To Cobourg with love

When Maggie contacted Muchmor it was originally to ask some questions about Canada as she and her husband were emigrating from England to Ontario and they wanted some advice. That was a few years ago and now the couple live in Canada. So we contacted them again to see how things were progressing and if they had anything to share with other readers. Oh yes, you bet they had!

“When we first thought of moving to Canada it was because we had visited on several occasions and loved it.” explains Maggie. “ We loved the wide open spaces, the rural living, the wildlife and the seasons. We wanted to get away from the day to day mundane existence we had in a large city in England.”

In late 2006 Maggie and her husband Tom finally moved from England to Brighton in Ontario. For the first few months they rented a house as they weren’t sure if this was the place they wanted to stay and so did not want to invest in a property just yet.

“When we first arrived, it was late October and it was still quite warm. We spent a lot of time outside, walking around the shores of Lake Ontario and some of the local parks. We loved the outdoor life and straight away felt that we had made a really good decision to come to Canada.”

When in England, Tom had worked in the IT field and had never been out of work. Once they had settled in Brighton, Tom started to look for work, but came up against many obstacles.

“I had a degree from the UK, which it seemed meant nothing here.” says Tom, “I was even told that my experience, some twenty years, didn’t count because it was from England and not Canada. My argument was always that IT is IT whether it is in Japan, UK or Canada. The machines still have the same parts, the software is still the same and even the language is the same. In fact I had worked on a special project in Germany for six months a few years previous and never encountered any problems with my “lack of German IT knowledge.”

“In some cases, I was more experienced and educated than the people interviewing me in Canada.”

Although Tom had many interviews he could not secure a job in the Brighton area, even though he was prepared to travel. He then decided to start looking in the Toronto area as he felt he might stand a better chance there.

“Because Toronto is so diverse, I thought that I would stand a better chance of being accepted and that perhaps my UK based experience and education might mean more there.”

After lots of applications were sent to lots of companies resulting in a couple of interviews but no job Tom was all set to pack up and return to England.

“I was really stressed,” he says, “we had moved thousands of miles and suddenly all my years of experience and education counted for nothing. I had never felt so worthless in my life. In the UK I had always had a responsible job that was well paid, but in Canada it seemed I would either have to start at the bottom of the ladder again or change vocation completely, which I did not want to do.”

Whilst all this was going on Maggie too was looking for a job. She was a qualified physiotherapist, working at a large hospital in England, but she too found out that although it didn’t appear that she would have as many obstacles as Tom, she would have to re-qualify.

“I found out that I would need to be registered by the province in order to continue working as a physiotherapist and in order to do that I would need to have my UK qualifications accredited against the Canadian equivalent. I would then need to sit exams and then could practice under supervision before being given full licence to practice.

“Although I knew that I would not be able to walk straight into a job, I decided that this was what I wanted to continue doing, so I started the process.”

Whilst all this was going on the couple experienced their first Christmas in Canada.

“It was lovely,” says Maggie, “I had made a few friends locally and we were invited to a neighbours house for Christmas day as they knew we had no family here ourselves. We were made to feel very welcome and as they had children and other relatives staying we all played silly party games and watched black and white films on TV. We had a really lovely time and were very grateful to them.”

“We have no real family in the UK, or indeed anywhere as we are both only children of deceased parents.” explains Tom. “This is what made it easier for us to leave the UK and start again in Canada. I’m not sure if we would have felt the same if we both had family that we had to leave behind.”

So, now we move ahead six months and finally Tom sees some light on the horizon. “I was accepted for a job in a company based in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), fortunately the eastern side, so I could commute from Brighton. The job was lower in position to ones I had held before, but I was willing to do this in order to get a foot in the employment ladder. I hoped that by doing this I would either be able to move up within this company or it would heighten my chances of being employed by other companies in the future. The pay was significantly less than I earned in the UK, but by now we knew that our living expenses were also much less, so hopefully it would even itself out.”

Maggie had also received her qualification approval from the appropriate bodies which meant she could now sit the required exams which would allow her to practice physiotherapy. She had also joined some local and national groups associated with the profession and through these had come into contact with other like-minded people.

“I met up with one woman, Sheila, who lived in a neighboring city who was also a physiotherapist. She worked at a local hospital and pretty much did what I used to do and we hit it off straight away. I asked her if her hospital needed any more physiotherapists and she said they would once she left.”

It turned out that Sheila was going to be leaving the hospital soon to start her own practice. She said she would put in a good world for Maggie if she wanted to apply for a job there. Because Maggie still had to sit some exams and Sheila was still some months away from leaving they put the arrangement on the back-burner.

The two women continued to meet regularly and Sheila would run ideas through Maggie about her new practice. Before long Sheila suggested that Maggie work for her rather than try for a job at the hospital.

“This was great news,” says Maggie, “I knew that even with Sheila’s recommendation I would be competing with many other physiotherapists, most of them with Canadian work experience, so my chances of securing the job would be slim.”

By now Sheila had secured a building for her practice and was about to give in her notice at work. It was agreed that she would employ Maggie as an assistant at first whilst they waited for her official licence to be issued. Once Maggie was fully recognized to practice she would then become a physiotherapist within the practice.

Tom and Maggie had now been in Canada for almost a year and both finally had jobs and were earning money.

“Although we came over to Ontario with quite a bit of money from the sale of our UK house, we knew that the funds would not last forever, so it was important for us to start earning money.” says Tom. “We also knew that we should look at the possibility of buying a house as we now felt reasonably settled and knew a lot more about the area.”

The water front area of Cobourg

As Tom worked close to Toronto and Maggie would be working with Sheila in Cobourg, the couple decided that this is where they would look for a home. It would be much closer to Tom’s work and would obviously be very convenient for Maggie.

Sheila recommended one of her friends, a Realtor, to help them find a house and soon the search began.

Just before Christmas 2007 the couple found a house to buy, Sheila started her practice and Maggie got her licence so was able to bypass the “assistant” stage with Sheila. They moved into their new home in January 2008 amidst ice and snow storms.

“Our first winter in Canada had not been too bad and hadn’t really started until after Christmas, but our second winter was harsh. Even born and bred locals said it was like nothing they had seen before.” says Maggie.

Tom continues, “Our new house had a log burning fire which was wonderful. We had never had one before and we were surprised at how cosy it made the house feel as well as the amount of heat it generated. Having the new house made us finally feel like we really belonged in Canada and were not just visiting.”

We now come back to the present day and Tom and Maggie have been in Canada for a little over two years and have been in their own home for one. So how has life been for them?

“The start was much harder than we anticipated, especially as far as securing employment was concerned.” says Maggie, “I would recommend anyone in a regulated role that they start the process of credential recognition before they leave their home country. This means that you will know if your credentials are suitable and you will know the process required to gain professional recognition even before you land.”

