Tag Archives: newcomers

A New Home & Seafood Too

lobster_fishing_boatsMy name is Jian and I came to Canada in August of 2010 with my family. Saint John was our first stop and we did not know where to settle and where is our new home at that time. After one week stay in Saint John, we decided to settle here. There are lots of reasons for us to make this decision, including:

 

1) People in Saint John are very friendly, especially to newcomers.

2) There are not heavy traffic here and you have less chance to meet heavy traffic.

3) The climate here is better than any other cities in NB.

4) You can eat more fresh sea foods because it is seaside city.

Anyway, People are friendly is the most important reason for us to live here. After two days’ house hunting, we bought our house. Lots of friends cried that we had made a crazy decision but we never regret our decision. We are living a good life here and my daughter likes the schooling very much. Surely we try different sea foods very often.

This is my short story. Although it is not interesting, it is really true.

 - Jian in Saint John, NB

From South Korea and Scotland to Small Town Canada

MC40_OrilliaSignThis story spans many years.

In 1964 my husband, 4-year-old son and I emigrated from Scotland to small town Ontario – Orillia, Stephen Leacock’s Mariposa. We were readily assimilated into the mainly white Caucasian population, many being second and third generation descendants of early settlers. It was an easy transition for us moving from one country to another. We were accepted and made welcome as there were several immigrant families from England and Scotland living there already along with a small, well established Italian community.

It was not the norm for aIl newcomers.

In 1967 I saw a young Asian couple with a little boy carrying their laundry to a nearby laundromat and commented to my husband on how strange and lonely it must be for them as they were the only Asian family in our small town. Continue reading →