Correr Es Mi Destino » Ten Immigrants, Ten Interviews

Gill: From Britain To Brampton

Zhu — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 12:00:26 +0000

Welcome to my new series, Ten Immigrants, Ten Interviews.

You guys all know my story by now, and you have a pretty good idea of what my life in Canada looks like. I thought it was time to let other immigrants and new Canadians speak. I contacted ten of them, who each have their own story, their own reasons to come to Canada, their own point of view on how life is up North in the igloos. They all answered ten questions, bringing a new perspective on immigration.

A new post will be published every Saturday.

Gill

Today, I’d like you to meet my final interviewee: Gill, also known as That British Woman. Originally from a small 2,000 people town in Cumbria, Britain, her husband and she decided to move to Canada, looking for a better future for their children. In 1989, they settled in Brampton, Ontario. The city of then 200,000 surprised them and she later declared the experience had been an eye-opened.

Their children grew up, went to university and left home. By the fall of 2008, Gill and her husband decided to move back in the country – but they did stay in Canada. They now live an hour from Brampton, in a Farmhouse on five acres of land. Gill knows the best of both worlds, as a city girl who also enjoy small farming communities and she explains that living the country dream again is like an adventure for her.

Gil enjoys talking about life in Canada from a British point of view. She writes a weekly column for the Orangeville Banner about her adoptive country and tackles topics such as British or Canadian, Charity Begins At Home and Lead Feet.

What brought you to Canada?

We lived in a small community where the main employer was British Gypsum, they made drywall. The mines were due to close by the time my husband turned around 40, and for him to get as good a job it meant we had to move from the area. Also we knew the career prospects for our children were going to be limited where we lived, so we decided to emigrate while the kids were little and while we were still young enough to do it.

Did you find the immigration process difficult?

YES!! We filled out the paperwork and sent it in and we were rejected. Despite the fact that my husband is a qualified tradesperson and my dad lived here. So we decided to leave the kids with my mother for a week, we flew over, and my husband picked up the Toronto Sun and looked through the newspaper to see who was hiring electricians and went door to door asking for a job. A Dutch guy was willing to take him on and was willing to deal with Immigration and wait another 6 months it took us to get approved to move over here.

How long did it take you to find a job that you liked in Canada?

I stayed at home with my children as they were young (3 1/2 & 5), however I did work on and off in offices within a year of arriving here. Please remember this was 1989/1990 and jobs were a lot easier to find.

Where did you learn French/ English? What was your second language level when you first came to Canada?

Being British English is my first language. However, there is a difference between British English and Canadian English, so even for us it wasn’t plain sailing; and even to this day when I say certain things, I may as well be speaking Chinese. The one word that most people, especially Italians have trouble understanding from me is the word, “butter.” I have no idea why, but I can’t say it the Canadian way which sounds more like “budder!” I don’t speak a word of French, although I may be able to figure of what someone is asking if they write it down. Also on my son’s Kindergarten record, he has a notation that says he has a speech impediment. You know what that is.……his British accent. The silly teacher found him difficult to understand so figured he had a speech impediment, and as we were new to the country I didn’t try and fight it, I did suggest though it could be his accent. No way would I allow that to happen now!!

What was your biggest culture shock?

Well we moved from a town of 2,500 to a city of 250,000, which has now grown to over 500,000 I would say that is a huge shock. Plus where we lived in Britain there was an Indian lady and the rest of the population was white. We move to Brampton, Ontario and the majority of the population was from another country, so that too took a bit of getting used to. Then there was the way everyone went over the top at holidays, and I don’t mean just Christmas, but Easter, Valentine’s Day etc, etc. We weren’t used to that.

What haven’t you gotten used to yet in Canada?

How everyone embraces the outdoors especially Winter. Not a huge fan of trudging through a foot of snow. Hate the humidity in Summer, and hate mosquito’s, black flies and all other flying biting bugs, that still love me despite the fact they have bitten me for the past 20 years!!

Did immigrating to Canada match your expectations?

Gill does not wish to answer this question.

Do you find life expensive in Canada compared to your home country?

No, in Britain everything is twice the price, other than vacations, they always seem to have great deals on vacations over there.

Will you apply for Canadian citizenship?

We applied for our Canadian Citizenship as soon as we could as we knew this was where we going to live for the rest of our lives. We both wanted to have a say in how the country is run, and you can’t do this without voting.

What advice would you give to someone interested in immigrating to Canada?

It’s hard, you leave your family behind nine times out of ten. Granted they are only a phone call or email away, but it’s not the same as being a short drive away. We were lucky as we are British so had an easier time adapting to the country than a lot of people may have, as we speak the language. Things have changed a lot in the 20 years we have lived here, it’s a whole other ball game from when we moved over here. Be prepared to start from the bottom and work your way up the ladder. Things aren’t handed on a plate to you, you have to work hard to achieve the success. Would I do it again.…..not at my age, we were in our 20’s when we arrived, and that is the right age in my opinion. If you have children in this country, they have great opportunities if they work hard at school and keep out of trouble.

Andres Berrio: From Colombia To Toronto

Zhu — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 11:01:24 +0000

Welcome to my new series, Ten Immigrants, Ten Interviews.

A new post will be published every Saturday.

Andres Berrio

Andres is a Workforce Specialist within the Newcomers Division of a not-for-profit organization. The program aims at providing employment services to Internationally Educated Professionals and trades people through group workshops to assist in preparation for employment, one-on-one counseling, internships, mentoring, job matching and job development.

Guiding newcomers to accomplish their professional goals and helping them to develop a deeper knowledge of the Canadian labour market has become his passion. In doing so, he has cultivated a high familiarity with community and information resources in Toronto, including training and education, immigration and citizenship, housing, healthCare, employment etc.

Andres is also founder of “Community Tables”, a self-funded project that will provide nutritious meals to elementary school children all year round. This South America based initiative aims at developing a model that can be easily duplicated. The first Community Table is expected to be opened in June 2010 in Bogota, Colombia.

In addition, he is excited to be a part of a group of 5 incredibly committed individuals who believe that Canada cares deeply enough to understand that culturally friendly foods can ease the cultural shock of the immigration experience. This project, called “Flavours from Home”, is supported by DiverseCity Fellows program and the North York Harvest Food Bank.

Andres envisions Canada as a country where the ideal of ‘inclusive diversity’ is perceived and practiced as the effective and conscientious implementation of equal access policies to employment opportunities; an all-embracing and unified society that promotes social equality by strongly recognizing Article 23 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

What brought you to Canada?

