Drive at Your Own Risk

The crime rate in Vancouver is in general pretty low for a major world city; however, the greater Vancouver area is one of the world's capitals for auto theft. In fact, the nearby town of Surrey is considered the "car theft capital of North America." Therefore, you are planning on visiting Vancouver or the surrounding areas and driving a rental car while you're here, be sure your doors are locked and windows are closed (not even vented) and that you leave no valuables in the car, even if they're out of sight. Do not do the popular Michigan thing of leaving your car running while you go into a gas station or whatever, even if you're only away from it for 2 seconds and it is still in view. These people are ruthless, and I have an aquantience who recently fell victum to their evil ways.

Jeff just told me a story about this guy who was charged with around 70 counts of auto theft. In spite of this, he still drove a stolen car to his court hearing and got caught again. Apparently, most of the stolen cars are used just for a single trip. The thief pilfers the car, drives from point A to point B, and then abandons it. Once he/she wants to go somewhere else, they steal another car, and the cycle starts again--steal, drive, abandon; steal, drive, abandon. Jeff said this is largely due to the crappy public transportation system in Vancouver. Going from point A to point B in a car is considerably quicker than going the same distance in a bus. A lot of big cities have this problem, but it is especially bad in Vancouver.

Luckily, in an effort to reduce auto theft in the Vancouver area, a "Bait Car" program was launched by the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT) in 2002. The program actually originated in Minneopolis in the mid-90's, and it continues to be one of the most successful auto theft prevention programs in the world. The Vancouver program has been extremely successful as well, reducing car theft by 71% since 2002. 71%!

The "Bait Cars" are kind of used like an undercover cop who dresses up like a prostitute to attract solicitors and then arrests them. GPS tracking, microphones and video cameras are installed in the car as well as a remote control system that is used to disable the engine. Once the thief drives away, the police are alerted immediately. They then disable the engine and lock the doors, trapping the thief inside. Police usually leave the car in an unattended parking lot, with the doors unlocked and with valuables visible. Sometimes they even leave the keys in the ignition to make things easier for the thief.

I originally intended this blog to just be a warning and not some sort of research article, but I came across this information when researching auto theft rates in Vancouver and thought it was interesting. Anyways, it's nice to know that progress is being made in the Vancouver area to prevent auto theft, but you should still take great care to secure your car while visiting.

Immigration Update

We were just sent the final bill to complete the processing of my immigration application, which we promptly paid online the same day, so my permanent residency card could come any day now! Hurray! It's been almost 5 months since they received the initial application, so hopefully we'll stay within the average processing time frame of 6-8 months.

Although it will be awesome to finally be granted permanent residency, the actual process doesn't end there. In the last few weeks, I've been working with my Dad to arrange to have my stuff moved from his house in Michigan to a storage facility in Washington State. Why Washington State, you ask? Well, once I am given my permanent residency status, I don't actually become a permanent resident until I go over the border into the US and then go back over the border into Canada, where I will then officially "land" as a permanent resident. At this "landing," Canada gives me the opportunity to bring my possessions (import them) over the border "gratis," meaning I don't have to pay any duties on any of them, including my car. Jeff and I did some rough math, and we estimated that it would have cost around $1,500 in duties just to import my car alone, so we're probably saving a bunch of money on the whole deal thanks to this opportunity. Anyways, we are moving my junk to a storage facility in Washington so that it will be ready to move when I'm allowed to make my final "landing."

Although I don't have to pay any duties on it, importing my car is a whole other process on it's own, and there are still other costs involved. In short, I have to get documentation from GM listing the model's "recall history" and then have the car inspected to see if it conforms with Canadian vehicle safety and environmental standards. If it does not, I have to get the car modified so that it will be in conformance. I know right now that I will probably have to get my speedometer relabeled so that the bigger numbers are in KM instead of miles. I'm not sure if the odometer itself needs to be converted to KM, but I'm assuming so as the mileage is directly tied to the car's value, and there should probably not be any ambiguities in that area.

Even though this crap will probably be a huge pain in the ass, I am so happy to have this process almost over. Going through the border every day is becoming less and less difficult as the officers remember me more and more, but I still come across an occasional skeptic every now and then who gives me a hard and usually stressful time about letting me back in to Canada. The Americans are generally easy to please, and for the last month I had been getting through even without a passport as I had to get it renewed (I used a notarized copy of the first page in addition to every other ID, certificate, etc. that I possess).

