24 August 2011

Taking the test

We reached another stage in our emigration journey today.


This imposing building is the immigration office in Kingston, where Mike and I reported earlier this afternoon to establish our identities, prove we could speak English - bit tricky for Mike, that one, but he seemed to manage OK ;-) - and complete a 20-question multiple-choice test on Canadian history, geography, economics and politics. It was fine. The questions were straight-forward and we were in and out of the building in one hour. There were only ten of us taking the test and curiously, Mike was the only man. We all had a bit of a chat before the test started and heard some horror stories from one of the women whose family had taken the test in Toronto, where there were many more people and it took three hours to interview them all before the test started.

When we got home, the children proudly presented us with a cake that they'd made to mark the occasion:


Hidden by the generous helping of sprinkles are the words 'Nice Job' and a thumbs-up. Good to know that they have confidence in our abilities!

We won't know for sure whether we've passed the test until we hear from the immigration office. If we have, then we'll be invited to a ceremony with a citizenship judge in September. Fingers crossed...

We're thinking we will have a party to mark the transition to officially being Canadians. It will be quite nice not to have to read the 'Discover Canada' book again: we've been having to learn the whole thing over the last few weeks. And we are comprehensively Sick To Death of it.


8 comments:

Linda said...

Congrats on passing the first stage, now just the ceremony, then you will both officially be Canadian citizens.

Diana Studer said...

Hope the citizenship judge doesn't read Sick to Death ;~) But I imagine you are home and dry!

Lisa from Iroquois said...

Congratulations and welcome :)
So have you considered what to serve for your celebratory family feast? seal flippers or perhaps cod from Nfld,mussels from PEI, lobster from NS/NB, poutine from Quebec, wine from Ontario, perogies from Manitoba, bread made with prairie wheat, beef from Alberta and fruit or maybe salmon from BC :) All yummy, all Canadian!

Amanda said...

Thanks all! I love your idea of a pan-Canadian feast, Lisa. Well, apart from the seal flippers, perhaps...

Northern Beauty Seeker said...

Congratulations, Amanda! Two thumbs up. ;)

Esther Montgomery said...

It jolts me, this post. It must be wonderful to find country where you feel so much at home you want to 'belong' properly and become a citizen. But I think I would find it hard to cut adrift from my roots. Can you be Canadian and English all at once?

Amanda said...

Hi Esther - yes, we can hold dual citizenship, so we will still be British but also Canadian. The main advantage will be being able to vote here (I've been feeling very disenfranchised ever since we arrived). And being able to have British and Canadian passports will give us all about as much freedom and flexibility in terms of travel and working abroad as it is possible to have (easier to travel to the US, for example). We will have to swear allegiance to the Queen as part of the citizenship ceremony (which will seem rather odd!).

Montag said...

Congratulations, brave hearts!