Immigrating to Canada: A New Beginning

Every now and then, one makes a fresh start in life. You start a new job or you get married or you change cities. I have made many a change in my life too, starting from very early years since my father was in a transferable job. Later, it was for study and work. I have even moved continents and lived in Africa for a couple of years.

Yet, nothing compares to now. Now, we have immigrated to Canada. Our slate is blank like never before. We do not have a job, a house, family or any single tie to this country except our desire to make it home and a Permanent Residence card that allows us to do so.

The journey of how we got our PR status and finally arrived here is a story worth telling too! It has been a journey of extreme uncertainty, soaring hope, utter doubt, immense hard work, much courage and finally, a leap of faith. I shall narrate the story in my next blog.

For now, I want to capture my first impressions about Canada for you and me. I have been here for less than a week, but I have so much to say about this place, its people, its weather.

This is not my first visit to Canada. I came here a couple of years ago with my husband, to complete our landing process and collect our PR cards. More about that in the next blog. That visit was during the lush greenery and bright, long days of Canadian summer. We were here, more as tourists than immigrants. We explored the place, ate out and had much fun.

Immigrating to Canada

Last week, when I landed in Toronto again, I wondered why the place did not look as charming as before. Had I lost my sense of marvel for Canada? Arthur, our current landlord, helped me pin point the difference, as we drove back home from the airport. He said this is the worst time of the year in terms of aesthetics. Winter has just left with its pristine veil of white snow over everything. Spring is yet to arrive with its colourful, fresh perspectives. So here we are, with the muddy brown left overs from a winter gone by and with trees as bare as a malnourished body.

But you know what? I still find this place beautiful. What’s best is that it will only get better and better as the months go by. I love the crazy cold, where you step out with four thick layers of clothing and hear people say the weather is ‘balmy’. I love how strangers smile at you and say ‘Hi!’ I love how an unknown neighbour heard we’d just moved in and have nothing to begin with and offered us a couch she wasn’t using anymore. Not just that, she hefted the heavy thing along with my husband and helped us bring it home. I love how our landlord offered to drive us home from the airport and then went to his place to bring us a table and three chairs he wasn’t using. I love how warm people are despite the cold!

So much to discover, so much to learn about, so much to understand and try for ourselves. I am excited, I am nervous, I am waiting to go live it out there and come back and share it all with you!

So stay tuned. This is just the beginning. There’s so much more to come. And I promise, like always, ours is going to be a roller-coaster ride!

Don’t miss the next part of our Canada story- How We Got Permanent Residence for Canada.