time to let go...

Well, this is not the usual post...but the house is ready to be sold!

Check it out and make an offer!

OUR SUPER AWESOME HOUSE YOU SHOULD LIVE IN NEXT!

Delight of Adventure With a Grain of Salt...

I have been thinking a lot about what drives people to do things. One could say that this started as self analysis. I have found myself feeling more sad than I had expected to finally be making the decision to move abroad. This, after all has been my goal for many years. So, why is it that now that it is actually happening, there is a part of me that would rather not?

I discussed this at length with my friend Mr. P, who happens to be rather brilliant at making observations about human behaviour, and I often enjoy hearing his point of view. His take on this mild malaize, is that when one pushes themselves so hard to go after a goal which for a long time seems out of reach and nearly impossible, the build up for that final moment is so intense that it becomes unrealistic. So no wonder then, that once you get there, all of a sudden it is totally anti-climactic. I thought this could be it, but upon further reflection, I decided that this was not the case for me.

So, my self-analysis was at square one. Then I decided I ought do one of those pro's and con's list. This is when it hit...somewhere  along the way in these last few years, I found a place that has become my home. My little fixer-upper has suddenly turned into the dream that I saw when I first bought it. We have finally settled into a routine of doing things just how we like them, we found our favourite restaurants, we love where we live and the kittens are happy. And most importantly of all, I finally have a fabulous hairdresser! These are the things that I wish I didn't have to change...............

Ah ha! There it is! Fear of change.

Fear of change is the thing that always drops that tiny grain of salt onto the sweet delight of a new adventure. And it is no matter how exciting, or well researched, or well prepared for a change one is, there is always that element of the unknown. For those who have made significant, international moves before, you know that there are things that always come up that make these changes particularly difficult.

It is no wonder I am feeling some anxiety about this. I am going to a country where although most speak English, I don't know the native language. Which means that once again I will be in an environment where communication is difficult. Where I can't understand, and where others don't understand me. Where they pickle their fish in all sorts of coloured sauces, and where the concept of salad as we know it is a weird foreign thing. But there is more to this I think...

Could it be that I, who in the last fifteen years began living a life of constant moving, trying new things, doing as I please and being afraid of settling, am finally ready to root down? Or, is it that all of these things have been a somewhat misguided search for home? Home: defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as 1. one's place of residence (check - got one of those), 2. the social unit formed by a family living together (check - got a bunch of beasts at home for dinner every day), 3. a familiar or usual setting; congenial environment; the focus of one's domestic attention (yes, yes and yes).

So, how do I brave the storms of this heavy change and come out on the other end smiling?

Maybe, looking at the things that will stay the same will help see me through. Those that are most important will be coming with me. They will be the ones that will now be part of this next adventure. Someone to share the excitement with, someone to comfort me when the changes overwhelm. I go forth achieving my dreams with the support of the best back up team! I'm the luckiest girl in the world!

Well then. Harold Wilson said: "He who rejects change is the architect of decay.The only human institution that rejects progress is the cemetery."

And by golly, I ain't dead yet! (Although, doing all the final renos to the house nearly did me in...but who's dwelling on the past...4 hours and 20 days.)

Kitty adventure of the international kind...

So, now that the decision is firmly made, I thought that it would be fun to share all the itty, bitty, dreadfully tedious steps of preparing for an international move. If only to help me deal with the situation and maybe help answer some questions that you may have...assuming you are like me scouring the internet for any info you can find.

I am lucky enough to already hold an EU citizenship, so this part is no stress. But my kittens do not. And since they are coming with me, it is important that I get them sorted out and ready to go when time comes. Fortunately, this move is something I have been thinking about for a while, so I did some research ahead of time. It turns out it's good that I did, because taking animals to Sweden from a non-EU country is a long process. Otherwise your pet goes to pet jail (aka. quarantine) for a while and I'm pretty sure they will already be quite miffed at being stuck in a tiny cage for hours on end....no need to add insult to injury.

