I never imagined myself living in the United States- some chic city in Europe maybe but not the US! After graduating from U of C I spent a few years working and taking a few long backpacking trips in Europe where I met the girl who would eventually introduce me to my now husband.

She invited me to spend a long weekend get together with friends in San Francisco (I lived in Vancouver at the time) and I met him, still I wasn't thinking anything would progress... besides I was off to Europe for 3 months of backpacking in 3 weeks!

The weekend after we met, we met up again in Seattle, and the next week he came up to Vancouver from LA to hang out.

Then I left for Europe. After 3 months I was sure we were going no where. How realistic is a cross border relationship?

A year later we were engaged, a few months after that married and I was living in St. Louis with him where he had recently been stationed with the Air Force.

Until I could start work I was horribly homesick- Sunday was cry day. St. Louis was so different from Vancouver, and I had no friends yet.

It took a few months but I settled in, when I could finally work it was much better.

Now 3 1/2 years later we are in the Seattle area, my husband is out of the Air Force, finished his MBA at the University of Washington and I am an easy drive home to Vancouver. We are expecting our first child in 3 weeks and I can't wait to get him his first Canadian Passport. I have to say being in Seattle is great - there are oodles of Canadians here and unlike in St. Louis I don't get asked questions like "Do y'all have malls in Canada."

I am sad I will never live at home again, but I love being close and in an area that allows me to still feel conected to my country.

Allie M., Poulsbo WA, British Columbia
December 11, 2007
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I met my husband when he was stationed with the US Air Force on Ernest Harmon AFB in Stephenville, Newfoundland. We married in 1966 and moved to Georgia, then to Washington DC and finally to Anchorage, Alaska where we have lived and worked since 1968. I cannot believe that we have been here in Alaska for all this time. It is very much like Newfoundland in climate only the mountains are bigger. We have two grown children and one granddaughter. We do not travel home to Newfoundland as much as we would like but it will always be both of our home with many memories. I have siblings and other relatives that still live there.

Peggy W., Anchorage AK, Newfoundland and Labrador
December 11, 2007
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We moved to Greensboro, NC from Toronto one week before 9-11. It was a shock and we didn't know if we wanted to stay already! We also lived in Montreal 2 yrs (my husband Nick's hometown). My husband moved for a better career as an Actuary. I'm a Director of Sales with a new home builder. We have our greencards.

My daughter 18, started UNC-Chapel Hill in August of 07 and my son, 16, is in grade 11. They love Canada but at their ages they cannot imagine moving back. It is sad for me because one day I may want to go back because our families are there. I love Greensboro for the weather and small town feel but I miss Canadians. They are so easy to talk with in a pure, sincere way.

People in the South are very friendly, but the mindset is different. I wish I could visit Toronto & Montreal more often but work and school makes it difficult. I would love to hear from fellow Canadians in Greensboro or NC.

A B., Greensboro NC, Ontario
December 11, 2007
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I am a naturalized Canadian having migrated to Canada on 1997 and we settled in Winnipeg, MB for about 5 years. Living in Winnipeg we established our own circle of friends and I enjoyed living there for real! I say that because a lot of people always shirk away when the idea of cold weather is discussed.

Anyways, we moved to Los Angeles, CA when my hubby got his L1-B, a true eye opener for me, as to the differences of Canadian and American lifestyle, government practices, immigration rules, taxation, state regulations.

I terribly missed the straight forward manner of the Canadian system. The US may be a place to pursue a huge diversity in job opportunities, but nothing beats Canada's innate beauty, orderliness and peacefulness.

I have always longed to return to Canada, but for now, we are staying in Northern California on a TN visa. I have maintained open communication with my friends in Winnipeg and Calgary, and oftentimes entertain them when they come over here in California, and they do the same for us when we visit up North. We have now stayed in California for 5 years (and counting) and I still hope to one day settle back for good in Canada. Canada is still a second home for me!

Tess A., Pleasanton CA, Manitoba
December 11, 2007
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I was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. I met a woman from the Portland Oregon area in 1998, and decided to move to Portland for her in 1999, but didn't arrive until 2000. So I've been here 7 years. It has been interesting.

The girlfriend and I didn't work out, but I loved it here for it's natural beauty. I also had a much higher paying work opportunity, so that made it easier to stay.

Now, with the internet bubble having burst a few years ago, it's not as lucrative, but the beauty of the place keeps me here, as well as a new hobby taken up 4 years ago - Argentine Tango. Portland is known as the finest Tango community in the US. Not the largest, but many consider it the best.

