Canada, Our 51st State

[Trace Malinowski]

As some of you may know, I suffered decompression sickness that left me with permanent neurological injuries back in 2018. At the time, I was living seasonally in the 1,000 Islands region of New York and I would make several dives in the Brockville, Ontario, area every week.

Last summer, I returned to freediving and ventured back to the St. Lawrence River. I did not have a valid passport, nor a good excuse to enter the country if I did have one, so I remained in the USA. This year, Canada relaxed its very strict COVID-19 travel restrictions, and as of October 1, 2022, you can cross the border with ease and a passport. I crossed on the afternoon of the 1st, saw some friends, and was thrilled to be back on Canadian wrecks using SCUBA!

Yesterday, I had strabismus surgery on my right eye (patched in my avatar) to begin a process that might surgically fix what Type II DCS broke.

During the outpatient surgery experience, I learned that Canada is part of the USA and takes longer than one month to reach or return from:

Admissions: Have you traveled anywhere outside of the country in the past 30 days?
Me: Canada.
Admissions: Foreign travel?

Later...

Nurse: Have you traveled anywhere outside the country in the past 30 days?
Me: Canada.
Nurse (skeptical): Within the past 30 days?

 

[-JD-]

I don't know, sometimes I believe we mutually look across the border and think "Well, they are a little odd (ya know, like our/your/my Uncle Joe), but not really foreign ..."

 

[txdamselfish]

I love them Canadians.

 

[rhwestfall]

@Trace Malinowski ,

Good to hear the healing process is continuing. Hey, at least you were in costume for Pirates Week!

I too live in a border town, and actually see Canada when looking south. Outside the pandemic, I was constantly back and forth "across the line". I'm missing a lot of friends "over there"....

Glad you got over to visit.

Part of the US? Damn, that foils my US exit strategy of our little Island; "fire a shot at Canada and surrender"....

Also now annoyed as I just renewed my NEXUS. Perhaps it isn't needed anymore?

 

[rhwestfall]

Nearly as bad as telling someone you went to New Mexico, and they asked how the border issues are.....

 

[Wibble]

Shouldn't it be "The USA is part of Canada"? After all Canada's larger than the US and we all know that size matters ;-)

 

[Jcp2]

Most Canadians huddle within a couple of hours drive to the United States as the winters are unpleasant up there. Every once in a while you might meet somebody that lives farther in exile, like Edmonton.

 

[Marie13]

I read a very funny and very unpolitically correct description of Canadians a while back.

Snow Mexicans



Note: I’m half Canadian.

 

[Boarderguy]

I read a very funny and very unpolitically correct description of Canadians a while back.

Snow Mexicans



Note: I’m half Canadian.

Are you also half Mexican? I like to joke with my kids that I'm (95% white) more Mexican than them or their mother (full). The boy (almost 13) seems to think he is more Mexican than his sister (16) because she doesn't like tacos lol.

 

[Marie13]

Are you also half Mexican? I like to joke with my kids that I'm (95% white) more Mexican than them or their mother (full). The boy (almost 13) seems to think he is more Mexican than his sister (16) because she doesn't like tacos lol.

Nope. All Northern European background. Large dash of French-Canadian, too, so I make jokes about them, too.