Moving personal belongings....

[TracyCa64]

Do you guys get the standard, "Why did you move here?", comment? I swear I get it at least once a week. Too funny.

YES!! I get that all the time. haha
They don't understand why we would leave California to come to Canada. I get it though! I think California is one of the best states to live in as far as the weather and everything it offers. Jobs, maybe not so much. It's still my home!!

 

[Californiacicle]

I lived in California for just over 2 years. My husband lived there for 15 or so. Everyone asks why did we move back. I always say that living in California is nice only in theory (after all, it's still the US haha...I mean California is better than, let's say, Texas but still). It's great for vacation but that's about it.

I don't think you'll get us native Californians to agree with you on that point. I mean have you seen our icons? LOL Even my Canadian husband prefers California to anywhere else he has lived. If we had the opportunity we'd move back in a second if we weren't so freaked out by all the gun violence and hate brewing in the States. It's not a place I'd want to raise my son right now.

 

[TracyCa64]

I don't think you'll get us native Californians to agree with you on that point. I mean have you seen our icons? LOL Even my Canadian husband prefers California to anywhere else he has lived. If we had the opportunity we'd move back in a second if we weren't so freaked out by all the gun violence and hate brewing in the States. It's not a place I'd want to raise my son right now.

Thank you for saying what I was thinking. I just didn't know how to say it without sounding offended. LOL
It is more home to me than just a vacation place, but that is because I am a native Californian.

I agree with you on the gun violence and hate, it's gone crazy.

 

[canusa13]

I don't think you'll get us native Californians to agree with you on that point. I mean have you seen our icons? LOL Even my Canadian husband prefers California to anywhere else he has lived. If we had the opportunity we'd move back in a second if we weren't so freaked out by all the gun violence and hate brewing in the States. It's not a place I'd want to raise my son right now.

I know That's exactly what I'm talking about: gun violence, extremely HOL, ridiculously overpriced houses (that aren't even nice), racism, homophobia, xenophobia, Trump running for president (and likely to win, it seems), crappy health care, crappy education system, the list goes on...Eeek. I have a toddler and I would rather freeze to death during Canadian winter than let her to go to school and grow up in the US haha

Yes, California is beautiful and the weather is amazing. Though, it's not nearly enough to balance the "bad" going on in the US, IKWIM? Go on vacation, visit family and friends - yes, live - no.

 

[canusa13]

Sorry, guys, I didn't mean to offend anyone. I mean, you guys willingly moved to Canada, so I assumed you both were on the same page as me and also concluded that Canada is a better choice than the US.

 

[TracyCa64]

Sorry, guys, I didn't mean to offend anyone. I mean, you guys willingly moved to Canada, so I assumed you both were on the same page as me and also concluded that Canada is a better choice than the US.

I never would have moved to Canada if I hadn't met and fell in love with a Canadian. He has been in his job for 40 years so there was security there and when we met and talked about who would move where, it was the best decision. I didn't come here thinking it was a better choice than the US. I am American first and the USA is my homeland so don't think I would ever think it is a better choice. Ya know?

 

[canusa13]

I also want to throw it out there that I wasn't born and raised in Canada. I grew up in Europe, lived in Canada for 10 years, then for 2 in the US. So it's not like I'm praising Canada only because it's my home and native land LOL

 

[TracyCa64]

I also want to throw it out there that I wasn't born and raised in Canada. I grew up in Europe, lived in Canada for 10 years, then for 2 in the US. So it's not like I'm praising Canada only because it's my home and native land LOL

LOL ;D

I get it!! There are a lot of great and positive things about living in Canada, Winter isn't one of them. ha ha ha

 

[bradybunchmom]

I never would have moved to Canada if I hadn't met and fell in love with a Canadian. He has been in his job for 40 years so there was security there and when we met and talked about who would move where, it was the best decision. I didn't come here thinking it was a better choice than the US. I am American first and the USA is my homeland so don't think I would ever think it is a better choice. Ya know?

Exactly. I would never have left but I love my husband and he has a good job in Canada so it made more sense for our family. I do love Canada also but California is always my home and I miss it a great deal.

 

[TracyCa64]

Exactly. I would never have left but I love my husband and he has a good job in Canada so it made more sense for our family. I do love Canada also but California is always my home and I miss it a great deal.

Yep!!
I love Canada as well!!
I miss home a lot, all of my friends and family are there. It's hard being away from them in a place where I can't work and really don't have many friends. Things have gotten much easier though and I think once I can work then it will start feeling more like home to me. Sometimes I do still feel like I am just visiting, which to CIC I am. LOL

 

[rugrat907]

I've lived in the SF Bay Area for over 35 years; almost all of it in either Berkeley or Oakland. I thought I would never leave and my wife and I debated for a long time about settling here or in Canada - she has a huge house, two grandchildren and other reasons to be there, so that's what we chose. I'm happy with that...I will be going to a small town of about 10,000 people about 40 minutes outside of Ottawa, so there is going to be some culture shock for sure. But I did spend my teens in Wisconsin in an equally small town, so snow, cold and small town living isn't foreign to me and when I was there last February during the coldest period in years, I was fine..even when a hot water pipe broke in her house!

I think I will have more issues with the heat, humidity and bugs in the summer.

 

[yelloweyedmage]

I am coming to Canada (near Ottawa) from California and noticed during snow storms while visiting my migraine disorder gets really bad. I am coming from Southern California where the weather is mild and constant year round so it is a major change to my nervous system. I am hoping to find a neurologist in Canada who can try treating this as the ones I've currently been to in the US haven't been very good. Also, what is it with all these Canadians charming us Californians into leaving our beach paradises? ;D Well at least the winter will go away eventually and then it's back to walking outside in sandals and shorts like normal. Until then, I try to pretend the snow is sand and that I am walking on really cold sand dunes.

