I am from Cambodia. I first landed in Ottawa, Ontario, and lived there for a few years before moving to British Columbia. This journey has been filled with new experiences, skills, and a sense of community that has helped me feel connected and welcomed in my new home. I wanted to share with you some of my experiences from Cambodia to Canada, finding new opportunities.
Discovering the Library Champions Project
I was lucky enough to discover the that the Surrey Libraries Guildford branch is close to my house. I started bringing my toddler to learn and play there. Soon, I discovered the Library Champions Project. I had a chance to learn new skills and volunteer which made me feel more connected and more welcomed in my new community. Meeting my classmates and facilitator, Reena, made me feel less alone. While attending this project, I learned many things that were helpful. My three top takeaways are:
- Communication Skills – We all learned how to do outreach to help other newcomers discover their local library and settlement supports. After class, I would use communication, not just for outreach, but for daily life and work.
- Understanding Newcomers’ Adaptation Phases – I learned that many newcomers, including myself, feel loss and culture shock at first. Later, we learn resilience and realize how important this is. When we understand the phases of adaptation, we will know where we are at and where we will be for our next steps.
- Library Services – Libraries offer more than just books—they provide a lot of different opportunities, free, and very conveniently. For example, I can print documents, use computers, socialize with my neighbors, attend baby programs, and spend quality time with my family. Additionally, there are many free apps such as LinkedIn Learning and Mango Languages that I can use from home or on the go with my smartphone.
Encouragement to Get a Library Card
Last but not least, if you don’t have a library card yet, I recommend you get one. It’s convenient. You can create by yourself online or go to the library, and the librarians are more than happy to assist you.
Benefiting from Settlement Services
I used some settlement services such as the English Program, Employment Program, and Volunteer Program. All services were helpful to me. For instance, in the English program, I not only studied the English language but also learned general knowledge about Canada, including Canadian culture and history, law, and rights. In the Employment Program, I pursued skills training courses and attended workshops on writing Canadian-style resumes and preparing for interviews.
Adapting to Life in Canada
I enjoy my life here; however, nothing can stop me from missing my home. What I miss the most are my old memories with my family, especially my beloved mother.
New Experiences in Canada
There are three main things that were new to me when I first landed in Canada:
- Food: I had to learn to adapt to how people go grocery shopping here and how people prepare and store cooked food. Sometimes, I have to go to more than one store to get what I want. Ingredients and spices are not the same as those I had at home. In Cambodia, I bought groceries daily and cooked food just for that day.
- Weather: Coming from Southeast Asia, where there are only wet and dry seasons, adjusting to Canada’s four seasons was significant. I love the snow, the blooming spring, and the natural surroundings that come with each season.
- Diversity: I appreciate living in one of the most diverse cities. Despite our different backgrounds, we manage to live together quite peacefully.
Thank you NewToBC for allowing me to share some of my experience from Cambodia to Canada, finding new opportunities. I hope this will help inspire other newcomers to continue their journey and follow their paths to where they want to be. I would like to share with you a quote of mine, “Being a woman, we have kids to look after, housework to do, time to self-care, and our dreams to achieve. Women are special.” I thank my mother for giving me birth and raising me to become who I am today.