Where’s The Canadian Border?
It Doesn’t Hurt to Live Close to One
For many, many years, I’ve lived close to a Canadian border.
Two things make me feel safe, living close to the Canadian border and owning an up-to-date passport. I recently renewed my passport. I put the old one in a envelope with my application and mailed it off. I paid the extra fee to have the process expedited. The next four weeks, I was restless and insecure. I’m happy to say that it’s back in my hands again.
I lived in central Maine for 32 years. In roughly four hours, we could reach the Canadian border. If I went the opposite direction, in roughly the same time, I’d land in Boston. Two vastly different opportunities, but I appreciated both.
We visited Quebec City often.
We had our favorite places to stay and enjoyed the ambiance of old-world Europe within the walled city. It was fun listening to everyone speak French. Back in the day, Americans could cross the border with only a driver’s license. Lots of Canadians came to Maine on a holiday as well.
I’ve always felt more secure living close to a Canadian border.
That feeling started for me during the Vietnam War. My peers were in deep turmoil as a never-ending, hotly protested war drug on and on and on. Great anti-war songs were written and there were those who even left the US and went to Canada. They were called draft dodgers by some and heroes by others. What they were in my opinion were idealistic young people who refused to go against their conscience to fight a senseless war for which the government couldn’t supply a proper explanation. We knew they knew that we knew that they couldn’t justify the loss of life and limbs on either side.
All these years later, it’s apparent that the young people were right about a lot of things.
My love of living close to the border continues to this day. It has always felt like an extra layer of security. For the past thirteen years, I’ve lived in the upper Midwest very close to the Michigan border.
Once again, I find myself within an easy drive to three out of four land border crossings.
I now live even closer to a border crossing than I did in Maine.
Michigan has four land border crossings, all of which are extremely busy (top 10 highest volume crossings between the two countries). These crossings are Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, Blue Water Bridge, Detroit Windsor Tunnel, and Ambassador Bridge.
About a year ago, I purchased land in the Upper Peninsula.
I’ve written at some length about that decision. Suffice it to say, after much research, I discovered that this region is touted by many scientists as being an area to be less compromised by climate change. Some even predict that it will become the new prime property of the future. There’s an abundance of water there for one thing. Water has become the new gold in the world. Land above the 45th parallel, however, although still vulnerable, will most likely be less impacted by the ravages of climate change in the years to come.
I’m not here to argue the value of my property.
That’s not what this article is about.
I see land as a worthy investment regardless of climate change. It’s my way of burying my money in the ground. Banks have never made me feel safe either. I’m just an old lady who’s seen far too much when it comes to the economy, war, and banks, I guess.
Give me a little soil where I can plant a garden surrounded by forests full of my best friends, trees, and I’m a happy camper.
Another nice thing about our land in the Upper Peninsula is that it’s only twenty minutes away from the Sault Ste. Marie border crossing. That’s a win for me.
If you don’t know much about Sault Ste. Marie, here’s a few little interesting bits. There are two Sault Ste. Maries, divided by the St. Mary River. The river connects Lake Huron and Lake Superior. Sault Ste. Marie was founded as a single settlement in 1688 but was divided in 1817 when the Canadian/U.S. border was established. Sault Ste. Marie Canada is in the province of Ontario and Sault Ste.Marie Michigan belongs to the US.
What fun, eh?
Just crossing the Mackinac Bridge to the Upper Peninsula is enough to make my heart sing. If you’ve never had the privilege, you’re missing an exhilarating experience. I kid you not.
Somehow, I’ve ended up exactly where I want to be.
It wasn’t preplanned but here I am, close to four Canadian borders. Closer than I’ve ever been. I plan to gift my land to my children and granddaughter, enough raw land where they could build houses if they chose. And, if they never decide to do that, well, they’ll still have some money buried in the ground which as my grandparents used to say, “you can’t be too careful these days”.
The last bit of good news about being an American living close to a Canadian border is that I’m allowed to stay for six months each year without a visa.
That’s right. Most countries in the world that allow me to enter their country without a visa limit my stay to 90 days. Canada is one of only six places in the world where I can stay for six month stretches. Lucky me!
Mexico shares a border with the U.S., too. It offers the same — six-month stays for Americans.
I don’t live close to that border, but I have spent months and months in Mexico over the years, in particular San Miguel de Allende. But that’s another story for another time.
By the way, I have an American friend who is retired.
He divides his year between six months in Canada and six months in Mexico. Sort of like a snowbird but a lot more inventive. I like that idea a lot!
Okay. I rest my case.
I consider myself to be lucky for many reasons. I have access to a number of easy escape routes as well as a kind of natural abundance that isn’t found everywhere in the world.
What’s not to love about trees, water, 70-degree summer days, and living close to the Canadian border?
Teresa is a retired educator, author, world traveler, and professional myth buster. You can find her books on Amazon.
