Thursday, June 12, 2014

In Canada, Hey!

Frazierville has relocated. To Edmonton, Alberta. In Canada. Yep. Crazy, huh? The first question I get asked is "Why Canada?" (ministry job at West Meadows Baptist Church) and the second question is "Are you or your husband from Canada?" (no). Then people give me really confused looks. We got here on May 31 and were able to drop off all the stuff we crammed into our car into our new place. And when I say crammed I mean crammed. I stuffed things in every possible nook and cranny. T shirts stuffed into the gap between the seats, diapers under the front seat, blankets shoved to the roof. I couldn't see out the back window at all. And every time I opened Jackson's door legos and toys fell onto the pavement. But we made it. Our new place is great. Its a 3 bedroom condo/townhouse with 1.5 baths and a laundry room. And the piece de resistance - a yard. A tiny yard. Like the grass is probably 6'x6'. It literally takes the yard guys about 30 seconds to mow. But Jackson loves it! And who needs a sandbox when you have a garden? Theres a school with a spectacular playground only about a block away though. Unfortunately though, our house would be a lot better if we actually had our furniture and the rest of our stuff. But its okay. We have a couple of borrowed chairs and a nice airbed and some kitchen stuff and toys and a TV. What more do you need, hey? In America we always think Canadians say eh, but actually a lot of them say hey. Everyone has been so nice (except for the lady from our complex who was mad when I accidentally parked in her parking spot) and lots have volunteered extra stuff for us while we wait.
Here are some things that are different, besides the eh/hey: Health Insurance - free from the government :) Needing to get referrals for appointments to specialists :( Having to put a coin in for buggy at certain grocery stores :( kilometers instead of miles. litres instead of gallons at the gas pump. Spellings: honour, neighbourhood,etc. Seeing things in french instead of spanish. In the states we are used to seeing a lot of things with spanish translations but here its always french. Parks and "green space" everywhere! :) In Alberta ALL the schools are public. So your money goes with your kid. Jackson could go to a french immersion school, mandarin immersion, hockey school, christian school, art school, music school, etc. Luke says hockey but Im not sure Jackson is going to be a natural athlete (even though Luke and I had great genes to pass on ;) All in all, life is good right now! Next week were off to California for Scott and Mariyas wedding.