For me right now I haven't even been able to start applying for PR because the county (in California) wants us to redo signing our marriage certificate since the officiant didn't sign perfectly centered on the line. They have been making many people refile like this lately to make the extra $200 per person refiling fee. We've been waiting for it to show up in the mail to resign and it is currently in Quebec "in transit" for a while now when it was supposed to show up 2 weeks ago. We married in October and still haven't even finished the step of getting our marriage in the records. After that, we have to mail a request for getting the official marriage certificates, wait for those to come in, go change my name, update passport, etc before I can start the even longer PR application process. I wish governments weren't so finicky and ridiculously slow for literally every possible thing involving them...

Right now I am trying to figure out the logistics behind getting my pets to Canada during my next visit and then once I am PR getting my stuff moved there, as well as figuring out where to even get photos taken for when I start applying.

 

[bradybunchmom]

I am coming to Canada (near Ottawa) from California and noticed during snow storms while visiting my migraine disorder gets really bad. I am coming from Southern California where the weather is mild and constant year round so it is a major change to my nervous system. I am hoping to find a neurologist in Canada who can try treating this as the ones I've currently been to in the US haven't been very good. Also, what is it with all these Canadians charming us Californians into leaving our beach paradises? ;D Well at least the winter will go away eventually and then it's back to walking outside in sandals and shorts like normal. Until then, I try to pretend the snow is sand and that I am walking on really cold sand dunes.

For me right now I haven't even been able to start applying for PR because the county (in California) wants us to redo signing our marriage certificate since the officiant didn't sign perfectly centered on the line. They have been making many people refile like this lately to make the extra $200 per person refiling fee. We've been waiting for it to show up in the mail to resign and it is currently in Quebec "in transit" for a while now when it was supposed to show up 2 weeks ago. We married in October and still haven't even finished the step of getting our marriage in the records. After that, we have to mail a request for getting the official marriage certificates, wait for those to come in, go change my name, update passport, etc before I can start the even longer PR application process. I wish governments weren't so finicky and ridiculously slow for literally every possible thing involving them...

Right now I am trying to figure out the logistics behind getting my pets to Canada during my next visit and then once I am PR getting my stuff moved there, as well as figuring out where to even get photos taken for when I start applying.

The weather has been giving me terrible headaches also. My mother in law said it is the Chinooks. I am not sure why but have had a headache 6 out of the last 7 days. Sinus medicine is the only thing that has helped.

Hopefully you can get the ball rolling on your PR application!!

I brought my 2 dogs and 2 cats here in June. It went smoothly.

 

[TracyCa64]

I am coming to Canada (near Ottawa) from California and noticed during snow storms while visiting my migraine disorder gets really bad. I am coming from Southern California where the weather is mild and constant year round so it is a major change to my nervous system. I am hoping to find a neurologist in Canada who can try treating this as the ones I've currently been to in the US haven't been very good. Also, what is it with all these Canadians charming us Californians into leaving our beach paradises? ;D Well at least the winter will go away eventually and then it's back to walking outside in sandals and shorts like normal. Until then, I try to pretend the snow is sand and that I am walking on really cold sand dunes.

For me right now I haven't even been able to start applying for PR because the county (in California) wants us to redo signing our marriage certificate since the officiant didn't sign perfectly centered on the line. They have been making many people refile like this lately to make the extra $200 per person refiling fee. We've been waiting for it to show up in the mail to resign and it is currently in Quebec "in transit" for a while now when it was supposed to show up 2 weeks ago. We married in October and still haven't even finished the step of getting our marriage in the records. After that, we have to mail a request for getting the official marriage certificates, wait for those to come in, go change my name, update passport, etc before I can start the even longer PR application process. I wish governments weren't so finicky and ridiculously slow for literally every possible thing involving them...

Right now I am trying to figure out the logistics behind getting my pets to Canada during my next visit and then once I am PR getting my stuff moved there, as well as figuring out where to even get photos taken for when I start applying.

I brought my two cats to Canada in April 2014 on the plane, but in cargo. If you fly your pets here make sure you check out the airlines rules on which months you can & can't fly them. Some planes can't accomodate pets in cargo during certain months. When you have their exam and shots check the time frame expiration for the airline too. I had to do their exam over because I got it done too early. I think it was United Airlines that it was only good for 30 days. Let me know if you have any questions when you get to that point in your process. There weren't any problems at the airport when I brought my cats. The border agent checked out their papers and all was good. It is expensive to fly them. I paid over $500 for both cats total through United, but Air Canada didn't charge me for some reason. I think the agent forgot to because there should have been a fee.

I am sorry about your migraines. I get headaches and they feel like sinus headaches at times. I never thought about it being the weather.

I hope things move along quickly for you. We are here to help each other. I love having all the California members.

 

[yelloweyedmage]

Thanks for the replies

I have three pets (an elderly chihuahua, elderly cat and young adult cat) and am hoping to take them with me to be under the seat in carriers. The plan right now is to have my husband visit me in California and we each take back one elderly pet on a flight as a carry on, then at a later date come back and bring the last younger pet back as a carry on. But first I am going to need to see if my chihuahua will be in good enough health to fly as she is very old, blind, almost deaf, and seems to have lack of awareness about what is going on most of the time outside of what she is directly doing, so I am unsure if the vet would consider her able to fly or not. The elderly cat I will look into as well, though her only current issue is hyperthyroidism which she is medicated for.

I am a bit nervous if they would turn me back if I bring my pets while my PR is still being processed, considering it "intent to stay" or something. I don't have a job right now so I am nervous about being turned back in general every time I visit Canada.

I am also considering selling a lot of my items before moving in the future. What is a good way to advertise them, are online listings good?