This is more complicated than I thought.

The post-graduate work permit I am getting is most definitely not an entry document, which means that if I step out of Canada, I'm going to need to apply at an embassy for a temporary resident visa to get back in. If I had applied for a work permit outside Canada, then the visa would be automatic, but I don't have the time.

I can apply for a temporary resident visa outside Canada. However, this involves mailing my passport off. Which I'm going to have to do anyway, so I might as well do it as soon as I've cleared the requirements for my post-graduate work permit. Buffalo, NY is reasonably fast - 43% of cases in 2 days or less.

I can apply for permanent residency through the consulate in Buffalo. However, the process takes a while. Buffalo will only respond to status checks after 18 months. Manila is even worse: "Applications can be expected to be reviewed only 48 months (four years) from the date we acknowledge receipt of a complete file."

Other people have done it. I have to find them. Sometimes I'm tempted to just throw my hands up in the air and take the easy way out. I can build a life in the Philippines. It will be a pretty good one. It might even be easier. I can't fully explain my reasons for wanting to explore to build this life bridging Canada and the US, but I *want* to have that kind of life, so let's make that happen.

So here's what I need to sort out:

• Post-graduate work permit: that's the first thing I need
• Temporary resident visa: good to have
• Permanent residency application: as soon as the ink dries on my IBM onboarding papers
• Renewal of work permit (two years)
• US visa: good to have

Okay. I can do this.

Random Emacs symbol: strokes-describe-stroke - Command: Displays the command which STROKE maps to, reading STROKE interactively.

I think I can deal with the temporary resident visa through mail.

Now the only thing I need to figure out is whether it's damn-the-cost-we're-flying-home, or whether we can find something that works out better...

Random Emacs symbol: bbdb-legal-zip-codes - Variable: List of regexps that match legal zip codes.