First off all: it was incredibly easy to get the visa. 1 week. That’s all it took from the moment I started the process on Canada’s Embassy, in São Paulo, Brazil, and the moment I had it on my passport. I suspected that the invitation letter I had from my Canadian relatives helped but i don’t think so…
Today I just received the news that Clarice’s (my girlfriend) visa was conceded too. And guess what: even without an invitation letter it took less time then mine. 4 days! Unbelievable! My guess is there’s an opensource system taking care of this part, Ubuntu, OpenVisa (not Vista!) or something 
Congratulations, Canada’s Government. Good work!
Different from USA, all the process was done by a company in Belo Horizonte so, no need to travel from Belo Horizonte to São Paulo and being forced to answer paranoid and weird questions. And believe-me, I’ve heard about humiliating questions and situations that USA embassy forced tourist and students to pass by… Well, I really don’t like USA (and all those which agrees with war and thinks they’re doing the right thing!). Anyway…
Of course, this isn’t the only reason that makes me feel in love with Canada. The people are lovely. Everybody in a good mood everyday. Tim Horton’s Cinnamon Roll (Glazed) with a small hot chocolate on the hard cold out there is a piece of heaven. Snow is so cool!! Everything is so beautiful and clean… I had made a great deal, and already had met interesting people.
Saturday I’ll be heading to Quebéc (Chambly, to be more exact). My relatives are telling me that if I thought that here was cold and full of snow I’ll freak out there. Its more then 1 m of snow, and counting… In January I’ll come back to Hamilton and in 12th I’ll fly to Vancouver.
As Kim said on our Ubuntu meeting last saturday 15th in Toronto, I’ll know Canada better then many Canadians 
So, if you are planning to do some tourism or want to learn the English language, I really think you should considerate comeing spend your money in Canada. Leave USA for the americans!
If you want, check out my photo gallery or direcly into my Canada’s Photos. You can also chek out a few “artistic” photos (don’t expect too much) that I’m taking with my new baby (a Canon EOS Rebel XTi with 18-55mm EF lens).
If you are in Vancouver, Montreal or even nearby Hamilton, let me know!!
Bye!
ATTENTION: I am learning the english language. So feel free to correct any word or sentence you find here and put it on the comments. It will help me a lot and i can buy you a beer, one day :)! Thank you!
EDIT: Thanks Laszlo Pandy for the English language corrections. I’ll buy you a beer as soon as we meet!
Canada is a great country, I have lived here for almost 3 decades, I should know. I hope you enjoy your time here
Our beer is excellent too, and even better if you are watching a hockey game.
Ryan
dezembro 21st, 2007
Canada is a great country. Aside from that, where is your hate for yourself? If America is to be hated because we went to war, then how should the world feel about Brazil with it’s genocidal tendencies towards it’s own people? If I was to classify people as broadly as you do, I would end up thinking that all Brazilians smell but have a nice ass.
Brad Johnson
dezembro 21st, 2007
Don’t hate on America just because we have a bad President. And bad Congress. And hassle the hell out of anybody who wants to come visit us. And bully other countries around if they don’t do what we want. And…. Oh, never mind.
Wolfger
dezembro 21st, 2007
It’s quite unbelievable the quantity of snow that has fallen here (in Quebec, where I live) and it’s not even winter yet!
I think you will be pretty impressed with the quantity of snow in Chambly, but just further east, there are some places where there is twice as much snow. And we talk about just a few hours drive to the east from Montreal, a bit beyond Quebec City.
Hope you have a nice stay in Quebec.
Francois-Denis
dezembro 21st, 2007
Yay for Canada! I’m here in Ottawa and I hope you have a good time. There’s lots of snow for you to enjoy (and I mean a lot).
Heres a few comments I have about your English:
* On the first line: “…easy to take the visa.” should be “…easy to get a visa”. Take makes it sound like you stole it.
