Author Archives: Rae

Umbali Travelled

Mimi kwanza alikuja nchini Canada kama mwanafunzi wa kimataifa katika 2003. Nimekuja hapa nje ya udadisi wangu kuhusu Wilaya ya kigeni na marudio yangu alikuwa Saint John, mji mdogo na Bay wa Fundy. Miaka kumi iliyopita, si Kichina wengi walikuwa katika Saint John na mimi kukaa pamoja na familia ya Canada kama mwanafunzi kukaa nyumbani.

Jambo la kwanza hisia yangu baada ya mimi kufika katika Saint John ni kwamba mimi ghafla waligundua kuwa mimi nilikuwa Kichina. Mimi ni tofauti kuliko watu karibu yangu. Wao ni Canada na mimi ni wa Kichina. Sikuwa na hisia hii wakati mimi nilikuwa katika China kwa sababu wengine wote walikuwa Kichina pia.

Kisha mimi kuanza kufikiri nini tofauti ni. Hatua kwa hatua, Nimeona tofauti ni mahali popote! Kwa mfano, Brian, homestay yangu mzazi, akaniuliza kwa dessert baada ya mlo wa jadi wa China mimi kupikwa kwa ajili yake. tamaa juu ya uso wake baada ya mimi kumwambia kuwa kulikuwa hakuna dessert baada ya mlo Kichina alifanya mimi hata waliona mimi kitu kweli kutisha. Hey, ni mpango kubwa kwa ajili ya Canada, dessert! Kuna mamia ya mifano kuonyesha tofauti ya utamaduni, hasa kati ya Mashariki na Magharibi.

Kwa mara ya kwanza miaka kadhaa, kila nikaona na tofauti kati ya mimi na Canada nyingine. Kwamba alifanya mimi homesick na ilikuwa ni wakati mgumu. Hata hivyo, kwa hekima ya umri na wakati, Nilitambua kwamba tofauti zote ni ukweli na watakuwa huko hakuna jambo mimi kama hayo au. Pia, kwa upande mwingine, tuna zaidi yanayofanana kuliko tofauti, ambayo ni zaidi kikamilifu kwa ajili yangu na kugundua na kwa makini. Kimsingi, sisi wote kukua zamani na kufa siku moja; sisi wote magonjwa mara kwa mara; sisi wote mara nyingi kuwa na kusema kwaheri kwa watu tunaowapenda na sisi wote wakati mwingine kuwa na kufanya nini sisi chuki kufanya. Sisi ni zaidi kuliko hiyo tofauti. I am glad kwamba mimi aligundua kwamba na tangu siku hiyo na hitimisho hili, Canada akawa nyumba yangu.

Si mengi unaweza kuwaambia na kikomo sasa nafasi lakini kuna mengi ya kushiriki. Nampenda Canada na mimi kuhisi maisha bora hapa!

- Xin katika Saint John, NB

-Image: © EdArias

Uko Wapi Kutoka?

I was five years old when my parents came from Canada. They were refugees from Pakistan. One year after we arrived, my brother was born. Another year passed and my sister came along. In those early years, I never knew what identity was but I did know that I was different.

Growing up as an immigrant child was hard. The first question I was often asked was “where are you from?” The easy answer was Pakistan. It was a part of me. Mbali na hilo, I thought living in Canada was difficult. I was bullied for being a “Paki”, my protective parents didn’t allow me to go to sleepovers and movies and my clothes smelled like the Pakistani spices my mom used in our traditional food. I was caught between two worlds and didn’t know how to reconcile them.

I am not sure when it happened but sometime during my elementary school years, saying that I was from Pakistan was no longer the easy answer to give. My memories and life in Canada became more familiar. My parents encouraged me to celebrate and contribute to my new home and remember the one I left. I remember attending my Citizenship Ceremony and excitedly telling my 5^th grade teacher Mrs. Burnett that I was now a Canadian.

