When did you move to Canada? & why did you move to Canada? How was your life like in your country of origin before you moved to Canada?
I moved to Canada in May 2009. Before I came here I was Makerere University which is located in Uganda. Life was mostly about school, I was very naïve as I was still in high school and came from a conservative household with protective parents. I knew about “working hard” to get where I wanted, but only experienced this with grades, and not so much with life experiences. I only actualized that when I came here.
What was your first impression when you arrived in Canada?
My first impression of Canada was that it was clean and it had efficient processes, especially with the school system. The people, even strangers were friendly and were informative when I had questions about processes in school, or directions.
What were some of the challenges you faced when you moved here?
The challenge was having to be independent in every aspect – financially, emotionally, physically. Financially: Although my parents were paying for my tuition. I had to be wise with how I spent my money. I had never had a financial plan/budget, so the first few months took time in terms of adjusting my expenses and weaving out my wants from my needs. In addition, I had never worked before coming here – so getting my first job in Canada kicked discipline into me and help me be more responsible. Questions that now plagued my mind: “Do I need to these pair of shoes, or do I need my phone bill to be paid?” Emotionally: I did not have any family here, yes I used to communicate with my family nearly daily via skype, however it was not the same as having them here. The small things I took for granted like having my mum’s cooking wake me up early Saturday morning, I missed dearly. Physically: Suddenly all the pestering and nagging my parents did when I was growing up , I appreciated – I knew how to cook (kind of) and how to separate my clothing for the wash, what stayed in the fridge, what didn’t stay in the fridge lol.Being away from home made me appreciate my family even more. I never knew I retained so much information about chores, food, basic essentials needed and the small things like looking after my natural extra coily hair in this weather. Cooking took me a while to get used to though lol, I was terrible when I came. One time I remember I woke my mum up to find out how long to boil an egg. She wasn’t impressed of course because of the time difference, but she was still there for me.
Was there any support from the community to help you integrate? If yes, what were they? If not, how did you survive?
I had one friend I knew here. We had met when we were 7 and had gone to the same primary school. When I initially left to go to university in Uganda, she had come here. She helped me find my way around the city, get banking information, my phone etc. She also introduced me to people, and that’s how I found my local church at that time. Being in this community helped me integrate and gave me a stepping stone to meeting new people, come out of my shell and also gave me a good spiritual foundation that shaped my values, away from home.
What do you miss most from your country of origin?
Oh man… from Zimbabwe, I miss the food, the scenery, my friends and the feeling of being “safe and familiar” with my surroundings. I also miss the rain and the smell in the air right after it rains. From Uganda I miss my family and the food. I have a big extended family, so our get-togethers were amazing and loud- I loved it!
Since coming to Canada, have you visited your country of origin? What was your first impression of going back? How did it feel?
Yes, I have been back to both Uganda and to Zimbabwe. First impression was the weather difference. Suddenly my previous perception of “cold” when I lived in Zimbabwe was “warm” . In both countries the food was different too – For a lack of better words it seemed more “real”. We grew our own vegetables and had fruit trees in the garden we would just get things from. I appreciated home-grown food. Organic food here is so expensive!
What was your occupation in your country of origin and what is your occupation here in Canada? What have you accomplished so far and aim to in the future?
I was a student in Zimbabwe, where I finished my A-Level ( Grade 12) . I came here a few months into my first year of university in Uganda. I came here as a student and initially was studying to be an actuary. I later changed that to Finance and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from Asper Business School at the University of Manitoba. I recently got my first full-time job and love it as I get to help people on a daily basis.
How has your life changed since moving here?
I have become more socially aware of my actions and how it affects people. I have also taken ownership of my life, first of all because I cannot blame my parents anymore lol, but seriously though Iiving alone has made me realize my daily choices accumulate and have a direct impact on my future. So I find myself thinking: “ what do I want? What can I do today that will get me there? What could I have done? How can I do better next time?”. I have also realized I cannot compare myself to people as we all have different paths and different speeds at which we attain things. Success is not comparing myself to people, I have realized success should be based from within by seeing what my goals were a year ago and analyzing if I have attained those goals in the time frame I wanted. Having this perspective on success it not only healthy but also makes my situation realistic. – Don’t get me wrong, there is always healthy competition, but in the world we live that is now governed by social media, it is very easy to get caught up in “Jane Smith” who has got all this going for her and to compare your situation to hers.
What advice would you give to newcomers in Canada?
Be active in reaching out to meet people. This can be through a sports group, university group, church group or through volunteering. Getting to know people from different cultures not only changes your perception concerning things but also builds your character as you learn why people behave why they do. It also makes holidays better as you’re not so lonely. Reaching out can be intimidating, but it is worth it. Building strong friendships is something I didn’t realize helped but truly “friends are the family we choose”
What advice would you give to people back in your country?
I love people’s stories and experiences, as there is a lesson in everything or something new to learn. I would advise people to step out of their norm, which does not necessarily mean travelling out of the country, but doing something they would not normally do, or talking to a person they would not normally talk to.