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| Subject: Appreciate Canada, gave me a home |
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After reading some other dudes story, I wanna share my story too.
If you are talking to money, I am talking to money to you guys too.
It??s getting close to my fire incident one-year anniversary.
Back to Feb 2004 when I was a still fourth year student at Malaspina University-College, Nanaimo, B.C I experienced a serious fire accident in my house that is located at 650 Haliburton Street, south part of Nanaimo.
My upstairs housemate Eric who is a 57 years old Canadian gentleman, he smoked weed and accidentally burn the whole house. I lived in basement at that time. Luckily, because he woke me up when the fire broke out. He got 20% fire burn; I put off fire on his arm with my coat. I didn??t get anything hurt. If Eric didn??t come downstairs, I probably sleep with the house burn down.
PS: I don??t have rental insurance, that??s my fault too.
Anyway, on Feb 19, 2004, I lost everything, including computer, graduation thesis, books, and clothes. I run outside my house with just my passport. My neighbors saw my situation, gave me clothes, asked me to go to their house, I don??t even know their first name. One of my neighbors helped me find out Social department emergency phone line. Social helped me live in a hotel without charge for room and meal for a whole week, after I moved to my girlfriend??s place.
When my university department knew my incident story, everybody quickly knew that. Offer help without hesitation. My student union actually set up a donation box for collecting stationary, clothes, everything. At the end of week, there are like 10 big box of stuff, I have to donate back to Salvation Army. I still remember I was in the Vancouver Island Idol Competition singing talent search second-round. (I am not trying to be next William Hung, she bang, she bang) I almost gave up to go to competition; who the hell gonna have mood to go to competition without real home? However, everybody in my community encouraged me to go to competition no matter what. At that night, that competition actually changed to donation for my fire accident. People who knew me or not, everybody donated something. I remember one guy, after host told my story to audience, he just run to ATM and withdraw 100 dollars cash. Just one night, my audience from my community at that ??Island Idol?? competition, donated me about 500 dollars something.
My story even in the Nanaimo daily news, CH global, people just keep donate me stuff. I even had to write a notice saying that I am fine right now.
You know what? I walked on the street, people will stop me and ask me, are you Yijie, that guy lost your home, I saw you on TV in the island Idol. Even right now, I remembered I went to Real Canadian Superstore, when I checked out, still cashier asked me, did you find new home, and everything is ok? Tell me if you need help.
People are just so nice, when I appreciate their help, they just told me. I wish you could do this when other people have trouble, that??s the mean of community.
Do you think my community residents are considering money to do that? Just investment? Come on, why should them help a student who is not even a Canadian?
After this incident, I always think I have to contribute back to my community. I even drive back homeless girls to my house, cook Chinese food for them, and we share our own story. I will try to persuade her to go back to normal life. I don??t even know her. I had one time, one 18 years old boy back up his Sunbird and hit my car. We went to body shop, it estimated about 900 dollars to fix that, if go thru ICBC, his insurance gonna be 2,600 next year. He told me his family lives on welfare and he went to community school. My car is 86 corolla, who gonna bother to fix it, as long as it can be driven. I charged him nothing. We even became friend and hang out together on weekend.
The reason why I wanna share those kind of stories, just because I don??t even think immigrate to Canada is some group of people wanna invest money or something. People are just simply so nice to me in Canada, I love my Nanaimo and Canada so much. I don??t even think I can contribute enough to this country in my whole life.
Even no Canadian help me after my fire incident, come on, I have already been kicked ass and went back home country. We should appreciate Canada gives as a so called home, a sweet home, a place people can look after each other. Do you think you can buy those things in anywhere of the world? Once again, I am not Canadian, however I don??t even think I have lack of patriot than anybody here. God bless Canada.
[13-02-2005,06:34]
[**.66.78.119]
Yijie |
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(in reply to: Appreciate Canada, gave me a home)
Who would not want to come stay at a place like this after reading the story...
I hope other immigrants (current and future) have faith in their new country
[13-02-2005,13:33]
[**.151.172.106]
***** |
(in reply to: Appreciate Canada, gave me a home)
After reading I´m seriously considering to put Nanaimo, British Columbia as possible destination...
Please give more information about the place, kind of jobs it has etc.
What level courses are available for Business (I mean do they have MBA and PhD? at the local university?)
[13-02-2005,13:39]
[**.151.172.106]
***** |
(in reply to: Appreciate Canada, gave me a home)
OK I found this link:
http://www.city.nanaimo.bc.ca/
But if you wish to add anything... please share...
