Job Discussion Forums

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

It's been almost a year and a half since I've been back home. Any advice on how to deal with culture shock? I'll only be back home for about a week to deal with the Canadian government for renewing my identification such as passport, BC, and driver's license.

On my last trip, I didn't have much to do with Canadians, except friends. I think I'm far too acculturated to Mexico to really associate with people back home though.

MixtecaMike · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 643 Location: Guatebad

1) Don't go.
I haven't been back to Australia since I left on a vacation in Jan 1995. I haven't been back to NZ, where I was born, since maybe '92 or 93.
2) Act hard done by.
Whenever you are asked to sign a form, wait in line, etc, say "Hijoles, why are doing this to me? Just 'cause I'm from Mexico?" not forgetting to pronounce the x as a velar fricative. With a bit of luck they'll offer to let you renew your papers by internet next time, just to get rid of you.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Thanks for the smile. I was thinking about wearing a mariachi outfit every single day of my trip back. Maybe grow a little moustache too.

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

typo...HC I meant. Health card.

I'm not looking forward to HOURS in line at government offices. For some reason, destiny, or some cosmic irony, every piece of identification I have expires on the same day of this year....my birthday. I hope the bureaucrats will at least throw me a little party in the waiting room.

Geez, in Mexico, I could buy a driver's license without waiting in line, go to Tepito and get a counterfeit CDN passport, and bribe my way through health insurance. But no. I just have to do it the legal way. Laughing

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

My wallet was stolen last year, so I had to get a new birth certificate. They were willing to mail that - but I still have to go back to BC to get a new driver's licence.
I've also replaced my passport while here. It's a real pain in the arse and costs a lot more to do here (about $200 with all the extra paperwork required).

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

Is the Health Card part of the socialised medical system that Canada has? I'm assuming its similar to Australian Medicare. My Medicare card mysteriously disappeared somewhere between the Big H and east coast Australia last year, and while I applied to get a new one, I have no idea whether it actually arrived. It hadn't arrived at my sister's house before I left.

Thing is, I still managed to go to the doctor for free, because it was all on the computer. All I had to do was show some ID and try to remember the address I lived at when I last went to the doctor in Australia. Its rather pathetically exhilarating not to even have a Medicare card! Honestly, if you're not planning on being back in Canada for a while, and the card only gives you access to socialised healthcare, I wouldn't bother...

As for the others, I guess they need to see your face, so, you're going to be in lines a lot. Crying or Very sad

Why not invent a fun game to while away the hours making tails? Best bum cleavage, who has managed to make themselves up to look like Tammi Faye Baker, stuff like that??

Lozwich.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

matttheboy · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Posts: 854 Location: Valparaiso, Chile

In england you can do all of those things by post. also, you should be able to get a new passport at your local embassy. I got my new passport from the British Embassy in Buenos Aires in 2 days.

Driving licences are issued only by post in england, international driving licences also available by post from the AA. Health cards don't exist-you just go to the doctor and say 'i'm ill, give me drugs' and he'll sort you out. Once you get a prescription from a doctor on an official NHS prescription pad you can get your medicine from the pharmacy at the subsidised price.

I would have thought that Canada, the US and Australia would have similar systems in place so you'd never have to see anyone in person in order to get your passport, driving licence etc...

As for culture shock..it's only a week...i had 6 weeks back in england over christmas and new year, in mid-bloody-winter, missing a lot of summer sun in argentina...and i survived (my bank balance didn't though, i spent more in 6 weeks in england than i would in 4-5 months here)...you could walk around with a permanent look of bewilderment on you face...the look you probably had when first arriving in mexico...fear of everything, of all those pesky foreigners wanting to rip you off, kidnap and murder you...and say 'no entiendo' to everyone. That's if you actually see anyone on the streets of Ottawa (i seem to remember you mentioning you come from there)-the deadest, most boring city i've ever been to in my life...what do people do there to have fun???? Or is renewing documentation what passes for fun?? Very Happy

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Fun in Ottawa was legislated only to occur betwen the hours of 7 and 8 PM on every second Wednesday. But it must be quiet fun. No smiling or loud laughter! Laughing

Aw, it won't be that bad. Last two times I went were with my wife, and I got to play tourist. I'm going alone this time. It will of course be nice to see the family. If at least there would be a hockey game to go and see, I could enjoy the trip. But no. The league is on strike. Perhpas it will be fun to watch the last of the snow melting.

I can do my passport here, but the driver's license and health card have to be done from back home. Here's the catch for me. I need the driver's license and passport to get the health card. I need the health card to get a passport. I need to do a road test to get the drivers license because mine has been expired three years.

The health card is your ticket or passport to our socialized health care system, though it is registered by province, not nationally. I keep it active because it is my security blanket should I ever fall seriously ill in Mexico. I will not trust myself to Mexican health care, unless it's something minor. Good care here is available but it costs an arm and a leg, no pun intended.

Alitas · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 187 Location: Maine

My advice is to drink. Try and track down old friends or relatives you actually like. Go to your favorite places because who knows when you will see them again. You might realize they aren't your favorite places any more, allowing you to move on. Be sure to eat any foods you just can't get in Mexico. The snow probably will not move you. Spring snow never does. Visit any graves you need to. This is my advice. Do not forget to drink. Molson, anyone?

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 5:40 pm Post subject:

I agree with Alitas. Alcohol lubricates otherwise intolerable situations- also try to have some laughs by telling people about life in Mexico.

You can invent the most ridiculous stories, tell them about your hut in the jungle, encounters with headhunters and guerillas, and see who believes you. Very Happy

Justin

PS Tim, How the !"#$ do you tolerate two weeks in Iowa every year? I am from Idependence, and everytime I go back, I'm looked at like a total freak...

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Oh, I'll be bringing back my maximum allowance in tequila, and it ain't for gift givin'

Telling stories...good idea. On my first trip back, during my bachelor party at an Ottawa bar, I convinced the barkeep that I was from Belize, putting on a ridiculous Spanish accent (never mind that they speak English there). I conned him into giving me several bar mugs for free as a momento of my bachelor party, which I skillfully wove as a deep held traditional among my people, the Belizeans.

My Spanish accent is much improved now. How about a little help from you all on a whopper of a story to tell strangers back home? I'll be in a bar, gathering a crowd around to hear something...so it best be good. Perhaps something involving cannibals, the CIA, and of course, a beautiful, exotic, dark-skinned woman named Mila.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 6:16 pm Post subject:

Definitely include a miltary coup in the story- they happen so often in LA that nobody will bother to verify.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

Guy, this means that you didn't sever ties from Canada? My Provincial medicare is no good if out of Canada for more than 3 months at a time, so doesn't cover me since I chose to live in Mexico. (Anyway in BC, you would die waiting to get into surgery or to a specialist so I am better off with IMSS in Mexico) I long ago let my DL expire and have a Mexican DL. Isn't it better tax wise to declare as a non-resident of Canada, with the current tax agreement between the two countries?

This subject fascinates me because I meet so many retirees here in Mexico who haven't come clean in Canada as to where they are really living, and are paranoid to even register with the Consulate here for emergency purposes. I haven't been able to figure this out. Any ideas out there?

FYI, there was a good blurb about reverse culture shock on the Canadian Government website. They have an interesting section on traveling abroad and tax situations too.