Category: Immigrant Stories
Moving to a new country at 19 years of age is a formidable feat in itself. But that is only the start of Mercy’s inspiring immigration story. Mercy came to Canada from the Philippines with bright hopes of creating a rosy future. However, life sent her on a tortuous path toward her dream life. A month after landing in Canada, she found out that she was pregnant. As a pregnant teenager who was new to the country, she badly needed support. Unfortunately, she barely got any because her relationship with her baby’s father ended shortly after they learned about the...
Don’t we all have those moments that when we look back, we realize how much they changed our lives? Mine is emigrating from Peru to Canada. Hola, mi nombre es Erika (my name is Erika). My drive to lead a life full of meaning and adventure is born from my hometown experiences and Peruvian roots. You might think that my life back in my home country was hard and that was why I emigrated to Canada to look for a brighter future. Well, the truth is, I had a beautiful life in Lima, Peru, where I’m originally from. I lacked...
Alwyn’s story is about successfully reinventing himself and seizing opportunities in Canada. I first met Alwyn two decades ago when we started working for the Livestock Division of a well-known pet company in the Philippines. I worked in research and compliance while he worked in sales. Back then, he was passionate about animal health and husbandry. His passion, knowledge, and experiences brought him to Manitoba, Canada. However, his courage to reinvent himself has opened up opportunities for a better life for him and his family. Here is Alwyn’s story in his own words. Experiencing The Joys and Struggles of a...
Like most immigrants, she left a great life with the goal of experiencing better living standards. She accomplished her goal and more. Now, Lola aims to help immigrants in Canada and create fun spaces for them through her @afroedmontonian Instagram page. Lola Oduwole shares her Canadian immigrant story. Dreaming of Better Living Standards When I reflect on my life before Canada, three things come to mind: a community of friends, a familiar culture, and a job in Marketing that I loved doing. You’d then wonder why I hauled my bags across the world from a +30 degrees country to a...
He strongly believes that the struggles, resilience, and successes of immigrants must be shared to inspire others. So, he created the podcast An Immigrant’s Life to ensure that these stories are never lost and forgotten. This is Aeron and here is his inspiring Canadian immigration story. A Challenging Childhood My childhood in the Philippines was incredibly challenging as I came from a poor family. To improve our lives, my Nanay (mother) left to work in Hong Kong when I was eight years old. She would work for 2 years and then visit for a month before she leaves again. This...
She was fortunate to have a straightforward immigration journey. So, she is using her knowledge and experiences in helping newcomers in Canada create an easier path for themselves. In her own words, Charisse shares her immigration story. Experiencing Life Around the Globe Life before Canada was a lot of moving around because of work. I work in tech, and it has brought me to many places; so I lived in different countries aside from the Philippines before moving to Canada. However, I wanted to live in a politically stable country where the rule of law truly governs. I wanted to...
Imagine packing up your comfortable life to move to another country then find the world at a standstill. It is challenging to say the least. But we find ways, resilience, and knowledge to thrive. It’s even better if we use these to help others who come after us. This is the inspiring story of Chimma and how she established BC Settlement Buddy with the aim of helping new immigrants in British Columbia. In this post, Chimma answers questions that you and I are curious to know about moving to Canada. How was life before Canada? We were pretty comfortable in...
“We left a well-settled life in India and started from scratch in an empty basement in Canada. It wasn’t easy to start over again. But we were determined. Now, our family is enjoying our life thoroughly while I pursue my passion for the arts in Canada.”, says artist Rozy. Leaving a Wonderful Life Behind They had a great life in India. Her husband had a plush job in a multinational company. She was a busy homemaker who gained recognition within the art fraternity in their city. So, they were perfectly content and never thought of leaving their home country. But...
“Starting a restaurant business in Canada is certainly not for the faint-hearted. It requires an entrepreneurial mind, hard work, sacrifice, and patience.,” says Fresh Cravings restaurant co-owner Nida. Today, we will learn about Nida’s Canadian immigrant story and how she surpassed the challenges of setting up a restaurant. Life Before Immigration to Canada Nida hailed from a town in the northern Philippines where her father ran a family shoe business. This business gave her the skills, knowledge, and experiences that she needed later in life. At a tender age, Nida and her siblings were exposed to meeting people from different...
