Living the Canadian dream: 11 dos and don’ts

Credit to Author: Nazreena Anwar-Travas| Date: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 01:00:50 +0000

To most immigrants, arriving in Canada is a dream. While some are lucky to have a prior job waiting or have relatives or friends to stay with, others are not so fortunate. They may have to start on their own and find their own path.

Living in Canada can pose many challenges especially if you are alone. If only life came with a user manual! Unfortunately, it doesn’t, and it doesn’t have an “undo” button either. But life gives you lessons, and experience makes us wiser. Below are some dos and don’ts based on lessons learned from my own personal journey in Canada to help you prevent the Canadian dream from turning into a nightmare!

1. Stop the comparisons

Do not compare your experience or journey in Canada to others. Each person’s journey is unique. While your neighbour may also hold the same qualifications as you do, his journey in Canada is his to take and yours is yours to make. Things work out differently for everyone.

While you may be the “king” or “queen” in one discipline, you may not have realized that a certain skillset that wasn’t considered necessary in your former place of employment is of prime importance in the companies here. For instance: if you have always had your assistant or secretary draft business correspondence for you back in your former place of residence, you may now need to improvise on transcribing business correspondence independently.

2. Financial firsts

If you are a landed immigrant, you need to go about applying for your SIN and health care card. Remember, you cannot work without a SIN card and may need one to open a bank account, too. Do not procrastinate. Keep your SIN number safe. If it gets into the hands of the wrong person, it can lead to identity theft.

When opening your bank account, ensure you understand the minimum balance requirements and transaction charges that are charged and/or calculated differently from what you are accustomed to. Better to be careful than get unpleasant surprises!

3. Where to live?

Easy question. Easy answer. Location! Location! Location! The best location of your accommodation depends on you and what is important to you. If you are alone or just a couple, you can dare to be a bit adventurous and choose to live in a smaller place in a trendy downtown area, but if you have kids, you might want to live closer to school and other amenities such as parks and supermarkets.

While the transit system is pretty efficient in Canada, it comes with a cost, too, which needs to be taken into account. The apartment in suburbia might be $100 lower than the one closer to downtown, however, the added cost of commuting can offset what seemed to be a rent saving.

Good sources for finding rentals are: the classified section in the local newspaper, rentfaster.com and kijiji.ca.

Keep in mind that low-income transit passes are also available based on certain criteria. Don’t let the word “low income” demoralize you. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Pretty soon, you will be standing next to a professional ladder and then it will be all up to you to start the climb!

4. Finding a job

In Canada, you have dignity of labour. Remember that whatever job you do, it generates an income to pay your bills. So never look down upon your job.

Applying for a job can be exciting — and frustrating. Before you write out your resumé, ensure that it is drafted to North American standards. Your nearest immigrant settlement agency can offer you valuable guidelines. Ensure your email address looks professional. If your current email address is something like prettyeyes@mail.com or teddybear@myemail.com, it’s high time you create an email id that presents a professional image. Be careful of what you post in social networking sites. Potential employers don’t just weed out the best-looking resumé. They also check out your public profile. So be discreet of what you post online.

5. Prioritize your expenses

This is especially important for those who are still looking out for a job. While your friendly neighbour may point out a great sale, be selective and differentiate your needs from your wants. Your job hunting phase is not the phase where you want to go about splurging in luxuries. There is nothing wrong in buying certain stuff from thrift stores or second-hand stores. Again, kijiji.ca is also a good source for buying second hand furniture, electronics, toys and much more!

If you cannot afford to have internet, remember local libraries offer WiFi and limited access to a computer.

Do not be miserly either. Accept that you need to have a bit of fun in life, too. Don’t feel guilty when you buy yourself a coffee or a treat now and then. Celebrate occasions and special days.

6. Don’t get isolated

Boredom can be very overwhelming especially when you are alone. Visit your public library. They have a wide array of reading and audio-visual material besides networking events and workshops. Get to know your community! Go for walks. Get to know your neighbours. You need to mentally accept Canada first before expecting Canada to accept you. Don’t limit yourself to familiarity. Remember, you have chosen to come to an unfamiliar land and make it your home. It’s time to accept the unfamiliar and blend in!

Accept it — each country is different and the culture associated with it is different, too. Value your culture, but don’t be ethnocentric. Have an open state of mind. Get out of your comfort zone! While familiarity breeds comfort, it will also restrict your abilities to interact in a multicultural environment. Do not restrict yourselves to only talking with members of your country or origin or who share your culture. Take the cultural exposure as an opportunity to try to see things from other’s viewpoints. And there is nothing wrong if before you know it, you are practising a blended culture!

7. Networking works wonders

You never know who will turn out to be your bridge to achieving your professional or personal dream! Libraries offer networking evenings. Your local place of worship can also be a good starting point to building a network of friends and contacts.

8. Helping back home

You have got your first job! Congratulations! And now, you would like to send some money back home! Why not? There are a lot of financial institutions who can help you. Check if your local bank has a connection with the bank in your country of origin.

9. Thinking of investing in real estate?

While the multitude of options might overwhelm you, think carefully and pragmatically. The advertised monthly or fortnightly mortgage payment might initially seem like a manageable amount, however, there are other costs that might ultimately push up the periodic payments. For instance, condos have associated condo fees and/or utility expenses and then there are property taxes to pay! Do your homework and underwrite your expenses and savings truthfully. Seek the help of a mortgage broker.  Carefully analyse your expected monthly mortgage and associated costs. While you may consider taking up an additional job to help you with the ensuing financial commitments, don’t burn yourself out.

 10. Family time is important

You are not the only person who is dealing with the stress of adjusting to a new country and lifestyle. Your family is dealing with it, too! Spend time with your family. Go for walks together. Watch movies together. Remember, there is no better support than family support during tough times. Tough times can be very trying and they can either make or break a family. By supportive together and grow stronger together as a family! Years later, you can smile at how you made it through the odds together.

11. Stay positive

Easier said than done. How does one motivate oneself to remain positive when the going becomes tough? If you feel that staying positive is not going to bring you anything, staying negative is not going to bring you roses either! So why choose to go through your initial “trial” periods arduously? Make a conscious effort to go through all phases of your “settling in Canada project” with a smile! Enjoy each moment and each instant. Trust me — it won’t be long before that smiles transforms into a hearty laugh.

Did you know that Thomas Edison actually went through 10,000 prototypes before bringing to perfection one of most prized invention — the electric bulb? He went on to say this inspiring quote: “I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Your journey in Canada is just like that lightbulb! If it doesn’t glow at the first instance, try again. If you falter over the first obstacle that comes your way, don’t quit. Try another route. Enjoy your journey and make friends along the way. Before long, your destination will be staring at you right at your face!

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