on arrive!
Aug. 16th, 2005 10:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jawnbcAfter 20 hours of flying, Max and I arrived at Vancouver international airport this morning at 10h15.
We got out of Immigration at 14h00--2pm folks. What a freakin’ mess!
We got through passport control quickly and were told to collect our bags and go into the “new immigrants” room. Bags were already out (6 big 32kg suitcases, plus our 2 carry-ons each), so we dragged them over to Imm and entered. We were told to take a place in line--which apparently meant a seat--and wait. About 10 minutes later a volunteer called us over, asked some questions, gave us some (quite good, from a cursory glance) reading materials, and were told to move up a whole row (!) and sit down again. There were at most 20 people ahead of us, almost entirely families.
Over the course of two hours, we slowly shuffled towards the first point of contact with a CBSA officer. She reviewed Max’s record of landing, pronounced his photo as “having a crease”--requiring a new photo to be taken by them. Honestly, there was a teeny crease if you held the photo at one particular angle with respect to a bright light. Fine. Whatever.
Photo retaking seemed to happen for at least half the folks--perhaps because of the way Record of Landing documents are sent to us in our home countries (no sleeve or protective device)? It took 30 minutes to get the photo redone.
It took about 45 minutes to get Encounter #2 with the next CBSA officer. Everything was going well until she noticed that a couple of electronic devices didn’t have serial numbers. One was a photo printer, for which I gave the model and make; the other was a wireless keyboard, for which there was no serial number and which happened to have a rather generic-sounding name. She muttered about this for a bit, called over a colleague, and Max finally said “you’re talking items with a total value less than $200. How much duty would we be talking about for such a small amount anyway?”
The rest of our exchange was curt--we’d been on the go for over 30 hours by now, and both our patiences were fried. But they accepted our Goods to Follow list verbatim (without the serial number) and we were on our way. Not an impressive welcome to Canada. And it appeared those migrants whose English command was marginal (or non-existent) were having an
even tougher time of it.
But it’s done. Once I catch up on sleep (by Christmas perhaps), I might just drop the Ministers in question a love letter or two.
John Egan
j’ai la tête qui éclate, je m’voudrais seulement dormir...
We got out of Immigration at 14h00--2pm folks. What a freakin’ mess!
We got through passport control quickly and were told to collect our bags and go into the “new immigrants” room. Bags were already out (6 big 32kg suitcases, plus our 2 carry-ons each), so we dragged them over to Imm and entered. We were told to take a place in line--which apparently meant a seat--and wait. About 10 minutes later a volunteer called us over, asked some questions, gave us some (quite good, from a cursory glance) reading materials, and were told to move up a whole row (!) and sit down again. There were at most 20 people ahead of us, almost entirely families.
Over the course of two hours, we slowly shuffled towards the first point of contact with a CBSA officer. She reviewed Max’s record of landing, pronounced his photo as “having a crease”--requiring a new photo to be taken by them. Honestly, there was a teeny crease if you held the photo at one particular angle with respect to a bright light. Fine. Whatever.
Photo retaking seemed to happen for at least half the folks--perhaps because of the way Record of Landing documents are sent to us in our home countries (no sleeve or protective device)? It took 30 minutes to get the photo redone.
It took about 45 minutes to get Encounter #2 with the next CBSA officer. Everything was going well until she noticed that a couple of electronic devices didn’t have serial numbers. One was a photo printer, for which I gave the model and make; the other was a wireless keyboard, for which there was no serial number and which happened to have a rather generic-sounding name. She muttered about this for a bit, called over a colleague, and Max finally said “you’re talking items with a total value less than $200. How much duty would we be talking about for such a small amount anyway?”
The rest of our exchange was curt--we’d been on the go for over 30 hours by now, and both our patiences were fried. But they accepted our Goods to Follow list verbatim (without the serial number) and we were on our way. Not an impressive welcome to Canada. And it appeared those migrants whose English command was marginal (or non-existent) were having an
even tougher time of it.
But it’s done. Once I catch up on sleep (by Christmas perhaps), I might just drop the Ministers in question a love letter or two.
John Egan
j’ai la tête qui éclate, je m’voudrais seulement dormir...
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no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 05:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 05:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 05:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 05:37 am (UTC)Go eat Crepes.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 05:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 05:52 am (UTC)So much for going apartment hunting when you get off the plane. Haha! Remember when you said that was your plan? Sometimes we're so alike *lol* Oh, I have LOTS of news! Send me a message, or *gasp* call or *gaspgaspgasp* lemme know if you have 20 mins for coffee (unlikely, i know).
Also, let me know if you need _any_ help. Anything at all.
I'm so fucking happy you're back... and you brought the best souvenier EVaR!
no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 05:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 06:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 06:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 06:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 06:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 06:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 07:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 08:55 am (UTC)Let the poets begin writing; the bards reciting!
no subject
Date: 2005-08-18 01:57 am (UTC)Frikking Canadians
Date: 2005-08-17 12:50 pm (UTC)Re: Frikking Canadians
Date: 2005-08-18 01:56 am (UTC)But once we're situated, the guest room has your name on it! Unless we see you in Athens before (woo!)
no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 01:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 01:16 pm (UTC)Hugs
no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 02:02 pm (UTC)Congratulations and happy homecoming.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 02:47 pm (UTC)It's great to have you both next door. Welcome home John, welcome to Canada Max.
Bienvenue au Canada!
no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 03:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 04:13 pm (UTC)Good luck on your apt hunt in the next few days!
no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 05:02 pm (UTC)You're in!!
Date: 2005-08-17 05:58 pm (UTC)I hope we can set up a Canadian Immigration Meetup at Jericho Beach before it gets too cold!
Do you have a place to live yet? Where are you two staying??
Re: You're in!!
Date: 2005-08-18 01:53 am (UTC)More living out of suitcases...how about youse? Where'd you find a place? How are you finding Vangroovy?
no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 06:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 06:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-18 01:54 am (UTC)B-b-b-b-but I don't know who you really are....
?
no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 10:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-18 12:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-18 02:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-18 03:43 am (UTC)I'm really gonna miss you guys. Not that I got to see you very often. But I'll miss you and regret not getting to know you better while you were here nonetheless. You're both very special men who have inspired me in the past. I guess its times like these I need to be grateful for LJ, not only for the opportunity to meet you guys but for it allowing me to follow your journey even after you've left our shores.
I wish you both the very best of times in your new home.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-18 07:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-18 09:01 am (UTC)You'll have to text me with new number. When you headed Europa-way?
no subject
Date: 2005-08-18 11:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-19 02:28 am (UTC)Hooray!
Date: 2005-08-20 06:38 am (UTC)Call me when you have a minute and maybe we can arrange a coffee date.
Re: Hooray!
Date: 2005-08-20 10:09 am (UTC)Congrats on getting through. I can't wait to meet you when I get through too.
All the best
Jen in Aus
(aka that-studly-bastard-above-me's friend)
Re: Hooray!
Date: 2005-08-20 06:14 pm (UTC)