In addition to the obvious benefit of being allowed to live with Jeff in Canada forever, sometimes I am pleasantly overwhelmed by the absolute uniqueness of this experience. Living in a foreign country has its own degree of uniqueness and often sizable difficulty, but living in and immigrating to a foreign country is a whole other thing. I'm actually really thankful to be able to experience it. I'm sure the process in obtaining dual citizenship will be even more interesting three years from now (especially due to the fact that I have to pledge allegiance to the Queen of England, something that I never imagined I'd ever do and will feel really weird about), and I am very excited to someday be able to call myself an American Canadian or Canadian American, depending on how you look at it.

"Green" taxis

I don't think this is solely a Canadian thing, but the other day Jeff and I passed a cab that was a Toyota Prius!


I couldn't believe it! Jeff said that they're quite common these days. Cool eh?

(FYI: I didn't take the picture above, but it appears as though it's in Vancouver due to the area code.)

WTF Washington?!

I've decided to change the name of my Washington posts simply for the reason that the title above is way funnier than "Washington Weirdness," and I aim to entertain. Anyways, the subject of today's post concerns my impression that WA hasn't entirely left the 1960's. Evidence to support this claim includes:

1. Washington has a "bug" problem.

It's amazing the things you notice while driving. No, I'm not talking about a large quantity of bugs that splatter across my windshield; rather, the large quantity of "Love Bugs" I pass on my way to and from work. I am amazed at the number of people who possess Volkswagen Beetles. They're everywhere! And a lot of them are decked out with racing stripes (a tribute to "Herby" I'm guessing), daisies, bubbles, and God knows what else. Volkswagen has made a mint off these people.


I swear to God: one day I tried to count all the Beetles I saw that day, and the number was between 10-15 (I lost count after awhile due to my great audio book). It's just crazy.

2. The prevalence of 60's attire and paraphernalia.

I don't interact with a ton of folks outside of work, but from what I've seen, retro attire is still pretty popular, and people decorate their possessions with daisies, peace signs, and other symbols of the late 60's. Take this mailbox for example:


I pass by this mailbox everyday, and the first time I saw it, I almost sprayed Diet Coke all over my dashboard. I told Jeff about it later, and he said it must be kind of funny when the people who live there give someone directions to their house: "Just look for the mailbox with the butterfly and peace sign. You can't miss it!"

Not all or even most of Washingtonians (try pronouncing that correctly) dress or decorate this way, but I've seen it more here than in the Midwest.

3. Popularity of organically-grown food.

This probably doesn't have anything to do with the 60's, but I think it has the same sort of "aura" nonetheless. A few weeks ago I asked a colleague about this place called "Trader Joe's" that appeared to be a grocery store, but I wasn't exactly sure. She said my suspicions were correct, so I headed over there during my lunch hour in search of some much-needed deodorant.


Come to find out, the store actually sells almost all organic food. Now, I'm used to seeing an aisle or two dedicated to organic/health/environmentally-friendly items at the grocery store, but this entire store is there for that purpose, and it was huge!


People were buying entire cart-fulls of the stuff, which I found completely unusual as I don't know many (if any) people who buy almost all organic. The store was super busy too and has prime real estate, right smack dab in the middle of a mid-size strip mall on a major Bellingham street. As usual, my curiosity kicked in enough to ask a store employee what this place's story was. As I was paying for my organic chicken caesar wrap and organic pomegranate blueberry juice (there was no Diet Coke to be found), I asked the cashier "What the heck?" He told me that the store is based out of California and is quite the big thing there. Not recognizing many brand names, I asked if all the food was locally-grown, but apparently that's something they're still working towards. He also said that the store itself is built with the environment in mind, having limited but tasteful decor and energy efficient lighting. They are also trying to sell more fresh produce and less pre-packaged items since they want to create less waste with packaging, something the cashier said was very important to him. Anyways, this guy was all about the Trader Joe's, and even though there were like 4 people behind me in line, he went on and on about how great it was, and eventually I moved further and further towards the door in an effort to make him stop talking and pay attention to those poor people behind me in line.

Oh yeah, in case you were wondering--I never did get my deodorant. They didn't have many health and beauty products except stuff like toilet paper made from recycled paper that came from paper produced from organically-grown trees.


All and all, Washington consists of some pretty interesting people. When chatting with some co-workers, I eventually realized that for once I am working in a state that's truly "blue," and not a state that could go red at any minute (MI), a state that goes red because their voting system is flawed (OH), or a state that's so red that it turned color about an hour and a half before any other state changed color at all in the last election (KY; I got some angry texts after that one..."Gail, Kentucky just went RED!" as if it was my fault or something). I can't really draw a clear connection between this and WA being stuck in the 60's, but I guess their liberal attitude is still pretty prevalent as it was back then, and that is wonderfully refreshing. Washington: I like you--even though you're weird.