Late one afternoon in December 2004, I arrived at a centre for new immigrants in Toronto. A heart full of dreams and expectations warmed with ease the frozen state of my new home.

Originally from Colombia, I had lived in Atlanta, GA for 3 years. I cannot explain my arrival to Canada other than through the concept of serendipity. It was not something I prepared for or had planned in advance.

Did you find the immigration process difficult?

No. However, it has been a long and interesting challenge. At first, I could not believe that it took only three months to have a valid Driver’s License, a REAL Social Insurance Number and a Health Card (I hadn’t visited a doctor in 3 years!) But becoming a citizen is taking longer due to unexpected delays in my application.

I consider Canadian citizenship a privilege, a gift, an honour; something I would wait for as long as I have to in order to receive. I cannot wait to gain the right to vote! After all, incompetent officials are elected by apathetic citizens that would rather stay home watching a game than walking up to the election booth.

How long did it take you to find a job that you liked in Canada?

It took me around 16 months of personal adjustments, volunteerism, networking, job development training and Co-ops. It was not easy to define/implement a job search strategy with precarious soft & language skills and an educational background in Political Science. “Hey! It may not always be easy, but it is always possible” – I kept telling myself.

Eventually, I became exceedingly good at helping professional newcomers to Canada to identify their professional options, develop a self-marketing strategy, define a professional path (including short-term and long-term achievable goals) and determine actionable steps to effectively/timely seize available opportunities.

I love/value what I do and truly look forward to Monday mornings. Sure! I grieve over closed-minded employers and feel frustrated at times when I meet newcomers that would rather exclusively use workopolis.com and monster.ca instead of spending some time developing a linkedin.com profile. But I cannot and will not complain. This is my passion, the perfect environment for me to thrive: not-for-profit, diverse, full of collaborative teamwork and where creativity and innovation are the driving forces behind the intellectual work.

Where did you learn French/ English? What was your second language level when you first came to Canada?

My French is, to this very day, non existent. Merci beaucoup.

I learned basic English in Atlanta, GA, but never had the chance to study it. I used to work at a fast-food chain called Chick-fil-A. Instead of “Chargrilled Chicken”, I thought people were asking for “Chi Green”. It was hard to figure out why food items are not usually identified by attaching a colour to their names.

The first expressions I learned came to me in the form of shouts through the drive thru speaker. I tried to pay attention to the customers’ requests: “Let me have”, “Can I get”… It didn’t make sense in Spanish.

Once in Canada, watching Hollywood movies with English subtitles, blogging and volunteering all played an important role in improving my communication skills.

What was your biggest culture shock?

The concept of “Networking”: I have finally come to understand that networking is intimately linked to personal engagement/responsibility. It requires a self-imposed obligation to contribute knowledge as well as openly and willingly share wisdom and proactively stimulate collaboration. Nonetheless, it is an extremely challenging and complex notion, especially because it is dominated by soft skills, which cannot be easily adapted, developed or transferred as they are defined by culture.
Resumes + the hiring process: Cover letters, resumes, online profiles, social/professional networking, mentoring, self-marketing strategies, information interviews, pre-employment workshops, bridging programs, sector specific enhanced language training, regulatory bodies, regulated professions, professional designations, professional associations, document translations, credentials assessments, telephone pre-screening, personality tests, volunteerism; first, second, third stage interviews!
Discovering and experiencing the third largest public transit system in North America! And car insurance premiums and auto maintenance costs in Toronto.
Citytv is actually a franchise! A Colombian media conglomerate purchased the rights for Bogota several years ago. I didn’t know the whole concept was developed and is headquartered in Toronto.
Peanut Butter: Colombian and Latin foods are emotionally significant to me and relate to many pleasant memories. However, they were not easily accessible when on social assistance. I had to turn to food banks for help. Eventually, I realized the donated foods required as much adaptation as Toronto, ultimately collecting in excess of 20 unopened peanut butter jars. Although I understood the nutritional value of peanut butter, I was never able to develop a taste for it so I ended up donating them back.

What haven’t you gotten used to yet in Canada?

Political apathy: the widespread collective and individual indifference towards political events.
The concept of “Canadian Experience” and worst, the assumption of deficiency towards new professional immigrants among policy circles, (most) regulatory bodies and (some) employers.
Sarcasm, negativism, criticism, bad attitude, and blame, which unfortunately abound among new immigrants; this is due in part to lack of strategic planning when it comes to job searching. A positive outlook DOES NOT guarantee a positive outcome, but it will greatly increase our employability.

Did immigrating to Canada match your expectations?

It exceeded them.

Do you find life expensive in Canada compared to your home country?

Not really. I am lucky enough to earn more than minimum wage, which is “not even close” to being a living wage.

I am currently interested in understanding why the Yukon is currently the only jurisdiction in Canada to peg annual increases in its minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index.

Will you apply for Canadian citizenship?

I applied in May 19, 2009. I have received the letter of acknowledgement but have not heard back in regards to my exam date. I cannot wait!

What advice would you give to someone interested in immigrating to Canada?

I would like to invite all interested readers to visit my blog.

Khatia Odzelashvili: From Georgia to Ottawa

Zhu — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:00:52 +0000

Welcome to my new series, Ten Immigrants, Ten Interviews.

A new post will be published every Saturday.

Khatia Odzelashvili (and the Canadian Parliament in the background)

Khatia Odzelashvili is from Tbilisi in Georgia, a country located between Eastern Europe and Western Asia. She studied law in Germany for four years, hoping to eventually come back home and work in Georgia. But while in Germany, she met her husband. They were both foreign students and they decided to move somewhere together to a third country where they could settle. After much consideration, they agreed on Canada.

They applied for permanent residence under the skilled worker program and landed in 2008. They have been living in Ottawa since then.

You can follow Khatia Odzelashvili on Twitter or see her profile here.

What brought you to Canada?

I had never thought about immigrating to Canada. I was studying in Germany to come back to my home country, Georgia, and contribute to society. In Germany, I married someone from totally different country. Neither of us would have had similar chances in a country of our origin, so we figured it was best to move somewhere else. We listed countries (my husband listed Canada) and started discussing the best choice. The more we researched Canada, the country itself and people, economy, history etc. the more we realized this was the country where we wanted to move.

Did you find the immigration process difficult?

Not really. I was lucky; my husband took care of all the paperwork! Actually, when we applied for immigration, we were still attending classes at university and we were very busy. We were approved the year before we graduated and were given a year to « land » in Canada. As soon as I completed university, I rushed to pack to Canada! Moving itself was more difficult than the immigration process. Officials were always friendly and professional, so things went quite smoothly.

