Welcome to Canada

So I’ve done it, it’s official, I have immigrated to Canada. This Christmas may not be my first in Toronto, but it will be my first as a resident of Ontario. And this Christmastime, I will share my experience of the first four days as an immigrant.

We had a super easy drive on Thursday, arriving in Toronto about 8pm (eastern). The truck drove super easy, it’s hard to believe how easy, really, considering it was 14′ and a rental. When I returned it the guy had a bit of shock when he saw it now has over 12,000 miles and is about 2 months old! Thursday night we got some things unloaded that we needed at the Mercuri house, had a bit to eat, and mostly got ready for bed (and maybe switched a few summer clothes in the closet for winter ones!).

The immigration process was super easy, hardly any questions and they definitely didn’t do much more than a passing glance at our list of goods. But now I’m a landed immigrant in Canada!

Friday was crazy. rIAm had an interview scheduled for 1pm, but they called Thursday and left a message that they wanted to move the interview later, to 3:15, which was annoying because we had a plan based on the earlier interview time. But it worked out because we went over with the truck to nonni and unloaded the whole thing into their basement. It fits really well in a room they only use in summer with fresh things from the garden, but it was just the two of us unloading everything. We wore ourselves out a bit, but had a refreshing lunch Nonna prepared.

The life of an immigrant sure is difficult when your grandmother-in-law makes you a big scrumptious lunch (and two whole T-bone steaks!).

I did manage to turn my ankle a bit, which hurt very briefly at the time, but later hurt and swelled pretty good, so I took lots of ibuprofen and iced it often. Looks much better now. Not sure how it happened, but somehow my foot stuck on something and the rest of me kept going.

One very nice thing, although it made our Friday very busy, was my mother-in-law suggesting we move the computer/desk out of rIAm’s room and into the study next door. She had already done some measurements and knew it would work. Then she even suggested they get a double bed for us. Well, rIAm had the good idea to take a double bed from nonni (originally from her old room anyway, and one of two extra beds at nonni). I suggested that moving that would be much, much easier while we had the truck. So sure enough, after emptying the truck we loaded in a box spring, mattress, frame and bedding. Then back at the Mercuri house we partially disassembled the computer desk, maneuvered it into the next room, got it back together, removed the futon from rIAm’s room, and then got the double bed into place. Whew!

If all that sounds like too much to get done before rIAm’s interview, it was. The organization called again to postpone the interview until the new year. Which we kind of figured would happen. Since they close until then anyway, we figure it’s just as well that the interview happens in the new year.

The result was great, though, as my mother-in-law couldn’t believe all we did in a day (she was thinking we wouldn’t be able to address all this until after Christmas), and couldn’t believe how big rIAm’s room looks now. My father-in-law’s eyes just about popped out of his head he was so surprised, but he was also so happy that now rIAm and I have a place where we don’t have to bother anybody else, etc, while we are here (we had been sleeping in rIAm’s sister’s room, which adjoins to the bathroom rIAm’s other sister uses). Anyhow, the biggest awkwardness about staying here was relieved in one day, and at the suggestion of my mother-in-law. It certainly went a long way toward making me feel even more at home here, as it gives rIAm and I a place of our own.

Saturday we returned the truck and dropped some things off (like the futon) at Goodwill and got all of our presents ready. We had big plans for Sunday, mostly along the lines of putting clothes away, doing some things in the kitchen and sorting some other odds and ends. But the hydro (translation: electricity) had other plans.

About 10am, the power went completely out. Around 2:30pm the emergency hydro crew knocked on the door and said they figured out the problem was between a box in the front yard and the corner, but the repair would have to be done by a regular crew, which now had to be called out. We wouldn’t have power for hours.

So as the day wore on and it became more and more difficult to see, all sorts of plans were tabled, other things were taken on, and then we played a lot of cards. But my mother-in-law had to give up plans to bake more than the two cookies she had finished, the laundry was stopped mid-cycle, the dishwasher couldn’t run, and we became quite adept at heating things up on the stove that we normally would have done in the oven. My father-in-law and rIAm went visiting relatives while we managed in the dark until 9pm, when power was finally restored.

Just goes to show that when you start a construction project (the electrical box in the front yard is all dug up and surrounded by a big hole) in November/December in Toronto, when it snows and rains you get a flood and blown fuses. And a street with no power and angry residents. But we got through it, even if I had to channel memories of India and its power outages.

We’ve also enjoyed visiting with our sisters(-in-law), Colin, the nonni and everybody else we’ve seen. It’s been nice to sit around the table for tasty meals with family, and enjoy the seasonal festivities and decorations around here. The tree is a bit smaller this year, but nicely decorated and looking good in the green room and with many presents underneath. We had to laugh when we saw our cousin’s gifts, though, because it was the EXACT same idea we almost did this year – homemade cookies in a nice jar! (We didn’t open them early, they are just visible the way they were wrapped). After picking up the containers we were going to use, we switched course and did something else, sort of similar, but we couldn’t believe how close we were to having the same present! And as if there weren’t enough things under the tree, a funny thing happened…

Uncle Paul called and rIAm was talking to him. He said he was going through the Tim Horton’s drive-thru and could be here in 20 minutes, and he had some boxes he wanted to store here for a bit. rIAm checked if keeping them in the garage would be ok, he said whatever, so we agreed. Then when he showed up, they were massive (I mean, massive), wrapped boxes. Five of them. Numbered 1-5. And when we checked if they were here so they were hidden from Nonna Anna, he said no, they were staying here. So now that we’ve blocked off seemingly a whole corner of the green room with these things, we have the giant mystery presents in the corner. It’s not even clear who they are all for, but they are big, and many of them are heavy. (UPDATE: Turns out three of them were big Mary Kay suitcases – with Mary Kay sleeping bag inside – one was a big mirror and the last was a water cooler.)

UPDATE: rIAm opens her present

I guess that’s the way things go around here; things are definitely in a festive spirit. Decorations are up, lots of presents under the tree, holiday cookies abound, and a wrapping station that was in full swing until this afternoon. Tonight rIAm and I take Nonna Immacolata to Christmas Eve mass, then we join everybody at Nonna Anna’s for the big seafood feast. Tomorrow we have the big Christmas lunch at the Mercuri house, and somewhere in there we’ll have time to open all the presents under the tree.

We miss Naperville and all of our friends and family in Chicagoland. It was so great to see so many of you while we were there, and we thank you all for making our stay so wonderful. We very much look forward to the next opportunity to see all of you, in Chicago or Toronto.

But it also feels real good to be where we are. Even Grandma, who is happy about my move only because it’s what I want, closed our last phone conversation before I left Naperville by saying, “have a safe drive home.”

It was touching, and it helped me realize, yes, Toronto is now home. I’m a Chicagoan at heart, but indeed, now I can say – with the full backing of the Canadian government – I am a Torontonian. And that feels pretty good too.

To each of you reading and to your family and friends, have a wonderful Christmas, winter break (if you have one!), and a happy, healthy, peaceful new year.