Canada, eh.

Happy Canada Day to everyone!

It's great to be a Canadian, the land south of the U.S.  The land of opportunity, the welcoming land.

It was in 1990 that I came to Canada from the Big Apple.  I drove for about 10 hours passing through Mt. Poconos in New Jersey.  I drove early because it was already almost fall, early October.

I remember it was my first time to drive through Poconos and it was a lovely route. Prior to this, I went to Canada via Ohio and Pennsylvannia, when I brought my parents sightseeing in Niagara Falls.

When I reached the border at the Peace Bridge, it was dusk.  My ever reliable Isuzu I-Mark carried all my stuff.  The check in at the Immigration was uneventful.

When I was at the QEW, I sort of got mixed up with the speed limit.  In the U.S. then, the speed limit was 55 mph; in Canada it was and still is 60 kph.

I drove fast because I didn't want to be on the road as dark befell the highways.  I reached my destination, Mississauga in no time.

That was October 1990.  A few days after, my cousin took me to get my social security.  Later on, I got a temporary job with a car rental doing computer work. But 90's was recession both in U.S. and Canada.  After my temp assignment, it was an uphill battle to find regular employment.

But Canada had systems and places to help its immigrants and citizens.  After taking up some studies and training,  I got regular employment.

Three years after I arrived in Canada, I became a citizen.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!