This exciting article depends on the conversation with ISheeta Borkar, 33 -year -old working in human resources and travel bloggers who live in Vancouver. The conversation was edited for length and clarity.
My husband and I originally from India, but we moved separately to the United States and Canada for more than a decade.
When we met in 2018, he lived in Seattle, and lived in Vancouver. We have dated more than a year, toured the border at the end of each week to meet. After our wedding in 2019, moved to Canada to be with me.
We often travel to the United States because my husband works in a major technical company and has work obligations there, and my sister lives in Seattle.
Since the Canadian citizenship in 2017, I have not faced any challenges to cross borders – until recently.
When we visited Seattle from Vancouver in February, political tensions between the two countries were significantly increasing, and we asked much more questions than usual on the border.
Instead of typical inquiries such as “Where are you going?” Or “What is the purpose of your visit?” We faced more investigation questions such as, “Why are you going there?” Are you planning to work from there? And “How many days do you take? “
We have made the wide interrogation we grew up more tense than before. Now I feel a contract in my stomach whenever we cross the border.
I felt more comfortable to live in Canada.
When I got married, my parents were very surprised that my husband moved to Canada instead of moving to the United States.
After all, the United States is the ground of opportunities. It seems that there are more work prospects for ambitious and professional people, and salaries are often higher.
As an immigrant, I think there is a preference for living in the United States. I have many friends and family members who live there, all of whom are immigrants. Over the years, I noticed that regardless of the visa-tourist visa, H-1B or the green card-they rarely feel confident or safe about leaving the country and returning.
Recently, there have been more questions about when immigrants travel to and from the United States. There is always a feeling of tension for them: “Will I be allowed to return?” Or “What if they did not allow me to return?”
I was not concerned about this in Canada. I can travel freely – leaving and returning easily.
Canada has positives and negatives.
Canada and the United States are similar in many ways, but they are also completely different. Both countries receive many immigrants. However, I think they differ in their societal positions towards new arrivals.
Several years ago, I spent two or three months living with my sister in Seattle. I never felt a full welcome or at home enough to build a life there.
However, on the side of Canada in which we live, people make it easy to feel at home because of their warmth and welcoming stances. It is also easier to obtain permanent residence in Canada, mix it, and be part of society.
Vancouver horizon.
Ron Watts/Getty Pictures
Canada also has other great things, such as comprehensive health care, but some negatives exist.
Over the next ten years, I do not imagine the presence of many opportunities in the United States, not only in terms of high salary or job possibilities, but also in daily services.
Delivery of food and access to Indian grocery stores or other services is limited in Canada, in my experience. Certainly, there are more options in larger cities like Vancouver, but you will not find much when you go to smaller cities inside British Columbia.
Many Canadians are concerned about the customs tariffs and the commercial war looming on the horizon
My husband and I first felt the effects of the trade war after putting our apartment in Vancouver for sale in February.
He was on the market for about three months, and we had some offers and some open houses, but we did not receive any offers.
I think this is because many people are waiting to see how things are playing economically and politically. Many people fear what Trump will decide regarding the definitions and the type of revenge that he may follow.
If there is more definitions, people may expect life to become more expensive. It can make more people think before they spend.
The real estate market also decreases, which contributes to uncertainty about people from buying property.
The couple is on the bike riding.
With the permission of Ishita Burkar
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For example, the BC Liquor Store, a regional winery store in British Columbia, has turned its store. It now stores wine BC more than international choices, such as those in California.
People also support Canada in terms of travel. Some of my friends, who enjoyed warmer places such as Hawaii or Florida, have canceled their trips there.
We are not planning to move to the United States any time soon.
My husband and I will continue to travel to the United States, especially to visit my sister. For her, leaving the country may be more difficult than for me to meet it. I am working away, and it does not do that.
However, if her visit becomes more difficult, they will have to reduce my visits from one month to every three months.
Currently, we plan to stay in Canada. However, we never say about living in the states one day.
If something changes, as if we had an extraordinary chance – a position that would advance any of our career in the United States – and if this is our priority, we may make something temporarily work.