Tom continues, “I would also recommend people to start networking with Canadian businesses well before arrival in order to test the water as far as the job market is concerned. I now have a job I enjoy and have been promoted twice in eighteen months, but I had to start much lower in the company than I anticipated. It is very much who you know in Canada and if you can get known by them before you arrive you stand a better chance of securing employment once you land.”

Other than jobs what other things have they learnt since their arrival?

“We have learnt that Canadians drive completely differently to Brits.” says Tom. “It is almost compulsory to drive whilst drinking coffee, especially Tim Horton’s. They also do not seem to have as much courtesy on the roads as they do in normal life. They will block exits and entrances to roads rather than leave a gap for people to use. They also do not readily let people into traffic and they seem to have cell phones permanently attached to their ears, or more worryingly they text whilst driving.”

“I have noticed that people do not hold the doors open for others.” says Maggie. ‘I would have thought it common courtesy to hold a door open for someone who is behind you, but I can honestly say I have never had so many doors slammed in my face since being in Canada. It is one thing that constantly annoys me.

“The cost of living, although going up, is definitely lower than in England. We both earn less than we did in the UK, but seem to have so much more. We have a bigger and better house in a better area with great views. We are within easy distance of great parks, nature trails, woodland and wildlife. We have two cars and manage to get away most weekends, if only for the day. We would not have been able to do this in the UK as driving 100 km here is completely different to driving 100 km in the UK – far less stressful.”

Tom adds, “Our quality of life is much better now. Admittedly the first six months was stressful as we were both looking for jobs, had no permanent home and things got a little tense, even to the point of thinking of returning to the UK. But now we are far more settled and feel part of the community.”

“We are planning our first holiday since moving here and we are trying to decide where to go.” says Maggie, “Because life has been so hectic we simply haven’t had the time to go anywhere other than a day here or there. When we lived in the UK we had at least one two-week holiday every year so next year (2009) we plan to start again. We cannot decide whether to go to somewhere else in Canada or go south of the border to the U.S. I really fancy Las Vegas, but we have already been there so it might be a good idea to go somewhere new.”

“I would like to go to Vancouver.” says Tom, “We have never been and I really want to go there at some point in time, perhaps incorporating the Rockies.”

So, as you can see the couple have really made Canada home and now feel that they will never return to the UK.

“We want to live out the rest of our lives here.” says Maggie, “We may end up moving again, after all Canada is a huge place and we have only seen a very small part of it. But we do know that Canada is our home for life, regardless of exactly where.”

Visit the Town of Cobourg Website

Tourism information websiteTweet

Emre and Hanna enjoy a celebratory drink

Emre Akkas is a recent immigrant to Canada having moved here in June 2009, but he took a roundabout route to get here as you will see. He was born and raised in Ankara, Turkey and obtained a chemical engineering degree in 1999, but after working in a local refinery decided it was not the life for him and preferred to do something with computers instead. This decision put him on his path to Canada.

Emre comes from a medical background with both his parents being pharmacists. His mother works at a government hospital in Ankara and his father owned his own pharmacy, although he is now retired. His elder sister qualified as a medical doctor the same year he left Turkey in 2001.

After hearing about his ambition to work with computers his parents offered to pay his school fees to allow him to get a graduate degree abroad. He applied to a number of schools in the United States and decided to accept a place at Marylhurst University in Portland, Oregon. Whilst his parents covered his fees, he worked locally to cover his living expenses.

Whilst in Portland in 2005, Emre met Hanna Golota, a Polish citizen who had moved to the US to get a college degree at the University of Montana in 2001. After graduating she got a job at Nike and moved to Portland where she completed her graduate degree at the University of Portland. She met Emre shortly after her move and they have been together ever since.

Now you might be wondering why we are talking about someone moving to the USA in a magazine dedicated to Canada? Well, after graduating from Marylhurst University Emre got a job in Portland and the company sponsored his H1B visa. He changed jobs a couple of times during his 4 years there and his last employer before leaving the US was Intel Corp. By now, he was on the 4th year of his H1B work visa. “The company filed an application for a green card which would give me the right to stay permanently but the progress was so slow and had a lot of restrictions.” says Emre, “I was not able to move forward in my career while the application was pending (if you change companies, everything starts all over) and I also got sick of the “temporary” status which stopped me from making long term investments…….READ THE REST OF THIS REAL LIFE STORY IN THIS ISSUE OF MUCHMOR CANADA MAGAZINETweet

A discovery along the eroding Bay of Fundy shoreline in New Brunswick is giving scientists insight into the evolution of life on earth

A discovery along the eroding Bay of Fundy shoreline in New Brunswick is giving scientists insight into the evolution of life on earth.

Scientists have discovered 318 million-year-old reptile footprints in rock slabs that have broken free of the sea cliffs, and say it shows reptiles were the first vertebrates — animals with a backbone — to move inland away from the swampy coasts.

The footprints were discovered by Howard Falcon-Lang of Royal Holloway, University of London during a trek along the coast near St. Martins, N.B., in August 2008. However, the results of his study — conducted along with Mike Benton at the University of Bristol and Canadian colleagues — are only being published Friday in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology after undergoing peer review.

“It’s the earliest evidence that we know of,” Falcon-Lang said in an interview. “It’s a very significant event in the history of life.

“About 400 million years ago, animals with backbones started to come on land, but these were frog-like creatures. And amphibians such as frogs have to return to the water in order to breed. They lay soft eggs that very easily dry out.”

But Falcon-Lang said when the reptiles came along, they laid eggs with hard shells that they could lay on land, and could therefore start moving away from the shore.

“What we found in New Brunswick is evidence of early reptiles living around a water hole in a very dry environment,” he said. “It’s a bit like environments that you might find in central Australia today.”

At that time, all the continents were joined together in a single continent called Pangaea.

He said the tracks were left by reptiles living 500 kilometres from the nearest seashore.

“It’s a bit like the story of the American pioneers setting westward to seek fame and fortune,” said Falcon-Lang. “These early reptiles were moving into the continental interiors, exploiting environments where animal life had not been before.”

Randy Miller, the provincial paleontologist at the New Brunswick Museum in Saint John was with Falcon-Lang when the tracks were discovered.

“These are quite remarkable,” he said Thursday. “It’s not just one set of footprints. The slabs are covered with footprints.”

Miller said he actually had his back to the slab and was examining plant fossils when the footprints were discovered.

Falcon-Lang said he was looking for something else, and only discovered the prints after he tripped and fell, scraping his knee.

“I still have the scars to prove it,” he said.

The footprints are quite small — only about four centimetres long — and Falcon-Lang said the reptile that made them would have been about 20 centimetres long and resembled a gecko.

He said it is probably an early reptile called Hylonomus. Fossil skeletons have been found in adjacent Nova Scotia.