Gail's Guide for Customs Survival

Having now crossed the US-Canada border 54 times, I'm starting to learn what to do and what not to do when crossing. This may not be so interesting or useful for most people, so, if you are one of those people, feel free to stop reading anytime--I'll understand. But for me and those like me, these methods become a source of survival in terms of saving time and, most importantly, sanity. So, here are Gail's Tips for US-Canadian Customs Survival.

1. Think about what you're going to say to the official(s) before you approach them. If you're stuttering and searching for explanations, they'll get suspicious and ask you even more questions that you'll have an even harder time explaining. Also, they can be kind of intimidating at times, and this may make explaining things a bit more difficult if you're not well prepared.

2. Make sure your passport and whatever other documents that will facilitate your entry are ready when you approach the booth. This past June, the US started requiring a passport of everyone crossing the border, now required for ground in addition to air. Canada, however, does not have this requirement for ground travel, although a passport is probably preferred over any other form of picture ID.

If you're like me and have an unusual reason to enter and stay in the country, be sure to bring any other documents that will substantiate the legitimacy of your reasons. For example, since I'm still going through the immigration process, I bring all the correspondence I have received from the department of immigration to prove and show the status of my application. I've found that without this, the Canadian officers are more hesitant to let me in without a "fight," as I only have visitor status in the country and shouldn't be residing there as thus unless actively immigrating, which I am. I don't wait for them to ask me for this documentation; I just stick the most recent correspondence in my passport and hand them the whole thing. I also bring along a copy of our marriage certificate just in case the officers don't believe my claim of being married to a Canadian. I've never felt the need to show this nor have I ever been asked for it, but I have it in the event of an emergency.

3. Put your car in park. Officers will frequently go around it to look in your back seat and at your license plate, and if they desire to do so, they'll tell you to do this anyway for their own safety. Plus, you don't want to accidentally let off the brake and make them think you're making a run for it. A few officers may tell you to shut off the car altogether, although this has only happened to me a couple of times and is a matter of preference and not a rule.

4. Take off your sunglasses. I've never been able to get through without doing this, even when dealing with officers who now recognize me.

5. Think about what you're bringing in before you attempt to cross. It's not that you're not allowed to take any stuff you bought in one country into the other country, but there are rules limiting the transport of certain alcohol, tobacco, and agricultural products, as well as some high-value merchandise.

One day I was asked if I had any agricultural products on board. I peer down at the passenger seat and look at the banana that I had brought to eat along the way. I think, "oh crap" and say softly "Uh, a banana...?" I secretly prepare myself to throw it into the parking lot behind me in the direction of Canada. Luckily, before I hurl the forbidden fruit back into its country of origin, the officer says "A banana is OK." Whew! I had totally forgotten that you're not supposed to bring stuff like that over the border. While driving, I got to wondering: if a banana is OK, what isn't OK? A kiwi? A potato? 100 potatoes? A bonsai tree? Pig tongue? Well, according to the US Department of National Security website, all plant and animal products (including my banana) are supposed to be declared, inspected for "pests," and approved before going over the border. The guy apparently let me off easy.

Even though I've never had to pay duties on anything I've brought into either country, I've heard if this happening. In fact, Jeff was made to pay duties on a pack of cigarettes upon returning to Canada from the US. This is just dumb, but they have a right to do it, so beware.

6. Tell the truth. Even if you're entering the country for a reason that you may think will sound a bit shady, it's better to tell them the shady reason for entry than to look even shadier if and when they find out that you lied. You have to remember that your talking to the country's Department of National Security and not just a toll booth operator (not to discount the value of toll booth operators, but they're only going to deny you entry if you can't pay the toll or threaten their lives). Governments are taking issues of national security rather seriously these days, so you don't want to mess with it. I'm not sure what information they record when you talk to the officials (if any), but lying to a customs officer may bar your future attempt into the country as well.

7. Do what you're told. Unless it sounds unethical, do whatever the officials tell you to do without causing any trouble. There's been one instance when I was told by a Canadian official to park under the canopy where they tear apart vehicles and go inside so I could get my vehicle inspected. I have no idea why this particular officer (whom I'd never seen before) felt that I needed my car inspected as I told him the same stuff I've told the other officials everyday, but I did what I was told without question, even though it made absolutely no sense.

I go into the customs office and wait in like for 15 minutes, during which I witnessed a group of people get denied entry, which I think was a good reality check to remind me that this does happen and that I need to keep my shit together when crossing the border. I'm not sure why these "No Entries" (as the officials called them) weren't allowed in, but I wasn't about to ask in fear of becoming a "No Entry" as well.