I volunteered at an MPP’s office and had my first trip to Ottawa where I called my mom from the Peace Tower at the Parliament of Canada in awe of where I was standing.

During my undergraduate years at the University of Toronto, I began to travel during the summers. Working abroad in various communities, I was asked the same question I had been asked in Canada “Where are you from?” I answered, “from Canada”

The next question was “Where are you really from?” In frustration, sometimes dismay, I would answer, “I was born in Pakistan but I grew up in Canada”. I was very proud of my Pakistani birth and early years but I was also very sure that my home was now Canada.

In 2009, my family decided to go back to Pakistan. I was excited and nervous. Before we left Canada, I remember thinking no one will ask me where I was from – I speak fluent Urdu, wear the traditional shalwar kameez and will not stand out in a crowd.

When we arrived in Lahore, I went out with my family and ordered a chana dish from a street vendor. I just started to eat it when a woman’s voice behind me quietly asked “App kahan se hain?” meaning “Where are you from?”

I couldn’t believe it. Not here!

I was born only a few hours drive from Lahore in a town called Sargodha. I told her I was from Pakistan. She wasn’t convinced and asked again.

I said, “I was born in Pakistan but grew up in Canada.” We struck up a conversation and talked about our lives in different parts of world. I couldn’t help but think of the person I would be if my family had never left Pakistan. When I arrived back in Canada, I was overwhelmed by that unexplainable feeling of “home” when I saw Toronto.

Leo, I still get asked where I am from. To say that I am Pakistani-Canadian is the easy and the right answer to give. I may have been born in one part of the world and relish in the few memories I have but Canada is my home. Together, the two places have made me who I am and for that, I am grateful.

-Sadia in Mississauga

Old Miti & Hali ya hewa ya Majadiliano

Mimi ni kutoka Liberia, ndogo ya Afrika Magharibi nchi. Mara ya mwisho mimi checked, my country was still recovering from 14 years of civil war after electing Africa’s first female president.

Wakati kuondoka Liberia kuishi nchini Canada, itakuwa si kuchukua muda mrefu wewe kutambua tofauti nyingi katika utamaduni. Many Liberians back home would disagree with me because we believe that our culture is closely linked to North America since the country was established by free slaves from America. Lakini ilikuwa ni haraka kwa ajili yangu na taarifa kwamba madai yetu ni makosa.

Badala ya nchi yangu ya asili, Nimeishi katika nchi tatu tofauti katika mabara matatu tofauti ndani ya miaka kumi iliyopita. Canada sasa ni ya nne. Kutokana na uzoefu wangu, ilikuwa ni rahisi kwa ajili yangu kwa kutambua tofauti ya utamaduni. Nini ilikuwa si rahisi, ingawa, ilikuwa kwa ajili yangu na kuzoea mabadiliko katika utamaduni. Hii inathibitisha akisema katika nchi yangu kuwa "mti wa zamani hauwezi kumfunga kwa urahisi".

miaka miwili Mimi kukaa nchini Canada, Mimi Jihadi pamoja na kuwaita watu wakubwa kwa majina yao ya kwanza. Kama unafikiri kuhusu jamii ambayo ni kubwa ya wazee wenye umri cohort, kuliko wewe kuelewa nini nina kwenda kwa njia ya kila siku. Lakini hii si tatizo kwa ajili yangu 8 umri wa miaka binti ambaye alihamia Canada wakati yeye alikuwa tu 20 miezi. Anaweza kwa urahisi kuwaita mtu wazee kuhusu umri wa bibi yake kwa majina yao ya kwanza. Mimi kuendelea kuwakumbusha yake kwamba ambapo sisi kuja kutoka hii hairuhusiwi. Tunaamini kwamba jina wito ni hatua ya kwanza katika kuonyesha "heshima". Hivyo vipini ni masharti ya majina kulingana na pengo umri na hali ya. Kwa hiyo wazazi wote katika kitongoji ama mjomba au shangazi. Kuepuka wito majina ya kwanza, Mimi kukaribia watu bila kuita jina yao ambayo wakati inaonekana Awkward.