“It’s a very key step in evolutionary history, because these tiny, small, scampering gecko-like reptiles were the ancestors of dinosaurs and they were the ancestors of you and me,” he said.

“They were actually laying the foundations for everything to come later in the history of life on land.”

At the time, the area now known as New Brunswick was along the equator and had a tropical ecosystem.

It’s believed the footprints were made in sticky mud near a water hole shortly before a torrential rainfall. Even the marks left by the large raindrops have been preserved.

Falcon-Lang said it’s like looking at a snapshot taken 318 million years ago.

“It really is that extraordinary,” he said. “You’re capturing an event that probably just took a few minutes.”

Miller has made latex copies of the slab and pieces of the actual rock have been removed for safe-keeping at the museum in Saint John.Tweet

When we talk about relocating to a new property, new town or even a new province or country, no one knows the process better than the military

When we talk about relocating to a new property, new town or even a new province or country, no one knows the process better than the military.

Many of us probably don’t realize that the families of our military personnel are also subject to relocation. We know that members of the air force, army, navy etc unfortunately by the very nature of their jobs have to travel to different countries in order to serve their country, however their loved ones may also have to relocate in order to be close to where their military family member is based.

Muchmor Media is located very close to CFB Trenton, Canada’s largest forces base and so we decided to speak with some military wives to see how they cope with relocation and the separation from their husbands.

In this article we will speak to two wives and get their view on what it is really like to have to move around the country and never really settle in one place. We will also discuss the issues relating to long separations and the effects that has on them and their family.

Jacki Hollywood-Brown is 42 years old and has been a military wife since 1991. Originally from Kingston Ontario, she first met her husband-to-be in 1990 at his graduation from the Royal Military

College. In fact she was his blind date at his graduation ball. The couple have two children, a son aged 13 and a 10 year old daughter.

We first discussed where Jacki and her family had lived over the course of her husbands military career. Between 1990 – 1992 she lived in Guelph, Ontario whilst she finished her M.Sc. but her husband was based in Victoria, British Columbia and Wainwright, Alberta and she moved to Victoria to join him in 1992.

CONTINUE TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE IN MUCHMOR CANADA MAGAZINETweet

Canadians and Britons more open on same-sex relationships than Americans

A comprehensive three-country survey on attitudes towards homosexuality reveals that Canadians and Britons are more inclined to support the legal recognition of same-sex couples than Americans.

The online survey of representative national samples of 1,003 Canadian adults, 1,002 American adults, and 1,980 British adults shows that younger generations are clearly more accepting of same-sex relations. However, the poll also confirms that younger Americans—born between 1980 and 1995—are more conservative than their Canadian and British counterparts in all matters related to homosexuality.

Same-Sex Marriage

Three-in-five Canadians (61%) want same-sex marriage to remain legal in their country. In Britain, two-in-five respondents (41%) support legalizing same-sex marriage, while just over a third of respondents in the United States (36%) concur.

A quarter of Canadians (23%) would prefer to see same-sex couples establishing civil unions. The same proportion of Americans (23%) agrees with this concept (23%), while in Britain this is the preferred course of action for 37 per cent of respondents.

The U.S. holds the highest proportion of respondents who believe that couples of the same sex should not be entitled to any legal recognition (32%). Only 15 per cent of Britons and 13 per cent of Canadians hold this view.

Referendums on Definition of Marriage

The survey asked Americans and Britons to pretend they have to vote in a referendum—such as the many ballots that have been held in several American states already—to establish a definition of marriage. Most Americans (54%) would vote to define marriage as between a man and a woman, and just over a third (36%) would vote to define it as a union between two people. The vote would be tighter in Britain, where 47 per cent choosing the first option, and 42 per cent voting for the latter.

Proposition 8

In California, Proposition 8 restored the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman, and effectively banned same-sex marriages in the state. A U.S. District Court is reviewing the constitutional validity of Proposition 8, but the case is expected to eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court, which may end up ruling about the validity of same-sex marriage at the federal level.

American respondents were asked about their expectations on an eventual Supreme Court ruling on this matter. Almost half (47%) expect the Supreme Court to define marriages federally as between a man and a woman, while only three-in-ten (31%) think the ruling will define it as a union between two people.

As for their own personal preference on how the Supreme Court should rule, a majority of Americans (55%) would like to see a federal definition of marriage as between a man and a woman.

Homosexuality

In the question of preference versus biology, a majority of Canadians (59%) and Britons (56%) think that homosexuality is something people are born with. Conversely, 44 per cent of Americans say people choose to be homosexuals, while a smaller proportion (37%) thinks people are born this way.

Gay and Lesbian Celebrities

One fifth of American respondents (20%) say that if their favourite actor announced he is gay, their opinion of him would worsen. This compares to just 10 per cent of Canadians and nine per cent of Britons who would feel the same way.

Americans (18%) are also more likely than Canadians and Britons (both at 9%) to say that their opinion of their favourite actress would change for the worse if she came out as a lesbian.

A quarter of Americans (25%) admit that, if their favourite male sports figure came out as gay, their opinion of him would worsen—along with 14 per cent of Canadians and 11 per cent of Britons.

The impact on a female sports figure’s popularity would be milder if she were to announce she is a lesbian, with 18 per cent of Americans, nine per cent of Canadians and eight per cent of Britons saying that they would think less of her.

Generational Gap

Older respondents in all three countries are clearly more resistant to accept same-sex relations than those in younger generations. In Canada, 43 per cent of respondents born before 1946 support the continuous legality of same-sex marriages. At the other end of the spectrum, 81 per cent of Canadians born after 1980 feel the same way.

In the U.S., there is little difference in opinions between respondents born between 1965 and 1979 and those born after 1980: 42 per cent in the first group and 48 per cent in the latter support same-sex marriage.

In Britain, the two youngest generations are not too far apart: 52 per cent of those born from 1965 to 1979 and 56 per cent of the youngest respondents support same-sex marriage. However, only 35 per cent of people born from 1946 to 1964 concur.

Friends and Relatives

Throughout the survey, it is clear that respondents in all three countries who have a friend or relative who is gay or lesbian are more inclined than others to come out in favour of legal rights for same-sex couples.

Support for same-sex marriage among respondents with gay or lesbian friends or relatives stands at 67 per cent in Canada, 54 per cent in Britain, and 49 per cent in the United States. However, respondents who do not have any gay or lesbian friends or relatives are not as supportive (50% in Canada, 29% in Britain and 20% in the U.S.).

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)Tweet

Nicola Hoofman and her 6-year-old daughter Saskia

Real life experience – New Zealand to British Columbia

Nicola Hoofman and her 6-year-old daughter Saskia had one final Christmas on the beach in Auckland, New Zealand before moving to British Columbia for a new life and Canadian adventures.

