A MIRACLE!

I received the most amazing phone call today at work - that my air shipment - packed up on August 10th - had arrived in Ottawa and was ready to be cleared from customs. Hurray! I think that all of my colleagues in cubicle-land (a whole transition in its own right) were party to my exclamation of joy!

As soon as I received the news, I ran out of the office, piles of documents in tow, to start the process of liberating my stuff. Although relatively painless as a process, I did learn a few things along the way....

First, even though I have been living away for three years (for the government, I might add), I am still subject to the Can$750 duty-free restriction for bringing new purchases into the country, just like any traveller who has popped over to the Dominican Republic or Europe for a week's vacation. In the case of having lived overseas, the limit applies to all purchases made within the LAST SIX MONTHS. As one can imagine, the last six months is when lots of purchases are made as the "oh no, I only have x weeks left to purchase all the things that I have been thinking about purchasing for the last three years" realisation kicks in. This, in addition to the purchases of normal daily living.... Needless to say, I ended up paying duty and taxes on some of my final Brazil purchases. Blech!

I also discovered that I could have saved gaggles of money by getting an official alcohol importation license from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Had I done that, I would have saved muchly on the massive amounts of cachaça that I brought home. Apparently anyone can get the license. Ah well, live and learn - I was just happy to have the thought of my stuff dangling before me.