Back on the road to California. That means 📱connection is spotty, can’t often reply, but I try to read all replies & post news alerts.
I say this every time: Returning to US from 🇨🇦 is culture shock, meaning being confronted by Trump/religious signs, banners, billboards. It’s stomach churning.
It’ll be a relief to move permanently in late May.
Yes, Doomers, 🇨🇦 has its issues. So does every country in the world. But 🇨🇦 currently feels safer.
@GottaLaff Canada is safer. I'm a dual USA-Canada citizen who moved to BC 29 years ago. I haven't been to the USA for 4 years and generally don't like traveling there. I had planned to go to the St Louis area for the eclipse but changed my mind.
@GottaLaff@mlmartens you both should come to Port Alberni in September/October when the Martin Mars, also a kind of US-Canadian dual citizen, makes its final departure!
Once in a lifetime event for a unique and incredible plane!
@GottaLaff As you say, Canada isn’t perfect but at least the politics isn’t so in your face, and there is much less gun violence. We have relatives in Ohio and South Carolina but no longer visit the U.S. and won’t until the MAGA threat is dispensed with once and for all.
@GottaLaff There are many wonderful US citizen so it's a shame MAGA has ruined the American reputation.
Often I hear Americans respond to my comments about gun violence by saying, well in my state, or in my area it is alright. They are speaking from within the country so they are not objective. They do not see what the rest of the world is seeing. It is extremely sad.
@GottaLaff We do have gun crime (thanks to US criminals for smuggling) but it is extremely low in comparison and our gun laws are tougher, so yes you are safer here.
As for the political situation, the next election is over a year away and we have work to accomplish but there is time...and I am sure Pierre Poilievre's conservatives will be defeated. He has no solutions to offer only anger and Lies. (He carries the word in his name poiLIEvre)
@GottaLaff
I feel ya… every time I come back to the Bay Area from France it’s like stepping out of a nice quiet novel and into a bad Hollywood action flick.
From a distance you can really see how fast Fascism is coming to America. Scary AF.
@GottaLaff I’ll go through that in a few weeks (😳‼️) visiting from Japan. I always get culture shock, but after four years, it’s going to be worse than ever. Constantly on the alert for violence; service workers openly contemptuous of customers; Karens and Kevins; cameras everywhere… with the added fun of mask-wearing in a place where everyone has been brainwashed into thinking the pandemic is over.
@GottaLaff My spouse recently picked something up for me at 10:30pm from a house where he had never been, from someone he had never met. I couldn't stop thinking about how glad I was that we now live in Canada: I had zero concern that he would get shot for going to the wrong house.
@GottaLaff@ducky maybe you’ve answered this before, but I am wondering how you address the medical insurance issue. I’m older than you, but I don’t think Medicare covers outside of the U.S., so that would keep older ppl from going, even if reasonably stable. Do you buy private insurance in Canada?
I’m so happy for you that you’re doing this. Be safe!
@KimZimmerman@ducky You’re not older than me lol. No US Medicare there but you don’t need it. Canada health care is similar to Medicare for all with supplements for a few things like vision, dental as I recall.
You have to be a resident for three months before you are eligible for Medical Services Plan in BC (not sure about other provinces' regs). You could keep your Medicare for that time (I think) and visit doctors across the border for those three months. You do have to buy private supplemental insurance for eyes, ears, teeth, and some drug costs. (Drug coverage is in the process of changing.)
@MaggyWells Yeah. We switch around during winter months and go up the coast and cut over after the more treacherous snowy parts. But this trip, 5 all the way.
@GottaLaff nice that you have the “luxury” to move. Some of us are stuck here for the dastardly “crime” of being born different (other countries, including canada, don’t allow autistic people to immigrate. Something something “disabled people are a burden on the healthcare system” 🙄)
@GottaLaff A couple months ago, one of my patients became acutely confused and wandered out of his house, out into the streets. He was an elderly black man, and almost deaf. My first thought was, "Someone will call 911 and he's going to get shot!" I drove around until I found him, and called EMS. So good outcome, scary country.