German-born Nicola moved to New Zealand at 21, but says she missed the snow and distinct change of seasons that Germany provided. Having been interested in Canada for years, she decided to emigrate again, this time with her daughter.

The pair gained entry to Canada on a work permit. Nicola initially worked in administration at a ski resort while they adjusted to Canadian life, and Saskia enrolled at the local elementary school. After being offered a job and permanent visa, Nicola now works full-time at an international language school, teaching German and English.

They’ve now been happily settled for four years and have no plans to move again. “British Columbia felt like home immediately,” Nicola says. “And I’ve now married a wonderful Canadian man so it looks like we’re here to stay.”

Real life experience - Making the move from Manchester for Vancouver

The Branson family – Ben and Patricia, with kids Seth and Charlotte

The Branson family – Ben and Patricia, with kids Seth (9) and Charlotte (13) –upped sticks from Manchester and made the permanent move to Vancouver earlier this year.

“I’ve always wanted to move to Vancouver permanently – ever since my aunt moved there when I was a girl and I spent a few summers with her,” says Patricia.

Being a midwife, one of Canada’s occupations in demand, meant that gaining entry wasn’t too difficult for Patricia.

“I’m so glad we decided to use an immigration advisor. Jane was amazing and kept the stress of moving our entire life halfway across the world to a minimum. It also helped that both of our professions were needed at the time!

“It was tough persuading the children to agree to it though. They’re at that age where their friends and having fun are so important, but I have to say they’ve adjusted really, really well. They have both joined sports teams and are quickly making new friends.

“Vancouver is a great city for us. It was rated fourth most liveable city in the world and we agree. The city is beautiful, easy to get around in and relatively safe for the kids.”

Real life experience – Leeds to Vancouver

Plumber Bob Dawkins moved from Leeds to Vancouver in August 2008

Plumber Bob Dawkins moved from Leeds to Vancouver in August 2008. “My kids are now adults and don’t need me around as much these days and I just thought ‘why not?’ It’s now or never,” Bob says.

“I went through a divorce a few years ago and I’m now 45. I thought I’d expand my horizons in Canada and just see what happens.” Bob’s now settled in the Vancouver suburb of Shaughnessy, and is happily renting a two-bedroom home.

“I applied as a federal skilled migrant and used an immigration advisor, so the actual immigration process wasn’t too confusing – just expensive and time consuming. However, the effort has been well worth it. I’m working for a residential plumbing business which is very similar to what I was doing back in Leeds.”

Bob says he’s happy he made the move, despite a bit of loneliness. “I do miss my kids, but they’re both at university now and I’ll be sure to see them every year. With the technology available today, I don’t have to feel far away from them. It’s the best decision I could have made.”

Real life experience – Pretoria, South Africa, to Canada in early 2009.

Andries and Cheryl van Rooyen migrated from Pretoria, South Africa, to Canada in early 2009

Andries and Cheryl van Rooyen migrated from Pretoria, South Africa, to Canada in early 2009. “To be honest, we had been thinking of leaving South Africa for a few years,” says Andries

“The crime rate there was getting hard to take and we wanted our kids to grow up in a safer environment.”

Andries, a registered nurse, was lucky to secure a job in Halifax before they left for Canada and Cheryl, a primary teacher, is happy being a stay-at-home mum for now and will look for a job next year.

“Our children were only three and 18 months old, so the adjustment wasn’t so tough for them. However, we’ve all had trouble dealing with the climate of Nova Scotia – it’s very damp and cold and a big departure from the pure heat of Pretoria,” Andries says.

“Halifax is beautiful, though,” adds Cheryl. “We love all the festivals and the quiet and safe nature of the city – it feels like bit like an old fishing village, but with more people and entertainment.

“We came here for a visit before making the move permanently and I’m glad we did. It could have been quite a shock if we hadn’t had a look around first. I recommend anyone moving to a completely new place to pay a visit first.”

Real life experience – Nottingham to Toronto

Sharon and Mitch explored a lot of options as to where to settle and finally decided on Toronto after visiting

Advertising account manager Sharon and her ecologist partner Mitch decided to make the move to Canada after visiting Banff on a skiing holiday and falling in love with the country.

“We’re both born and bred in Nottingham, and Banff just seemed like a wonderland to us. The Canadians were lovely, and we wanted to make a bit of a life change before settling down permanently,” says Sharon. “We holidayed in Banff in August 2003, and had made the final decision to emigrate by that October.”

Sharon and Mitch explored a lot of options as to where to settle and finally decided on Toronto after visiting and reading and learning about how good life is in Canada.

“I was offered a position based in Toronto working with an environmental consulting firm and the opportunity seemed too good to pass up,” says Mitch. “I do have to travel a lot for my work, but we liked that Toronto was so busy, multicultural and immigrant-friendly.

“Sharon didn’t end up looking for a job as we wanted to start planning for a family. She settled in great though, and we now have as many friends here as we did back in the UK.”

The family has now expanded with the arrival of twins Jennie and Briar in late 2008. “Our girls are little Canadians through and through. We love bringing them up in such a beautiful, progressive country,” says Sharon.Tweet

The four elements that are key to successfully integrating into your new life abroad as an expatriate – how to move abroad and settle in!

A new study by the Institute of Public Policy Research into the ‘global Brit’ has helped to identify which attributes, skills and common factors all add up in helping expatriate Britons living abroad to integrate into their new lives successfully.

The report has compiled findings derived from conversations with everyone from expats to consular officials to help work out what you need to know and do to be a happy and successfully integrated immigrant.

If you’re thinking about moving abroad and you’re wondering whether you’ve got what it takes to settle in to your new life well, read on to find out the common factors involved in how to successfully integrate into your new life abroad.

Interestingly the report has put an official edge on that which we feel we know already, and that is that most people who move abroad fail to plan particularly well in advance for their relocation!  The majority of expats ‘wing it’ when it comes to starting their new life, having just read around the subject and done the most cursory of planning!

That fact aside, because most expats are pioneering and adventurous deep down, they find a way to make it work.  And of those who make it work the best, they have the following in common according to the Institute of Public Policy Research: -

The four elements that are key to successfully integrating into your new life abroad as an expatriate – how to move abroad and settle in!

Successful expats often work for a local company which means that they meet and work with, socialise and get to know a diverse range of people from the local community.  They will make friends in this way, and the friends they make will be people they can easily socialise with outside of work.  In addition, by working for a local company they will get to understand the local community better, and learn of events and happenings in the local town or surroundings that could be an additional way in, in terms of integration and meeting people.

When you move abroad you leave your support network of friends, family, acquaintances and work colleagues behind; the sooner you can ‘replace’ some of these relationships the sooner you will feel more grounded and settled…in other words, the sooner you will integrate.

