Greg and Kat's blog

Today was my first full day as an American (or at least as a semi-
legal resident of the US).

We got a bank account. The guy we dealt with at the bank was Asian (Chinese?). Add one to the list of “things I thought I’d never see, but then I did”: a big bald Asian guy saying “ooh lordy, it’s warm in here” with a slight southern accent, and fanning himself. (Think of a softened version of Forghorn Leghorn for an idea of the accent.)

Kat got a tour of the new lab while I found stuff online that I probably should have looked at before we left (like a map of Chapel Hill and UNC). We got a cell phone without incident.

We had dinner at a Mexican place. Really authentic? Probably not, but tasty.

Let’s start with yesterday… the day of traveling from Vancouver to Chapel Hill.

My biggest worry was Immigration into the US (which they do at the Toronto Airport). I was with my wife, a US citizen, who was going to start a job. I am not a US citizen, traveling without a visa, and leaving in a-couple-of-months-I-promise. If I was behind the desk, I know what I’d think.

But, all for naught. The guy was more worried about why Kat married “one of them”. (Yes, he was kidding.)

Once we arrived, I sort of realized that I was living in another country, with a little cash, no bank account, or phone, or car, or any of those things you need to get through the day. I have even more respect for those who come to Canada to make a better life for themselves: at least I spoke the language and knew the culture.

But, things are rolling now…

So, I guess I have spent enough time living vicariously through other people and their blogs. It’s about time I put all of my deepest secrets on the Internet for everybody to read.