Pia, Mimi haraka niliona pets kwamba, kuwa ni paka au mbwa ni sehemu muhimu ya kaya nyingi. I admire jinsi pets ni kutibiwa na hadhi na heshima. Mimi mara nyingi ajabu gharama ya kuongeza pet, na kujisikia pole kwa maelfu ya watu katika nchi yangu kwamba wanaishi chini ya dola moja kwa siku. Ambapo mimi ni kutoka, mbwa na paka ni kutibiwa tofauti. Wakati wowote, binti yangu inaniambia yeye anataka kuwa Vet, Mimi ajabu kama yeye ingekuwa alisema alikuwa yeye mzima katika Liberia. Sababu Vet si kazi ya mtoto nchini Liberia itakuwa ndoto kuhusu tangu wanyama ni kamwe kuchukuliwa kwa vets. Mbali na hilo, Siwezi kukumbuka kuona sehemu katika kuhifadhi mboga kwa chakula pet.

What I admire zaidi kuhusu watu wa Atlantic Canada ni ukarimu wao na jinsi ya kumkaribia wao ni. Ni amazes me jinsi watu kuanzisha mazungumzo na kuzungumza juu ya hali ya hewa. Wao mara nyingi kwenda kama hii, "Sisi kuwa na siku njema leo". Hii ishara ya aina, kwa ajili yangu, mapumziko viongozi wote mawasiliano na kujenga jukwaa kwa ajili ya mawasiliano.

- William katika Saint John, NB

Weathering lugha

Mimi nanga kutoka Osaka, Japan na Mbeya, NB. Nimekuja Canada kwa sababu mke wangu ni Canada na kutoka Mbeya. Nilikwenda shaka Kifaransa LINC kuna.

Ingawa mimi tayari alizungumza Kiingereza ufasaha wakati mimi alikuja Canada kulikuwa na siku ya zinakabiliwa na Kiingereza vinavyoningojea, pamoja na Kifaransa.

Baada ya 6 miezi wanaoishi katika Mbeya, mke wangu na mimi wakiongozwa na Ontario, kutokana na kazi reson. Sisi aliishi huko kwa ajili ya 2 miaka na 2 miezi. Ilikuwa ni tofauti na New Brunswick. Nilikwenda Kiingereza shaka LINC kuna.

Ilikuwa ni majira ya baridi wakati sisi wakiongozwa na Ontario. Akizungumza ya majira ya baridi , ambapo mimi awali walikuja kutoka tuna siku chache tu theluji. Ilikuwa ni kiasi kikubwa kushtua kwa ajili yangu na kuona kiasi cha barafu ya theluji na nene. Ilikuwa inatisha. Wote mimi mawazo kuhusu alikuwa "kwa nini niko hapa?"

Mimi tu aliishi katika Saint John kwa 19 siku sasa lakini nadhani mimi kama mchanganyiko mzuri wa utamaduni hapa.

Mimi hakika wamekuwa nyumbani, mgonjwa kabisa mbaya na wana uzoefu wa baadhi ya siku ngumu kuja kutoka tofauti za kitamaduni pamoja lakini naweza kusema kwamba raha nafurahi kwamba nimekuja hapa kwa sababu mimi uzoefu kitu ambacho mimi hakuweza kuwa na uzoefu wa kurudi nyumbani.

- Shigeki in Saint John, NB

- Picha ya Mikopo: Fred Chartrand, Press ya Canada

Kuanzia Scratch

Hi kila mtu,

Jina langu ni Sophie na mimi kutoka Ufaransa. Mimi aliwasili nchini Canada mwisho Oktoba, 2012 in Saint John. I remember when I arrived, kila mtu kutumika kuuliza maswali haya:

“Oh, wewe si Canada? (kwa sababu ya lafudhi yangu ni wazi Kifaransa), Wewe ni Kifaransa, kutoka Mbeya, Quebec mji? Kutoka Ufaransa? Kweli?! Kwa nini Saint John?”