Successfully integrated expats usually have family or friends living locally to them abroad. This ties in with the above point well, because ‘no man is an island’ and we all need the support and security that comes from close connections with friends and families.  Those who are cut off from their family, their friends, and their old life will find it far harder to settle down and settle in.

Therefore, if you are thinking of moving abroad, see if you can get your family in on the move!  If not, do you have friends or family already overseas and would you consider relocating to live within reach of them?  If not, it will be very important for you to get out networking and socialising once you arrive in order to make new friends and settle in.

Successfully integrated expatriates get involved with the local community and local activities. The only way to build the relationships you need to settle in is to get out and meeting people – and the best way of doing this is getting involved with the local community.

Expats with children sometimes find it easier to get involved as children are always invited to events in the local community through their school for example.  Whilst it can at first seem hard to just go out and start talking to strangers, the sooner you do the sooner you will be on the road to making friends and forging the bonds and ties that will help you settle in.

Finally, the most well integrated expats living abroad speak the local language. You will always be an outsider if you cannot communicate or understand what those around you are talking about.  If you want to settle in you have to learn to speak the local language so you can socialise, interact, engage and get close to your community.

How can you call a country home if you cannot understand the language of that country and its people?  How can you make friends with someone when you don’t know what they are saying?  Even if many in your community speak English, not everyone does, and you will always be classed as an outsider if you cannot make the effort to learn the local lingo.  Learning a new language to the point at which you can communicate well can take many years – but it is so worth the effort.

Now you know what it takes to integrate well, you have the knowledge you need to structure your relocation abroad so that it works for you.  Tomorrow we will cover the mistakes that many expats make and which hamper their chances ot integration – so if you want to know how not to make a success of living abroad, tune in tomorrow!Tweet

The Carnegie Medal is a bronze medallion three inches in diameter and is awarded to civilians who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree saving or attempting to save the lives of others.

Two Canadians are among 23 people to receive the latest Carnegie medals for extraordinary acts of heroism. On May 24, 2008, Donald Arthur Morrison of Dutch Valley, New Brunswick was aboard a helicopter that crashed in the Northwest Territories.

Morrison, a diamond driller, and another passenger, were being flown to a remote area when the chopper fell almost 25 metres to the ground. Morrison was able to get out of the chopper as it burst into flames, but despite his injuries, reached back in to pull the pilot, Amy Kerckoff, to safety.

The second Canadian recipient is Donald George Gough of Summerland, B.C. for saving a man from drowning on May 23, 2007.

Gordon Kingston — a non-swimmer — had driven off a road and into the Similkameen River, then sat on the driver-side window ledge awaiting rescue.

Gough, now 60, grabbed some fire hose, swam to the car and tied it to Kingston, who was pulled to safety by some men on the bank. Gough swam back to shore and both men recovered from the ordeal.Tweet

Ever since she completed her university degree in 1997, Christine Oliveria’s dream has been to come to Canada

Ever since she completed her university degree in 1997, Christine Oliveria’s dream has been to come to Canada. In 2007, Christine migrated, leaving everyone she knows in the Philippines. The lack of relatives, friends and acquaintances in such a foreign place did not deter her.

Christine did everything she could to improve her professional qualifications and chances of becoming a Canadian citizen before leaving for Canada. To prepare, she attended a seminar organized by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges’ Canadian Immigration Integration Project (CIIP), which is funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada’s (HRSDC) Foreign Credential Recognition program.

Christine says: “CIIP helped me prepare myself to enter the labour market and gain practical knowledge about living in Canada.” Christine’s transition to Canadian life was relatively easy and comfortable thanks in part to what she learned from the CIIP.

With a degree in food technology, Christine hoped to continue working in this field once in Canada. Upon arriving, she took a part-time job in the evenings at Tim Horton’s. During the day, she devoted most of her time to searching for employment and attending job finding clubs that were referred to her by the CIIP. Soon after, Christine obtained a job as a quality control technician, an entry-level position in her line of work. Three months later, Nestlé Canada offered her a job as a quality assurance/sensory analyst. Today, Christine is based in Calgary as a product development coordinator for Canada Safeway Limited Consumer Brands, a career opportunity in her field that she obtained only nine months after arriving in Canada.

Christine believes that the CIIP helped her get where she is today. “It was a really good experience. I am very thankful that there was this program and that I was a part of it. I hope to inspire others who want to immigrate,” says Christine.

HRSDC’s Foreign Credential Recognition program helps integrate internationally trained workers into the labour market by working with key stakeholders to improve the assessment and recognition of newcomers’ qualifications.

Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the federal government is investing $50 million over the next two years to develop a pan-Canadian framework on foreign credential recognition with the provinces and territories. The goal is to ensure that internationally educated professionals have their qualifications assessed and recognized in a fair, consistent, accessible and efficient manner. With the support of the Foreign Credential Recognition program and the Foreign Credentials Referral Office, real progress is being made in addressing barriers to foreign credential recognition in Canada.Tweet

Ceilidh at the Corner

I feel wonderfully like a local when three Islanders join my group of friends as we mill about outdoors waiting the start of ‘Ceilidh at the Corner,’ the granddaddy of the revived Scottish ceilidh experience on Prince Edward Island.

As conversation quickens and jokes fly, it’s easy to feel like I’ve been coming here for years, all old friends standing around the steps of the Orwell Corner Historical Village community hall, stars twinkling in the night sky.

“You’re going to hear one of the nicest voices tonight,” Steve Sharratt, the night’s emcee, a local journalist, says on the evening’s talent, Anita Curran, an angel-voiced singer from nearby Alberry Plains.

“The beauty of these ceilidhs is they book people who are talented Islanders, and there’s plenty of them,” says Sharratt, a guitar playing, singer-songwriter himself.

I can’t help but feel the passion as he talks about the ceilidhs, held Wednesday nights in this historical village from May through October.

Twenty-five years ago the dance hall tradition seemed to be dying off, but when Ceilidh at the Corner started, the crowds – including many tourists – began to pick up noticeably. At a recent event we meet folks from Australia, the U.S., and other Canadians mixed in with the locals in the intimate wood-panelled hall, lit with kerosene lamps.

Tom Rath, proprietor of the Lady Catherine Bed & Breakfast, a 30-minute drive away in Murray Harbour North, doesn’t miss many Wednesday nights. Each week he offers his guests a ride.

“One of the big reasons you come to PEI is to experience an interesting culture. This is a fine example of it,” he tells me as we take our seats near the front of the hall, which holds maybe 100 people.

“Typically we often have to explain what a ceilidh is, how to pronounce it and how to spell it. On the way home, they’re just thrilled. It’s the highlight of their visit. They’ll say, ‘We’re so glad we decided to come.’”

Orwell is his favourite of the Island ceilidhs. “It’s a living museum. It’s real, not assembled. The community hall is a beautiful place for a traditional ceilidh.”