How long did it take you to find a job that you liked in Canada?

I worked in a position I liked for a year. I was a law student in Germany. I had all my documents certified but so far, the paper that formally recognizes my German degree as equal to a Canadian degree hasn’t helped much. It’s somehow understandable. Law in Europe is different from law in Canada, these are two different systems. So it will take time before I can reach my career goals. I started from the very bottom and I have seen some improvement the last two years. I have hopes.

Where did you learn French/ English? What was your second language level when you first came to Canada?

I learned English in school in Georgia, but in Germany, I had no one to speak English with so I forgot a lot and definitely couldn’t improve my language skills.

I could understand the language and even communicate basic things when I came here, but my English was pretty bad. I started listening to CBC Radio One not only to improve my language skills but to integrate to the society. I also attended some language courses for new immigrants. All that helped but I must say the attitude Canadians has towards me helped a lot too: they are very patient and helpful. They listen to you carefully and try their best to understand … and they don’t want to disappoint you. This kind of attitude makes a newcomer like me more confident and it helps me to improve my English.

As for French, I didn’t speak it at all but I’m now starting to pick up some words. I just need time… Unfortunately, learning a language takes time!

What was your biggest culture shock?

At first, I felt here like Gagarin must have felt walking on the moon. It was quite strange: everything was new.

Take the colourful bins on the street, for instance. I thought there were garbage bins! Now I know they are newspapers bins. I didn’t know what the white light with a walking person meant either, when crossing the street, so I kept on waiting for the green light (note from Zhu: in Ottawa, the crosswalk signal features a red hand for do not cross and a white light with the pictogram of a man to show you can cross). Oh, and bus drivers don’t sell tickets on the bus.

What haven’t you gotten used to yet in Canada?

I don’t like when some people don’t care and throw garbage on the street instead of walking two steps to deposit their garbage in the garbage bins provided everywhere. But this is definitely not what Canadians are generally doing: a lot of people here actually help clean up the Ottawa River every year!

Everybody is different. We all have different personalities, and because being Canadian also means being different and celebrating our differences, then these differences eventually vanish and we all become the same.

We are all different. All of us have different personalities, and because being Canadian also means to be different and celebrate our differences, then this differences vanish in this perspective and we all become the same.

Did immigrating to Canada match your expectations?

Yes and no. There is no paradise on earth. People always face difficulties, and there are always issues to work on. It’s not just about living in a great country: you have to make it happen and overcome problems that can arise.

But because Canada is a free country and because nobody stops you to improve your life, I do think that I came to a great country. Canada overmatches my first expectations.

Do you find life expensive in Canada compared to your home country?

Canada is definitely more expensive then Georgia. Yet living here is way cheaper then living in Germany. Only a few businesses have a monopoly, such as phone and internet companies, banking etc. Except for that, people always have the choice to take their business elsewhere, which is good.

Will you apply for Canadian citizenship?

Yes, I am going to apply for citizenship in a year. I can’t believe I’m not even Canadian yet!

What advice would you give to someone interested in immigrating to Canada?

I would suggest prospective immigrants to read more about Canada. Visit relevant websites (such as those for new immigrants, job search, education etc.). You may also want to improve your English and your French.

It is also important is also to connect to various services for new immigrants, they are very helpful. But make sure you only use official sources and no middlemen. You can start with the website of the ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.

Mourad Regragui: From Morocco To Ottawa

Zhu — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:13:15 +0000

Welcome to my new series, Ten Immigrants, Ten Interviews.

A new post will be published every Saturday.

Mourad At Winterlude

Let me introduce you to Mourad, from Oujda, Morocco. Mourad applied for permanent residence through the Québec skilled worker program and was granted his visa in the summer of 2009. He is a patient guy… The immigration process took an astonishing four years and a half!

Nonetheless, Mourad is happy to be here. He lives in Gatineau, QC, minutes from Ottawa where he works as a French language instructor.

The story of how Mourad and I met is funny. Last year, when we were traveling in Brazil, he found my blog and sent me an email regarding info about Ottawa. I did my best to answer his questions and wished him luck. Last September, I showed up at the language school at was then working for. A “new guy” looked at me and asked: “are you Zhu, by any chance?” He knew I was living in Ottawa, and he recognized me from the few pictures I have of myself on this blog. The world is a small place…!

What brought you to Canada?

I guess I chose Canada because it’s a beautiful (and huge!) country. Besides, I like the fact a substantial part of the population speaks French. Canada is also a multicultural country (and it welcomes immigrants). Finally, I like the fact it is so close to the U.S.A.

Did you find the immigration process difficult?

To me, the immigration process was a grueling experience. It was long and expensive. It took me over 29 months to get my CSQ (Québec selection certificate) and it took another two years for my application to be approved by the federal government. If you decide to start the immigration process, it takes time and tenacity.

How long did it take you to find a job that you liked in Canada?

I landed on August 14th, 2009. I didn’t start to look for a job right away: instead, I toured the National Capital Region, around Ottawa, for three weeks. My ex-girlfriend’s friends invited me to stay at their place for the first couple of weeks. Then, I had to look for my own place to live. It only took me five days.

At the end of the third week, I started to look for a position as a French instructor in one of Ottawa’s many language schools. I listed all of them, along with their addresses and phone numbers. Meanwhile, I filled in a job application at my local supermarket, just in case I wouldn’t find a teacher position right away.

But barely two days after I sent out resumes and cover letters, I was asked for an interview in a language school. I was hired on the spot. I have been working there for five months now. I like it even though I may not stay.

Where did you learn French/ English? What was your second language level when you first came to Canada?

I learned French at school in Morocco. It then became my major and I studied French language and literature at university. I also taught French in high school for a long time.

English isn’t my strength (Note from Zhu: I translated this interview from French). I try to practice this language as much as I can, but I think I should take classes in order to truly progress. I do try to speak English with my friends but we almost always switch back to French!

What was your biggest culture shock?

I don’t think I experienced a big culture shock. I mean, Morocco is very different from Canada, on many levels. But I didn’t really feel the culture shock everybody talked about.

I did live in France for a while and to me both countries are fairly similar.

I think I’m still at the honeymoon stage. I don’t spend my time comparing Morocco and Canada because there are way too many cultural and practical differences. I try to understand these differences. I also try to adopt a new way of life – it’s a lot of fun.

