Kingston,Jamaica

[BASHA]

Great Landing Story Amanda I am so happy 4 you. Live your life and be merry. Chukie oh my that is a Blessing. I'm in the same boat so I know how you feel. Congrats to you and your family.

Good Night!

 

[SmoothiesQueen]

Hey so happy to read some landing stories and yet more good updates.

But I am curious...there are so many new faces on here...but I'm so interested to know how some of the older ones are doing that landed some time back? How are all you guys settled in?How's life? How are the spouses adapting?

Well for us...we are expecting a little one..dwl about four months coincidently ( Gods timing is good because we were hoping not to expand our family till we were in Canada..healthcare better n ting and this was one heck of a surprise as we hadn't started trying yet)...I'm in school...hubby is working about to start trade school...and the other little one is the boss lady in Kindergarten LOL!! She run tings hehehe!! We are both still homesick for Jamaica like crazy...sometimes I still feel like I'm here on some crazy long vacation and dream about our home back in yaad....we've been here like what..four months now or so..crazy!! I think the only person who doesn't long to go back somedays is baby girl who thinks Canada is just wonderful..and is addicted to shopping!! Lawd save us please!! But we are starting to get much more focused.

However my suggestion to anyone about to bring a loved one to Canada or migraite yourself...don't live in the country!! I think new arrivals need the city to be close to things..to be able to be independant quicker..or at least feel independant quicker as they build up a life. They need the activity..the hustle and bustle and the ability to meet other Caribbeans!! We are in the country..and thinking to move to the city..hubby is even looking to switch jobs for that reason. We both love the country..loved being in the country at home in Jamaica to...but in Canada the country life is to quiet and to far removed from anything familiar. You can take the Jamaican out of yaad...but you can NEVER take yaad out of the Jamaican!! We'd eventually like to be in the country..I think maybe its because we both 25...and the country is limiting at this point. We need more distraction and more things to do to keep ourself from the homesickness!!

Also an interesting thing I noticed..not with myself and hubby..but with a few other couples and I thought I'd share.It is something I am watching for to! So often the Canadian spouse is so excited to share his or her life with the Jamaican spouse..and subconciously in ones head you feel like that life you live will just become their life. And I'm actually watching a few couples go through some serious marital struggles right now because in these cases...the woman expected the man to just fit into her life..and never realized fully that he would need to make his own life here..with her yes...but his OWN life, not just adopt hers. And so the picture she had in their heads of what life would be like..well thats not how its going down. She figured he would just love all she loved...and had these images of him doing all the things important in her life and that just being his life etc! The marriage is the same..the man is the same...but out of the Jamaican setting..in her territory...its not what both ladies expected. So the man is finding friends...finding a life here...and its not what the woman expected and its upsetting to her. I think subconciously sometimes people without realizing..like the two ladies I'm referring to...just expect the man will be different here because its Canada..a new life..and it can be shocking to realize he is the same as he was in Jamaica..just a different setting and he will have to sort out his own thing here..and it might not all be in line with the dream you had of how things would go down! The one problem the one couple is having is..he had things in Jamaica...and he's here now..and she has her life and doesn't recognize the urgency for him to get things sorted out for himself...and now that he's a PR he's wanting to take advantage of the oppurtunities..and she is kinda trying to control it because in her mind she's just teaching him about Canada and being caustious and trying to help him make the right decisions about careers and a vehicle and pretty much everything..but in his mind..shes trying to control every step he's taking as if he's a child, without letting him be a man and make his own choices, or at least work things out as a couple! So it was kind of a warning to me..hubby and I have not had this problem, but there has definatly been lots that wasn't as we expected...but since we both migraited together...its a bit different since we both trying to build a life at the same time from scratch together!! But still..I've lived here before..so I have to be careful not to try and control things because I think I know more!! Just thought that was something worth sharing!

Hope all is well!! Keep up the good work Kingston and good luck to all the new arrivals and soon to be arriving!

 

[Jamgirl]

Good night Forum Fam...