Acoustics are great in the building, built on the same foundation as the original that burned down in the 1950s.

The authentic feeling begins as soon as we turn off the highway into the village. This night, the sun’s light is gently golden, setting over a shingled barn. A bull and cow stand watch in the field.

Visitors leave their car in the parking lot and take a lamp lit walk through time, strolling through 1890s PEI to the hall, the only building not original. Orwell Corner is more than just a good time though. It helped revive the Island ceilidh. Wendell Boyle, the village’s late curator, a musician himself, started the idea of a ceilidh partly as an avenue for his performers and partly to bring tourists to his site.

Before he knew it, the hall was packed. “It gave a lot of life to the place,” one Islander recalls. “They had people standing out in the yard, dancing around.”

Now, in summer, one can catch a ceilidh – “the same, but different,” as they joke here – in small halls across the island. Century-old traditions have a new lease as tourists flock for an intimate glimpse into the living culture.

“A ceilidh is a gathering or party, and we’re going to try to have a little party here tonight,” Orwell Corner Village director Tom LeClair says.

“The whole reason to have a ceilidh like this is to have a party,” Sharratt explains. “We ask people in the audience to come up, sing a song, stepdance, tell a story.”

He recalls a hot July night, the place was packed, when a fellow struggles out of his seat, heads up to the front, and tells the story of how the last time he played his fold-up guitar was with a Russian friend in outer space. The man then sang a song about Canadian Tire.

“Who are you?” the curious emcee asked.

“My name is Chris Hatfield.” “Our Canadian astronaut,” Sharratt fills in.

The “regulars” – Stirling Baker on fiddle and Duncan Matheson on piano – soon take the stage.

“Give us a good one now,” Sharratt deadpans, breaking into a broad grin after a particularly rousing set. Soon he’s passing out spoons for the audience to play, “We’ll need at least four couples for the set.

“It’s like lobster, or Anne, you don’t go away without having a country dance, a set dance,” he tells the crowd.

While Orwell Corner is a perfect way to start an Island ceilidh experience, it’s certainly not the only one. PEI is the most Celtic of Canada’s provinces with about 70 per cent of its people descended from Scots and Irish.

The College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts of Canada in Summerside, the island’s second largest city, provides the history behind the dance and ancient tunes. I really enjoyed the free-mini daytime concerts where performers come onto the Mary Ellen Burns Amphitheatre stage, in traditional costume, and talk to the audience about their performance and its significance before launching into the pipes, sword dance or a truly amazing drum demonstration. A longer two-hour ceilidh is held nightly.

On Thursday we continued with the Festival of Tales and Tunes in Victoria-by-the-Sea, a tiny fishing village halfway between city centres Charlottetown and Summerside. The village of little over 100 supports more charming shops and restaurants than many larger towns. Victoria Playhouse is PEI’s longest running theatre. We’re fortunate to have seats for the sold-out performance of Two Alans and an Erskine – where two Island storytellers and a musician share the stage.

If Ceilidh at the Corner shows one side of Island character, this evening helps explains it. Erskine Smith and Alan Buchanan have the audience in stitches as they tell tales of Island characters, nicknames, politics and more. Allan Rankin sings and plays guitar.

The stories and songs share a similar wit, and the performers say Islanders do like something witty, something quirky, and a one-liner that takes the wind from someone’s sails whose head is getting too swelled. The humour has a subtlety to it, as one never quite knows when his leg is being pulled. Islanders also seem to possess one of humour’s great tools – the ability to understate things.

We have a chance to catch one last ceilidh before leaving PEI so it’s Friday night at the Benevolent Irish Society (B.I.S.) on North River Road in Charlottetown.

Again the small hall brings an intimate feeling. There’s joy in the music, the storytelling, and, oh, the dance.

“There’s not going to be one of you sitting in your seats quiet, I guarantee it,” emcee Trudi Barry says as she introduces 18-year-old fiddling sensation Cynthia MacLeod and guitarist Bruce MacEwen.

Their easy repartee delights the crowd of about 140, which holds representatives from each Canadian province and many of the U.S. states. The teenager’s long blonde hair is pulled back off her face. Her ever-present smile and pixie-like charm is in full swing, bow flying fast across the fiddle and feet a-pounding.

I’m asked to the floor for a dance called the Waves of Tory. I can’t wipe the smile off my face.

Original Article By Shelley Cameron-McCarronTweet

On April 12, 1980 Terry Fox set out on a journey of hope, courage and determination

On April 12, 1980 Terry Fox set out on a journey of hope, courage and determination, forever reminding Canadians and the world what is possible when you follow your dreams. Terry’s spirit is as alive today as it was that day 30 years ago in Saint John’s when he dipped his leg in the Atlantic Ocean beginning his Marathon of Hope.

And to celebrate the 30^th Anniversary of the Marathon of Hope, The Terry Fox Foundation is proud to announce our new “Share Your Stories” program.

Were you there the day Terry ran through your town? Has a story of Terry been passed down to you? Has Terry’s dream lived on in your community? If so please share with us.

Starting on April 12, 2010 The Terry Fox Foundation will begin sharing a story a day to coincide with the city, town or community Terry ran through during his Marathon of Hope. We urge you to share your stories with us, your stories of hope, your stories of courage, your stories of Terry. We will also be including quotes from Terry’s journal, as well as messages from Terry’s friends and family.

How can you share your stories?

Go to www.terryfox.org/shareyourstories and tell us your story. We encourage you to attachment any photo’s or video’s that you may have.

Where will the stories be shared?

Everyday you can visit www.terryfox.org/shareyourstories or www.facebook.com/theterryfoxfoundation to read all the amazing stories people have sent in. You can even subscribe to the “Share Your Stories” website and have a daily or weekly digest of these inspirational stories sent to you by email.

Share your story here:Tweet

Drivers of Young Canadian Athletes Honoured by Goodyear

They drive thousands of kilometers, often starting well before dawn. They spend hours shivering in cold, dark places drinking bad coffee. They sacrifice time, money, weekends and sleep without complaint or recognition. They are the thousands of parents and supporters who drive young winter athletes, and today, three standout examples are getting the glory they deserve as winners of the Goodyear ‘Get there’ Awards.

The Goodyear ‘Get there’ Awards is a new recognition program designed to honour those most responsible for helping young Canadian athletes enjoy winter sports by driving them to practices, games and competitions, among other forms of support. After receiving nominations from across Canada, a special panel of judges, including three-time Olympian and five-time World Champion ice hockey star Sami Jo Small, has selected three Goodyear ‘Get there’ Award winners, including:

David Washington – North Bay, ON

Three years ago, Washington co-founded a special needs hockey program in North Bay for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Washington was committed to removing the barriers faced by players (e.g. lack of money, equipment, insurance, transportation, supervision, etc.), so they could enjoy Canada’s national sport. From helping families fill out forms, to driving young athletes to practices, to even providing financial help from his own pocket, Washington is truly committed to helping disadvantaged young athletes benefit from the fun, exercise and self-esteem of playing hockey.