What haven’t you gotten used to yet in Canada?

I’d love to know how skate like a true Canadian! Obviously, winter sports are very new to me and I’m still not used to all these hockey, ski, and snow rackets things.

Did immigrating to Canada match your expectations?

I think I mostly wanted to immigrate to see if I could be up to the challenge, but also to discover the world. It is a chance to get to know me a lot more… to see what I’m capable of. So far, so good. I’m discovering a lot of new things and I’m living in a new culture, I see new scenery, I meet a lot of new friends… like you, Zhu!

But it is also true that immigrating is also a way of running away… That said I have expectation for myself, no matter where I am in this world.

Do you find life expensive in Canada compared to your home country?

Yes, Canada is super expensive compared to Morocco. Food (especially meat and fish, which I love) are way more expensive.

Will you apply for Canadian citizenship?

Of course! Once I meet the requirements I will definitely apply for Canadian citizenship. I can’t wait. I think it’s going to be a milestone in my life.

What advice would you give to someone interested in immigrating to Canada?

My best advice? Think twice about your immigration project before you start the process. You need to be strong, confident and able to pull yourself together during uncertain times. You must also be strong-willed in order to succeed.

And last but not least… the immigration process takes a lot of time – use this time wisely and starts to learn to speak both French and English.

Mehmet Kaya: From Turkey To Toronto

Zhu — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:55:36 +0000

Welcome to my new series, Ten Immigrants, Ten Interviews.

A new post will be published every Saturday.

Mehmet and his wife, Brenda

Mehmet Kaya has been in Canada for just over a year, and is still getting used to life here. He met his wife Brenda, an ESL teacher, while she was living and working in Istanbul. One day she walked into Mehmet’s uncle’s shop, where he was working, and the rest is history!

They currently live in Toronto, where he is looking for work, and has recently started part-time college studies in computer technology. Brenda writes about their life on her blog, Life Like This.

What brought you to Canada?

I met a Canadian woman in Istanbul. Before that I didn’t think of going to Canada particularly, but as our relationship got more serious, I started thinking of going to Canada. We both felt that Canada was better for our future.

We got married in Istanbul, then moved to Malaysia where we lived for two years. She was working there, and we applied for my Permanent Residency during that time. A few months after we received my PR card, we moved to Canada. That was about a year ago.

Did you find the immigration process difficult?

The process was very difficult. It took us almost a year to gather all the documents we needed. This was so hard because we were in a third country (not my country or my wife’s country). The process was quite clear, so we didn’t use any consultants or lawyers, but the difficult part was to get all the documents they needed.

One of the most difficult parts was to prove our relationship was genuine. Luckily my wife writes daily in an online diary, and when she printed out all the entries about our relationship, there were hundreds of pages. We also had lots of pictures and cards. But we were still nervous that for some reason I would not get accepted by Immigration Canada. We got the acceptance letter about 9 months after we sent in our application, and that was a great day!

How long did it take you to find a job that you liked in Canada?

The toughest part for me in Canada has been not being able to find a job. I have been looking for any kind of job and can’t find anything. I’m planning to continue my education in Canada but while not working, it’s hard to cover the costs. I see that as a difficulty from my first year. I hope my second year will be better.

Where did you learn French/ English? What was your second language level when you first came to Canada?

I’ve been working with tourists in Turkey since I was a child. In that way I had some practice with them and learned words from them. I never studied English in school, I just learned it from travellers. I’m lucky because my wife is an English teacher, and she has been teaching me since I met her. We speak English all the time of course, and she corrects me and even gives me homework! I don’t have difficulty with speaking or listening, but I’m still working on my writing.

What was your biggest culture shock?

The social life here is quite different from Turkey. In Turkey people usually get together during the daytime and weekdays, but here it’s usually in the weekends or late at night. People seem to be more busy here with their work and their life.

What haven’t you gotten used to yet in Canada?

Well, I haven’t gotten used to the sports, such as hockey. I don’t know how to play, the rules, and I definitely don’t know how to skate! Also, here I don’t have a chance to watch a lot of soccer on TV. Also people here are not as into soccer, and it’s hard to find people to play with. In Turkey, soccer is such a big part of the culture, that if you just walk with your ball, people will come to you and ask you to play.

Did immigrating to Canada match your expectations?

Right now, if I say my expectations have been matched, it would be lying. If I find a job, and work through my difficulties, I will be able to answer that question. Canada is a beautiful country, with friendly people, and it’s quite clean compared to where I come from. I haven’t seen any conflicts in the street or violence. Canada seems a peaceful country to me, so in this way it meets my expectations.

You can read a pretty funny summary of Mehmet’s first year in Canada, complete with pictures, here: A year of new experiences for Mr. M.

Do you find life expensive in Canada compared to your home country?

Definitely. Rent is very expensive here, everything. Food, transportation, everything is more expensive than we pay in Turkey.

Will you apply for Canadian citizenship?

Yes, definitely. As soon as I am able to apply for citizenship, I will apply! I think it will be very good to be a Canadian citizen.

What advice would you give to someone interested in immigrating to Canada?

I would say make sure you have a good level of English, and if you don’t have some connections here before you come, make some as soon as possible. I would also recommend you bring some reference letters with you from your work places in the past, because it might be difficult to get them when you’re in Canada, especially if they don’t speak English.

Yasmine: From Former Yugoslavia To Québec

Zhu — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:37:46 +0000

Welcome to my new series, Ten Immigrants, Ten Interviews.

A new post will be published every Saturday.

Portrait de Famille: Yasmine and Her Family

Unlike many immigrants to Canada, Yasmine and her family hadn’t thought of immigrating anywhere. They hadn’t really chosen Canada either: they came as refugees after leaving their war-torn country. Their story is truly moving, from a perfect life in former Yugoslavia to coming as refugees in Germany and then Canada, where they eventually settled.

From her blog, I had the idea that Yasmine would be an interesting person to interview. I found the little note in the sidebar very cute: “I learned my English from movies, so I’m sorry if there are any errors. Feel free to mail me corrections!”. Her English is great and I was amazed to see that her French was flawless as well — this is not an easy language to master.

After replying to my questions, Yasmine admitted it was harder than she would have thought because it still stirred up old memories. After learning the whole story, I have a lot of admiration for this strong women and what her and her family have overcome.

What brought you to Canada?

I never ever in my life thought of immigrating to Canada or anywhere else for that matter. In the early nineties, I was living peacefully with my husband and my two little children in a small town of the former Yugoslavia. The economical and political situations were shaky at this point but I was not overly worried. We lived in a beautiful, peaceful country with everything we needed. We both had a job we loved and the education and health systems were great (and almost free of charge). We were one young happy family.