Moving cats or dogs to Sweden requires that your pets are vaccinated for rabies and micro chipped. The micro chip is a specific type, and once vaccinated you have to wait 120 days before they can be tested for sufficient anti bodies. Then they have to be de-warmed just before you leave. Start planning now! And, don't forget to have your vet fill out a form that details all the info. This document will be required at the time of inspection when crossing the border. You can get more info and a link to the form here:

http://goscandinavia.about.com/od/swede1/qt/dogtosweden.htm 
The good news for those of you who prefer to travel through Copenhagen, Denmark rather than Stockholm or Gothenburg, this is also possible. Although, slightly different rules apply:


http://goscandinavia.about.com/od/swede1/qt/dogtodenmark.htm

Something Happened On the Way To Peace and Quiet...

All right, all right. I have been totally ignoring the blog. It's not that I ran out of opinions, it's just that suddenly things got so very, very busy.

I find it fascinating that one can go months at a time, bored out of their minds, inventing all sorts of drama for entertainment, and then as soon as the decision to calm down is reached all hell breaks loose and the universe dumps buckets of adventure on your head.

Well, this is exactly what has happened to me. After our trip to Puerto Rico, where I spent just enough time to realize that my stress levels are pretty astronomical and where I also made the resolution to slow down the thoughts in my head and relax a little, the perverbial shit hit the fan. It turns out that when you taunt the universe with threats of stirring the pot a little, it eventually gets annoyed and dishes out what you deserve. Don't get me wrong, it's a tasty offering, but definitely 'Mer'can sized!

I have for some time been mildly underwhelmed in my professional development, thus arriving at the decision that a more challenging career may be in order. Don't get me wrong. I still love my job, I just have a serious need to start learning something new again and nourish the brain. I work for a company where if one chooses to do so, one can pursue new avenues. I poked around a bit, and it turns out that something stuck and it may in fact lead to a move. As a result, panic has ensued....

Who knew that if you ask you shall recieve?

So now, I have been furiously making lists and getting things sorted out so that I can pursue the new opportunity abroad. Which means that suddenly, there are many things that have to be done urgently, such as getting the felines vaccinated. It turns out that this is the first you have to do to get ready. To avoid sending the kittens to kitty jail (aka. quarantine), they must have a rabies vaccination and be tested no earlier than 120 days after to ensure that the antibodies are at the right level. They will also have to be micro-chipped, but this will happen later. Oh, and we are also thinking selling the house would be a good idea too. But this means that now, all of a sudden, the to do list that has been quietly hanging on the fridge for the last year has started screaming obscenities as it demands our attention. So, we have mustered all our might and have commenced painting, tiling, cleaning, etc, etc.....

Busy, busy, busy....so now it seems that perhaps I have a new direction for the blog. We are going on a new life journey! Exciting, isn't it....well, at least it is now that the panic is subsiding.

Intermission of employment

Alright, so I have been ignoring the blog for a while, because I have been trying to take a vacation from my life. It's been a very full few months and I am one of those people who can go for a long time...but when I get knackered, I need serious down time.

My attempt at serious down time was a 3 day jaunt to Puerto Rico, which was delightful in every way, except for the 3 day bit. Coming home on a packed plane full of grumpy people who clearly felt that their vacationing time was also sub par, I started thinking about the idea of a vacation itself...

I am fortunate enough at this stage in my life to be able to take a trip here and there. But, I am finding that the longer I live in the US, the shorter my vacations get. To be fair, I don't remember having long vacations when I lived in Canada, but at the time I didn't have the means to take any vacations other than just 'I am not at work, yeay!' vacations....But I also don't ever remember being in such a need of a vacation as I do now.

Could it be, that living on the east coast of a very metropolitan area, has over time made me into a short attention spanned, low tempered, needing constant external input basket case? What would happen if I suddenly found myself without the means to escape the rat race....or worse yet, if I was dropped into a desert without restaurants, movie theaters or shopping. Would I implode and become the next best thing to the Hadron Collider? I'm sure it would be quite spectacular!

I work in an international company with colleagues of many cultural backgrounds. We have often discussed our dreams and wishes for vacations, as well as our expectations for what a 'vacation' truly is. One thing is for sure, that no matter how much vacational funding people do or do not have, and no matter what culture people may come from, there is always a group who delight in the 'I am not at work, yeay!' vacation. These are the ones who find it most relaxing to simply sleep in, stay in their pj's all day and not really leave the house all that much. Then there are those who don't consider it a vacation until they sleep in a bed that is not their own, located somewhere which is not their home (i.e. Puerto Rico). As you may have guessed I am the latter, although, there is something to be said about staying in bed until noon just because you can.

