Esther Njuguna,
Outreach Worker for Build ON
Moving to Canada is probably one of the biggest life changes that I have ever made. Before and even after I moved, I received a lot of information from people on what to expect in terms of the weather, the people, career advice and the general way of life. All this information has been quite helpful but I also recognize that we all experience the world differently which is what makes each life so unique.
These are some of the unexpected pleasant experiences that I have experienced so far as a newcomer in Canada.
1). The weather in Canada
Yes, I said the weather in Canada!
I never understood why my Canadian friends talked about the weather so much until I moved to Canada. Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, I was used to the weather being an average of 25 degrees Celsius for most of the year and so to talk about the weather, as often as Canadians do, would almost be like talking about the same day over and over again. But now understand that the reason Canadians talk about the weather so much is because the weather change every season is so drastic that the way of life changes along with it.
Each season comes with different life adjustments. For example, the way of dressing isn’t as simple as putting on a coat for winter and taking it off for summer. Rather, you have winter sweaters, socks and boots that are different from those you wear in other seasons. The kind of tires you have on your vehicle can change with seasons (I had never heard of snow or summer tires before coming to Canada)! Social activities such as sports change with the seasons. Certain jobs change with seasons and even the way Canada looks changes every season!
The beauty of the bright snow in winter is very mesmerizing, which is followed by spring where Canada changes from white to the green of blooming trees and colourful flowers, followed by summer which I believe is the most active season in Canada where you will see more outdoor activities. Summer is followed by another beautiful season, Fall, the tree leaves turn to red and yellow during this season and again it starts to cool down, the trees shed and the cycle starts again.
To have the opportunity to experience life differently every season is truly one of the most beautiful things about Canada.
2. Pre-arrival and post arrival services.
When I started putting together the application for my immigration to Canada, I did a lot of research on how to properly complete the application documents; what documents I had to include in the application; and the different stages of the application process. Therefore, I knew that if my application was going well that I would eventually get a pre -arrival letter; however, I didn’t know much about the content of this letter. I had assumed it was a guide on what to do once I landed in Canada. For example, see the immigration officer at the airport, get a Social Insurance Number (SIN) number, when and how to expect my Permanent Resident card and so on. Little did I know that the pre- arrival letter would enable me to acquire services such as an employment consultant; guidance on how to write a Canadian style resume; how and where to search for jobs; volunteer opportunities; a chance to have a career mentor and so much more FOR FREE! The pre-arrival services were a game changer especially because one of my first goals was to find employment.
As an immigrant in Canada, I continue to benefit a lot from post arrival programs such as the YMCA-YWCA
Newcomer information Centre and
Employment Access Centre. These services and programs offer guidance and ensure that I receive relevant information to make informed decisions in my career, finances, social life and even settlement.
If there is one piece of advice that I would give to immigrants and especially newcomers, it would be to seek out these services. They make a big difference!
3). Diversity and self-identification
When I apply for jobs, it is quite common for the employers to provide a self-identifying questionnaire. The questionnaire in most cases is optional and includes questions such as: are you a visible minority; are you a person living with disability; how do you gender identify; how do you identify your sexual orientation; and if you have preferred pronouns. The questions were quite different from what I am used to and at first, I wondered if completing such a questionnaire would have a negative impact on my application. However, after doing some research and talking to a few Canadian friends, I learned that employers in Canada are actively seeking out a diverse workforce. Therefore, the purpose of the self-identification questionnaire is to promote equality, diversity and inclusion rather than for discrimination.
This is something I had never experienced before, especially in an employment platform and it is definitely one of my favorite things about working in Canada.
4). Food!
Canadian food culture perfectly reflects the diversity in Canada.
From Indian, to Chinese, to Persian, to Caribbean, to Italian, to African, to Korean, to Vietnamese and so on. I truly believe that you can find cuisines from every part of the world in Canada. This was both very exciting and very overwhelming for me because I want to try everything!
In my adventures of sampling different cuisines, one thing that was pleasantly surprising, is that a lot of restaurants have a senior’s menu. I have come across kids’ menus but never had I seen or even heard of a senior’s menu before coming to Canada.
This option of course is designed for older people and it is tailor made to fit seniors’ preferences in food style, portion sizes and budgets.
I deeply wish we could adopt the senior’s menu option all over the world.
Oh, and don’t’ forget to tip your servers, the tipping culture in Canada is quite prominent!
5). Customer service
Customer service in Canada is excellent, and I have experienced this in almost all my transactions.
I recently decided to purchase a filing cabinet online. When it arrived, one part was slightly coming apart and it could have easily been glued back but I decided to contact the company to ask what they would recommend. They immediately sent me a completely new part and they didn’t even take the old one back!
In another instance, my partner realized that the sole on a pair of winter boots that they had owned for five years was crumbling, so she decided to contact the company to see if they do sole replacements. To my complete shock, the company sent her a brand-new pair of boots. The company stated that despite the fact the boots were five years old, they expected their product to last much longer. Therefore, the company apologized and replaced the old pair with a brand-new pair!
These are just a couple of the many excellent customer care services that I have experienced in Canada.
6). Driving.
The biggest difference between driving in Kenya and driving in Canada is that in Kenya cars drive on the left side of the road and in Canada cars drive on the right side of the road. Though this may seem like a simple adjustment, it can be difficult to remember which side to use when pulling in and out of driveways. So, I always take an extra second to think about it just to be safe!
The other big difference and the one that was surprising for me is that acquiring a G driver’s license in Ontario has several steps and tests, and assuming you are doing the whole driving course, could take up to 20 months. Whereas, acquiring a B class driver’s license in Kenya (which is the equivalent of a G in Canada) only takes approximately 3 months.
That being said, Canada has been rated as one of the countries with the least road accident deaths in the world. Additionally, traffic offences in Canada carry a very heavy penalty, so Canadian’s take road safety seriously.
Over all the pleasant experiences I have had as a newcomer, the one that remains to be my absolute favorite is that every day is an opportunity to experience something new ; meeting a new friend, eating a new meal, learning a new word, walking a new path……….the possibilities are truly endless!