[13-02-2005,13:40]
[**.151.172.106]
***** |
(in reply to: Appreciate Canada, gave me a home)
Well, tell you the truth, Nanaimo is far different from any big city in Canada. This is west coast small town, heaven for retirement and kids education. You can check out
http://www.britishcolumbia.com/forum/index.asp it??s a forum, you will see lots of people are discussing intend to move to Nanaimo for retirement. Nanaimo used to be a mill town, lumber, forest industry do have many jobs, recently real estate market here are so hot. Jobs related to property should not be hard to find. It??s a 80,000 population small town. My field is tourism visitor information. I got a job work for Vancouver Island Tourism before I graduated, because I benefit from co-op opportunity and some local connection. Right now is lower season, however, once summer comes, there will be exciting sports event every month, Like International Bathtub festival.
Yep, Nanaimo has a university-college, Malaspina University-College. That??s the place I graduated with Bachelor of Tourism Management major in Recreation.
Why don??t you apply student loan once you come to Canada, and with this money, it??s interest-free until 6 month after you graduate. You go to school first and see what??s going in on a year and build up your network and connection, that??s how you find a job.
If you have any question about Nanaimo or Vancouver Island, please don??t feel hesitation to ask me.
[13-02-2005,14:25]
[**.66.78.119]
Yijie |
(in reply to: Appreciate Canada, gave me a home)
Talking about weather, nowhere in Canada can compare with Vancouver Island, no matter Nanaimo, Victoria.From walking along the harbour, to petting harbour seals, to a perfect size downtown, little shops, and the ocean...
I mention I lived in Regina before, at this time of Regina?
while slipping and sliding around on icy sidewalks I sure you gonna miss Vancouver Island and our 3 inches of green grass already. Today the sun was shining along the waters of the Gorge and one would not believe it was really wintertime.
[13-02-2005,14:36]
[**.66.78.119]
Yijie |
(in reply to: Appreciate Canada, gave me a home)
You have demonstrated the value of a smaller city. Things like your story happen in Vancouver or Toronto... but not in the same way. So often, a new immigrant moves into a neighbourhood that is filled with people from their own country. It is comfortable. Often they can speak the same language all day and not have to practice their english, they can find their ethnic foods at the local market etc. In some respects they have not really moved to Canada. I think they miss something special.
I think one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences is to place yourself where you are surrounded by immigrants from around the world - new ones and old ones. The reality is that every single one of us has a history or direct experience of starting all over again in a new country. It changes you. It makes you more willing to reach out and lend a hand. Yijie... you experienced that.
I grew up in a community that was filled with European refugees from the second world war. Most of them were German. At that time, the community built a big church which offered services in German for all the new immigrants. 50 years has now pass and most of the German folks have moved away. Now the community is populated by Indians and Vietnamese. The church is still there. The german sevices are gone but they are replaces with a Punjabi service, english service and chinese service. Every few months they have what is called a Potluck dinner. (Great Canadian tradition). Everyone brings something to share and everyone eats together. The German ladies still bring their perogies and platz, the Indian ladies bring their Samosa´s and the Chinese bring something hard to recognize :). At first, the german ladies were nervous to try the Indian dishes. The Indian folks thought the german and english food was a little strange. Now... I am told the big hit amongst the english speaking bunch is the Indian food and everyone wants to enjoy the other´s cuisine.
My point... (I think there is a point) Canada is not a perfect place but it offers all comers an opportunity to live a different kind of life. There is no guarantees of financial success - nothing... just an opportunity. How do you put a price on that.
That said, I strongly believe immigration is a two way street. Canadians need to be taught how to be helpful, how to be tolerant and respectful. We do not have a manual attached to our telephone books to help us understand the culture and traditions of our new immigrant neighbours. We need someone to help us. That is your job!
I never realized that I lived in a big immigrant community. Those kids grew up around me. At least not until one day in grade 5 when 3 little brown boys showed up in our class of all white, blonde haired kids. Rakesh was from India, and the other 2 boys were twins - Sam and Victor. They facinated me. They were Egyptian jews. (I always thought that they got left behind by mistake when Moses crossed the desert!) Their brown-ness facinated me. Rakesh´s accent was very unusual but very nice to listen too. Sammy and Victor were soccer stars on the school yard. On special holidays, our teacher would ask the boys to share about their traditions and customs so we could all learn something. Rakesh turned into one of the early computer geeks, Sammy runs a successful restaurant in Vancouver and Victor is a doctor somewhere.
