Barry Robson has been in Vancouver for nearly two weeks now.
Despite waking up at 2 in the morning, and still having to live in a hotel as he waits for his stuff to clear customs, Barry and his family are settling in just fine and he's glad to be over in Canada.
Middlesbrough would have loved to have retained the services of the Scottish international, and there were offers from other clubs in the UK, so what was it that tipped the scale and made Vancouver, and the Whitecaps, his new home?
<i>"I think a change in football to be honest. I see the quality over here now. I see the players that are coming, not just at an older age, and I think younger players are starting to come. The League's getting bigger and the League's getting better."</i>
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But football reasons aside, the city of Vancouver itself had a big part to play in it:
<i>"It's a beautiful city for my wife and children, which are the most important thing to me.
So it's a combination of both and that's what swayed it for me."</i>
There haven't been a lot of Scottish players come over to MLS over the years. Barry is just the 15th in total and he will be joining five of his countrymen plying their trade in the League this season.
How does he think Major League Soccer compares to the game just now in Scotland?
<i>"Ach I dunno. The Scottish game is not at the best at the moment.
It frustrates me and annoys me because of the things that Rangers have done. I think the quality has dropped out of it a bit. It's hard for a Scotsman like myself to say that.
I think there's a lot over there that we can try and get sorted, cos 7, 8 years ago it was a terrific league to play in. And even 3, 4 years ago when I played in it, it was terrific, and I think we need to get the finances sorted out everywhere and get these great clubs going again and make sure that the league stays strong."</i>
With high profile Scottish players like Barry and Kris Boyd coming over here, it's led to increased exposure for MLS from the Scottish media.
Is that likely to lead to more Scottish players coming over in the near future?
<i>"I think so. I know a lot of players have been on the phone to me already trying to come over. A lot.
Guys want to come and play here. I think it's a big appeal to come over and play in MLS. The crowds are getting bigger all the time, it's lovely stadiums that you're playing in.
David Beckham's done a lot for it. He really has.
The pull of the quality of the crowds that's coming into the stadiums they're playing in, you'd be mad not to give it a go."</i>
Now according to my dodgy stats, Barry is on 99 career goals, so we asked him if that was right?
<i>"I think so, but I mean the stats are always different.
Someone said I'd played 40 games for Celtic, the next one said I'd played a 100.
I got presented with something for 500 games at Middlesbrough no that long ago, but I thought I had more than that as well, so I think you can make it up on that internet! But yeah, we'll go with the 99! (laughs)</i>
Yeah we'll go with the next one's your hundredth!
<i>"There you go. That'll be good for the Whitecaps!"</i>
So how special is it going to be when his first goal for the Whitecaps is also going to be his 100th career goal?
<i>"Well I made history, I think, at Celtic by scoring the first ever goal with a first touch on the park. The first time in the whole Club's history.
And I think I scored the quickest goal ever goal at Middlesbrough.
So coming here and scoring my hundredth goal, that'll be good for the Whitecaps."</i>
Barry is expected to see some game time against Colorado on Wednesday but acknowledges that he's <i>"not 100% yet"</i> and that he <i>"needs some games"</i> after being off for two months.
He's raring to go and get playing in his first MLS match, but also cautious so as not to overdo it too early, pick up an injury and then end up missing games.
As a player with a lot of top level experience, Caps fans will need to trust his judgement and perhaps be patient for a few matches and Martin Rennie is unlikely to push him too much in the next few games unless Barry feels ready.
So maybe that 100th goal will have to wait until he plays his first home game against LA Galaxy on July 18th.
Robson got his first experience of BC Place last week when he was introduced to the crowd before the game against New York Red Bulls.
What were his first impressions of the stadium and the atmosphere?
<i>"I thought it was a terrific stadium. Obviously I'm not used to playing on turf. That's going to be something totally new and something I'm going to have to get used to. But that's what I have to get used to and it's something you've got to accept.
I'm looking forward to getting out there and playing in front of the home fans. I thought they were great. I thought they very positive towards the team and very enjoyable, so all in all I was very pleased."</i>
And the fans are looking forward to seeing Barry in action on home turf too.
If his link up play with Eric Hassli in training is anything to go by, he could just be the spark that the Caps have been needing in the middle to get firing on full cylinders.
We'll soon see.
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