Pamela Kondra – Grande Prairie, AB

Kondra is the mother of four children, three of whom play minor hockey. With her husband working full-time, Kondra ensures the boys make it to as many as eight different ice times per week, not including tournaments, typically with all four children in tow. According to Kondra, amateur hockey provides her children with positive values.

Emma Slagerman – Rosser, MB

Slagerman is the mother of three daughters, each of whom participate in competitive figure skating. Slagerman drives approximately 1,000 kilometres weekly to lessons and practices, plus periodic competitions and test days held in arenas across Saskatchewan and Manitoba. She has been an active volunteer at competitions for the past four years, as well as participating in executive meetings and event planning at her home club.

“Behind every great athlete is a support network that dedicates many hours to helping them get there,” said Small, who credits her own network of supporters for encouraging her when she grew up playing on outdoor rinks in Winnipeg as the only girl on her team. “The nominations we received from across Canada were extraordinarily inspiring, and we applaud each nominee for their outstanding commitment to helping Canada’s young amateur athletes.”

Winners will receive a Goodyear ‘Get there’ Award medal and a set of Goodyear premium tires.

“While Canadian athletes set a new world record in February, at Goodyear we believe that the thousands of passionate supporters of young athletes across Canada are also world class,” said Julie Thomson of Goodyear Canada. “We congratulate all those who were nominated for Goodyear ‘Get there’ Awards and the crucial role they play in creating a nation of happy, healthy and confident young athletes.”Tweet

UK TV company seeks interesting Canadian immigration stories.

Giant Peach TV an independant TV company based in the UK has approached Muchmor Magazine to help them find compelling stories from people who have emigrated to Canada.

Giant Peach Productions is an independent TV company backed by experienced Producers Dan Barraclough and Hannah Wyatt. They have significant expertise in producing intelligent and thought-provoking factual television, and are extremely well regarded within the industry for their integrity.

Their credits include: John Sergeant On The Tourist Trail for ITV1, a real life documentary on Ampleforth school, Underaged and Pregnant for BBC3 and “Grease: The School Musical” for Sky One.

Click here to visit their website for more background information.

According to a survey by the institute for public policy research, every three minutes a British national packs their bags and starts a new life abroad.
Britain has more people living abroad than almost any other country. Over 600,000 are in Canada and we want to uncover some of their stories.

We want to find a community of Brits in Canada that enjoy their new home but also maintain links with each other. It may be a local community group, it may be people who work together with other Brits, it may be a pub that is very popular with a number of ex-pats.

We need compelling stories that show the contrast between your former life in the UK and your new life in Canada. Have you moved from a predominantly urban to rural environment? Are you working for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police? Are you working in the logging or petroleum industries? What about the agricultural industry, or manufacturing? Are you working in the wilderness as a park warden, or are you working in a hospital?

Do you embrace the local culture? Have you changed your interests since settling? Or do you maintain strong links to the UK?

We are looking for men or women aged between roughly 20-50 and we are keen to engage with people who have a difficult or unusual occupation. Do you feel that what you do isn’t very well known? Perhaps you do crime scene clean-ups, possibly you are a female driving instructor for a fire brigade. Maybe you work in a mortuary, or a scene of crime officer. How about a lifeguard? Do you work in a zoo?

Whatever it is, if you are interested in telling us your story, then please get in touch.Tweet

Canadian relocation from a child's viewpoint

My name is Julie and I am 15 years old and I live in Brandon, Manitoba. I was born in Vancouver, British Columbia where my parents come from and I have a younger sister, Mary who is 11 years old.

We moved to Brandon about eighteen months ago because my dad was offered a job here. He said the offer was too good to turn down so we all moved.

When he first made this decision my mum was not very happy, as she liked Vancouver and had always lived there. She cried quite a lot back then, but we had only just lost my grandma, her mum, so the timing was not good for her.

Dad did ask us what we thought of the move and I said that I didn’t want to move because of missing all my friends and changing schools. Mary didn’t really want to move either but didn’t say that to dad.

In the end, us kids didn’t really have much choice as mum and dad had already decided that we were going to move and that was it. This is why I wanted to tell my story, so that other kids in our situation can see what we went through and learn by it.

From the time that dad announced we were moving to when we actually did was about three months. It all happened really quickly and we were so busy we really didn’t have too much time to think about it all. Our house in Vancouver had been sold and we were going to be renting in Brandon until mum and dad could find a house to buy.

We moved during the summer break so that Mary and me could start new schools in September. I remember having a really hard time saying goodbye to all my friends and telling them they could all visit and that I would visit them not realising how far away we would actually be. I have never been so unhappy in all my life, or scared.

On the day we finally left Vancouver we said goodbye to a few last friends and family. Saying goodbye to my grandpa was the worst thing as he was now all on his own. Mum was very upset and cried most of the way to the airport.

On the flight we were all very quiet and dad tried his best to cheer us up, but it didn’t really work. We landed in Winnipeg and had to drive for a couple of hours to reach Brandon. We didn’t have much stuff with us because all lour furniture and big items were in storage until we could find a house.

When we arrived at our rented house we were quite surprised as it was actually quite nice. In Vancouver we lived in an apartment, which was really nice, but to have a whole house to ourselves was awesome. It was in a cul-d-sac, which meant that it was safe for us to play outside. When we arrived there was a few other kids playing basketball, they looked younger than me but similar age to Mary.

The first few days were spent getting to know the house and where everything was. My bedroom was bigger than my old room, which was good, but Mary’s was a bit smaller and she was not so happy. Mum had cheered up a bit as she really liked the house and also she was really busy so it kept her mind off everything.

Dad had to start work the week after we moved, so it was up to mum and us to sort everything else out. Mum took us to see our new school, we couldn’t go in but it looked ok from the outside. It was much smaller than our old school, but a lot newer.

The next few weeks were busy with dad working; mum making friends with the neighbours and me and Mary trying to make new friends. I met a girl who lived a few houses down and because we were the same age and would be going to the same school we seemed to get along well. Mary had made several friends, as most of the kids in our street were closer to her age than mine.

In September we started school and mum was more upset than we were. I think she was worried about suddenly being on her own most of the day. I was not looking forward to school, but my new mate Becky from down the road assured me it was a good school and that I would like it. She was right as I really enjoyed my first few days. I was a bit of celebrity as I came from Vancouver and lots of people wanted to talk to me about coming from a big city. I even had to do a presentation to the rest of the class about my old life and how we came to move to Brandon.

When we had been here about two months, mum and dad started to look for a house to buy. Dad was getting on well in his job, we kids liked our school and had made friends and mum was feeling more settled. We all wanted to stay in the same area so we could keep our friends and stay at the same school.

