The Trip Home (KW-Ithaca)

Just wanted to let everyone know that day one of driving (KW to Ithaca/Jofish's) went just fine. I actually felt a huge wave of relief dribble over me when I crossed the border, because:

• I actually overstayed my Canadian study permit by two days (expired at the end of January). Fortunately, you're only dealing with U.S. Customs on the way over, so they had no interest in that fact. But I rolled out of there singing, "It's! No! Fun! Being an illegal alien..."
  
• I was a little worried about the fact that I was moving back to the US on this trip--my moving company led me to believe that they had taken care of everything, but I was worried I'd get raked over the coals with, "What is the value of the household and personal effects that you are re-importing to the United States?" "Where's your Form 3299 – Declaration For Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles?" "What, you didn't submit that to your moving company?!?" [snap of rubber glove]. In reality, it was a 30-second transaction, just getting waved through. Sometimes, it's reassuring to be crossing the border to the country that's supposed to let you back in.
  
• My not-quite-kosher car insurance situation (car registered at JMD's) would have required some creative explanation if I got into an accident in Canada. Getting into a wreck stateside would be a bit easier to resolve (on a road trip, etc). That part was a relief.
  

Road conditions were a bit sloppy, but they didn't slow me down terribly.


This was followed by a lovely evening seeing Jofish and many of his wonderful Ithaca friends; Jofish put together some dinner, and I made the fireball-spouting bananas Foster, as promised. We're heading out to brunch now. Looks like nice cold clear weather for the Ithaca-Boston drive today. See you Boston folks soon!