* The third paragraph: “…the process was made by…” should be “…the process was done by…”
* Again the third paragraph: “…humiliate questions…” should be “…humiliating questions…”
* 7th paragraph: “make some tourism” should be “do some tourism”, although most people wouldn’t even say that. I would say “go on a vacation”.
* Same paragraph: “should considerate to come spend” should be “should consider coming to spend”.
* Same paragraph: “Let USA for the americans” should be “Leave USA for the americans”.
* Final paragraph: “pay you a beer” should be “buy you a beer”.
Laszlo Pandy
dezembro 21st, 2007
Welcome to Canada! It’s indeed a wonderful country with wonderful people.
I’m living with my wife here in Halifax, Nova Scotia since September and I’m loving it.
We are still amazed with the friendly manner people have and how welcome they make us feel.
I just love this country. I wish I was born here… :-\
[]’s
Eri
Eri Ramos Bastos
dezembro 21st, 2007
While you’re in Quebec, see if you can take some time and try snowboarding. We’ve gotten a pile of snow, which makes the learning much easier (and much less painful). Mte. Tremblant, Gray Rocks, and Mte. Ste. Sauvre are all great places to go.
(As to opensource in the Canadian passport office: I doubt it. The government has thrown a bunch of money at passports because they’re soon to be required for entrance into the US.)
Enjoy your stay!
Erigami
dezembro 21st, 2007
Oi cara, It’s not very fair of you to judge the USA by what you can see from the outside. In fact, if you are going to be traveling internationally, it’s best to learn not to criticise other nations. People will label you as ignorant.
I lived in asia for a long time, and I learned that every country has people who can only see political borders and are biased because of it. Don’t short-change yourself by doing this. You’ll be the loser every time you do.
You should hear what I heard some Japanese people say about Brazilians. And Africans. And French. And Americans. Everybody seemed to love Canadians though, but they’d mostly only ever met one or two, briefly.
BTW, your grammar is excellent.
I made a lot of good brazilian friends in Japan, and I would never speak bad about their country in front of them. It’s just impolite and ignorant - after all, they’re the ones who live there, and I don’t.
Marc
dezembro 21st, 2007
Hi Brad Johnson! Thank you for visiting my blog!
Well, about the war subject, never mind, I can see you voted for Bush
Fortunately, USA never suffered a real war inside their country, so they think it’s OK to get into peoples country and mess around giving false reasons for doing that or dropping a nuclear bomb and kill more then 200.000 civilians. That is a government terrorism. This is genocidal tendencies…
And… are we talking about the same Brazil Here? As far as I know, we don’t have any genocidal tendencies. We do have a problem which is caused by our history. If you had some knowledge about Brazil, You’ll know that we were an exploration colony, and that’s one of the reasons that our politicians isn’t very serious (As Charles de Gaulle said: We are not a country of serious mans), and all that most of they want to do is steal our taxes.
But be sure that everybody in Brazil doesn’t like to see our country suffer from lack of water in some places, food, sexual exploration and other problems. We do have serious politicians and people that work hard for making a better Brazil.
And… pointing other people problem isn’t the solution for your problem. Think about it
dudanogueira
dezembro 21st, 2007
The accumulation here in Montréal is only about 50cm. We did had about 1m, but it pack and melt. Even then, 50cm is pretty impressive, especially considering winter only start officially on the 21st. BTW, enjoy the snow on Saturday, because the forecast predict 9C and pouring rain for Sunday, hence most of the snow will melt. That’s very sad.
I am leaving Montréal tonight the holidays, but you may try to ping MagicFab, who is another famous Unbuntero from Montréal.
EtienneG
dezembro 22nd, 2007
You may not want to be an American Idiot, but be careful lest you turn into a Canadian Idiot
Tom
dezembro 22nd, 2007
It’s likely quite a bit of snow will melt because of the planned high temperature this weekend. That is a bit sad.
Francois-Denis
dezembro 22nd, 2007