Extra Credit Assignment - Banking has never been one of the most exciting "errands" I do. Since moving from the U.S. to Canada, however, it has now moved down close to "getting a root canal" on my list of favorite things to do.

First, I've discovered that U.S. and Canadian banks don't play together, never mind play nicely. Turns out that banks between the two countries, even when owned by the same damn multinational company, refuse to acknowledge each other's existence. The best you can really do to transfer/open accounts is to come with a bank check in hand and hope they don't put a 10 day hold on it like they did mine (don't get me started on how holding a bank check defeats the purpose of using a bank check in the first place).

Second, until I moved here I didn't fully appreciate the low and/or no fee banking I had in the States. It seems in Canada, the banks charge you fees for absolutely everything and then charge you more when you go over the number of "transactions" you are allotted for your particular kind of account. And I should probably explain that "transactions" according to most banks in Canada include withdrawing or depositing money in person, over the phone or at the ATM (even ones owned by the bank), writing checks and sometimes even making electronic payments. I'm amazed they didn't charge me for breathing excessively in line the other day.

Third, and most frustrating to me is the fact that since coming here and getting my brand spanking new social insurance number, I apparently have NO CREDIT HISTORY according to all the Canadian banks. Last week I applied for an in-store credit card at IKEA and got turned down. Despite the fact that I have perfect credit in the U.S. and a credit limit at least 4 times what I need there, I'm not even qualified to borrow a pencil at the bank in Canada.

"Well, we MIGHT be able to give you $500 limit and see how it goes from there," the bank representative across the desk said to me, smiling in the same way that people smile at the McDonald's cashier who has Down's Syndrome.

"What?!" I exclaimed. "You mean to tell me that you're giving me the same kind of credit limit that you would give an 18 year old who is just getting their first card with a part time summer job?"

"Yes. I'm sorry," she replied, though I don't believe for one second she really was sorry.