“Where are you from?” This question has the ability to trigger a lot of people, and it is usually directed at immigrants or people of colour. It’s a difficult question to answer because, despite their upbringing and complexion, some immigrants don’t identify with their country of origin. Shaun speaks out about how his personal experiences caused him to disconnect with Guyana.
How smooth was your transition into Canada, Shaun? Were you staying with relatives when you first got here or did you move into a house right away or an apartment?
“I was pretty young at the time, so to me, everything was pretty fun! Except for my first day of school. BLEH. I was the only kid who happened to bring a peanut butter sandwich for lunch and had to eat it in the principal’s office ‘cause of allergies’. Talk about making an entrance! When we came to Canada, we stayed with my uncle who was already living in the Greater Toronto Area at the time. We stayed there for about 2 weeks until we found an apartment to move into.“
What was your first impression of Canada?
“My first impression of Canada was how clean everything was! Coming from a city like New York where the greenery is sparse, it was nice to have so many parks nearby, and lots of trees! I also generally found people to be so nice! I was also busy with school since we moved mid-year, but I felt the transition really smooth academically. New York school systems were solid back then. It’s ironic but when we were living in Canada, my family would visit New York quite a bit, and as a kid, I thought the States was the place to be. But now I’m just like, “no thank you”.
Did you come to Canada as a landed immigrant or for another reason? If it was for another reason what was it and why did you decide to stay?
“I think we came as landed immigrants. In NY, my mom was in healthcare and my dad had an engineering background so I think they were able to apply for residency through that route.”
How long did it take to get your Canadian Citizenship?
“I do remember when we got our citizenship. I was in grade 5 or 6, so I’d say 3-4 years.”
What was the first thing you did after you got your citizenship?
“I remember we were pretty siked! We all went out to a nice restaurant, with like the fancy napkins.”
Was it hard to find a job here?
“I personally didn’t have a hard time finding a job when I entered the workforce. Being in a co-op program at university really helped me in getting a leg up on the competition! I found a contract position about 4 weeks after I graduated, and about 6 months into that I got a permanent offer from a previous co-op employer.”
What are some of the jobs you’ve had while living in Canada?
“After high school is when I started working consistently, I was working food prep for some time at like random sporting events. After that, all my jobs were co-op related. I worked at a QA/QC lab making breathalyzers; I took some co-op placements with Health Canada, where I work at now.”
What is one of the biggest struggles you face as an immigrant?
“One of the biggest struggles I face as an immigrant is navigating segmented assimilation. Despite growing up in a West-Indian household, other than when I was with family, I didn’t seek to learn about Guyana. Growing up in the early 2000’s family shows weren’t as diverse as they are now, and my family was not like other families on TV, so there was a bit of a disconnect there for me.”
“Another struggle for me as a child growing up was being raised almost like a first-generation Canadian with immigrant parents. Cultural practices and behavioural norms that I learned in school or elsewhere did not always align with views that my parents grew up with and modelled in their household, and so that led to a lack of open communication with them because I felt like they just wouldn’t understand.”
“This had a huge impact on my life because my parents ultimately separated when I was a teenager and the concept of divorce was so taboo among my family that they immediately started to chastise my mom, which really just pushed me further and further away from what I perceived my culture to be.”
What were you hoping to pass onto your kids (if you have any or plan to have any in the future)?
“What I really aspire to pass onto my kids is the importance of generational sacrifices that were made to bring my (future) family to where it is now. I think that can be achieved through education about where my family came from (not just Guyana, but as slaves from India), what environment my parents grew up in, and how we can take this information and use it in a positive way.”
What was one of the biggest things you had to give up when you left your country of origin?
“Thankfully not much since I left at a young age, but I think leaving some childhood friends was hard. I was able to stay in touch with some elementary school friends throughout the years. Facebook came through for once…”
What do you miss most about your country of origin?
“I can’t remember much, but I do miss the year-round summers and delicious fruits! “
Do you go back to visit your country of origin?
“I went once when I was in middle school. I didn’t enjoy the experience. As a pre-teen I felt like everyone around me was so different and that I didn’t really associate with anyone. Oh, and mosquitoes were NO JOKE.”
What is one advice you would give to someone trying to obtain their permanent residency or citizenship in Canada?
“I think that I was fortunate to have family already residing here to help with the transition. I would maybe recommend to individuals seeking PR or citizenship in Canada that they reach out to cultural groups and communities similar to their own. I would imagine that being around similar cultures and individuals would help with a transition like this.”
Are you happy?
“Extremely. I’ve been fortunate to have a strong support system of peers and family! It really does take a village to raise a child.”
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