USA citizen, but a permanent resident of the USA. She say ok, starts at the begiinign again, your a USA citizen, I politely say no, I'm not a USA citizen, I am a Canadian citizen, legally livin gin the USA, a permanent resident. SO for the 3rd time she starts over, and yert again calls me a USA citizen, lol I polityely say no, I'm not a USA citizen, I am a green card holder. She pauses, and then calls me a legal alien and carries on with my question,lol Guess it would not have mattered if I was called a USA citizen for their purposes, lol