I'm Going Home

I'm staring out into the night,
Trying to hide the pain.
I'm going to the place where love
And feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain.

Well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home.

The miles are getting longer, it seems,
The closer I get to you.
I've not always been the best man or friend for you.
But your love, it makes true.
And I don't know why.
You always seem to give me another try.

So I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
I'm going home.

Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all,
And then some you don't want.
Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all, yeah.

Oh, well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old.
I said these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
I'm going home.

-Daughtry (or someone else who wrote it)

While I am busy moving & driving

Perhaps you all, Dear Readers, can post comments so that when I finally get to my destination I can read what you all think. It would be nice to know I am not sitting here writing to myself, but it probably won't change anything (as in I like talking/writing to myself and I am a good conversationalist).

Ladies & Gentlemen! In the Center Ring...

Welcome to my life, as I like to refer to it, Cirque de Delicia!

I am moving to the U.S. from Toronto in exactly 5 days. Because Phoenix is not known for their public transportation system, I am forced to drive since no buses or trains go anywhere near my new office. I am giving myself 3 days to make the trip, and I will go solo so staying awake on the passes through places like Oklahoma may be my biggest concern. Our original plan was for me to fly there and then purchase a low-rent car, one good enough to keep running for about 6-9 months, then fly back to Toronto and pick up The Kid either after the end of his first semester this year or at the end of the school year, but me having a car in Phoenix seems like a bigger priority than we originally calculated.


So, the real circus started yesterday. We were in flux about if the husband and The Kid and the two dogs, would stay living in our rental town home or move to someplace smaller or any other viable alternative. Yesterday, it was planned that the husband, The Kid, and the 2 dogs will move in with the in-laws. The Kid will come to live with me either at the end of the semester or the end of the school year, whichever he chooses at a later date and the husband will come as soon as USCIS (U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service) will allow. We are planning on about 1 year for that process, but as CIC has shown us, anything can happen and we have to stay prepared for that.

With my remaining 5 days here in Canada, I not only have to pack myself up and get my ducks in order, I have to move an entire house, much of which has to go into a rented storage facility for the time being. By the time my husband gets to Phoenix, I will pretty much have a furnished place, so not much of that 'stuff' will have to make the trip to the U.S. but we don't have time to sort it all out now. We save that joy for another day.

I will be making another solo drive back to Toronto for Christmas (employer vacation approval permitting) and picking up dog #1 for transport back to the U.S. The return trip, at least my husband will accompany me and keep me company and help with the driving and then he can visit in Phoenix for a bit before returning back to his dreary life in Toronto. Dog #2 will have to wait and move with husband, simply because most apartments in the U.S. allow 1 dog, which leaves me with having to purchase a house the day after my husband gets the nod from USCIS. yeah. right.

I feel like I just did this big relocation to another country... oh wait... I did!

Nemo was swallowed by Moby

Yes, in my preparations for moving back to the U.S., I have that one last open issue with CIC: Nemo. Since I now am withdrawing my application, Nemo has since met with an unfortunate demise. Nemo was swallowed whole by Moby. Now Moby, is huge compared to poor little Nemo; Moby is $1,600.00 wonderful, Canadian, monopoly colored, dollars. Moby is the entire set of fees that I paid to CIC back in October 2005 (including the $975.00 Right of Landing Fee). I almost feel bad for Nemo, but I have bigger fish to fry (pun very much intended).

I decide that CIC, just like every other person or entity on this planet, does not get to have their cake and eat it too. According to CIC's website, the refund of the overpayment is automatic once the file begins processing; there is no need to request the refund, no forms to fill out, no paper to send the friendly paper worshiping Canadian government employees. Recall, that I have been around this circular logic with the Call Center employees already regarding getting an overpayment refund that is still outstanding. I decide now is the time to put it to paper and post it for all the world to see. Either way, at a minimum, I am obligated to receive the Right of Landing fee of $975 refund, since I will not be landing. To add insult to injury, I was informed by the friendly Call Center employees, that CIC can take up to 1 year to refund the Right of Landing fee. I do not think I have ever come across anyone or anything that thinks it is ok to hold a refund that they don't dispute for 1 year, but whatever.


So, I sit down and pen this letter:

September 18, 2007

Citizenship & Immigration Canada
5343 Dundas Street W
3^rd floor
Etobicoke ON M9B 6K5

RE: Withdrawal of Application & Request for Refund of Fees
Client ID 563XXXXX
my name, DOB: XXMarXXXX
my husband's name, DOB: XXFebXXXX

To Whom It May Concern:

We would like to withdraw our applications for In Canada Application for Permanent Residence. This would also include withdrawal for Spousal Sponsorship application and all other related applications for the primary applicant, spouse, and dependents. The file was originally filed with the CIC Vegreville office on February 11, 2006 and noted as received by Vegreville on February 15, 2006. The file was transferred to your office on November 7, 2006.

Due to the time it has taken for your office to even start processing the file, we have elected not to pursue residency in Canada and have instead decided to move out of country. Additionally, the utter lack of communication from your office regarding this file has made this immigration process frustrating and completely unproductive. I hope, for the benefit of future immigrants, your Ministry can find ways to improve the efficiency of this system.

We also request a full refund of fees (excluding the $75.00 processing fee). Enclosed please find a copy of our receipt of payment of $1,675.00 made October 9, 2005. This refund can be mailed to our current address:

our address
our address

Please note that we have not received the refund of overpayment of the right of landing fees in the amount of $485 to which we became eligible in May 2006, although several requests have been made for that refund. The basis for our full refund request lies with the CIC itself that advised that the $485 overpayment refund is issued automatically when the file begins processing. Obviously, since we have not yet become eligible for the overpayment refund due to the file not being processed, it only stands to reason that as such, we should be eligible for the full refund for the file not being processed.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact either of us at our phone.

Regards,

me

my husband

CC: Citizenship & Immigration Canada
Case Processing Center
6212 55^th Ave
Vegreville, AB T9C 1W5

Office of Hon. Roy Cullen, MP
815 Albion Road

I figure Len at our MP's office might appreciate a copy, so why not?

Moreover, I have a note in my calendar for April 15, 2008. I will start resending this letter on a weekly basis to the parties listed if I have not received a refund by that date. I am sure they will appreciate the regular reminders. I think 6 months is gracious on my part, and occasionally, I can be nice and accommodating (tongue firmly set in cheek).