An Attempt at An Answer

"Do you think we'll ever live in the United States again?"

The only answer I could think of for John this morning was,

"Probably. But I'm sure it won't be as good as we think it will be."

The question we've been asked the most in the last few years is "What's it like to live in Canada?" I never know how to answer.

First of all, living in Canada has blessed us in many ways. We've experienced what it's like to be immigrants. We now know a lot more about the country north of the U.S. and how Americans are perceived in this country. We went to a church in British Columbia that embraced us completely and let John experience what it's really like to be part of a church family. We've made really good friends. We've encountered the wonder of the Nanaimo bar. We've lived in incredibly diverse cities. We've climbed mountains and seen gorgeous views. John has gotten and continues to get more education. I've worked at a great school and worked with/taught amazing people. We've consumed NO hormones from dairy products while up here. We've received inexpensive health care. We've decreased our belongings (even though we still own A LOT of stuff).

Yet there are many times we wish we did not live in Canada. It's tiring to explain why we won't ever have Ontario Health Insurance every time we see a doctor or dentist. It's hard to be seen as an outsider when meeting new people. It's difficult to fight the urge to defend my country or my fellow citizens when I hear negative comments day after day. It's hard to feel like you don't belong in either country.