Inaonekana haiwezekani kwamba msichana Kifaransa pick Saint John kama marudio yake ya kwanza nchini Canada. Naam, mimi kutumika kujibu: “Mimi tu kuongeza bwana wangu katika Ufaransa na ilikuwa wakati kamili kwa ajili yangu kuwa na uzoefu wangu wa kwanza katika nchi ya kigeni, nje ya eneo la faraja yangu, katika lugha tofauti lakini katika nchi ambayo mimi bado anaweza kujisikia kama nyumbani.” Ni kweli funny jinsi watu alishangaa kwamba nilikuwa “halisi Kifaransa”!

Kwa kweli Canada ilikuwa kwa ajili yangu, kabla ya mimi kufika, nchi ya kigeni lakini kwa kweli sawa na Ufaransa . Na pia ni tofauti kabisa na!!

Kwanza, unafikiri lugha ya Kifaransa ni sawa, but not at all…Unafikiri utapata moja aina ya chakula, but notlakini si wakati wotetimaye, unafikiri sisi kushiriki sawa “utamaduni” lakini tena ni kweli tofauti kabisa!

Nchi hii ni kubwa kweli kweli, ukubwa wa gari, barabara, miti, nyumba, hata chakula na ufungaji!

Kama mtu Kifaransa nami kuchukua mfano wa chakula.

Kama wewe kwenda mgahawa, sehemu ni kubwa kweli kweli. Lakini ni sawa kama huna kumaliza sahani yako unaweza kuchukua mfuko Doggy! Wewe kamwe niliona katika Ufaransa. Maskini Canada watu ambao ni kuja Ufaransa, nchi ya chakula bora, na kuondoka meza bado kufa na njaa!

Tena, katika maduka makubwa ya, uwiano wa aisle si sawa. aisles wa mboga ni kweli madogo, lakini chips, pizza, Coca Cola, chakula waliohifadhiwa, sukari, Junk chakula ni mara mbili kubwa kuliko Ufaransa. Nakumbuka nilikuwa kutafuta tab chocolate kutengeneza keki yangu mwenyewe. Mimi aliuliza mtu kutoka duka na alionyesha yangu “tayari maandalizi ya keki”, Mimi alisema hakuna nataka kweli kuoka keki wangu, yeye aliniambia kweli? Lakini pamoja na kwamba kila kitu ni tayari? Yeye hakuwa na uwezo wa kupata mimi nini nilikuwa kutafuta. utamaduni wa chakula ni kweli tofauti!

Lakini baada ya ufahamu bora wa style hai, hali ya hewa, kufurahia pia ni sehemu nzuri ya chakula kama kamba, Canada ni nchi kubwa ambayo unaweza kuanza maisha mapya. Kitu kwamba unataka kuwa, unaweza kujaribu nchini Canada, na kwamba sababu mimi kuanguka kwa upendo na nchi hii.

Karibu Canada!

- Sophie katika Saint John, NB

Nyumbani Mpya & Dagaa Too

Jina langu ni Jian na nimekuja Canada katika Agosti ya 2010 na familia yangu. Mtakatifu Yohana alikuwa kuacha yetu ya kwanza na sisi hakujua wapi kuishi na ambapo ni nyumba yetu mpya kwa wakati huo. Baada ya wiki moja kukaa katika Saint John, sisi aliamua kukaa hapa. Kuna kura ya sababu kwa sisi kufanya uamuzi huu, ikiwa ni pamoja na:

1) Watu katika Saint John ni rafiki sana, hasa kwa wageni.

2) Kuna trafiki nzito hapa na wewe kuwa chini ya nafasi ya kukutana na trafiki nzito.

3) ya hali ya hewa hapa ni bora kuliko nyingine yoyote katika miji NB.

4) Unaweza kula vyakula bahari safi zaidi kwa sababu ni bahari mji.