I miss home sometimes, and especially miss family. Occasionally I find Americans more aloof than Canadians - I think we are more emotional and form closer relationships, which is something that makes us uniquely Canadian. On the other hand, the people here have been wonderful. I have amazing neighbors who take care of my rose garden, although I haven't asked them to (they are retired and have much more time than me). They would do anything for me, and we help each other.

I miss the girls back home (OK, so I'm a guy... there are no finer women than Canadian women!) Otherwise this has been a great place. I pursued competitive model airplane aerobatics in the first few years, something that simply doesn't exist in Western Canada.

I may return to Canada, but would go to BC - there's a large tango community there! Alberta was a good place to grow up, but I love trees and Calgary is a little bald of them.

If there are any Canadians in Portland who would like to contact me I'd be happy to hear from you. I miss hockey terribly! It would just be nice to talk to someone from home. This place feels like home, but I will always be Canadian. I'm only here on a TN, so may have to return home at some point. I think I would miss the activities here if I moved back. Time will tell.

Randy F., Portland OR, Alberta
December 11, 2007
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J'ai rencontré mon mari il y a près de 5 ans lors d'un voyage en Europe. Il est américain originaire de Baltimore. Après 6 mois de "dating", j'ai décidé de déménager en banlieue de Philadelphie pour vivre avec lui. Trois ans plus tard, nous nous sommes mariés et nous avons maintenant un petit garçon de 10 mois.

Le Québec, ma famille et amis et parler français me manquent beaucoup. Peut-être un jour nous retournerons au Québec, mais en attendant, j'aime bien rencontrer d'autres Canadiens qui vivent E-U tout comme moi et connaître leurs histoires.

Isabel B., havertown PA, Quebec
December 11, 2007
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Not looking for love, I ended up finding it anyway, online. I lived in Montreal, he lived in Wichita, Kansas. We met in Fort Wayne, Indiana, halfway between Wichita and Montreal. After we got up from the head-over-heals tumble into love, and after many visits back and forth, I moved to Wichita with my 2 daughters in March of 2005. I was able to get a TN visa because of my degree. We were married this October. I like Kansas. It's quite different from Montreal. But I do get to missing home.

Karen H., Wichita KS, Quebec
December 11, 2007
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I moved to Pennsylvania in '98 after living in Mississauga, Ontario since birth - about (pronounced in full Canadian accent) 31 years. I have since moved to the Florida - Clearwater area and have not been back for at least 4 years - way too long. I too miss Timmys, Harveys and all dressed chips! I show my Canadian pride by displaying a "Canada kicks ass!" bumper sticker on my car and my motorcycle and my FL registered license plate is TKOFFEH. Not too many Americans get it, unless they seen Strange Brew...

I still have family living in Sudbury and Cambridge but my mom lives down here in the Sunny South with me.

If you're a fellow Canuck and are in the area look me up! I go by the name of Canada, Canadiola... LOL. That's what my hoser friends call me anyways!

Josephine C., Tarpon Springs FL, Ontario
December 11, 2007
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I am originally from Montreal. I moved here in 1997 when I moved in with and married my husband who is American. I met him in NYC through a mutual friend and we had a long distance relationship for a year before I decided to just pack up and move here. We have a 7 year old daughter.

I love Canada and Montreal and we go back to visit a few times a year. I always wish we could stay longer and dream of a day when we can move back there. It's hard because there are things about the US or living in NJ that I have grown to love and all of my husbands family is here, and my daughter's cousins and aunts, uncles and grandparents, it just is weird to think of living apart from them, so I have mixed emotions.

I hardly ever see my family except for a few times and year, but how would it be if things were reversed? I miss lots of Canadian things and being able to relate to someone who knows of the special memories and things of my youth is hard to come by. I have lived here for 10 years and I could probably count on my hand the number of people who I've met that know anything about Canada at all or have some connection to it, which is sad.

I recently watched Anne of Green Gables which I adore and I've been trying to convince my all-American neice to watch. Thankfully, both my daughter and my husband love Canada and I have them to share in my love for my home country!

Samia C., Whippany NJ, Quebec
December 11, 2007
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I came to California to do graduate study at UC Berkeley. I was taken by the Bay Area and stayed working for Chevron! The Bay Area is a wonderful place to live. Go Senators!

Ted E., Foster City CA, Quebec
December 11, 2007
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