Good advice Smoothies, thank you. Also, Congrats on your pregnancy!

Amanda, so happy you have hubby and stepdaughter safe and sound at home with you! Congrats!

Chukie, congrats on your pregnancy as well, so exciting!

Neika, someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but passing selection means (I think) that they have found your marriage to be genuine and true. I don't believe they will require and interview.

Everyone else, hope your weekend was great and hope everyone had a special day today and was able to enjoy it!
About the driver abstract, I am going to call the office this week and ask about it. Am hoping to save hubby any unnecessary trips to Kingston as it is so far away from him. Thank you to Charlie for posting the link.
I have a friend you is not on this forum. He married a Canadian on October 22, 2011 and he sent his app in sometime after my sponsor approval on December 22, 2011. He was approved this past Wednesday and is flying home to his wife on the 24th. So KGN def hasn't slowed down!!

Well I am praying for a great week. I have a feeling someone is getting good news this week

xxx

 

[NEIKA]

Morning Forum Fam

thanks Jam Girl & CharlieD for your responses, i was only wondering cause my mp told me that my hubby was approved for selection but i wasnt sure what he meant by that. i hope it means that he will be coming home soon. his medicals officially expired on may 10th not sure if i should wait for them to request new ones or just be proactive and him redo the medicals before they are for it

SQ & Chukie congratulations

also Amanda that was a lovely landing story

 

[CharlieD10]

Good morning!

Well, I see more congratulations and jubilations are in order! SQ, many many blessings to you and hubby and the new addition!!

I think that is some sobering and thought-provoking information you shared, and hopefully everyone fully considers the truth of it! Speaking from the other side of the equation, yes, I am going to be making a life for myself with my spouse, not going to live his life. We did this in reverse and I have to say everything you've said is so true. At first when my husband came to Jamaica, I thought he would be happy with my routine once he had gotten familiar with things, but the truth is I ended up having to find a new rhythm and new routine because it didn't work that way. He found his own friends, he did things all on his own and I had to adapt, pretty much like he was adapting. It is an evolving process, and spouses need to prepare themselves for it.

I will dispute one thing, though. Not everyone needs to live in the city, LOL. Speaking for myself, I have lived in small towns, big cities and a couple places in between. I am invariably happier in the country. I tolerate cities and don't mind visiting them, but my heart lives in a small town. Big cities with lots of attractions are mostly wasted on people like me! All I need is a library and a bookstore.

Over the weekend, as part of my "immersion" preparation, we used Google Maps Street View function and "walked" around my husband's town. I got to see pretty much all the places he talks about, got an idea of how to orient myself when leaving the house to go to, for example, the pharmacy or the supermarket, or to get ice-cream or a burger. Use the technology you have folks, "show" your spouse around your neighbourhoods.

KG, you have been doing a fantastic job and it's all you! Let's roll out some more families! NNNNEEEXXXXTTTT!!

Have a great Monday everyone.

ETA - Neika, the letter might be on its way to him! Give it some time, especially since you got the In process update already.

 

[AliCatShaw]

Love the landing story Amanda!

Congrats on the new additions coming!!

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Great insight SQ and CharlieD.

 

[suki]

wow wow wow

Congrats to the new momma's to be and Awesome Landing story Amanda :-*

I know it's only been a week but I can tell you a few things hubby is really into, Hubby wants to live in the Country, he is not into the hustle and bustle nor am I we are not big fans of crowds, this could be an age thing, when I was younger in my 20's and 30's I was able to tolerate large crowds , now in moderation...hubby is the same way...we love to chill in the yard cook good food and have some laughs!

We have some great neighbors, boys that play for Canada Water Polo team, they have been great, they take hubby for wings, to play basketball, out to the mountains, and take him driving after work....I have no issues with them taking him, I actually encourage him to go! I'm always invited but I want him to feel like he can do things without me!

