Saturday, October 29, 2005

Racism

I was told several times, even before I arrived in Canada that racism is a major problem for immigrants here. I, myself, experienced that after I came here but it all depends on how you behave toward them, how you are looked to them and who you are dealing with. If you show that there's no difference in you and them and basically you're one of them and you respect what they respect, act very friendly, make them understand that you like what they like and you do what they do, they finally believe you and trust you a little bit. Also if they believe that you're good at what might be beneficial for them, they'll trust you. But regardless of all what just mentioned it takes very long to be accepted in their society, may be even impossible.

I was surfing the net for information I need for my citizenship test as I checked my status and learnt that my file has been sent to Calgary office and I'll be contacted soon for my test and oath and found out that the new Governor General of Canada, who is the representative of Queen Elizabeth II, is a black refugee woman from Haiti!! and the Lieutenant Governor, who's the representative of the Queen in Alberta is a Chinese guy who was born in Calgary from immigrant parents and used to be a football player!!

The said people are not ordinary people of course. They are talented, challenging and brilliant in a certain way and that's why they have reached the pick. But their story is a little different from us. Their ethnicity doesn't bring fear. We have to challenge more and exert much effort to get what we're deserved to have, compare to them. But one thing that must be emphasized here is you can't find many people from Haiti or China in that level of society. Most of them are not even able to speak English after spending years in Canada. I remember I had a Chinese guy as my classmate when I used to attend an ESL course in University of Calgary. It was so hard for him to make you understand what he means. But he has a PH. D. and a good research position!!

No comments: