We finally met Tom and Emilio last night! Allan and I had dinner with Nick and Mason and the two new arrivals.
Things seem to be going well for them, apart from the usual annoying nonsense that seems inevitable with such a big move. They seem to feel really at home in Toronto - which is very easy to do. Listening to their experiences reminded me of those first few weeks, when I walked around amazed at how friendly everyone is.
I was really touched to hear Tom say that, for the first time in years, he's sleeping through the night - because he no longer has to worry his family being broken up, about Emilio being deported. Crossing the border brought me a tremendous sense of relief and peace, but I can only imagine the difference it makes to these men.
There are several more multinational same-sex couples following in Tom and Emilio's path - a path blazed by Gito and Juan. And since almost 11,000 Americans emigrated to Canada in 2006, we can assume there are even more who don't blog.
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On a more mundane note, this dinner brought us in to Leslieville, a Toronto neighbourhood we hadn't really seen yet. As a urban-transplant in suburbia, I'm slooowly adding to my knowledge of Toronto, increasing my options and my mental map when we come in "to town" (as they say out here). I love living in Mississauga, but part of its appeal is that Toronto is right down the street.
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