Ontario auto insurance
Coming to college in America has probably been the most exciting and obligatory experiences of my entire life. I mean I did make it through high school and family life in Canada, but this whole year has been a hugely different experience for me. There are a lot of things about American culture that I would never have known about, or wanted to, had I not come here for school. The culture of young people I have found to be much the same in that it is all currently driven by the global changes of the Internet. Social networking, fads, and infectious videos are all present around the world and so I didn't need to jump a big hurdle there. The big problems for me have been primarily surrounding the process of financially setting myself up here in this country.
One of the biggest issues for me has been the process of getting myself some insurance. I am currently covered by my parents' health insurance back in Canada and would just go home to see a doctor if needed. I had also assumed that since I had Ontario auto insurance that I would also be covered here in the States, but I was wrong. I got a speeding ticket last weekend was given another citation for having driven a whole year without ever changing my drivers' license or my auto insurance. This led me to two new experiences that I didn't necessarily want to have before I came here. I first got to go to the Department of motor vehicles and stand in line for an hour till I could get my new license after much talk about paper work and photo ID's which I didn't have in my possession. Then I got the privilege of seeing the inside of my first American Magistrate's office. I paid my fine and left quickly because I have a general fear of American law enforcement, I think from watching too many movies, but it certainly was an interesting week for me.
I hope that none of my foreign friends out there have had to experience these same aspects of American life so early in their stay as I have. But if you do just try to see the bright side of the fact that you have learned a good lesson, whatever it may be.