Dear Canada,

I do not know how to put into words how grateful I am to you. This last week has been considerably more enjoyable thanks to your existence.

You see, there are a few things about being a US citizen abroad that get old after a while. Check that. They were mundane to begin with and wear quickly. They're the same queue of questions, and they numb the mind each of the countless times they're addressed. Perhaps the most burnt out of those, would be "Where is better, USA or Russia?" after which, they mention someone of some relation who is living in some or another state, and says that it's better there, but that they miss something about Russia. Guess most folks here just have that nagging urge to hear it from me, but ... whatever. What's worse, is that whatever answer I give is bound to spawn a bunch of other nearly equally burnt out questions. That's where you come in.

Just this last week it struck me, why not mix things up a bit by throwing in something unexpected, less controversial--you! I was sure you wouldn't mind, I was giving you compliments after all. "Yeah, Canada is better by far, best place in the world!" Shaboom! Whole string of climate comparisons, REJECTED! My views on politicians and their parties, ACCESS DENIED! Broad mentality generalizations, SIDESTEPPED! To boot, of the three times I've used this answer so far, no one has even bothered to ask if I've ever been there. The only follow up so far has been why, to which I reply that you have a more constructive immigration policy than the US. From there, no more questions I have to answer. The topic either dies, or they take over and tell me their immigration stories of their relatives, and I'm free to just sort of start tuning them out. I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed this freedom. I'll be forever indebted.