Why Canada? Part 2

Maybe it was a “fresh graduate” syndrome: finishing school, not quite being ready for working life, whatever you call it. But I couldn’t stop thinking of all my efforts in learning English being wasted, I couldn’t get images of OTHER places in the world that I had been to and images of life that people had THERE, out of my head. They were so different and yet felt so close to me. I shared my thoughts and doubts with my parents over the phone one day.
I have to give credit to my dear mother here, she was the one who immediately reacted on my doubts and got things moving. She came to Moscow and helped me find a firm that would help us choose a good school for me to go to and continue my education abroad.

Now, I’m going to be a bit blunt in describing the process of picking a country, so please forgive me, readers from certain places, if I refer to your homelands in a bit of general/straightforward manner. I mean no disrespect.
I was looking at prospects of going to study in Ireland (too small), Malta (way too small), New Zealand (too far) and Australia (too far and too hot). Canada came up a few times but I wasn’t sure I’d be granted a student visa, considering my previous failed attempts to go to a language school in USA. I had no mental distinction between the two in terms of acceptance of international students: Canada and US. To me, it was all AMERICA.
But I applied for a student visa to Canada. After all, it fit the “size” requirement and was very similar to Russia climate-wise (not as much as I thought, but later on that).

By the time I applied, I was sure I wouldn’t be going. I was happy where I was with V by my side and if nothing had fallen through – not a big deal; I made my piece with that.
Only, I got the student visa. I had a fully open new chapter in my life with an opportunity to be a student of one of Canada’s best colleges ahead of me.
The thing is though, it had opened so quickly and suddenly, that I hadn’t had the time to think through the most important part – separation from V. And we are not talking weeks or months here but few years indefinite. At the time, we were already living together and were fully committed to each other in our hearts and minds. My going to study overseas - what would that do to our relationship? Would we stand the distance and time being apart?
Neither of us had the means to travel back and forth for visits. That we knew for sure.

Poor V, he didn’t want to let me go, but at the same time, he waned me to see a totally different world, live a student life in a new country. He wanted me to take the opportunity. Saying goodbye to each other was the hardest thing we ever had to do but we were determined to continue our relationship over the phone, emails and chats. However, we both had no idea how hard it would be to maintain a long-distance relationship. Especially since I found out that there is a program that allows international students to stay in Canada permanently (when the certain criteria is met, of course). Since I was already enrolled in a three-year program it made a perfect sense for me to try. At that point, V and I realized that I might not be returning to Russia after my graduation, that I might be staying in Canada instead.

So after two years apart, V made a decision to come to Canada to go to the same college and be with me. I must say it was a very brave decision on his part. Unlike me, he hadn’t finished his degree and left a job he really liked. His English was at the beginner level and there was a long road of transition and integration for him to overcome. But I guess you should never underestimate the power of a will. It can get you places you had only imagined, if you’re willing to work hard of course.

We got married at the City Hall same year he arrived and haven’t let go of each other ever since:

Back to Part 1

Why Canada?

Funny thing I've noticed about blogging, you want to write about life in general but for some reason, your posts come out to be on renovating, decorating, gardening, knitting? 
I guess these little projects are part of our everyday life and I do enjoy coming up with them, but I'm surprised to find out that after 50+ posts, I haven't touched on one particular topic that I had in mind when I started this blog: our life as “new Canadians”.

Are we that integrated into life on this continent that I totally forgot to cover where we came from? Or, am I afraid that these posts won't be as “well received” as our diy posts? Have I fallen into the trap of writing about things “in demand” and not touching up on subjects that are more personal?
Good questions. Perhaps, many bloggers out there question same things at some point...and perhaps, there are no simple answers to WHY WE BLOG THE WAY WE DO?

So why Canada?
Or “why did you decide to come to Canada?”, or “where did you come from?” are the first questions that I usually get from people I meet for the first time. Come to think of it, that's not actually true, the first few questions I get are on my name - Ksenia. I guess it's not THAT common around here, so many people usually don't “get it” first time and make their own versions. It used to tick me off, but I made my piece with it over the years.
Once the “name confusion” gets settled, the “Canada” questions typically follow, which, I must say, come totally naturally from people. I mean, I would be asking same things had I been the one talking to a foreigner in my own country. As a reply, I usually use my “diplomatic” answers that I worked out over the years to give to people without having to tell them the whole story, without making the conversation too much about "me" and, without opening up too much when it's not needed.

Not here though.
That’s the beauty of having a blog - you can tell your stories without having to read people’s reactions right away, you get to go on and be though with it without being interrupted. And, believe it or not, I'm actually looking forward to reading what I have to say! How wonderfully weird is that?

Truth be told, I'd never thought I'd be living abroad in all my fully-gown 30 years. 
It wasn't my intent to be living in a country that is not my native and be speaking language that is not my mother tongue.
I'd been exposed to English very early though, from all those Disney cartoons and Hollywood movies that my sister and I grew up on. I had “officially” started to learn English in Grade 2 and had been to a few language schools in my early 20s; they helped a lot, but there is no day passing by without me learning something new and writing down new words and expressions. The learning curve here never stops.

My language skills, young age (23), some previous experience of living abroad short-term (language schools), had been tremendous help factors when I first arrived on this continent to go to college.
Thanks to my dear parents, who supported my travels and always encouraged me to learn new cultures and language, I knew what to expect when I arrived in Canada back in 2006 in terms of new place, new people and new culture.

So how did I come to a decision to stay and built my life here? I have to say that I wasn't really planning to...

Back in Russia, I had been living a very nice life, if you can put it that way. I had a lovely apartment in Moscow, a loving boyfriend and, I had just graduated from one of the Moscow universities. I was on a full intent to be looking for a job in marketing/advertising and was nowhere near the idea of going to study (more studying?) in another country.

Until I realized one day: is that all there is? Am I done? Had I settled on this life? In this particular country, in this city, on this street? 
The thought frightened me for some reason.
And once I had that taste of doubt, I couldn’t stop thinking about it...

To be continued...