Settlement

I have been living in Canada for five years. I came to Canada from the North of Iraq as a permanent resident with my kids. In the beginning, I was feeling so lonely and hopeless. I was a high school biology teacher for many years in my native country. My first year in Canada was so stressful until I got familiar with the Canadian culture and the Canadian weather.

Despite all that, I made the decision to accept any job I got offered to get Canadian experience. So, I got a job as a cashier in a grocery store. I like it because it gives me the opportunity to meet new people and improve my language. I'm networking with more people to get a foot in the door to get my dream job as a teacher.

After three years in Canada, I separated from my husband. He took a lot of energy from me and left me without any help even for his own kids. I thought I would not be able to live or improve my lifestyle, but I did not give up. I worked as a school bus driver and asked for a mortgage which I got after several attempts of applying. Now, I feel so powerful. I'm still working on becoming a teacher again and improving my level of English.

Finally, everyone can be happy if you decide so, don’t connect your happiness to people or places!