Anyways, once I get up to the counter, I simply explain to the officer my usual speech, that I live in Abbotsford with my Canadian husband, am going through the immigration process and come through here every weekday as I work in Bellingham. The officer briefly glances at my passport and simply says, "OK, good-bye." and my car was never inspected. If this happens again, I'm probably not going to resist the officer by saying that this has already happened and the officer in the office didn't feel the need to inspect my car as I don't want it to appear as though I have something to hide. The officer in the booth recorded everything I said on a form and instructed me to give it to the official indoors, so maybe next time, if I resist the inspection, that officer WILL feel the need to inspect my car. I obviously have nothing to hide anyway, so I'll continue to humor them by complying to their insensible requests, even though they're a big waste of my time and completely unnecessary.

8. I'm not really sure how to list this as a "tip", but the first question I'm always asked is "Where do you live?" I not only give them the answer to this question, but I also go on to say, without stopping, that I live with my Canadian husband, am going through the immigration process, and work in Bellingham. For awhile I thought that you shouldn't say anything other than the questions you're asked in fear of saying something that will lead to an inspection or whatever, but I know they're going to ask this anyway, and it takes a lot longer for them to piece these facts together with a series of questions, so I just tell them so they get a quick, cohesive explanation. This isn't to say that you should jabber on forever, but I think it's better just to give them the essentials upfront and then let them go from there.

Upon beginning this entry 2 weeks ago on my Blackberry, I never thought I would have so much to say about this seemingly-simple experience of going through customs. Evidently, I do. Even though it's really annoying to have to do twice a day everyday, I think it's pretty unique. How many people spend everyday in two different countries? Sometime this year Jeff and I hope to move to White Rock, a beautiful town right on the Pacific. From there it will only be a half hour drive for me, and I'll be able to go through a border crossing with a Nexus lane (the crossing I take doesn't have one), making this process waaaaaaaaay easier as I can just drive right through without dealing with anyone. But until then, I will continue to cross according to the rules above and hope for the best.

Washington Weirdness

Although the State of Washington is obviously not in Canada, the only reason I am going there is because I live but can't work in Canada; therefore, I think it's ok to include stuff about it in this blog (I blame Canada for deflecting attention from itself).

Anyways, it probably be more fitting to call this new segment of my blog "Washington Uniqueness," but that doesn't sound nearly as good as "Weirdness," so there ya go. Driving almost 60 miles round trip through WA everyday gives me plenty of time to discover unique differences between it and the states in the Midwest in which I have worked and resided. I wasn't expecting to find anything in WA unique enough to write about, but I was pleasantly surprised at my following discoveries:

#1: Infestation of drive thru-only coffee houses

On my 27 mile-long commute through Northern Washington farmland, I pass what I deem a ridiculous number of drive thru coffee houses. If I stray from my usual route, I discover even more. Washingtonians love their coffee, and they love it fast. This really isn't surprising though since Starbucks is based in Seattle, a mere 2 hours south of here. I ironically don't pass any Starbucks stores--mostly rinky-dink little shack places in the middle of nowhere like this:

Maybe I live in a bubble, but I have never seen a drive thru-only coffee place like this in the Midwest, ever. There is no shortage of them in the big city of Bellingham either:

The majority of these places, even the ones in the middle of nowhere, are open 24 hours, apparently supporting the truckers and third-shifters of WA. Anyways, this drive thru coffee phenomenon isn't super bizarre by any means, but I just thought it was fun and unique.

#2: Fred Meijer-Fred Meyer Parallel Universe

A week ago I asked one of my coworkers if there was anywhere near the office that I could get a money order. He listed off a couple of places, including "Fred Meyer." I was like, "You guys have Meijer here?!?!" close to having a heart attack. He said no, it's different. I couldn't believe it, so at the stroke of 11:30 I drove over there, hoping to see the familiar red and blue Meijer sign. Instead I got this:

Doh! WTF?! I go inside, and "Fred Meyer" is the same type of department/grocery store that Meijer is, just a bit more ghetto. I was slightly disappointed, but maybe our beloved "Meijer" stores will make it out here someday and blow the impostor "Meyer" out of the Pacific.

Cell phone madness

Is it less expensive to:

A) Call a Canadian cell phone that's being used in the US with a US cell phone that's being used in the US;
B) Call a Canadian cell phone that's being used in the US with a Canadian cell phone that's being used in the US;
C) Call a Canadian cell phone that's being used in the US with a US cell phone that's being used in Canada; or
D) Call a Canadian cell phone that's being used in the US with a Canadian cell phone that's being used in Canada?

Anyone who can come up with the correct answer wins a touque!