u/ranatalus

Me (41F, USA/CAN dual citizen) and my partner (38F, USA) are looking to begin some long-term travel near the end of this year, and I'm just looking for any sort of general advice, pitfalls to avoid, things we may not consider that could be helpful, etc. If it's something you wish you'd known when you started, I'd love to hear it!

Our big-picture plan (for the moment) is being nomads around LatAm for ~6 months, followed by a "home base and travel from there" period in Europe for maybe a year. We're also considering spending some time in SE Asia/Oceania, but that's far down the line and we'll worry about those specifics when we get closer.

We've both done some light solo travel, and we're both avid hikers/nature backpackers so we're used to roughing it now and then. We're fine staying in hotels, hostels, airbnb, or camping now and then; whatever fits our budget and plans.

I have a handful of maintenance meds that I'll need to keep up on, nothing that is rare, restricted, or controlled.

Financially, we're secure enough that we don't have to worry about a 2-3 year sabbatical, but not so much that we're looking to FIRE. I may do some remote consulting while traveling.

Like I said before; anything you wish you'd known before you started, I would love to hear. We're tentatively excited but just want to be sure we aren't getting off on the wrong foot without realizing it.

Thank you!

Hi y’all. As the title says, I’m on 100mg and have been there for just about 3 months after the taper up. Effects have been life changing for my bipolar symptoms—I’m much more consistently eurythmic, intrusive/self-deprecating thoughts are practically gone, impulse control improved too. There’s just one problem: I am tired.

I use sleep trackers and what I’ve noticed since starting is that my deep sleep has cratered. Your sleep is normally supposed to be split about 25% deep, 25% REM, 50% light sleep. I’m consistently getting closer to 8% deep sleep, and it shows. Constantly tired, harder to think, brain is slower. I’ve fallen asleep at work twice since starting, and I’ve NEVER done that before.

I’ve got pretty good sleep hygiene (no phone use in bed, pretty consistent bedtime of 11pm-midnight, let myself wake up naturally to sunlight instead of with an alarm). Only other med I’m on is 10mg buspirone 2x/daily.

Did anyone else have this experience? If so, how long did it last? Was there anything you were able to do to help it?

Hi y’all. As the title says, I’m on 100mg and have been there for just about 3 months after the taper up. Effects have been life changing for my bipolar symptoms—I’m much more consistently eurythmic, intrusive/self-deprecating thoughts are practically gone, impulse control improved too. There’s just one problem: I am tired.

I use sleep trackers and what I’ve noticed since starting is that my deep sleep has cratered. Your sleep is normally supposed to be split about 25% deep, 25% REM, 50% light sleep. I’m consistently getting closer to 8% deep sleep, and it shows. I’ve fallen asleep at work twice since starting, and I’ve NEVER done that before.

I’ve got pretty good sleep hygiene (no phone use in bed, pretty consistent bedtime of 11pm-midnight, let myself wake up naturally to sunlight instead of with an alarm). Only other med I’m on is 10mg buspirone 2x/daily.

Did anyone else have this experience? If so, how long did it last? Was there anything you were able to do to help it?

I'm Gen 4 that applied under the interim measures. BanQ was unable to find birth or baptismal certificate for Gen 0 so I included several censes showing her as a minor in Canada, then as an adult in the US with her citizenship listed as Canadian. I only provided birth certificates for the remaining generations, and did not provide anything like death certificates, marriage certificates, etc.

My timeline:

• 2-Aug: Application sent
• 11-Aug: AOR
• 13-Aug: Proof application in process
• 21-Aug: 5(4) Grant offer received
• 10-Sep: 5(4) Grant offer in process
• 11-Sep: Fingerprinting requested
• 18-Sep: Fingerprints sent to IRCC (note: delivery delayed an unknown period due to Canada Post Strike)
• 16-Oct: Fingerprints received
• 21-Oct: Fingerprints accepted
• 27-Mar: ATIP request sent (note: response not received as of making this post)
• 4-May: Proof of citizenship email received confirming I am a Canadian since birth under C-3 (Specifically, section 3(1)(b) of the citizenship act)

The letter confirming my citizenship also stated that I would be refunded for my 5(4) Grant application cost.

Happy to answer any other questions about my process!

Edit: since it’s come up a few times in the replies, Prior to C-3, if they thought you would probably qualify without the 1st-Gen limit, they’d offer you a Grant of Citizenship. It basically meant “wellllllllll under the current rules the answer is no, but honestly it’s good enough, we’re cool with it, just gotta do some background checking”. Fingerprinting and a formal criminal background check were frequently requested. AFAIK no one has been required to provide this since C-3 was passed.

If you'd like to see the format I used for my cover letter, see here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/raty10uf8a0stps3o42mx/redacted-cover-letter-for-sharing.txt?rlkey=z00jrejzhyep6xcfpreiz8uur&dl=0