___Thoughts of an Immigrant_____

Before we moved to Canada, we were reading a lot about other’s people stories and experiences. About the weather in Ontario, day cares, jobs, neighborhoods, salaries, transportations and, of course, there were both confusion and concerns. In other words, we had no clue at all!

On the other hand, we were lucky compared to other people who don’t have another option but leave.  Expectations were different and many results were unexpected. We literally decided to move, to leave everything and re-start all over again. So far, it sounds like a scaring, moving story and it could be so, if it was not that the person who is writing was fine with all of that.

I knew it was not going to be smooth and easy, I knew that it was going to take time to be settled and I also knew we could make it, because our personal goals and motivations were strong enough to help us. Additionally, we had 2 kids and that means you don’t have other choice but work hard and make it work!

Many Canadians born in Canada don’t know how many things a New Comer has to go through to be settled. Few things are not fun at all; other things – looking at them now – are literally hilarious.

When I came here I was 32. I had, for example, to retake the test for the driving license again. The first time, I failed. Why? They gave me the test in Italian. I didn’t understand a word! I failed.

That was my first time I was so lucky to witness the way a language evolves, changes depending how far it goes from the native land. I am thinking, for example, of words such as “Pushare”, “Apparcare”, “Bega”, etcetera.

Ten minutes later, they called me to try again (+ $10). The lady was so nice to offer me the test in Italian. I asked for the English one. Going back and forth between a “You can have it in Italian!” and “Please, I want the English one!” – I was finally able to go away from there with my approval for the driving test.

You now have to imagine that I was at that office with my husband, Lorenzo and Maia, a baby bottle, 2000 diapers (who never knows, right?), wet wipes, stroller, toys, books, baby’s saliva dots everywhere (Maia  was teething). When I passed the exam, at least, I could enjoy  a standing ovation from my family and a couple of Teddy Bears who were waiting for me outside. This is what happens when you are in a foreigner Country, two days after your arrival and you work as a team because if one fails, the entire family fails.

This is just an example but feel free to apply it to everything belonging to you daily life: grocery, family doctor, hairdresser, etc... Even the way milk is stored and packed is different! 1%, 2%, 3%, 18% meant nothing to me back then. Milk means breakfast. Breakfast means the beginning of the day.  Could you imagine how many different things you have to learn and go through before you could reach the end of one of your ordinary day and finally have DINNER? We were so lucky we didn't need a lactose free one!

That is fun! I suddenly realized I was extremely lucky. That was the sort of situation we desire to live once in a while. I am referring to that desire sometimes we have that is perfectly expressed by the sentence: “I wish I could go back and do it again! This time would be different!”

To move to Canada was my chance to “undo – redo” things I had already done in Italy, but  with more awareness and the wisdom of the knowledge! I know it sounds easy but it is not. What I am referring to is just the way I decided to embark on this amazing adventure.