Anyway, Watu ni ya kirafiki ni sababu muhimu kwa sisi kuishi hapa. Baada ya siku mbili’ nyumba ya uwindaji, sisi kununua nyumba yetu. Kura ya marafiki kelele kwamba sisi alifanya uamuzi wa mambo lakini sisi kamwe majuto uamuzi wetu. Tunaishi maisha mema hapa na binti yangu anapenda masomo sana. Hakika sisi kujaribu vyakula bahari tofauti mara nyingi sana.

Hii ni hadithi yangu fupi. Ingawa si ya kuvutia, ni kweli ni kweli.

- Jian katika Saint John, NB

Warm Despite the Weather

I came to Canada in 2007 to study at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, I had no family here and the culture was completely new to me not forgetting to mention the weather. I quickly felt at ease due to the friendliness of the people of Saint John who were quick to embrace me as one of their own. Settling in was a very smooth process, and it felt like I was home away from home.

The Multicultural and Newcomers Resource Center here has played a huge role in my life here. You get to meet people from all walks of life, and appreciate the different cultures around you. I have since graduated and I am now working for a company I love thanks to the multicultural center. I am glad I came here and decided to make this a second home for me.

- Victoria in Saint John, NB

Freedoms & Friendships

I am from Bangladesh. I born in a small city called Pabna. We are 4 people in our home (Mom, Dad, my brother and me). Being born in a Muslim family, I grew up with lots of restrictions. I never traveled anywhere without my parents. In my second year of University, I told my dad I want to go to abroad to continue my study. At first I thought he would never allow me to come all by myself. Finally he said, if you get the visa then he would let me go. This is how I end up coming to Canada.

I was really excited as I was going to experience snow for the first time in my life. Very first day of the school, it was storming. I probably fall couple of time on the way to school in that day. The cold was unbearable for me. Still I found it was fun to cope up with the weather. The most beautiful thing I enjoyed after coming here was the environment of the school. Everybody is so welcoming and helpful. I was involved with different cultural club in the school. That gave me the opportunity to meet lots of friends from different part of the world. I am so blessed to have my two best friends whom I met at the University of New Brunswick Saint John. One is from Canada another one is from UAE.

After I completed my graduation, I was involved with the Saint John Multicultural and Newcomers Resource Center. Here again I meet lot of people from different region through different activities. So after I have moved to Saint John, I had the opportunity to learn about different culture, food and I am enjoying it every bit of it.

- Nazma in Saint John, NB

Kutoka Nyumba mimi Grew Up Katika

Wale kujua mimi kujua kwamba mimi nina kutoka Saint John na kwa kweli kuishi katika nyumba moja kwamba nilikua katika. wanaojidai "kawaida Saint Johner,"Mimi alikulia katika Saint John, Alisoma katika Saint John, na kufanya kazi katika Saint John. Kimataifa uzoefu wangu wa kwanza alikuwa, kama hivyo wengi hapa, safari ya mapumziko nchini Cuba. Je, mimi kidogo kujua kwamba muda mfupi baada ya safari kwamba, dunia yangu bila mabadiliko.

Kuhusu mwezi mmoja baada ya safari kwamba, Mimi aliajiriwa katika Chuo Kikuu cha New Brunswick (Saint John campus) katika Ofisi ya Kimataifa ya. Lazima wawe kweli walipenda kile alikuwa na kusema kuhusu utamaduni wa Cuba kwa sababu wakati huo, kwamba alikuwa ni kwa ajili ya uzoefu yoyote kitamaduni. Nakumbuka juu ya mawazo yangu ya kwanza siku ya kwamba hii ilikuwa inaenda kuwa hivyo mambo, kufanya kazi moja kwa moja na wanafunzi wa kimataifa, kwa sababu sikuwa na background yoyote ya kitamaduni na, tena, hakuondoka hasa Saint John. Na mwisho wa siku ya kwanza, ingawa, Nilijua kuwa nilikuwa nimepata shauku yangu.