One thing that is also universally clear, is that the more time you have off, the better you feel and that a vacation isn't really a vacation until it is at least 5 days planned as a 'time off' (feel free to comment on this if you are of another opinion). This excludes days off in between work shifts or random acts of God such as 6 feet of snow overnight, broken limbs, etc....

However, the most interesting thing to note is that some cultures do not think a vacation is a vacation, unless it is at least 2 weeks off. This being the Scandinavian cultures, who find it customary to take 2 to 5 week vacations and will look at you as though you've sprouted a second head when you tell them that you just had a vacation in Puerto Rico for 3 days. (We are not pointing fingers Mr.L). This is interesting to me, simply because I just cannot wrap my head around the concept of taking that much time off. This has never happened to me before and I certainly can't imagine that I would be productive upon my return to work after such a time, assuming that I could bring myself to come back at all. As it is, I can hardly remember all the passwords after 3 days of piña coladas, never mind three weeks! My brain would be absolute mush and I would have to re-learn everything I need to know all over again. Not the type of a learning curve I am looking for in my career.

Could it be that our approach to vacation is related to our approach to working? In 'Mer'ca, if you work 8 hours a day, you are a slacker who has no passion for your job and is grossly underachieving. In places like Sweden for example, if you work more than 8 hours a day, you are incompetent and can't manage the tasks assigned to you. Hmmm, perhaps those people find it slightly more satisfying to have productive work lives balanced with quality 'I am not at work, yeay!' time. Perhaps, if one were to measure the 'Happiness Index' of all the countries in the world, one might find some interesting insight into who is feelin' chill and who is feelin' a little stressed.  Of course matters of economy and various governmental influences may also have an impact here, but to me it seems that those countries who value the time and environment outside of work are much happier indeed...(and here I make sweeping generalizations).

All I am really saying is that a 3 day trip to Puerto Rico only served to show me how high my un-relaxation has been over the last few months, but was no where long enough to start washing any of it away. Oh well...at this point I'm just counting down the hours to Good Friday, which I took off to make myself feel like I am having a little, mini 'I am not at work, yeay!' vacation.

Containers for the things contained

Don't you just hate it when time comes to move or you're just doing some spring cleaning and after a rewarding day freeing yourself of clutter you come to a face off:

you vs. the box (you packed 10 years ago and have been moving ever since!)

It seems that most people have one or a few of those in their attic or basement or wherever...but why?

I have thought about this at length, because just this weekend Mr. J and I were doing a little clean up with a resolution that we really don't need two of everything. (Mostly I just finally am giving in and deciding that he's allowed to stay for a long time...maybe even forever...dare we say it out loud and not jinx it!).

We in fact had a few of those boxes in the attic, and spurred by the free shredding happening at the local IKEA, we decided to tackle this with such fervor that not even a lunch break was allowed. It was very interesting indeed to pull the boxes one by one, and rediscover the years of our youth gone by...

I found it interesting the we looked through the papers and miscellaneous items with curiosity, but also a little nervousness...maybe a little dread. After not looking into them in so long, we completely forgot what was there. The anticipation of finding something that reminded us of sad times, or something that we've worked so hard all these years to forget, completely overshadowed all the pleasant surprizes...all the little pieces of paper that reminded us of the fun, the carelessness of our young lives, when carefree living made us just dump these things into a box and go...

So why is that things that we cared to pack up one day, had become this dead weight that we have carried from place to place for so long instead? Why are these boxes in particular the ones that we did not unpack? What is this fear that humans have? It is interesting to me when people mention how they deal with these mystery boxes (or for some maybe just folders or envelopes)...they let them be until some arbitrary amount of time passes and they throw them out. I have in the past simply thrown a box away...never checking what was in it.

Perhaps these little time capsules are our coping mechanisms. They are the devices we use to stow away our troubles, our memories that we wish to forget until we feel strong enough to let them go. Maybe they represent emotional bonds to places or people that we simply couldn't let go until we take them to the curb.

Or maybe, they are simply a symptom of our poor ability to manage clutter. Could it be that simple?

