Andreea's words of wisdom
What advice would you give somebody who is thinking to immigrate here?
I would tell them to get as much information as they can before coming here. And when they do get here I would like them not to fight the system. I would like them to embrace everything and be open minded and willing to try [things]and be aware that it’s going to take some time till they discover themselves and till they discover their purpose here. [Of course] there is always a small group of people who are very determined and they achieve things right away; they come with a certain goal in their mind and they achieve it. But then again most [immigrants] when they come here are a little disoriented, but they understand that this is a period that you have to go through and you don’t have to be afraid.
So what attitude do new immigrants need to have when they come to Canada?
I think immigrants should not expect to be given things for free. Canada has a policy that favours immigrants and maybe a lot of us think that we are entitled to get things [when we want] and to find work right away. Personally, I always try to imagine myself as a Canadian and [consider] how I would feel towards people who come and don’t respect our rules and are not willing to change a little or to adapt faster to their society. People who come here and struggle and are unhappy and grow depressed shouldn’t stay here, unless it’s a matter of security. But if you come here and feel like this is not for you then you should go back, because you are wasting your time and money.
From your perspective what are the biggest challenges facing newly arrived immigrants on their arrival in Canada?
[Learning a] language is one of the biggest challenges. [Also] coming from a system that doesn’t resemble at all the system here, which could make it difficult [for someone] to adapt to it. I can’t really tell. I mean I try to surround myself with people who are positive and happy, so the people that I know have had positive experiences, and even if they have had bad experiences, they still remember something good about it- that they learned something. I suppose [immigrating] is like moving to a new town in your [own] country. You have to start over and look for an apartment, a job, discover the city and [become familiar] with the rules there. Everything [you need] is out there but you should not expect people to come and say look I found you a job. Look I found this community centre that can help you, or look at this website shows you what to do. No! This is our duty as immigrants to find out. If you know what to expect, then you will know the challenges and the way to [face them].
Click here to read Andreea's quotes and thoughts about life in Canada
What advice would you give somebody who is thinking to immigrate here?
I would tell them to get as much information as they can before coming here. And when they do get here I would like them not to fight the system. I would like them to embrace everything and be open minded and willing to try [things]and be aware that it’s going to take some time till they discover themselves and till they discover their purpose here. [Of course] there is always a small group of people who are very determined and they achieve things right away; they come with a certain goal in their mind and they achieve it. But then again most [immigrants] when they come here are a little disoriented, but they understand that this is a period that you have to go through and you don’t have to be afraid.
So what attitude do new immigrants need to have when they come to Canada?
I think immigrants should not expect to be given things for free. Canada has a policy that favours immigrants and maybe a lot of us think that we are entitled to get things [when we want] and to find work right away. Personally, I always try to imagine myself as a Canadian and [consider] how I would feel towards people who come and don’t respect our rules and are not willing to change a little or to adapt faster to their society. People who come here and struggle and are unhappy and grow depressed shouldn’t stay here, unless it’s a matter of security. But if you come here and feel like this is not for you then you should go back, because you are wasting your time and money.
From your perspective what are the biggest challenges facing newly arrived immigrants on their arrival in Canada?
[Learning a] language is one of the biggest challenges. [Also] coming from a system that doesn’t resemble at all the system here, which could make it difficult [for someone] to adapt to it. I can’t really tell. I mean I try to surround myself with people who are positive and happy, so the people that I know have had positive experiences, and even if they have had bad experiences, they still remember something good about it- that they learned something. I suppose [immigrating] is like moving to a new town in your [own] country. You have to start over and look for an apartment, a job, discover the city and [become familiar] with the rules there. Everything [you need] is out there but you should not expect people to come and say look I found you a job. Look I found this community centre that can help you, or look at this website shows you what to do. No! This is our duty as immigrants to find out. If you know what to expect, then you will know the challenges and the way to [face them].
Click here to read Andreea's quotes and thoughts about life in Canada