Resident...Residence....Residency.....

One of the guys I work with is from South Africa.  To give you a bit of background - he moved here with his wife a couple years ago.  They live downtown Vancouver very close to where I am.  I haven't been over, but apparently they have a really nice one bedroom apartment on the 18th floor with a gorgeous view of the ocean. 

Sadly, but for excellent reason, they have to move out of that apartment so have been looking at apartments - 2 bedrooms...(so there is 1 for the baby!)

Anyhow, on Friday morning a whole gaggle of us from worked walked down to the Starbucks to get coffees and on the way back he announced quite proudly, "I forgot to tell you guys, but we are celebrating because my wife and I got our permanent residency!"

Everyone smiled, and said, 'hey congrats', 'that's exciting', etc.

I said, 'So where is it?'

He said, "What?"

I said, "Your place - where are you going to live?  Where is your new apartment - your permanent resi...den..ce....uh...den-cEEEEE...oh.....uh...never...mind......"

As soon as I said it, I knew.  In my defense I've lived in one country all my life - a permanent residence, means you stopped renting and took out a mortgage....but it was too late.

The whole gaggle enjoyed a nice long chuckle at my expense!


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