Well, this is a conundrum that I am sure could cost thousands of dollars in quality shrink time, but the fact remains that the boxes are gone. Our work is done. We feel lighter...We are moving on...

'Tis the season

Alright, so it seems that (at least for this week) winter is over. I hope it is, because the daffodils are 6 inches high and it would be a shame to see them being crushed by another foot of snow! It also seems that the birds are in a jolly good mood, as their morning song is so much more melodic these last few days.

This is the part of Pennsylvania that I really love the most. When the world begins to wake from it's wintery slumber, and suddenly the sun shines a little brighter and little bits of green start to shoot out of the ground.

One thing can be said for sure, you really get all four seasons here and each one of them is marvelous in the very best way it can. So, you may ask: what should I expect from the seasons in Philadelphia? Well, let's start with the natural begining:

SPRING
 
The days are getting warmer, but nights are still very cold.
The Philadelphia spring is wonderful, because this is when you realize how much nature there really is around you. There are fantastic parks all around suddenly bursting into fresh greenery. If you are here, this is the time to start exploring. Philadelphia has an extensive park system which connects the city to many outlying townships, and biking, running or walking these trails is a wonderful experience. This path system is part of Fairmount Park, which is considered one of the countries largest urban parks. It's really a treat to have this much nature in your back yard! This and all the other little parks throughout the area are perfect for catching the first glimpses of nature coming back to life.
It's also the best time to head into the city for first glimpses of the new spring fashions that all the fashionistas pull out of their closets. There are places to go and be seen and definitely something for everyone if you are more of a city kid. To find out what is going on in the city check out the Center City Philadelphia website.
Or simply go running up the stairs like Rocky, and visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Their spring line up is phenomenal, starting with a Picasso show....and so much more. And yes, those really are the stairs that Rocky run up. His statue is just to the right of the stairs.

SUMMER

The days are hot and humid and so are the nights. If you are planning to live in Philly, plan to have an air conditioner, because without it you will be hot...H-O-T...hot...and sticky. Most people are not prepared for the level of humidity during the Philly summers. It makes for spectacular evening thunderstorms. Inevitably, if you are not afraid of thunder, you will find yourself with a glass of wine, all lights turned off and watching the show. These storms are incredible!
Summer is not a graceful season, especially in the city because the nights really are just as hot as the days so everyone ends up looking a little wilted. But, the food scene in Philadelphia is so fantastic that these summer nights are well worth suffering through. You can find anything you like here...it rivals New York! But be prepared to book a table in advance. Philladelphians enjoy going out! If you're a little worried about making the best entrance on the Philly scene, check out Open Table, where you can read about the hippest places to go and collect points redeemable for restaurant certificates.
This is also the best season to explore the areas surrounding Philly. Go to Atlantic City for a little casino action, Cape May for a lovely beech experience. If the beech is not your thing go for the Poconos. There is so much to do in the summer, that you will not be bored...just hot and sweaty.

AUTUMN

Now that I think about it, this may be my favourite season in Pennsylvania. The whole entire world turns into oranges, reds and yellows! You have never seen such amazing changing of the leaves. This is the time to go exploring the interior of Pennsylvania. The drive is guaranteed to be spectacular! If you're up for a weekend driving adventure, this is a great time to visit Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright's famous architecture. Or take the Northeast Extension past Allentown to the Delaware Water Gap. Or stay close to home and visit many other places which host fall festivals. My favourites are Skippack Village and Chestnut Hill.

WINTER

This is one of those tricky seasons in Philly, because sometimes it snows and sometimes it rains ice...as in you will be chiseling your car door open. So, remember all the fantastic places you visited and enjoyed in the summer? Now you should head back there to enjoy Holiday festivities and general merriment.
If you have Christmas shopping on the brain, then as I mentioned in the previous posts, this is not only the best country to be in for that, but also remember that Philly boasts one of the best Shopping Malls in King Of Prussia, great outlet mall in Limerick, and many others. Then when you feel like you need to work off the amazing food you've been enjoying in the city, head back to the Poconos for some fab skiing.

The best thing about the seasons in Philly is that there is something for everyone, and so life can be a great adventure enjoyed by all.

