First days in Canada
I was remembering my first days in Canada. We had applied for immigration to Quebec because I could speak French and when I was applying in Syria I noticed that Quebec immigration center is flying the flies ( Pashe mipparoone!) so I went there and ...
It took us 3 months to get the immigration papers and after 6 months we were ready to move ( me and my wife). We arrived in Montreal. A friend had rented an apartment for us, a little bit expensive but acceptable in our situation. the funny thing was that I started to speak French at the airport ( Mirable at the time) but surprisingly I could not understand a word. I backed off and started to speak English at least everybody was speaking a second language and for me it was easier to communicate. After a couple of months I was used to the strong French accent of Quebeqers and I started timidly to speak French.
The worst part of those days was my first appointment with an immigration officer concerning the employment. Because I already knew speaking French I did not took part in Quebec government's French courses. I got to the office and I started to talk about my situation and the fact that I had not been able to find any job yet. With an arrogant attitude she explained how we were considered under qualified and as an engineer I would better go and find a technician or a simple job and after a few years I should start to attain the high level of qualifications required here in Canada, I was reminded about the difficulties of immigration to Canada too ( something we knew already!). You know what? I was stunned. As an immigration officer she should not talk to me like that. Her impression of immigrants was a bunch of guys coming from nowhere( Poshte kooh) and who don't distinguish their left hands from right and their engineering credentials are equivalent to elementary schools in Canada. Now I see how that woman has been sincere about his feelings and how bad she has been selected for that job. Many people think the very same way here but they don't speak out their minds. However after September 11th I am seeing more of those kind of reactions and talks. Any ways I did not listen to that bitch and instead I followed the recommendations of a fellow compatriot, I applied for a graduate program at Montreal university, after getting my master degrees I got a job quickly. Life is better now and I have realized that like any other place you can find all kind of people here, some people are snub some people are not, just open up, don't generalize and try to have a strong connection to your own ethnic community or people like yourself.
Anyways you should work your way out and prove that you deserve what you are asking for.
Saturday, June 07, 2003
Friday, June 06, 2003
First generation immigrants
As a first generation immigrant we face a big cultural challenge in life. I am sure our kids are much more cooler and they won't see such a cultural barrier.
We had a lunch get to gether at our new start up company this noon. I am the only middle eastern and with a Chinese guy ( who was absent ) we are the only immigrants there. I could not stay there just because I could not fit into that group. The jokes the interests and all the rest are not simply mine. Sometimes because I don't want to be rude or because after all they are nice guys I hang out with them and participate in collective joking around and stuff but it is not me.
As a first generation immigrant we face a big cultural challenge in life. I am sure our kids are much more cooler and they won't see such a cultural barrier.
We had a lunch get to gether at our new start up company this noon. I am the only middle eastern and with a Chinese guy ( who was absent ) we are the only immigrants there. I could not stay there just because I could not fit into that group. The jokes the interests and all the rest are not simply mine. Sometimes because I don't want to be rude or because after all they are nice guys I hang out with them and participate in collective joking around and stuff but it is not me.
Wednesday, June 04, 2003
My Sons
My younger son ( Rayan) has just turned 1 month. You just forget how they grow up. I am sure we have had the same experience with the first one ( Danial) but everything is just new and interesting again. The good thing is that Danial ( 3 years old ) is showing much more affection twoard his brother ( Dadash Rayan) than we expected. Showing Danial his own baby pictures and comparing them to Rayan helped a lot.
My younger son ( Rayan) has just turned 1 month. You just forget how they grow up. I am sure we have had the same experience with the first one ( Danial) but everything is just new and interesting again. The good thing is that Danial ( 3 years old ) is showing much more affection twoard his brother ( Dadash Rayan) than we expected. Showing Danial his own baby pictures and comparing them to Rayan helped a lot.
Tuesday, June 03, 2003
Americans and Canadians
Have you noticed how much Canadians insist on being different from Americans? Don't you think they are saying that and repeat it all the time just because in fact they are very similar?
Ask me, they are no different. The only part of Canada which may claim being different is Quebec. Common origin, language, geopolitical situation and very common economical interests have been important defining elements for shaping these two nations. As an imigrant I see no difference, as a matter of fact the differences between Canadians and Americans are not more than the local differences in U.S.A itself.
