Before I immigrated to Canada from South Korea, I spent less time with my family because I was working long hours. Since moving here, I have been having a happy time with my family and spending most of my time studying English. I hope to improve my English so I can do some volunteering-related to education.
COVID-19 has changed a lot of things. The most difficult thing for my family is that my application for permanent residency has been delayed. This has left me feeling uneasy both professionally and economically.
I have also experienced racial discrimination against Asian by strangers three times. This has made me feel unsupported by my community. Before COVID-19 I was grateful for the care shown to immigrants and welcoming them as members of society.
During COVID-19 I am thankful to be able to continue to learn English online with a tutor and a volunteer connected through the Immigrant Welcome Centre. With COVID-19 there is less time to talk to other people so I’m also thankful for being able to talk and share my thoughts with my local church online community.
I would like to be able to meet with more immigrants here and in other communities as well. My hope is there will be these kinds of opportunities for myself and others. I feel it is also very important to have information and guidance about your community; education like online English classes, hospitals and healthcare and ways to keep connected with others. During this time, it is important to know where to find the support you need and encourage each other to overcome difficult times.