For now, I am just happy that the birds are singing once again, and that a walk in Fort Washington Park is not an Arctic expedition. Soon, the bicycle will get dusted off and my winter laziness will be biting me in the ass.....again! Hurray for spring!

 

There is not that bad...

Well, a delightful thing has happened!

One of my followers has commented on the Window To The Country's Soul post. He has recommended that I add the following saying to the Words of Wisdom window.

Here it is in Polish:

'niema tego złego, co by na dobre nie wyszło'

What a fitting comment on the idea of what I have been thinking of when I started this blog. For those of you who are a little short on your Polish vocabulary, a direct translation would be "there is not that bad, what would not work out for good". Somewhat nonsensical in this form, but when you consider this carefully, it truly starts to define the essence of the experience of transplanting yourself from one place to another.

All the things that I have mentioned in the previous posts could be considered as deficiencies or some form of inferiority to the place you come from. But think about this: moving to a new place is a monumental change in life. As the excitement of the new wares off, homesickness and even depression can set in. It is easy to start thinking that where you came from is just so much better than where you are.

Coping with change is not light work. The best saying I have heard is that the only people who like change are busy cashiers and wet babies. Funny...ha, ha, ha...But according to psychologists, coping with change follows the same cycle as grieving (see footnote). No wonder you feel a little bummed out that the familiar routines and all your BFF's you once took for granted are gone.

So, if you then think about moving and that change is a means to a goal, all of a sudden the meaning of the polish saying starts to take on more sense. Perhaps, the true translation of it should be "Every change brings an opportunity"? After all, why do we move anyways? It is because we are seeking change, and whether we are prepared and have thought about what that really means or not, it is bound to bet a bit of a shock. The term 'culture shock' of course has not come to existence just 'cause....

iVillage UK has published a great little guide to coping with change. Everything they suggest in their 8 points to coping with change, really is talking about how the hard to do or bad aspects can be turned into good opportunities. This means that you become a person with that much more experience, and so much more prepared for similar situations in the future. So....all that bad, does work out to be good! Those Polaks...they're so smart!

So now that this marvelous wisdom has been imparted onto you, brace yourself, pack your favourite blanky and get going. A much richer and stronger person you will be. And if it turns out that this is not what you wanted to do after all....change it!

Footnote: 

The five stages of grief are defined as follows:

1. DENIAL and ISOLATION - At first, we tend to deny loss has taken place, and may withdraw from our usual social contact. This stage may last a few moments, or longer. As in opening a Facebook account is just sooooo cliche and beneath you.You are determined to call all your BFF's you left behind all the time...until you get that first phone bill. And then you tell yourself that you will keep in touch regardless because it is just so important! And never call them again. And Facebook is just so much work...and you're so busy getting your driver's license and they're probably too busy having fun to talk to you anyways.
2. ANGER - The grieving person may then be furious at the person who inflicted the hurt (even if he/ she is dead), or at the world, for letting it happen. He may be angry with him/her self for letting the event take place, even if, realistically, nothing could have stopped it. As in you start to feel like such a looser for not keeping in touch with your bestests friends EVER! and they are such amazing people and why is AT&T charging so much for long distance calling and why is Skype so bloody difficult to figure out. It's like the world doesn't care that you want to keep in touch with those wonderful, caring, loving people...when in fact you are just so busy trying to find a new hairdresser, because you are in danger of becoming a Wookie....
3. BARGAINING - Now the grieving person may make bargains with God, asking "If I do this, will you take away the loss?" As in if I save some more money on the phone bills by not calling anyone, then maybe I can save enough to go and visit them, which is soooo much better than calling in the first place! And then everyone will be happy and it can be a once every six months thing...and yes! this seems like a good idea indeed!
4. DEPRESSION - The person feels numb, although anger and sadness remain underneath. As in you just stopped thinking about it because it makes you feel so horrible and instead scour the discount sites for last minute deals to Mexico, because you are so exhausted and really need to get away from it all, but you haven't deleted any of the join Facebook and be my friend invitations from you inbox...because maybe you might change your mind about the whole entire "social networking" nonsense...or maybe Mexico is a bad idea anyways...oh, why bother.
5. ACCEPTANCE - This is when the anger, sadness and mourning have tapered off. The person simply accepts the reality of the loss. As in the new hairdresser gives you really bitchin' cuts and charges a bloody fortune, but you gotta look good! So the phone budget goes out the window and you create a Facebook account and post the awesomest pics of yourself with your new do and search friends' lists to befriend every human you have ever been in close proximity to, to prove that you really do care about them ALL! And now they all have a great vacation spot for cheap, which you all agree needs to be taken advantage of in the nearest future and never will, becuase you've all moved on by now.