Nothing prepared us for the war that started slowly in 1991 in the North and spread like a bushfire all over the country. Suddenly there were bombs destroying everything, fear and killings…unimaginable things started to invade our lives. I finally decided to flee the country early 1992 with my two children and go to join my sister who lived in Germany. My husband decided to stay. At that point, I thought I was going to stay in Germany for 3 or 4 weeks but we stayed for 14 years. It was the beginning of a life I would have never imagined, full of surprises, changes and challenges. I therefore often feel like Forrest Gump from the famous movie: “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get”. The six years we spent in Germany as refugees are an immigration story by themselves, it was a struggle to survive and rebuild a life up from zero while bringing up our children.

Long story short: after six years, we weren’t allowed to stay longer in Germany and we had to go back to our country, where we had lost literally everything, or we could immigrate to another country where they would accept us and start again. This was the most difficult decision to make, one of the darkest moments of our lives. We had to choose between the USA, Canada and Australia. After some research, we decided Canada was the best place for our children. The paperwork was done fast because we were accepted as refugees. Our destination in Canada was imposed by the Canadian embassy, we had no choice, we were heading for Quebec. We didn’t speak French at all, not one word.

Did you find the immigration process difficult?

The whole process was accelerated by the agreement between Germany and Canada and we had help from an humanitarian organization. It took us only 5 months from the beginning to landing in Montreal in September 1998. Nevertheless, we had to pay the fees like any immigrant.

How long did it take you to find a job that you liked in Canada?

We had to learn French language first in order to find a job. Our children attended language classes at school and my husband and I took a French language course for immigrants. Then followed some job searching and computer training. A year later, I found my first job, although not in my line of work. Actually the job found me: I was offered a position while participating in the computer training!

It was difficult in the beginning but I eventually grew to like this job as I worked with immigrants and were able to help them through the process of settling here. I have been working there for 9 years. Currently I’m looking for another job with better working conditions. My husband was able to find only seasonal jobs in the first 3 years but then he found a decent job in a good company (not in his field though) and is still working there.

Where did you learn French/ English? What was your second language level when you first came to Canada?

When we first came to Canada, no one in the family spoke French. And even if I was able to communicate in English at the intermediate level, that didn’t help us a lot – Quebec is a VERY francophone city. We then followed the language courses for immigrants and after a year we were all able to communicate in French well enough to find a job or to study. At the same time, my children were able to learn English trough the television by watching The Simpsons, imagine!

I continued to learn and to improve my “movie English” as I like to call it. I was even courageous enough to start my own blog in English called Love Live Survive Home.

What was your biggest culture shock?

My whole story is bittersweet and I would like to apologize if I come over as a negative person (I hope not!). The immigration experience was very painful for me and my family for many different reasons. Simplified, it would look like this: the first year, I cried every day; the second year, I cried once a week and the third once a month. After that, the things started to look better and I cried less often.

Now I don’t cry any more but I do feel nostalgic. When we arrived to Quebec, I was very surprised to see poor and homeless people. I guess my source of information embellished the situation and was actually aiming tourists. I didn’t have an internet connection in the nineties so my research was limited to books, magazines and video tapes. Values important to me were also very different, people and families are not so close to each other, generations are very independent. Money and material possessions have a greater value here than they had in the other places I lived. On the positive side, I was very pleasantly surprised with the place of women in society.

What haven’t you gotten used to yet in Canada?

Do you know the saying:“You can’t replant an old tree”? Well, I was almost 40 when I arrive in Canada and I guess the environment was too different to grow new roots. That’s why I have a list of things that I’m still working on, but I can accept the fact that this is the way things are.

I find it hard to accept the working conditions: I went from 6 weeks vacation annually to only 2 in Canada and than had to work for five years in order to have 3 weeks vacation. Other things on my list: food, climate and human relationships. People here are very friendly but in a superficial and distant way. It’s very difficult to find friends – I’m still searching. But then again, it could be my age, people of my generation have already well established friendships. There is a song called “Exile” from the album “Identités” of an Algerian songwriter Idir that describes perfectly the state of my (immigrant) mind and soul.

Did immigrating to Canada match your expectations?

The circumstances of my immigration to Canada were special, I didn’t wake up one day with the desire to immigrate to this country. That being said, I’m very grateful for all the support and the opportunities we had to rebuild our life and even to get to a very comfortable level. I’m very happy for my children who are now young adults and have a chance to live in a free, politically and economically safe country with so many possibilities. I think we made the right decision.

Do you find life expensive in Canada compared to your home country?

My motto: you can’t have everything! In some countries food is cheap but the housing is expensive, sometimes the education is free, but the salaries aren’t so great, etc. In the beginning you have to be frugal, after that you have to watch how you spend what you earn because spending the “invisible” money is so easy.

Why did you apply for Canadian citizenship?

We applied for the Canadian citizenship after 3 years of living in Canada. We wanted to be able to participate in the life of our new country. We also wanted to be able to travel freely as Canadians – this was not possible with our old passports.

What advice would you give to someone interested in immigrating to Canada?

Research, research, research, before and after. Learn to speak one or both of the official languages very well, start in your own country if possible. Get to know all the local resources that can help you with everything in the beginning – priceless!

Take your time: the immigrants, myself included, would like to accomplish everything and to settle in the first 6 to 12 months. Some people are lucky, but most immigrants need from 3 to 5 years to achieve the “cruising speed”. This is the best advice somebody gave me in the beginning and it’s true. Even if you speak the language and have a job, trust me, you’ll need that time.

Another advice: don’t lose your time and energy comparing things with your country. I know some things can be shocking at first, but the sooner you ACCEPT the way things work around here the better and more successful your immigration will be. And I’m talking from my experience: if I could, I would go back and slap my silly old self for losing precious time by whining over my destiny. Don’t be around negative people and don’t listen to the (immigrant) horror stories – go out and make your own experience, everything is possible. Be open to new things – you might discover a new you that you never knew existed. Go out, get to know your new home country, there are so many places and events and most of them are even free. Try to develop or integrate a network of people, not only from your country. Be prepared to work hard so nothing can surprise you. Welcome and good luck!

Adam and Eric: From the USA to Toronto

Zhu — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 18:20:55 +0000

Welcome to my new series, Ten Immigrants, Ten Interviews.

A new post will be published every Saturday.

