Correr Es Mi Destino

The whole immigration process to Canada, tips, newcomer’s first steps… Come on enjoy the Maple Leaf country !

Feels like checking out Canada before immigrating? Or just want to have a work experience abroad? Let’s have a look at how you can work temporarily in Canada. And luckily, you have a few options.

Immigrant, tourist, visitor, citizen, foreign worker — administrative vocabulary, sticky notes on my face. But who am I?

Some days, I feel like I have been there forever. I left France when I was 18 and barely looked back. Going back was never really an option: call it innocence, naivety or pride, I wanted to see the world and adopt a new country. I have been there forever. My first resumes, the interviews for jobs I was going to hate, being comfortable driving a car, learning to cook, to take care of myself, to make friends - friends who wouldn’t necessary look like me — to manage money, credit cards, taxes and overdrafts… Canada. Not France. It’s been forever in a way.

At first, just thinking that I was alone in this big continent would make my head spin. Freedom was almost intoxicating. I could be whatever I wanted, do whatever I wanted. It came with its counterparts though, fear and angst. It’s not like I had a safety net. Adapting to a new culture can be tough too.

For you guys, I created the “Citizen Of The World” button/ award.

No matter how hard I tried, I was never able to see out of my left eye. Nothing but a useless blurry picture, with a few black spots on the way. The world looks distorted in a pretty fun way but it took me years to appreciate my difference. Kids all want to look the same.

– You know that immigrants are only coming here because they have AIDS and stuff and need free health care, right ? I mean, not you obviously, but most of Black people. And Arabic. And Asians.
Phew, not me. I’m so relieved. I’m white, must be why.
How did I get into this conversation, already [...]

Once I understood “Beavers Tails” weren’t actual cutie beaver’s fried tails but just a name for a kind of waffle, I started to relax. I had mastered North American supermarket (80% frozen food, 10% junk food and 10% health bars), I could drive an automatic car, and I had learned to check addresses before walking [...]

— Passports. Why are you coming to the USA today, mam’ ?

The heavyweight officer looks up to me suspiciously. Can’t blame him. It’s 7 am on a cold November morning and we look like a mismatched pair of sleepy runaway

— Please step out of the vehicle and follow me.
He leaves inside the border station [...]