Settlement

This is my first time traveling so far, my first real experience. It wasn't easy leaving my hometown and my home country, but life has its own plans.

I never thought I would leave my home for so long, but step by step, I first went to Dnipro (a big city in Ukraine), then Lviv (also Ukraine), then Warsaw (Poland), then: a plane, and I was in Toronto (Canada). From Toronto, by taxi, to the beautiful town of Stratford (Ontario). Here, we (my mom, daughter, and I) were met by a wonderful Canadian family. We are so grateful to them; they helped us with everything, and their neighbors too – everyone tried to welcome us to Canada, brought us gifts, and one neighbor even hung a Ukrainian flag on their door. Seeing all this, I realized that the best thing about this country is its people and their extraordinary mentality.

There were ups and downs, getting a job and then being laid off, but regardless of all that, I fell deeply in love with Canada. It's a country with many opportunities, stunning nature, and a climate very similar to the one in Mariupol (Ukraine). I'm now studying English with a wonderful teacher, which helps me not only learn the language but also explore Canadian culture, history, and a lot of interesting things about the Indigenous people.

Thank you so much to this country and these people. I would love to become a part of this society and help others as I was helped (volunteering is very developed here). Canada is a wonderful country.