Adam and Eric

Let me introduce you to Adam and Eric, formerly of San Francisco, California, and now full-time Torontonians. They have been living in Canada for two years and they have the mix of positive attitude and realist outlook on their move that make them perfect to interview. Eric and Adam chose Canada almost on a dare and are now planning to apply for permanent residence (they currently hold temporary visas) and eventually become Canadian citizens.

Their blog, Canadian Boomdiada, has little snippets of their lives as well as great practical advices, such as the general immigration advice series, posts about Canadian banking, culture, health care, job search and many others categories — a must read!

What brought you to Canada?

It was my partner Eric who lit the fire to move to Canada.

We lived in San Francisco and during discussions of possible Holiday destinations he kept mentioning how he loved Canada, Vancouver in particular — and how he really wanted to take me there. He was convinced I would fall in love with the city and not want to leave. I heard this one too many times and I started researching Vancouver and Canada in general. I did a massive amount of research and decided Vancouver would be a great place to live. I’ve lived in upstate and downstate N.Y., Boston and San Francisco. I love to move to new places and have always wanted to live outside the U.S.

So…one day Eric mentions that he was going to pursue new employment. I had already babbled that moving to Canada would be fine with me and at this point I suggested he post his resume on the internet on the major Canadian job sites. He was taken by surprise and didn’t take me seriously at first. One thing led to another, he accepted a job in Toronto and we moved about six months after he first posted his resume.

Did you find the immigration process difficult?

We legally moved to Canada from the U.S. with Temporary Work Permits, not as Permanent Residents. Immigrating with Work Permits is very straight forward and not difficult. The more challenging aspect of immigration is crossing the border with your personal belongings and re-establishing all aspects of your life. Do your research so that when some aspect of the move doesn’t go as planned it doesn’t become a crisis.

How long did it take you to find a job that you liked in Canada?

Finding your first job, let alone one in your chosen field, is notoriously difficult for a new immigrant. I was a Realtor in San Francisco and didn’t want to re-enter that field immediately after moving to Toronto.

Finding other work has been a real challenge. There is subtle discrimination against new immigrants no matter how much education they have. All the U.S. to Canada immigrants we know have had a tough time finding satisfactory employment. Clearly the economy hasn’t helped, we know educated Canadians with experience who have also had a lengthy unemployment. I was out of work for over a year. The job I have will do for now though I continue to pursue more a more satisfying position.

Where did you learn French/ English? What was your second language level when you first came to Canada?

Being from the U.S., English is my native language. I had taken French in College (University) and Eric and I took a French class before moving to Canada. We”ll probably continue French study-we enjoyed it.

What was your biggest culture shock?

Good question. Canada and the U.S. are clearly both part of ‘North American’ culture so we weren’t hit hard with culture shock. Simply put, Canada is not the U.S. despite the fact that it is so similar. One gets used to the myriad of subtle differences.

What haven’t you gotten used to yet in Canada?

There is a passive aggressive quality here that drives me crazy…and I lived in California where I used to say that they spoon fed passive aggressive to their newborns. I am a native New Yorker though so that might explain everything.

Did immigrating to Canada match your expectations?

Eric and I were incredibly well researched and prepared. I think our expectations were completely met. I might add that we are very pleased to live here.

Do you find life expensive in Canada compared to your home country?

Living in Toronto is not cheap. Cost of living in the U.S. can be dramatically different depending on where one lives. I lived in Boston and San Francisco, two U.S. cities with insanely high cost of living — so Toronto is comparable if not less expensive.

Are you planning to apply for Canadian citizenship when you will meet the requirements?

As mentioned, we moved to Canada on Temporary Work Permits. Our next step is to apply for PR status — probably through the “Canadian Experience” category. We will have legally resided here for two years in August. Assuming that application is approved-and I don’t expect any issues, I would probably go ahead with Citizenship when the time comes. Both Canada and the U.S. allow dual citizenship.

What advice would you give to someone interested in immigrating to Canada?

Do your research. One can’t be too prepared. Even successful immigrants will have challenges here in Canada. Thorough research means proper and realistic expectations. Read official websites. Read immigrant blogs like this one. Read both the words and “in between” the lines. Prepare yourself. If one is moving with a partner, make sure that the both of you are of one mind. Moving to a new country may challenge your relationship in ways that you don’t expect.

Ed Maruyama: From Brazil To Nunavut

Zhu — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:51:32 +0000

Welcome to my new series, Ten Immigrants, Ten Interviews.

A new post will be published every Saturday.

Ed Maruyama

I was browsing Flickr one night when I found this beautiful picture, named “Dogsledding over frozen Frobisher Bay”. I have always been curious about Canada’s Great North, so I opened the full picture set and found a few other gems, such as Arctic Char, and Seal Celebration.

I had to find out who was behind these pictures: I contacted the author. His profile had one line: “Brazilian guy living in Iqaluit”. Now, I was super curious. I mean, Canada is well-known to be a cold place, but from Brazil to the actual Great White North? That’s one hell of a culture shock!

Ed replied to me right away… he even wrote in French! Turned out he was actually from São Paulo and had been living in Nunavut, Canada’s Arctic territory, for seven years. He is not a full-time photographer yet but does document Canada’s harshest environment very well. And as you can see from the interview, there are other options than Toronto to settle in Canada!

What brought you to Canada?

I came to Canada several years ago, for a visit, so spent a few weeks driving around, sight-seeing. It was really nice to see an interesting & beautiful country with tons of people from all over the world.

We had a such great time, so decided to go back to Brazil, finish university, and then continue studying a little bit further.

I did then a telecommunications management program in southern Ontario, but I tried to find a job in the GTA at no avail, so decided to give it a shot in the Great White North, just to check it out.

So far, it’s been almost seven years in Iqaluit. I love it up here! But I would say this is not for everyone…

Did you find the immigration process difficult?

The immigration process was a little bit tricky because at first, I got this student visa through the program I was attending, but then in order to graduate, I had to complete a few months of internship/work experience, which allowed me to get my I first work permit.

After that, I was able (barely) to continue to have my work permit renewed/extended, until I’ve applied for the landed immigrant status.

I believe this was only possible because of the lack of skilled professionals in the north. Honestly, in the “south” with all sorts of people looking for jobs, it wouldn’t have made any sense to have this kind of status granted to me.

How long did it take you to find a job that you liked in Canada?

Since I had to complete this internship in the area/field of studies, I was able to get a job within the telecommunications field, as I ended up working for an Internet Service Provider.