Have you noticed how much Canadians insist on being different from Americans? Don't you think they are saying that and repeat it all the time just because in fact they are very similar?
Ask me, they are no different. The only part of Canada which may claim being different is Quebec. Common origin, language, geopolitical situation and very common economical interests have been important defining elements for shaping these two nations. As an imigrant I see no difference, as a matter of fact the differences between Canadians and Americans are not more than the local differences in U.S.A itself.
God Bless Oil!
This morning on my way to work I was listening to Radio, some guy from UN was complaining about the G8 summit leaders and the promises which are made there and at the time are huge but nobody really sees anything afterward. He was telling the reporter that the last year summit's focus was Africa and this year they are talking about Iraq with the same enthusiasm. Meanwhile they have not done anything in Africa ( more than what they were doing of course). You remember the same thing happened in Afghanestan too. No constructions yet. Destruction is much easier than construction. Africa is the western world's responsibility ,they have been abusing this continent for such a long time, they owe a lot to those people. It is time to go with long term solutions, it is time to recognize that we are living on the same planet and in long run whatever happens at some point is going to affect all the planet sooner or later, in a way or another.
In some sense Iraq is the luckiest, because of the oil it will attract western nations for construction and whatever they say about their love in human values I keep saying God bless oil.
This morning on my way to work I was listening to Radio, some guy from UN was complaining about the G8 summit leaders and the promises which are made there and at the time are huge but nobody really sees anything afterward. He was telling the reporter that the last year summit's focus was Africa and this year they are talking about Iraq with the same enthusiasm. Meanwhile they have not done anything in Africa ( more than what they were doing of course). You remember the same thing happened in Afghanestan too. No constructions yet. Destruction is much easier than construction. Africa is the western world's responsibility ,they have been abusing this continent for such a long time, they owe a lot to those people. It is time to go with long term solutions, it is time to recognize that we are living on the same planet and in long run whatever happens at some point is going to affect all the planet sooner or later, in a way or another.
In some sense Iraq is the luckiest, because of the oil it will attract western nations for construction and whatever they say about their love in human values I keep saying God bless oil.
Sunday, June 01, 2003
Khatami is done, get off the train!
What is the point here? What Khatami is doing?
What we are seeing is that the hardliners are abusing Khatami's patience, at least reform camp is saying that. But what do you think Khatami will do if he has to chose between a nonreligeous democratic government and a conservative ruled Islamic one?
I don't really know what the answer is but I feel he would prefer to stay only Islamic rather than only democratic.
What is the point here? What Khatami is doing?
What we are seeing is that the hardliners are abusing Khatami's patience, at least reform camp is saying that. But what do you think Khatami will do if he has to chose between a nonreligeous democratic government and a conservative ruled Islamic one?
I don't really know what the answer is but I feel he would prefer to stay only Islamic rather than only democratic.
No principles!
If it was not because of the animosity toward the reform movement and the will of nation, the conservative faction had reestablished the relation with U.S. long time ago. They are ready to do anything except submission to people and nation. For the time being name of U.S. is like a no good sticker they put on reformers' front to punch them out of the ring. But when they are done U.S. is going to be enough friendly and charming to have romance with in public. Look at Ayatollah Hakim. He has submitted quietly like a good boy to fellow American soldiers. Badr devision are going to give up their arms and I am sure after some time they will keep quiet completely. As long as they can do Ashura and Tasua and they get Khoms and Zekat and they have general population under control, life is beautiful.
Something like national interest does not exist in their dictionaries.
If it was not because of the animosity toward the reform movement and the will of nation, the conservative faction had reestablished the relation with U.S. long time ago. They are ready to do anything except submission to people and nation. For the time being name of U.S. is like a no good sticker they put on reformers' front to punch them out of the ring. But when they are done U.S. is going to be enough friendly and charming to have romance with in public. Look at Ayatollah Hakim. He has submitted quietly like a good boy to fellow American soldiers. Badr devision are going to give up their arms and I am sure after some time they will keep quiet completely. As long as they can do Ashura and Tasua and they get Khoms and Zekat and they have general population under control, life is beautiful.
Something like national interest does not exist in their dictionaries.
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