Oh How I Miss Thee...

So the Olympics have started and with it a flood of memories and homesickness that I did not anticipate at all. I called Vancouver home for 8 years and really loved it! I am pretty sure that Mr.J is deaf in the left ear by now, because I've been shouting "I've been there!" at him since the opening ceremonies started. But I digress.

When I left Vancouver it was time to go, but now that I reflect on it, I think I probably could have taken advantage of what it had to offer a little more. But, that was then...

All this of course got me thinking about the phenomenon of how past experiences stay with you and affect what you do today, and how in an anticipation and excitement of moving to a new place, homesickness and nostalgia can very easily be a very nasty surprise. C.S. Lewis once wrote "You cannot take all luggage with you on all journeys." Valid point indeed, but a few 100 ton suitcases simply can't be left behind.

Since the concern of this blog is to speak about living somewhere from where you are not, the concept of homesickness is a real concern, or at least should be considered by those who are thinking about a move away from home....no matter how ready you are to go. It often starts as a little twinge of discomfort as you settle in in the evening after a terribly exciting day of new discoveries in the ever so exciting new place. It manifests itself as a sense of being tired, as though so much new and excitement is making you weary. You start to long for just a moment of the old routine. This is very much compounded if you do not happen to have your stuff with you and are in temporary accommodations. I think this sensation was best described by my cat, who after a long trip here moped about the Beige Palace (as we affectionately called the hole we stayed in for nearly 3 months before we got our own place), for weeks. She ended up having her own little routine, which after some time became just as comfortable as the one she had before, yet something just wasn't right. When we finally moved into our apartment and the movers started bringing our furniture in, the visible joy on her furry little face was just priceless! "It smells like me!" Her favourite chair was back! That little itty bittty part of the familiar was back.

There is something incredibly important to be learned from this story, and that is that no matter how ready one may be for a new adventure in life, it is always wise to bring a little something of your old life with you. This will be your anchor in the deep sea of everything new....because no matter how many things are the same as the place you came from, it will all be coloured with a different tint.

I love moving to new places. It makes me feel like life is not so boring. But deep down inside, I think I always long for that one place that is home...the way that Grandma always made me feel. How things had their spot and stayed there for 57 years. I can't say that I have found that place for myself yet, but there are a few things that I always have with me that make wherever I hang my hat the old and familiar just for a moment.

Window to the country's soul....

I don't suppose one really gets to know a country and it's people until you hear the old country sayings....It is these little gems that are windows to the country's soul. They reveal so much about its wisdom and sense of humor.

I find them highly entertaining and think that it would be a fun new addition to the blog! So, on the right you will find a new box, which will delight you in 'Mer'can sayings that are far more descriptive than a bunch of descriptive words....I'll update them regularly, so check back often. And by all means, please add your two cents!

We'll start with the celebration of the recent weather we've been experiencing here in the east! It is a nod to the talents of a certain Texas man that is a 'one of'...with a fantastic sense of humor!

Enjoy!

Walking may be hazardous to you health...

So, apparently point #1 (Pennsylvanian driving habits) in my last post really touched a nerve. Many of you commented on this to me and some also had very strong opinions. I appreciate very much that this has now become a thought provoking, challenging commentary that touches so many of you!

Well, let it be known that I do not work alone, and that I may or may not have covert operatives amongst you, who indeed are providing me with excellent material. One such individual (we will call her Ms.P to protect her identity) has very strongly suggested that today's topic further expand on the finer points of one important driving habit of our Philly co-cohabitants: failure to stop for pedestrians.

