what you wish for

On Friday I got my approval notice from the UK Home Office—my visa was approved! Just a few hours earlier that day I had been marveling at Montreal and how it surprised me by providing almost everything I want in a city: good public transit, lots of parks and mature trees, friends to hang out with, and a community of Black women writers. So why am I leaving? Because three months ago I had a different idea of what it meant to live in Canada…I still have projects I can only research in the UK so I don’t regret all the time, effort, and money that went into my visa application. But I wasn’t overjoyed when I got the news and couldn’t even think of a way to celebrate. I just got to work, which is what I always do; found some realtors online and contacted some listings in different parts of Birmingham. I don’t know anyone there but it’s central and I had a great day touring the city center last spring. I linked my eVisa so I can share it with landlords or employers. I canceled my subscriptions here in Montreal and will notify the Health Department that my residency has come to an end. I got my Quebec health card but never used it since I wasn’t sure I’d be in the province for the required six months. I need to see if I can get my prescriptions filled before I go. I had to pay upfront for 3 years of UK healthcare (close to $4500) but don’t know if it takes effect immediately. I booked my flights (Montreal to Dublin, Dublin to Birmingham) and will find a hotel if the short-term rentals I’ve contacted don’t respond. Transitions are hard but once you get over the hump and start living in a place, life usually turns out to be quite ordinary.

I haven’t finished the Ireland novel so that will take top priority. Then I’d like to try making a zine based on the notes I took in Liverpool this past spring. And then I could hire a genealogist to figure out where exactly my English ancestors are from. I just saw my updated ethnicity estimate from the UK site My Heritage and it’s absurd—I went from being 46% English to 6.5%, and now my biggest European source is Portugal. Not a chance. I need to contact some scholars in Bristol who specialize in Nevisian transplants from the eighteenth century. And then there’s the Viking novel! My Instagram friend invited me to her book launch in London in October so it’ll be nice to meet her in person and maybe meet some other kid lit people. I met some folks on my Lake District day trip last spring; they’re also moving to the UK (from Belgium) so I’ll try to reconnect with them. I tried to do a virtual tour of a flat this afternoon but the realtor couldn’t find the key and abruptly ended the call. Think I’ll just trust that there’s a home waiting for me in Birmingham and not try to pin something down in advance of my arrival.

Probably won’t be able to write this week but I’m trying to stick to my routine as much as possible. Tea with friends on Wednesday and lunch with others on Friday. Might try to squeeze in a day trip to Quebec City…purge and then pack. See you on the other side of the pond!