Comments on: I Belong Here... And There Too

By: The Pros and Cons to Canadian Citizenship | Correr Es Mi Destino

The Pros and Cons to Canadian Citizenship | Correr Es Mi Destino — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 02:29:00 +0000

[…] already explained that to me, becoming Canadian was mostly an emotional choice: I chose to live in Canada and wanted to fully belong here. I became Canadian because I felt […]

By: expatraveler

expatraveler — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:52:32 +0000

I’m much like you for my status in California. Most of it is lost, although I do vote. I do have to file taxes but besides that I want to become a Canadian Citizen. I still get called for Jury duty and tell them it’s too hard to go there when I’m permanently in another country…

Much the same, but I still long to go back to Europe so that I don’t loose more of my FRENCH!

By: Adam

Adam — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:50:18 +0000

A belated “congratulations” on your Canadian Citizenship!

By: Zhu

Zhu — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:11:27 +0000

@tikno — It’s true: I made bureaucrats’ lives easier! Thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment!

@Em — Hi Em, thanks for your message! Ireland must be a bautiful place. I must admit I’m not a huge fan of the UK (except for London) but I would love to visit Ireland. Unfortunately, I keep on flying over it when going to France, but that’s it! Oh, well, I can still read Marian Keyes’ books…

I can imagine that, in term of identity, it’s even more weird to move from one UE country to another, due to the lack of paperwork. Yet I guess after 10 years, you are turning more and more Irish… and less French!

How come you chose a Canadian author for your studies?

@Soleil — The cookies are actually… Obama’s cookies!

Let me explain. Obama visited Ottawa sometimes in February (I wasn’t there, we were in Brazil) and stopped at the local French bakery, right besides the Parliament. Pictures were taken etc. and he apparently ate one of these cookies. The bakeries has called it the “Obama cookies” and display them along numerous pictures.

@Final_Transit — I don’t know if I would have been willing to give up my French citizenship if I had had to choose…especially that all my family is in France.

@kyh — Becoming an expat, and then an immigrant, a new citizen is a fascinating experience indeed. But one must like bureaucracy and paperworks!

@Brenda — Same here, even though I love Canada, I miss traveling… can’t always get what you want I guess!

@RennyBA — US does accept dual citizenship now actually, I though that they didn’t and after some research, I discovered it was a myth. It is a bit confusing though apparently.

@DianeCA — Diane, you may not have to let go, since from what I read, US does recognize dual citizenship. You may want to read that: http://www.richw.org/dualcit/

By: DianeCA

DianeCA — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:38:42 +0000

Renny is right, he beat me to the responce. I can’t have dual citizenship so although I can apply for Norwegian citizenship now I have not done so yet. It’s hard to make that decision when you have to let go of your home country. I am very happy for you though, and its great that you can ‘belong’ both places.

By: RennyBA

RennyBA — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:35:05 +0000

It has been so very interesting to follow your process to a fully success. I do understand you are happy, proud and relieved.

It has never been a question for me, but of course my American wife who came live with me in Norway have thought about it. I don’t think US accept dual citizenship though. It’s an important step, so of course I leave it up to her and support her whatever she choose.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:41:57 +0000

Very interesting! It’s quite amazing how much one changes bit by bit while they are living abroad. I’m finding it so difficult to adjust to being in Canada again. I miss my lifestyle a lot, and find the routines here so boring and ‘un-exotic’. Of course this will pass, and we will settle. I’m glad you chose Canada to make your home!

By: kyh

kyh — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 11:59:46 +0000

I’d love to become an expat, and have a taste of living in a country whose culture, language, society and etc are different from my own. I’m sure you’ve learned and grown a lot through your vast travels and experiences.

By: Final_Transit

Final_Transit — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:24:24 +0000

Ah I can imagine the identity conflict and transition. I don’t know if I will take Canadian citizenship because the Indian government doesn’t allow 2 passports. It’s a completely different decision to give up the identity of your home country and I am not ready for all the mental thinking about it… hehehe!

By: Soleil

Soleil — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:18:48 +0000

Most importantly, those cookies look amazing. Where can I get some?

This is a very interesting topic. It seems to me, and please correct me if I’m wrong, that even if you didn’t go abroad with the intention of permanently leaving France, that soon became your objective. I think the intention is the important part here. I know an American woman who is married to a French man and has lived in France for 3 years. She’s in the US on vacation right now and says it no longer feels like home. Her life is in France now.

For me, I never intended to stay in France forever (even though I want another year there!). I was never trying to become French, and I was always acutely aware of being an American in France (the accent doesn’t help with this either).

I also think that in general Americans (and perhaps other nationalities too) tend to be much more patriotic than the French and care more about symbols like the flag, celebrating holidays like Thanksgiving and the 4th of July, and that maybe helps us continue to feel American and part of our country, even after living abroad for several years (but this isn’t true for everyone, see above story).

I’m still very excited that you’re Canadian now!