emigrate

Though apparently it’s very hard to move the the US (my first choice) or Canada (second choice).

I want to travel / work temporarily or live abroad for an undetermined amount of time. Just because I want the experience.
Underneath that idea I have fears and doubts. I need to work on those. I need to be clear about my real reasons for doing this and confront my uncertainties.

once I clear the debts. Hello world!

I wanted to emigrate because I felt like I was stuck among people who don’t accept me for who I am and it made me sad. As a former TCK I am naturally different… from everyone. The best I can do about it is to be around open-minded people.

If I can keep getting jobs in international environments (anywhere in the world, incl. Indonesia) I wont have to keep wanting to emigrate. Because all I wanted was to be around people who understand me. Otherwise, I am out of here. I know I have the basic right to be happy.

^{This is entry 2 of 3 this week.
Illustration credit: Me, fixing what’s wrong with the blue version…}

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^{This is entry 2 of 3 this week.
Illustration credit: http://www.nataliedee.com/nd-archives/ndarchive-feb09.php}

From Romania to UK … same continent, but completely dif cultures. So… it makes you grow up and start thinking a bit about yourself. Especially not having any family and friends with you… well… it is hard at first but if you want to know what you are all about … you will definitely find out when you emigrate.

I arrived here on student visa in 1991. Got a H-1B visa after graduation and applied for permanent resident status a number of years after beginning a career. I think it’s definitely worth it, especially compared to how I’d have done had I remained in the old country.

I emigrated from the UK to the US 2 1/2 years ago. I never expected to – I’d never visited the US until late 2003, didn’t have any family here, etc. I just did it because I met a really awesome person :-) And it’s hard at first, even with two so seemingly similar countries. There’s a lot of cultural references I don’t get, people have trouble understanding my accent (West London), I miss the city, US immigration authorities are completely incompetent, etc etc. I will also say that the first year is probably the most difficult – not only is it a whole new place, but you probably won’t be able to get a legal job for quite a while, unless you come over on a work visa.

But – it made me a better person. I have more opportunities, met some great people, and I have a much wider outlook on life now. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the US, but I’ve learned to appreciate the best in both countries. I wouldn’t mind going somewhere else, in a few years.

I would definitely do it all over again :-)

But it still was a big move five and a half years ago.

I guess the question I still struggle with is the permanency of the move. Will I be back in Canada one day, and if so when. Indications are that yes, I will be. Truth be told, though, I really do love being in Chicago.