In Calgary we do not have a Large Jamaican community, we have a few Jamaican stores, but he really doesnt want to meet any, not that I myself can introduce him to any because I do not know any Jamaicans in my city besides my daughter and her friends. I thhink he's so jaded and afraid of the deportation stories he has heard he doesnt want to get involved. (He's big into the news) some nights the highlight of our evenings are CNN. But that's ok with me

Charlie Girl....tick tock my friend ...you sooon come!
Here's hubby with his first trip to the mountains!

 

[canuck0469]

Good morning forum family, I see everyone in good spirits today and KG is working hard. Love the landing stories and a big congrats to all the baby news, our world will be a better place with the little Jamcadians.
I believe the country is much nicer, you have more room to play. The Mrs is heavy into flowers and loves to pretty up the front and back yards, she sings and hums through the day. We have a fairly large city about 2 hours away, we used to spend a night or 2 there but now she prefers to come home. We used to go to a movie or 2 now we buy a couple 3D movies and bring them home and put on the glasses, pour some bubbly and chill. I believe a trap we all fall into is trying to arrange things for our spouses instead of letting them try out different things at their own pace. They need thier own friends to go and have a drink or 2 with, find thier own careers at something they enjoy, source their own entertainment out. We can be there for any assistance when they request it and they'll make a mistake or 2 just like we did. The jobs I found for her she hated, now loves the job she chose. Never thought she'd be happy working in 0c in a butcher shop but hey, who knew. She loves the crew she works with and is happy to come home and tell me about her day. I found that taking a step back has really paid off for us.
OK Charlie, time to get a move on girl and start your new life

 

[AMANDAWOOD]

Good afternoon forum family and happy Monday to all
Thank you to all for the congrats …..
I see there is a discussion on city life vs country life
I have to say I am city type girl and do not like the country life at all (I am a girl who went camping once lasted for two hours, got bitten by so many bugs that I walked for 45 minutes till I could get phone signal, got a taxi payed 45 dollars to drive to the closes motel that took credit card … yup I took my cell phone and my credit cards camping…slept in a cheesy motel that had a neon light up sign that had hourly rates ….. give me city life any day
Thank God hubby grew up in the city and loves it as much as I do so we should be good
Not going to lie I cant stand country life in Canada ….sounds messed up but if I were to live in the country it would have to be in retirement age and back home in Jamaica ( and even then I would have to have my masquito nets and thousands of cans of bug spray)

 

[ready_fi_move_on]

Good afternoon everyone
congrats to all the happy landings and the about to land, all the babies on the way wow i am so happy for all of you. Canadian immigration is up to 90 days waiting now so the only thing i can do for now is live vicariously through all of you and sit and hope and wait and pray that the next update is that the times have gone down instead of going up more. Chicki how are you hanging in my sister sitting in the green room with me waiting for our turn to shine. keep up the faith Darling your time soon come. then once you get your started i will be alone in the waiting game sigh ??? ??? ???

 

[chickie72]

Hey Ready! I am still hanging in there. I was really depressed Thursday after the update, got drunk Friday and that seemed to help take my mind off it a bit LOL I am really hoping we hear something soon. On the February thread, they were saying that some people from Feb 20th got AOR's so praying I hear something good this week and then you will be shortly behind me!

Been reading the boards, congrats to all the landings and babies and everything! Glad people are getting together and settled back down in their lives.

 

[suki]

ohhhhhhhh I'm a little peed right now! Hubby has his Drivers License ok great...has his history...even better you would think! BUT NOOOOOOO the insurance company will not accept a drivers abstract from Jamaica because they have no snow and no experience in driving in snow, he has to start off as a New Driver...such BS!

ughhhhhh I'm so mad right now! sorry had to vent........

 

[canuck0469]

hi suki, same thing in BC, they gotta start all over

 

[CharlieD10]

Good evening! I trust everyone enjoyed their Moan-day, it is mostly over, LOL.

Suki, I love that photo, that is a spectacularly beautiful view behind your hubby!

I hear the clock ticking!

 

[Mrslwsn]

Big Congrats to SQ!! I am so happy for you, I know you worked very hard to get yourself in that place and the lord has blessed you. I say perfect timing!!! LOL! Congrats again!