After working for them for 3 years or so, I was able to meet lots of people, and (social) networking is essential, especially in a smaller community, so when the position with the City of Iqaluit became available, I decided to apply for it, and now I’ve been working as its network administrator.

I am also a passionate photographer, so I have been thinking of investing more time into photography. Please, feel free to see a few samples of my work and a small idea of what’s going on in the north!

Where did you learn French/ English? What was your second language level when you first came to Canada?

I’ve been studying English since a small kid, as I was fortunate enough to have parents who had this vision that English is a world language. In high school, I had some french classes as well, and it’s been interesting to be involved with the francophone community in Nunavut, so I’ve been also practicing my french skills.

I must confess I need to invest more time learning Inuktitut though. I would say, prior to coming to Canada, I was quite fluent in English, with enough french to keep up simple conversations. It is essential that you speak & write the languages of the country you are moving to; I find it really sad to see people pretending to be in their own countries, forgetting they have moved to a new place, with its own official languages and cultures. I understand it is important to keep our roots alive, but I would say its way more important to adapt yourself to the canadian culture, than have Canada to bend its knees for you.

What was your biggest culture shock?

The Inuit culture is amazing. It’s awesome to be in a harsh environment and yet, still be able to survive and have lots of fun. The tundra is incredibly beautiful, the northern lights provide an exquisite eye candy.

What haven’t you gotten used to yet in Canada?

I try to enjoy every single moment in my life to its fullest, so, can’t really say there is such a thing that really bugs me in Canada.

Did immigrating to Canada match your expectations?

I don’t think it’s fair to expect Canada to be paradise, or hell… Anywhere you go, you’ll find positive and negative things.

Do you find life expensive in Canada compared to your home country?

Very VERY expensive, but I live in Iqaluit, Nunavut. We are in another planet… I don’t find it fair to compare prices, because we make a living earning Canadian dollars, spending in Canadian dollars, so I don’t think it’s simply a matter of “buying stuff” with a different currency.

Are you planning to apply for Canadian citizenship when you will meet the requirements?

Yes, I’ll be applying when I meet the requirements, which will be probably sometime next year.

What advice would you give to someone interested in immigrating to Canada?

Read, read and read lots about Canada, come up for a visit first, I know it’s not the same experience while you’re only visiting, things can be different when you actually live here, but all I can say is Canada is a great country. Just don’t expect to be an easy ride and take everything for granted. You have to work up the ladder, start crawling prior to running… Good luck!

Gabriel Almada: from Argentina To Canada

Zhu — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:33:24 +0000

Welcome to my new series, Ten Immigrants, Ten Interviews.

A new post will be published every Saturday.

Gabriel Almada

Gabriel has an amazing immigration story, full of ups and downs, that he told in “Coming To Canada”.

He landed alone in Canada in 2000, and his wife and kids later met him there. But pretty much everything that could have gone wrong went wrong, starting with his job (or lack thereof). Eventually, his family stayed at his brother’s place, in the USA, while Gabriel had in Canada what he later called “the worse month in his life”. The odds seemed to be against him: no money, no job and a series a little things that almost made him give up. But suddenly, his luck turned. He found a job in Waterloo and little by little, he made it. His first paycheck arrived and he took his family to the C.N Tower. The Almada family is now Canadian-Argentinean and they still live in Waterloo, nearby Toronto.

Gabriel has an amazing sense of humor and he is a great storyteller. He blogs about his life as a Canadian-Argentinean in the popular blog, Live from Waterloo, written in both Spanish and English. He is a must read for any prospective immigrant: he experienced a lot, the good, the bad and the ugly.

What brought you to Canada?

I guess we came to Canada looking for peace, stability, a better present for us and a better future for our kids. I believe that we have achieved all that already (we’ve been living in Canada for 9 years now).

The idea of coming to live in Canada came in late 1999. My wife knew I had always wanted to know this country, and one day she found an ad in the newspaper, saying that the Canadian Embassy had a special workshop for IT professionals. We decided to give it a shot, but still without the idea of leaving; I filled and mailed the form they sent and soon got my invitation back. It wasn’t until I actually showed up and was told that I had already qualified for immigration that I started to think about this as a certainty more than a ‘wouldn’t it be nice’ thing..

Did you find the immigration process difficult?

Not at all, at least not in our case. Every step we were asked to take was very easy to understand and follow. We filled every paper on our own, and got prepared for the interviews by ourselves. We submitted the papers in December ’99, had our medical tests in March/April 2000, the interview a couple months later and we got approved in late July. Our visas came in early September of 2000, so the total process took just under 10 months.

How long did it take you to find a job that you liked in Canada?

Way too long, for many reasons: our change of plans that found us in Toronto, instead of our original destination (Saint John, NB), the time of the year (late fall), the lack of knowledge on how to search for a job properly… Many little reasons that combined caused us to make many wrong decisions. By the time I finally got a job we were absolutely broke. You might want to read more about it by clicking on my immigration story here.

Where did you learn French/ English? What was your second language level when you first came to Canada?

I never actually studied English (either of the little you learn in school), I pretty much taught myself; this happened mostly because of the kind of work I do (I’m an IT professional) and also because I am a very fast learner. I constantly pushed myself so I can learn more, so it didn’t take long until I found myself talking in front of a room full of people within days of having landed my first job; it was the best way I could find to force myself to learn how to communicate properly faster. Me being a singer, I was already comfortable being in front of people, but doing a training session is much different than singing!

What was your biggest culture shock?

The very first one was the incredibly cosmopolitan characteristics of Toronto. I felt I was in a small version of New York City, with so many different communities co-existing in such a beautiful and vibrant city. I loved walking down the streets in Little Italy, Greektown and the 2 Chinatowns. I didn’t imagine a big Canadian city like that.

The biggest culture shock I had, however, was realizing how warm and respectful people can be here, making sure you know they care about you, but without invading your private space. I find the average Canadian very kind and well educated; in most cases, they show a lot of respect for the immigrant and even make a point in learning more about you, your background, your story and your customs.

What haven’t you gotten used to yet in Canada?

To compare things that don’t work in my home country with how they do here: for example, the respect people show for their elderly, their institutions and their teachers.

Did immigrating to Canada match your expectations?

Absolutely. We have achieved more in nine years here in Canada, than in a whole life back at home. We have a great life, our kids are doing great, and we all look at the future with optimism.

Do you find life expensive in Canada compared to your home country?