The same school has changed. Now, if you are the blonde child at school you are special. The cute faces are now brown and yellow and black. The lunchroom is filled with more languages and foods than you can imagine. The most facinating part, is none of those children think their world is anything but ordinary. Yes, we have racial problems - particularly in the older grades. Surprisingly, it is not the white kids against the non-white kids. It is often the new immigrant nationalities amongst themselves. The Indian kids and the Phillipino or Chinese kids etc.
Anyway... I hope you do not mind my Sunday morning novel. My point has been to illustrate what Canada is about. We complain about the cost of immigration fees. To be honest - it is cheap. I pay more for 1 year of car insurance and there is a good chance it will be for nothing.
While you sit and wait... or instead of checking your e-client 2 times a day... start thinking about what you would like your life to be like in your new country. Spend some time learning about our people, our values, our traditions. Practice your english and get ready to experience a wonderful opportunity.
[13-02-2005,14:58]
[***.81.114.40]
sharon |
(in reply to: Appreciate Canada, gave me a home)
I pay about 1,200-dollars/year to ICBC just cover 1 million dollars third liability, nothing cover for my 1986 Toyota Corolla. Last week I mentioned that Sunbird boy backed up and hit my car with a little paint off and scratch, guess how much is the estimated cost to pay for repair? 967 dollars including tax for a two-day job????!!!! Ps: my car is only worth 500 dollars. Instead because that boy lives on welfare, I just asked him to buy me some beers next week. I am not going to repair my car. You know, our small town, don??t rip people off, you gonna see each other somehow on the street or grocery shopping.
Therefore, processing fee is not expensive, even though my income is below average Canadian family. It??s reasonable price.
[13-02-2005,15:27]
[**.66.78.119]
Yijie |
Canada! (in reply to: Appreciate Canada, gave me a home)
Yijie and Sharon, too.....
Thanks for the wonderful story and response. Both bring an intelligent and graciousness to this forum. Yijie, your story is a good one for Sunday morning and a good alternative to your Police story a few weeks ago.
Your stories remind me somewhat of my home state of Maine in USA.... very similar.
You are a good man. Keep it up.. Maybe we will see you when we move there later this summer.
[13-02-2005,17:17]
[**.161.128.46]
ron |
(in reply to: Appreciate Canada, gave me a home)
Sharon and Yijie, thanks for your wonderful experiences. That further confirms what I have seen in Canada already as a visitor.
I just would like to comment on Sharon´s statement about how cheap is the system. Sharon, you might have been exposed to foreigner IN your country, but your comment shows a lack of sensitivity for the hardships people in developing countries go about to pay the immigration fees, which amount to nearly us $ 2000. You find $2000 cheap because you ALREADY live in Canada and your income is much better.
In my case, I paid that money, which for me, a person from a developing country is a loooooooot of money. When you say it is "cheap" , on the one hand, I feel bad... but on the other, I feel great, because that means one day I might say " $2,000 in immigration fees is cheap."
Did you know that there are many countries in the world, including mine, in which $2000 is a year´s worth of wages? Please, be a little more sensitive...
[13-02-2005,20:50]
[***.163.254.113]
Ozz |
(in reply to: Appreciate Canada, gave me a home)
Ozz... yes, I know it is a lot of money for a 3rd world country. I have anguished over that reality more often than you can imagine. I have contemplated ways to even out the playing field so money is not the barrier for those who genuinely could benefit from an opportunity. I have talked with people about it endlessly. For my fiance it was 3 months wages for immigration fees and 2 years wages for settlement money. He was sitting on 72-74 points and no money. It simply was not going to happen and I was not prepared to marry him and sponsor him.
I determined early on in our friendship that money was not going to rob him of a chance at a better life. Consequently, the fees and settlement money have been paid with no anticipation of repayment. I might see it, and I might not. For me, the objective has been to sieze an opportunity to change a future not only for him, but for his family. Someone did that for my grandfather and I am thankful I have had the priviledge of returning the favour, and hearing someone screaming and sobbing on the phone ´Canada WANTS me...they say I can come!´ All the money in the world cannot buy that feeling or that moment.
so Ozz I apologize for not totally being sensitive in my comments... but I definitely understand.
[13-02-2005,22:07]
[***.81.114.40]
sharon |
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