One evening mum and dad said they had found a house they wanted us to see. It turned out to be in the cul-d-sac, which backed onto ours, so the location was great. When we went to see it, it was very similar to the house we were renting but had four bedrooms instead of three and best of all had a swimming pool in the garden. We had never had a swimming pool, so Mary and I were really keen to move to this house. After a few days mum told us we would be moving to the new house but that by the time we did it would be too cold to use the pool but that we could look forward to using it the following year.

We moved into the new house about three weeks before Christmas and all our furniture from Vancouver arrived. This was nice as it really felt like home with our own beds and sofa etc. Dad went out and got an enormous Christmas tree and we spent a couple of evenings decorating the house inside and out. Grandpa came to stay with us over Christmas and New Year and we all had a really great time, although mum and grandpa were sad sometimes when they remembered grandma. I also felt sad when I got a present from my best friend in Vancouver. It was a DVD of all my old friends sending me messages and I have to admit it made me remember how much I missed them all.

The winter weather was much colder and snowier than we had in Vancouver. We were used to snow because we did get it in Vancouver and we used to go skiing and skating in the winter, but we usually had to travel to see large amounts of it. In Manitoba we had it on our doorstep, literally. The cold was also a shock as we had rarely experienced really low temperatures and some days it was -20C and lower. Mary really hated it and sometimes refused to go outside although I cannot blame her. By the spring the weather was much warmer and more like our old winters in B.C.

The spring and summer have been pretty uneventful. We all seem to have settled in pretty well and Grandpa has visited a few times. In June we had a huge storm that was really exciting but also very scary. We are used to rain in Vancouver, but this was really, really heavy. We also had huge hailstones, which reportedly damaged property and peoples cars. The rain also meant that a lot of the city was flooded and some of the streets looked more like rivers.

In July we all went to Yellowstone National Park for a holiday. We drove to the park, or rather dad did as he said it would be more interesting than flying. As it was the land we drove through was quite boring, at least Mary and I thought so, but it was worth it. It took two days to drive there and we stopped off half way in a hotel, which was quite exciting for Mary and me as we had our own room. Dad told us off though for using the drinks from the room fridge. He said it would have been a lot cheaper from the vending machine in the hallway.

We had great weather and the sights at Yellowstone are stunning. We saw lots of geysers erupting including the famous Old Faithful. One area we went to was really smelly from the sulphur and it made it hard to breath. I had always wanted to see the pool called Morning Glory after seeing a picture of it, but it was much smaller than I thought it would be although it was still very beautiful.

We also saw lots of animals such as deer, which were really tame and came really close to us. Dad said he saw a bear, but no one else did so we don’t believe him. We did all see lots of bison either wandering around or laying close to the geysers. When we got back from Yellowstone we had two more weeks left of summer before we had to go back to school.

It was the day before school when Mary fell over on the deck round our pool and broke her arm. She was outside with some friends and they were running around which mum had always warned us not to do when she slipped and fell. Mum was a few doors away chatting to a neighbour, so I ran round to fetch her. She nearly fainted when she saw Mary’s arm as it was a funny shape where the bone had broken. The neighbour that mum had been with took us all to the local hospital and after being seen by a doctor Mary had x-rays done. Fortunately they said it was a clean break and would mend without any surgery or pins etc. She had to have her arm put in plaster which after she got over all the initial shock and pain she thought rather cool.

We went back to school a couple of weeks ago and after the first day the plaster cast Mary had was full of drawings and messages. She says she wants to keep it when it is removed, which should be in a few weeks time.

When I was first told about moving to Manitoba I was really worried and really did not want to go. I think if it had been up to us girls and mum we would never have left Vancouver. However, now I am glad we are here as I have just as many friends, I love school and I love the after schools activities. The weather has more extremes, as it is a lot colder in the winter and a lot hotter in the summer.

Our house is bigger than the apartment we had before and we have a garden, with a pool, which is excellent. Mum and dad are thinking of making our basement into a separate living area for grandpa. He is getting old now and cannot get about like he used to and of course he is on his own, so this might be a good idea.

Looking back, the move had been good and I don’t really regret it. I do still miss some of my old friends and I know mum misses some of hers, but she has new ones here just like I do. Dad seems to be enjoying his job and has been promoted so is earning more money. Mum is going to start looking for a part-time job to give her something to do in the day whilst we are all out.

This coming Christmas we are going to stay back in Vancouver so we are close to Grandpa, unless he is living with us by then. It will be nice to visit the old places again and possibly escape some of the harsher Brandon weather.

For other young people who are worried about moving I would say try not to worry too much. It is stressful and you will miss people, but it is also a big adventure. Also, if you are lucky like me you might also gain a swimming pool.Tweet

Professor of Oncology

The choice was fairly easy for Ranjan and his wife when a professional offer came in to move to Canada in 2001.

“We were both settled very well in our respective medical professions in South Africa, but we had not moved our daughter there from India because we were concerned about safety,” says Ranjan. “We knew in Canada we could pursue our specialties and make a good life as a family.”

Ranjan is a world leader in high-dose brachytherapy – a form of cancer treatment. He was recruited as a Professor of Oncology to lead a program in brachytherapy at the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton affiliated to McMaster University. His wife Monalisa is an Associate Professor of Anatomical Pathology at the Henderson Hospital in the same University and their daughter, now 14, happily settled in Canada with the normal teenager’s life centered on school and friends. “We became citizens in 2006 and happily made the commitment to Canada,” says Ranjan. “It was an easy decision. The big difference in living here, for us, is security for our family, not to mention the opportunities in life that our daughter will get when she grows up.”

At the time Ranjan and Monalisa came to Canada there was a shortage of Radiation Oncologists and Anatomical Pathologists. Ranjan’s expertise in brachytherapy involves directly penetrating a tumour with small, radioactive seeds that are inserted using a catheter. The treatment was typically used in treating prostate and cervical cancer, but Ranjan explored the technique for treating tumours in the lung, esophagus and bile duct while in South Africa.

When the couple moved to Canada, they quickly settled into careers that have helped make a difference in the delivery of services to Canadian cancer patients. Ranjan is a great example of an internationally trained worker who has successfully integrated into the Canadian labour market.  He is now one of the few Oncologists in Canada with brachytherapy expertise. In fact, Ranjan’s work in Hamilton has placed the cancer centre ahead of others in exploratory use of the treatment.

While other professional opportunities present themselves from time to time, Ranjan and Monalisa are happily settled and pleased to be together with their daughter as a family.

“I doubt our daughter would ever consider moving, even to another place in Canada,” says an amused Ranjan. “She is happy, we have our family together and good professional lives…it was an easy decision to become citizens here and commit to the country that has given us this life.”Tweet