Canada or Ireland?

[SailorMars1994]

Hey everyone! I have received an update today on my surgery. The good news is it will likely be sooner than later! All I need to do is get one last thing of blood work in and after that, should my blood be good I will be expecting that call I been waiting for. Getting blood done on Wednesday! That turned out to be the reason it took so long.

Now looking past surgery I have had a feeling of freedom already. I won't have gentian dysphoira at all and my restrictions will go down. In January 2016 I tried to apply to the Canadian military. After passing the aptitude test I was told I could joint only after surgery (I was in my first transition then before my life meltdown a few months later). So with this burden going away another  opportunity opens. I could join the forces and hopefully get a decent trade. The military has always been on my mind but only around 2015/16 was it a big looker and in recent months again so too. I have been a like cook for most of my working life be it kitchen or bakery. I love to cook but unless you're an executive chef the profession isn't very lucrative so I been thinking of joining the forces once again after re evaluating my life. Seeing as my parents both served 25 plus years and I could do something of value for my country and the world and not live just scrapping by I think it is very smart. This is my plan if I stay in Canada 🇨🇦

Now, here is the Irish part. My mom was born in Ireland and immigrated to Canada as a young child in the 70s. My girlfriend who I likely will be staying with for a couple months about a month after surgery (aaauming I am healthy enough to travel) lives in England. I love her dearly and want to be with her. Issue is she is in university until like 2022. I could get a duel citizenship with Ireland thank to my mom and we could be a skip across the pond. I did look at work visas for England but the process seems like a lot of hassle for short term working and neither my gf or I feel comfortable rushing into a marriage just for the sake of living with eachother when we want to spend longer time together to make sure we can last it all. I know that Europeans generally take culinary much more seriously then North Americans and it may re spark one of a few interests I have too.

So 🇨🇦 or 🇮🇪

[Linde]

Now, here is the Irish part. My mom was born in Ireland and immigrated to Canada as a young child in the 70s. My girlfriend who I likely will be staying with for a couple months about a month after surgery (aaauming I am healthy enough to travel) lives in England. I love her dearly and want to be with her. Issue is she is in university until like 2022. I could get a duel citizenship with Ireland thank to my mom and we could be a skip across the pond. I did look at work visas for England but the process seems like a lot of hassle for short term working and neither my gf or I feel comfortable rushing into a marriage just for the sake of living with eachother when we want to spend longer time together to make sure we can last it all. I know that Europeans generally take culinary much more seriously then North Americans and it may re spark one of a few interests I have too.

So 🇨🇦 or 🇮🇪

I am a dual citizen with an EU passport and a US one.  Have you checked that your mother can pass the citizenship on?  She must have been an EU citizen before and at the time of you birth.
And secondly, did she live long enough in Ireland to be able to pass the citizenship on to you?
If you can answer these to questions, you can go ahead with applying for your E passport (Ireland version).  I assume that you know that you can live and work in any EU country without any restrictions once you have the passport (citizenship).  The Brexit could cause problems for your girlfriend to move around freely with you.  Depending whether the contract with the Eu will be ratified by the UK Parliament, it might work out well , or not at all!
To be a chef in most European countries, you have to have a formal training for this profession.  You could go to one of the famous schools there (le cordon bleu in Paris is only one of them).
And yes, Europeans tend to see ging out to eat as a form of entertainment, you go to a restaurant to have fun and enjoy good food, and not just to fill your stomach and get out of the place as fast as you can.

[Lisa89125]

SailorMars, I'm not up to speed on every aspect of being trans post op in the military environment. I wonder how you would be able to maintain your dilation schedule and get your HRT? Seems like a crap shoot to me.

Lisa

[KathyLauren]

SailorMars, I'm not up to speed on every aspect of being trans post op in the military environment. I wonder how you would be able to maintain your dilation schedule and get your HRT? Seems like a crap shoot to me.

Lisa

Canada's military is good to trans folks.  There have been several news articles about trans people who transitioned successfully while in the military.  I friend of mine not only transitioned while serving, but had complications and had to fly to Montreal for checkups every two weeks for months, all on the military's dime.

Because of the timing of @SailorMars1994's original application, she has to transition first, before signing up, but I am sure they will be able to accommodate her medical needs once she is in, if she goes that route.

[KathyLauren]

Ashley, it is funny that you mention dual Irish / Canadian citizenship.  I was told when I was a kid that I was entitled to Irish citizenship, even though I was born in the North, not in the Republic.  I never knew if that story was true or not.

Prompted by your post, I looked it up, just for fun.  The story is true.  I could, if I wanted to, apply for Irish citizenship, according to the Irish government website.  I am not sure why I would, but it is nice to know I could.

[Linde]

Ashley, it is funny that you mention dual Irish / Canadian citizenship.  I was told when I was a kid that I was entitled to Irish citizenship, even though I was born in the North, not in the Republic.  I never knew if that story was true or not.

Prompted by your post, I looked it up, just for fun.  The story is true.  I could, if I wanted to, apply for Irish citizenship, according to the Irish government website.  I am not sure why I would, but it is nice to know I could.

It is always nice to have dual citizenship, specifically if one of the citizenship overs the entire European Union.  With politics here, you never know what will happen to folks like us, and it is always nice to have the option to escape to Europe!