Employment

Since I was a child I have always loved to swim and everything about the water. I remember when I was six years old, I wished I could swim like a fish. After I graduated from high school in Iran, I took up Physical Education as my undergraduate program so that I can choose what sport I can specialize in and get certified. I chose swimming.

After I got certified, I started working as a lifeguard and a swim instructor. As a lifeguard, I got to save and rescue people’s lives. As a swim instructor, I taught people how to swim, how to develop better techniques and how to be safe in the water. Also, I taught aquafit classes to help the elderly with their difficulties in mobility. I had worked for ten years in Tehran until I moved to Canada.

Before I came here, I had gathered information on how I could be an accredited lifeguard and a swim instructor in Ontario. As soon as my husband and I arrived here in 2017, I signed up with Lifesaving Society Ontario and did my training. I took a licensing exam that involved doing 400 meters front crawl, carrying heavy bodies, administering first aid, performing CPR, etc. After I passed all the requirements, I finally got certified! In less than a month, I landed my first part-time job in a Persian community in York Region. Luckily, blending in was not so much of an obstacle because I speak Farsi and my co-workers were Persian too.

In the meantime, I still kept looking for other opportunities. A few months later, I saw a job posting for a full-time job which was more appropriate to my skills. I applied right away and as far as I could remember, I had waited for six months until I got hired as a swim instructor and a lifeguard in the town of Newmarket. A new immigrant should struggle with submitting an impressive resume and passing rigid interviews to increase his or her chances of getting a good job. Not only does one have to face those but also be confronted with multiple challenges at work such as being able to speak understandable English, adjusting to new colleagues, following workplace rules, upgrading skills and being acquainted with clients and their cultures. Despite the fact I was scared then, I believe I did very well because I was able to continue my career goals here in Canada.

The simile, “swim like a fish,” means to be a very strong swimmer. With everything I have gone through, I believe I am. Not only do I swim like a fish, but I also rescue people who are in danger in the water. I have two of the coolest jobs which make me feel so good and fulfilled. I truly enjoy and love my profession because this has been my vocation and my dream since I was a child.