Zaidi ijayo 7 miaka, Nilipata fursa ya kukutana na wanafunzi kutoka duniani kote. Mimi alichukua masomo binafsi katika Kikorea na Mandarin. Mimi walihudhuria kila tukio kitamaduni juu ya chuo. Mimi alisoma na kukamilika kufundishia wangu Kiingereza kama lugha ya Pili ya cheti na tutored wanafunzi wa kimataifa. (Mimi bado kuendelea kuwasiliana na watu wengi, ikiwa ni pamoja na mwanafunzi wangu wa kwanza, Yuki kutoka Japan.) Mimi pia alikuwa na nafasi ya kusafiri kama sehemu ya kazi yangu katika UNBSJ na mimi alitembelea 11 nchi katika miaka miwili. Nilijifunza mengi sana kwa wakati huu (ikiwa ni pamoja na ukweli kuwa dunia ni ndogo ..... baada walikutana na mtu kutoka Sussex, NB, akifundisha katika Chile!). Ingawa mimi si kazi katika UNBSJ tena, Mimi bado karibu kabisa na idadi ya wanafunzi wa kimataifa - ambao wengi wao wamehitimu sasa. Baadhi wakiongozwa nje ya Mkoa, lakini wengi bado katika New Brunswick, ikiwa ni pamoja na Vicky kutoka Kenya ambaye alihitimu na sasa anafanya kazi ya muda katika Benki ya Royal.

Kupitia kazi yake, Vicky amekutana watu wengi ambao kujua mimi (ambayo si ngumu sana b / c, tena, Nimekuwa katika Saint John zote za maisha yangu) na yeye daima anawaambia watu kwa nini mimi HER. Kidogo gani yeye kujua nini SHE amefanya kwa ajili yangu! Mimi kuendelea kujifunza mengi kutoka Vicky na wengine; shauku yangu kwa tamaduni nyingi waivers kamwe. Na, ni, Hakuna Shaka, kwa sababu ya upendo wangu wa wanafunzi wa kimataifa kama Vicky kwamba mimi alichukua nafasi - Mimi ni mmoja wa watu wawili wa kwanza wa kuajiriwa - kuanza Yohana Mtakatifu Multicultural na Wageni Resource Centre, ambapo mimi bado kazi leo.

- Maria katika Saint John, NB

Nini Katika Jina?

Kuanzia mwishoni mwa miaka ya 1970, Nilikuwa kushiriki kikamilifu katika kukaribisha wakimbizi kutoka Vietnam - "mashua watu" kama wao walikuwa kisha kuitwa - kutulia yao katika maisha yao mapya katika Edmonton. .

Siku moja baba wa vijana wawili kidogo alinifuata na kuulizwa kama mimi ili kutoa wanawe zaidi majina ya Kiingereza-sounding. .

Kufikiri juu yake sasa, Mimi kutambua kwamba baba na mimi wote wawili walikuwa majina kutibu kama ishara ya utamaduni - baba zao alitaka majina ambayo ingesaidia wavulana wake kufaa katika utamaduni huu mpya, na nilikuwa kufikiri kuhusu majina yao kuunganisha yao na utamaduni wao alikuwa kushoto nyuma.

Mimi alichukua jambo umakini. , Mimi hit juu ya majina mawili ya kwamba walikuwa kama karibu sounding kama mimi naweza kuja majina walikuwa alifika pamoja na.

Zaidi ya miaka nimeyazingatia na kushangaa katika mapenzi na uamuzi wa familia hizi Kivietinamu kuweka chini mizizi mpya, kazi kwa bidii na kustawi katika nyumba yao mpya. .

- Maria katika Alberta

- picha za mikopo: Wakimbizi wanasubiri usafiri katika mashua ya uvuvi; PH2 Phil Eggman [Umma domain], kupitia Wikimedia Commons

Maamuzi ya tamaduni nyingi

kuchunguza jinsi ya kuishi pamoja