No, not really. Argentina was very expensive when we left, back in 2000. I find dairy (especially cheese) and beef expensive compared to home, but on the other hand, chicken and pork is much cheaper… Rentals are higher, but salaries are too. You can save here, and plan for your future.

Why did you apply for Canadian citizenship?

We all became Canadian citizens in May 2005, and to us it was a way to express our appreciation and gratitude to this beautiful country for all it has given to us. It’s more about being able to vote and work for the government, it’s about having that wonderful sense of belonging. We don’t forget about our roots, we’re still Argentines. But we are Canadian too, and we are very happy and proud of it.

What advice would you give to someone interested in immigrating to Canada?

Do your homework! Read a lot, go to official websites and immigration forums. Choose carefully where you’re planning to live, and based that decision not only on which areas are better for your job industry, but also on how safe the city is, the alternatives it gives to your kids (i.e. Universities, colleges), the type of community (Do you like bigger or smaller cities? Are you comfortable living in a big, cosmopolitan city like Toronto, or would you prefer the peace and quiet of Waterloo or Kelowna? What do you prefer, mountains, prairie, sea?).

Don’t idealize things! I always say “don’t assume that you’re going to land in Toronto and find the Prime Minister waiting for you, with the key to your car, the deed to your new house and the job offer for you to sign”. Everything takes its time, and you have to be prepared to wait for sometime until you can get back on track. Don’t get discouraged if things don’t go your way at first, and if you think you made a mistake by moving to Canada, there’s no shame in accepting it and going back to your country of origin — or somewhere else.

Immigration is not for everybody.

Guillermo Ziegler: From Argentina To Canada

Zhu — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 05:22:50 +0000

Welcome to my new series, Ten Immigrants, Ten Interview.

A new post will be published every Saturday.

Guillermo Ziegler

Guillermo Ziegler came with his family to Canada in 2005, looking for a better life as he saw Argentina, his home country, plunging into an economic and social crisis. He currently lives in Ottawa with his family and they will all become Canadian citizens very soon.

Guillermo writes chronicles of his Canadian life in the very popular Spanish-speaking blog Los Ziegler En Canada. He is also the author of a highly recommended ebook for prospective immigrants to Canada: Buscar Empleo en Canadá Contado por Inmigrantes.

What brought you to Canada?

I think the best way to answer your question would be answering what kicked me out of my country. Canada was just the aftermath of a decision based on that and, to be honest; it was Canada as it could have been Australia. Yep. Sorry if I hurt any feelings here!

By the end of 1999, beginning of 2000 my professional career was virtually stopped. The economical catastrophe that was approaching Argentina at that time (the beginning of a furious recession period that ended with the default in late 2001) put an end in the ascending career I was having since 1990. After that, everything started going down and I was never able to recover: not my career, not my way of living. Same happened to my wife.

At that time, we could have migrated to Australia or Canada, we had the money to do it… but not the guts. By late 2003, we decided to put an end to all that. We just said enough and started the paperwork with Quebec, that at the time was the most viable option for us.

By mid-May 2005 we were landing in Canada: my wife, our two kids and me. It will be 5 years soon, it’s hard to believe how fast the time passed… So fast, that we are becoming citizens in a few more days!

Did you find the immigration process difficult?

The bureaucratic process itself is not difficult at all. Paperwork is simple and you can find plenty of help in the Internet. The most difficult part of all this is your preparation and fighting with your own anxiety… there are more challenges at the emotional level than at any other if you think about it. How do you tell your parents you are living ten thousand kilometres away from home? And even worst… how do you tell them you are taking the grandsons with you? How do you deal with the sorrow and pain of leaving 30 years of your history behind just to arrive to a place where you are no one and no one knows you? That is the most difficult part.

How long did it take you to find a job that you liked in Canada?

Almost a year. Nine months to be exactly… but I have to be honest. After that time I found the job I was looking for… and that is not always the one you like! I still don’t know what job I like… One day I was on the phone with a Canadian I used to know, I was telling him how challenging was to find a decent job and was asking for his help (some people call that “networking”) But suddenly he asked me “Guillermo, what is your dreamed job?” I muted. I’m still not sure about the answer.

Where did you learn French/ English? What was your second language level when you first came to Canada?

I started learning English when I was 6 years old. One day I arrived home from school with a very bad, low mark in English from my teacher at Elementary school in Argentina. My mom got so, so angry that she started sending me to English classes. I studied English until the age of 18 and since then I always had a job where I used it.

French was a complete different story. I started learning French in 2003 when we sent the papers to the Quebec Office in Buenos Aires. After that I went to the French classes that Quebec has for immigrants and when I moved to Waterloo I forgot about French for a while. Nowadays, back in the National Capital Region, I must admit I have some difficulties with French but still can have a basic a conversation with someone if I have to.

What was your biggest culture shock?

Let’s see… It’d be the Canadian protocol for salutation if I have to put a name to the problem. When do they say “Hi!”? Under what circumstances you can say “Hello” and be sure it will be returned? Why they don’s say “good morning” when they arrive to the office (most of the times)? Why does a stranger say “Hi!” when you are taking a walk around the pond in your neighborhood even when you have not see that person ever in your life? What can I talk about with a Canadian being sure I’m not crossing a forbidden line? How do I make friends with these guys?

I’m still struggling with all this.

What haven’t you gotten used to yet in Canada?

Besides what I said above? I’m still having some troubles to accommodate my life in order to find more room for social activities. But it’s all related I think… Other than that, living in this country seems to be easy… as far as you follow the rules, everything will be OK.

Did immigrating to Canada match your expectations?

Living in this country was everything I thought it was going to be. But there we also a lot of other things I did not know that were going to be. Those are the things that sometimes make you think if you made the right decision. But I cannot complain. There are good days and bad days everywhere.

Do you find life expensive in Canada compared to your home country?

Yes, life in Canada IS expensive. And life in Argentina is expensive also. What is the difference? How much access to credit you have! That can be good but can be very bad also… You just have to be careful because you can get into financial troubles very fast in Canada!

If you are not a Canadian citizen yet, are you planning to apply for Canadian citizenship when you will meet the requirements? If you are already a Canadian citizen, why did you apply for citizenship?

I will be taking my citizenship oath soon. Being part of the first world club is an advantage you cannot let go… and after 5 Canadian winters I think I deserve to be part of it, right?

What advice would you give to someone interested in immigrating to Canada?

Research, research and more research! Learn about others experiences! Learn the language! Don’t give anything for granted! Don’t believe this is El Dorado! Dream… but have realistic expectations! This is a nice place to be as far as you understand the meaning of “effort”