When Ms.P mentioned this to me, I was instantly delighted to find out that I am not a driving freak after all! I myself am a firm believer of stopping for pedestrians and do it quite often, especially on marked pedestrian crossings, parking lots and when those little white people figures light up in the intersections. This often results in honking by cars behind me. I got the finger on a few occasions. In fact, when my special gentleman friend (we'll call him Mr.J) and I first started getting to know each other, it confused the hell out of him! It just didn't compute in his head that this may be an acceptable action by a motorist. We have since cleared this point up, and it seems that being the kind and caring individual that he is, he is inclined to now and then stop and let a human walk in front of the car without running them down like he's acting out a Mad Max scene. We joke that the Canadian is rubbing off on him.

Well, I think it's very true that Canadians are nice like that. They do stop for pedestrians and let them patiently pass by without threat. As I think about it, now I am realizing that most Canadian drivers do all sorts of nice things for their fellow motorists. They stay in the right lane and only use the left one for passing. They rarely run red lights. They don't honk all that often, and on occaison will pull over on the shoulder to let you whiz by on a one lane highway. (Except in Toronto, but that is a different story all together, 'cause you people are angry drivers!)

I suppose it makes sense that people here don't stop for walkers. Who the hell walks outside these days anyways. One may be mildly surprised to find out upon moving here that there are a great deal of neighbourhoods in the Philly area where there are no side walks at all. They are just SUCH a waste of concrete!

So my dear Ms.P, we are indeed kindred spirits in our wish for pedestrian safety. Lets go forth and show the Philadelphia masses that it can be done! Maybe you would like a little Canadian flag for your bumper?

Top 5 Things I Would Miss....

So, since I moved to the US thinking this would be a short term gig, I've tried really hard to see and do as much as I could while here, so that I wouldn't feel like I missed anything important.

The thing is, that there is just so much really great stuff to see and do, that it is nearly impossible to not miss anything. There are however, a few things that I have partaken in several times, just because it is just so much fun! And since I have thought about what I would be leaving behind if I were to move, I have determined that there are 5 things that I would be super sad about leaving.

Without further ado, here we go:

5. It would be a bummer to be in a place where I couldn't within 2 hours of driving time be on the beach or going skiing (not that I ever have...not too terribly sad about it, since I am not terribly sporty) or Gettysburg or the super awesome fantastic New York!

4. Shopping - the national sport of the US. You just can't help yourself but quickly spiral into the rampant consumerism of this country. When I first moved here, I didn't have any friends, and it took 3 months for my stuff to get here....so I shopped! And loved it too! It's not like this country makes it hard for you. There are tons of outlet malls, stores are open from 10 to 9 in most cases, there are cute little neighbourhoods where you can wonder about and browse, and best of all, there is a 24 hour grocery store around every corner. How can one resist when you just need another pair of shoes!

3. The international cuisine which is readily available, especially in Philly and New York, both of which as you may or may not know have a fantastic food scene. Anything you want, in any way you want it! Restaurant week is especially awesome, since you can gain that extra 10 pounds for just $35!

2. The convenience of having access to anything at anytime, which happens to be especially important to me, since I do enjoy feeding my mild case of snobbery. Sometimes getting groceries at the store next door isn't good enough, so one may be compelled to drive to Wegman's and get that fancy bottle of Leffe to go with your fancy cheese and crackers. By the way, it is absolutely important to note that Pennsylvania does not sell alcohol at Walmart, grocery stores, gas stations or any other convenient location. So, if you thought that all your dreams of just casually popping by the local 7-11 for a 6 pack were about to come true...it ain't going to happen in PA, honey!

1. The ability to break every traffic rule known to man, because every one else is doing it!


Point #1 also appears on my top 5 list of things that I will not miss about living in the US. It's one of those things that you like when you are doing it, but not so much when the dude in front of you is exercising his rights. For those of you who are concerned about driving in the Philladelphia area especially, please note the following: the dude in front of you will run that red light, the dude in front of you will cross the double yellow line four feet after the intersection to pull into the McDonald's drive through, the dude in front of you will come to a screeching halt whilst merging onto a highway of cars speeding well beyond the limit of 65 miles per hour. And turn lights are for wusses!

So, while there may be a thing or two that make this place slightly unbearable, overall the convenience factor will definitely sweeten the deal. So, as long as your goal in life is to spend as much of your earned and/or borrowed income as you can, and if you're really going after that premature heart attack, this the place to be and what a delightful way to do it!

Bored in Philly?

