Photo by sun dazed, Flickr

I’ve worked with many Canadians and the question that often comes up when I tell them that I am from France is “why did you leave? France is such a beautiful country!” My answer is always the same, “Yes, it’s a beautiful country in which I didn’t see myself anymore”.

But, all of us, as immigrants from another country, have one reason or another to be here. Whether they are political, economic, or professional reasons, Or whether it has to do with family, culture or others matters, these reasons have a decisive influence on our decision to move to another country.

As far as I’m concerned – I’ll try not to be verbose about it and keep it simple – I would say that I have had trouble relating to my homeland for far too long. So, when the opportunity for radical change presented itself in the shape of moving to a country that I had been particularly fond of for a long time, I seized it.

Destination: Canada.

A fresh start – that was my state of mind on my flight to British Columbia.

Many of my friends didn’t really understand my decision, especially since I had a steady job and my circumstances were good. To say goodbye to my belongings and their more or less sentimental value – things I had accumulated over a quarter of a century – was not an easy task either. But there is no victory without sacrifice, and it was, therefore, with a mix of apprehension and joy that I arrived here.

Every morning, I feel no regrets about my decision to move here. The job search has clearly proven more complicated than I had planned, before my departure, and I knew that my resume had to comply with Canadian standards and that I had to learn the job interview techniques used in British Columbia. But all of this was achieved with the help of College Educacentre.

But I had to face two major issues. The first one was my level of English, which I would describe as intermediate, and doesn’t allow me to express myself with great ease. The second issue is the specifics of getting a job here: contacts. That is to say a person is more likely to be hired through proper references. This is nothing new, but when you’ve just arrived and you don’t know anybody, it makes this equation significantly more complicated.

But, in time, I managed to find, by chance, a temporary job that allowed me to highlight my skills. One thing led to another, and I was recommended for another job. The process does, indeed, work if you meet the right people and give the best of yourself.

Oh, Vancouver. Sweet Vancouver.

I’ve been asked, recently, if my current situation is better than the one I had in France. Honestly? No. In France I had an apartment, a steady job, a car and many other things. Here, I only have the contents of my two suitcases, a laptop and I share an apartment.

But, like I said earlier, it took me twenty-five years to build a life in France and I know exactly what I left behind. Right now, my expectations are not the same, because, here, I have to start from scratch. So, even if it takes time, I’ll move forward like the pioneers did before me.

In fact, as surprising as it may sound, I feel at home in this city. I’m more comfortable here than in my own country. I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t feel sad, sometimes, when I think about the people who matter to me in France, or about certain things that I miss.

Now, I realize that this journey I decided to take is likely to be a long and difficult one. And, true to the spirit of adventure, things won’t be perfect the first time around or else we wouldn’t have good stories to tell.

So, I keep my spirits high and I pay attention to the slightest opportunity. After all, as the writer Georges Bernanos said: “The future is something to challenge. One is not subjected to the future, one creates it.”

Translated by Nathalie Tarkowska