Life across the ocean, a Hungarian expat in Canada – Interview

Leaving your home country to start a new (hopefully better) life somewhere else is one of the hardest choices someone makes in a lifetime. For Gina (pseudonym) however, it was not a choice since she was only a 14-year-old-teenager when her mother decided to leave Hungary and move to Canada to provide better opportunities for the both of them. Gina has been living in Canada for 17 years, and she shares her thoughts on culture shock, integration, life in a foreign country, and she even gives advice to those who might consider living that expat life. This is her story.

When did you move to Canada, which cities have you lived in, and where are you currently living?

I moved to Canada in 2001 and landed in Vancouver, British Columbia first. I’ve lived there for about 13 years. I also lived in Edmonton, Alberta for 3 years and currently residing in Halifax, Nova Scotia, West to the East of Canada.

When you first moved to Canada, did you experience culture shock or culture clash?

I was nearly 14 years old when I moved to Canada, and to me, it was just a complete excitement. At that age, it was all about meeting all these cool kids in class with different backgrounds. For the first couple of years, I was placed in an ESL class; which stands for English as a second language. I would say the culture shock appeared a couple of years later when I entered the culture of Canadian students. It was shocking for me to see how laid back Canadians are. It was a culture shock because I still didn’t speak English very well, I mean I knew the basics, but the accent and grammar issues were there. That part was a little challenging because I didn’t have my confidence to speak up in class or to make ‘Canadian’ friends.

Gina’s thoughts on cultural diversity…

It was definitely challenging to build friendships in a country where almost everyone had different cultures or traditions.

You have to be an open-minded person to live in Canada, which to me is an awesome way to live life in general. We are all unique in our own ways and that’s also what makes Canada such a peaceful country.

“Everyone is accepted here!” is a well-known quote Canada’s government often points out. I think the most challenging part of living in such a diverse country is to overcome the fear of getting to know another culture. A lot of times you’ll see Asian people sitting with only Asians, or South Americans with only South Americans.

Working in such a diverse environment is also really fun because you get to have pot lucks and try different types of meals from all over the world. In general, almost every second person has an accent of some kind, and so it’s almost natural that we all speak English with different accents.

What do you love most about living in Canada?

I think Canada has a great government system in place which provides a very comfortable lifestyle to most immigrants. The country allows immigrants to have nearly the same rights as Canadian citizens.

I also really enjoy the scenery and nature of the country, and how well it is taken care of. This peaceful view is just incredible.

Check out the following examples: Banff, Alberta / Peggy’s cove, Nova Scotia / Whistler, British Columbia / Vancouver, British Columbia. (just a few of many)

What is your general impression of Canadian people?

Canadian people are very polite and welcoming in general. I’ve had situations where Canadian couples would ask me so much about my ethnicity just to show their interest and make me feel more comfortable.

In what ways do Hungarian people differ from Canadian people?