Canada, Home Away From Home Essay Example

Right from the moment I landed in Canada last September, I immediately knew that the people of Canada were remarkably pleasant, especially in the way they treated immigrants. At the first immigration desk, the attendant checked my documents in well, less than three minutes then with a smile turned to me and said, “Welcome to Canada, your new home, and enjoy your studies at Camosun College”. This was contrary to my expectations. In other countries where I have been before, the attendants would usually ask when I plan to leave. My decision to come to Canada was highly influenced by my Canadian friends with whom I had shared my dissatisfaction about Korean education. My Canadian experience during the first months was exceptionally a lonely one. The main reason was that language was barring me from interacting with people.
The first days of my stay were characterized by a feeling that I can only describe as homesick. I intensely missed the Korean climate because Canada was particularly cold. My fear barred me from making new friends because I could not even say a simple ‘hi’ to anyone. The foods in Canada differed greatly from those of Korea. After a month or two of locking myself in my lonely world, I realized that I would soon develop stress and depression. I said to myself that I had no option, other than to put up my head and try. I gradually began to interact with the people around me, especially those that were immigrants. Soon, I was interacting freely with Canadians, who, as I came to discover, were exceptionally friendly and willing to show me around. I also came to realize that the Canadians were especially interested in knowing how Korean people live and how education in Korean universities is.
As my new friends from Camosun College showed me around, I realized that Canada has bigger and better facilities than Korea. This realization gave me hope that very soon, I was going to pursue my desired major without much hassle at Camosun College. I learned English language particularly fast, and this enabled me to make inquiries about various things that defined the environment. I got to learn that Canada is one country that embraces cultural diversity. Many cultures coexist in such big cities as Ontario. Such cultural richness enabled me to learn various things about various cultures. As a matter of fact, it is particularly easy for an immigrant to feel at home in a culturally diverse society. Unlike some western countries, Canada is a home devoid of racial discrimination.
Currently, my fear is all gone and I am quite at home in Canada. I am doing well with my language acquisition, and my network of friends is rapidly expanding. I look forward to having many of my Korean friends come over to pursue higher education in Canada because the country is not only well equipped with educational facilities, but also has a friendly population. The country is exceptionally beautiful and has nice places to visit. Canadian lakes are a sight to behold, especially to a Korean immigrant because Korea has no lakes and other large water bodies. As much as the Canadian foods are different from the highly spiced Korean foods, I am enjoying every bit of the Canadian eating habits. Thinking along the lines of education, Canada is exceptionally excellent compared to Korea. Summarily, Canada is a home away from home.