Settlement

Karon Waddell stated, “You are never too old to start over. Every day is a chance to make changes to create the life we want.” So, I arrived in Canada when I was 30 years old from a country where it is hard to find a job when you are over 30 years old. In the beginning, I was filled with hopes of a new life, but soon I realized that if you want to open the door to rebirth, you need to prepare three keys. These three keys are the capability to learn, adequate financial resources, as well as adaptability and endurance.

The first key of the rebirth is the capability to learn new things. After arriving in Canada, I faced my first problem, which was language. I realized that my English level was lower than I thought, and I lost my confidence and was too shy to socialize with other people. But I was lucky, the multicultural association office where I live gave me some useful advice. They taught me how to set goals and achieve them. Most importantly, they helped me join the LINC program to learn English. In addition, if you hope to earn some confidence and have fun, you may need to learn some skills to socialize with others. Such as fishing, swimming, hiking, skiing etc. Thus, keeping open-minded to learn is the way to success.

The second key to the rebirth is adequate financial resources. Renting in Canada is pricey, for example, in Kenora which is just a small town in Ontario the rental of a room is $700 per month. Yes, it is just a room, it doesn't have a private kitchen or washroom. So, you can imagine the rental price in the Great Toronto Area must be more expensive. Not only the rental price, but the daily necessities are also expensive. You need to think about your car insurance, cell phone bills, groceries, etc. Therefore, preparing enough money before moving to Canada is a smart decision.

The most important keys are adaptability and endurance, because even if you have the first two keys, without these qualities you will fail easily. Canada has a long winter time, up to six months, and some of the places in Canada are negative 30 degrees in winter. So, you need to adapt to this weather. In addition, you may not continue to do your professions in Canada although you have many years of experience in your home country. Because in Canada, you need to get the relevant certificates from government agencies first, which means you need to re-learn your profession. For example, I was a graphic designer with six years of working experience and also finished high school and college in my home country, but I still need to relearn high school in Canada, because some countries are non-English regions, and Canada does not accept it. That is why endurance is important because it needs a very healthy mindset to accept it. But when you keep an open mind, you can improve your English, and become more familiar with the history and education system of Canada. Therefore, adjust your mindset and imagine yourself as a young person just starting in the world, keeping flexibility and patience.

Immigration is a dream full of wonderful things, but the reality is harsh. After leaving the familiar surroundings and arriving in a new country, we were faced with various challenges and difficulties. Imagine yourself as a young guy, and take the first step bravely, the difficulties you are experiencing are temporary, and the ideal life will come closer and closer to you. Prepare your keys to your ideal life, like Alan Cohen stated, “Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect.”