It is to be noted that Philadelphia has a fine art scene and several venues that keep you entertained...if you happen to like strolling about and gazing at pictures and such....

After all, one wouldn't be learning about the local culture and picking up the latest fashion trends if there wasn't a token Sunday afternoon, 'pay what you can' at the Art Museum with an incy wincy 'pay what it says on the menu' cocktail shortly after.

So, if you are in the Philly area and bored to tears, you simply must check out the latest and greatest art event taking place:

Philagrafika 2010

So get yourself all made up and make an appearance!

It's all 'Mer'can to me...

Yesterday, one of my Canadian friends made a reference to a touque. Naturally I knew exactly what she was talking about, because I consider my self an English speaking individual. Up until a few years ago that is....

One of the most shocking realizations that dawned on me upon moving to the US, was that all of a sudden I had to learn a new language! 'Mer'can! Don't get me wrong. I am all about expanding the mind, I simply wish that I had learned about this in a manner other than a series of awkward conversations with people that I was trying to make friends with...

It all started with a very innocent trip to the city. I live in the suburbs, and one night a few of us decided to get together in Center City Philadelphia for some fun. If any of you have ever gone to the city on Friday or Saturday night, you will know that parking is as rare and precious as a three carat ruby. And let me tell you, those are some rare and precious stones! A girl's gotta know her bling. SO, being brilliant as I am (no pun intended), of course I had a marvelous suggestion of parking in a parkade! "A what?!!" my friend's head whipped around so fast and hard I though it would sever.... needless to say no one's ever heard of a 'parkade' here...they call it a 'parking garage', which in my opinion just seems like too many words to describe something that you would obviously use for parking......

You can also forget about all the 'ou's in words like colour and flavour. And if you ever want to discuss the finer points of using you garburator to reduce waste and save the planet...save the oxygen and don't bother wasting your breath....here it is the 'garbage disposal'.

So, if you are still confused about why I brought up the touque, it's because here it is simply 'a winter hat'. How.....bland.

Well, the bad news is that if you are thinking of moving to the US, you will have to learn a new language, and sadly there is no "My 'Mer'can Coach' for your Nintendo DS. But, the good news is that now your have a perfect excuse to watch endless hours of 'New Jersey House Wives' and 'Gossip Girl'! It's the only way you'll ever get a chance to learn all the words! So, grab yourself a bag of ketchup chips (while you still can) and get to learnin'!

Hmmmm.....now that I think about this. What we need is an 'Mer'can translation app! Then the world will truly be complete!

There may be an agenda after all...

Thanks to the stunning brilliance of the man I love (he also has pretty eyes), I think I have decided that there may be a general theme to the things that I will rant about here.

Since I seem to have a pretty intense, daily need to express my thoughts on living on the east coast of US vs the west coast of Canada, I figure that I ought to share them with you. Who knows...maybe you will find some of this helpful or at least amusing.

I certainly did not do any 'real life experiences' research when I moved here nearly 4 years ago, only the 'book learnin' type, and it definitely was not enough. I moved to the Philly area for a job, on my own with one cat as my sole companion. At the time I did not really know anyone, only a few casual acquaintances.

I was fortunate enough to have a relocation package from my company, which was truly fantastic! They did a good job of taking care of me, but there just are things that no one can help you with in that type of move. You just have to make the adjustments yourself. But more on that in the future....

By the way...if you are thinking about moving wherever...there is a great book that you might find very helpful:

"Culture Shock" by Monica Rabe

On the other hand....if you are just bored and think you should move because it's easier to run away from your problems....then maybe this piece of literature will be more useful:

"Do What You Are" by Tieger & Barron

Soooo....if you think that you might be interested in knowing more, check back later....I can't tell you everything now! That would just spoil all the fun!

Off we go...

I have thought about this long and hard...

Since this seems to be the cool thing these days, I thought that it may be important to add my two cents to the medley of useless information on the web.

I don't have an agenda for this, but I do think that with practice I can post something clever from time to time. Maybe I might even get a few answers to profound questions that muddle my mind when I try to not think about them.

On the other hand, perhaps this totally frivolous and self-serving novelty will wear off in a few days and I will be bored and not doing anything about it once again.

Ooooh...that thrill of the possibilities!