As of today it’s official. We have an actual destination in mind when we discuss moving!  We’ve spent the last twelve months speculating and dreaming all kinds of crazy dreams. So before I tell you where we are moving….let me tell you where we are not moving! (This is fun, isn’t it? :))

We are not moving to back home to Saskatchewan. Not so much because we don’t want to. We tried. There isn’t a lot of opportunity there, but there is some. Unfortunately, none of the possibilities we explored worked out. So going home is out. I have mixed feelings about this. Obviously I will really miss home and our community there. But it just doesn’t seem to be working out at this point so I am trying to accept it. Who knows? Saskatchewan may still be in our future at some point.

We are not staying here in London (that’s London, Ontario and not London, England, for those just tuning in). There was a point when we seriously considered some opportunities here. At first I thought it was completely crazy, but we have gotten used to this city and, after a year, have made some good friends. I will be sad to leave this place and I am grateful for the memories we have made here.

We are not moving to Toronto. I have to say this with a big ol’ heap of relief. I say that with absolutely NO offense meant to those of my readers who live in Toronto. There are many reasons to love Toronto. I have no really logical reason to not want to live there. None whatsoever. I can’t explain it. But it’s just simply not the place for me. When the hubby started his program there were many who told us “Oh, you just say you don’t want to end up in Toronto. But you’ll see! In the end you’ll cave, just like everyone else does.” So maybe it’s just my own stubborn will that makes me want to “show ‘em”. Before Christmas we did strongly consider an opportunity in Toronto. But again, it just wasn’t right for us.

We are not going to Ireland. This maybe seems way out in left field for this down-home prairie girl who, a year ago, mostly just wanted to go home. But the hubs and I have had a dream of living overseas with our kids. Ireland is a major technology center in Europe right now and as the hubs’ expertise is in the field of technology we decided to give it a try. But it turned out to be harder than we originally hoped it would be. So we agreed that that dream would have to be put on hold for a while.

So where are we going? (Here it is! The moment two of you you’ve all been waiting for!) The hubs has accepted a job in Boston, Massachusetts (aren’t you impressed that I’m already spelling that correctly?). Yes, yours truly is headed south to the United States. This is something I truly never pictured us doing. Never in a million years did I imagine we would move to the states. And certainly not a huge center like Boston! All my whining about Toronto being too big seems kind of silly now, doesn’t it?

I’ve spent almost no time in the USA.* I know almost nothing about Boston. I’ve never even been to Massachusetts. And somehow I’ve agreed to MOVE THERE. Those who know me well are probably thinking I should be locked up immediately I’ve gone temporarily insane as this kind of flexibility is extremely out of character for me. The truth is that I am oscillating between sheer panic and excitement on an hourly basis. It is going to be an adventure and I know we are going to have some great experiences. But we all know moving to a new city is fraught with the awkwardness that is making new friends and getting to know a completely new place.

Just between you and me, internet, I’m a little worried about living in the states. I’m worried about looking like a blathering idiot while trying to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit, kilometers to miles, and trying to remember where the hell 50 different states are located. I’m concerned that my liberal(ish) views and my Canadian upbringing, which was ripe with plenty ‘o disdain for the USA, will cause me to say things which will offend the people with whom I hope to make friends. I’m extremely afraid that I have a great many misconceptions about Americans and I’ll show myself to be foolish and ignorant. Like, even the fact that I just suggested that my views are too liberal for the oh-so-conservative Americans I will encounter, I mean, wtf? I’m sure America is chock full of people whose views are a hell of a lot more shocking than mine.

I am also worried that I will show how ignorant I am of Canadian history, geography and politics. I’m a reasonably intelligent person but certain kinds of facts (like where rivers are located or how the different levels of government operate) simply don’t take hold in my brain. Dear America, Please don’t judge me! I’m smarter than I sound and I’m a quick learner! Promise!

I have had a number of people expound on the many (supposed) cultural differences between Americans and Canadians. But no one seems to be able to tell me exactly what those differences are. So dear, readers, I am asking you all to share your wealth of knowledge and experience with me. I know there are at least a few of my readers who have lived in both countries and many who have traveled extensively in the states and I’m hoping that some of you can fill in the blanks for me. Tell me what I need to know. Tell me what I can do to not embarrass myself! What’s the scoop on our friends south of the border? I need you internets! Don’t fail me now! But please, no name-calling and such. I’m not looking for mockery or put-downs. These are my soon to be friends and neighbours we’re talking about. I just want a little education from those with more experience.

And, on the off chance that any of my readers live in the Boston area, drop me an email at shannon@livinginthegray.com. I would love to stalk you meet you, should the opportunity arise!

*Ok, I did live in Los Angeles for one year. But I was seven. Ninety-nine percent of my memories from that year involve going to Disneyland or a girl in my class who wore patent leather Mary-Janes every day because she said wearing running shoes would make her pigeon-toed (I devoted a great deal of thought to the subject and concluded that this theory was bullshit, but because I wanted to have friends, I didn’t say anything).