I have spent almost a year in Canada starting from April 14. So, I will narrate my whole journey and tell you some possible ways to survive in Canada as a student.
Let’s take you a little back in my past so you will know why I chose to be a student in Canada. Previously, I worked in Accenture Solution as a Data Engineering Associate for 2 1/2 years. I like to work on Visualization tools like PowerBI and Tableau. But, after some time I was on the bench for a couple of months, and then came one thought in my mind not to waste my crucial time. After some discussions with my friends and family, I have decided to move abroad for further studies.
My first choice was the USA as it is a dream for many students to start their career. But, because of the financial issue, I opted for Canada and that’s how I landed here.
Life in Canada
In Canada, we have to survive solely with some stressful situations and with some happy times. I can say that my timeline was not perfect for visiting Canada as there are a lot of layoffs. Although, I have to follow my chosen path and need to make a living out of it.
I came around on April 15, and I was lucky enough that I had my cousin in Oshawa City. I stayed there for 15 days and was happy to start my journey with lots of positivity.
The first struggle was to find a house or an apartment for the living. We were five students who were looking to rent out a nice place. I got help from my sister’s friend, who is a realtor and was also a Maharashtrian. After some effort, we got a house basement unit in Pharmacy Elsemere for $1200. We have a good backyard and front yard. Our rent is $425, and we are all students sharing the whole house.
Secondly, getting a part-time job is the far most difficult thing in Canada and to be secure. I was hunting for the job from May 2023, but could not find it. My friend and I did some walking interviews and went down to every shop nearby, to drop our resumes right from restaurants to warehouse jobs, but could not find anything. Finally, In September, I got a call from a printing shop, R G Digital Printing for a Graphic Designer and print Coordinator position. I am still working here and learned some new things about printing and designing.
Printing Journey
The printing industry is by far the longest legacy ever. Working here was the best decision I have made. Throughout the journey, I have learned more about printing i.e., Business Cards, Calendars, flyers both-sided or single-sided, Brochures, Booklets, Rollup banners, Stickers, newsletters, and many more.
Slowly, I came across designing with Adobe Suits like Photoshop and Corel Draw. These made my portfolio stronger, and more appealing with creative and engaging content and developed skills while learning.
My first birthday in Canada
A day before, I planned most of my day with my near and dear ones. In the morning, I visited the Hindu temple for the blessings and my well-being. Then we took a subway and went to Eaton Center, as in Canada there are special gift hampers for everybody on their Birthdays in some shops like Sephora, Starbucks, and many more. Afterward, we went to Union Station, as we had to visit REC ROOM.
REC ROOM
Rec Room is one of the best places to have fun and party with friends. You can eat, take a break, and sip up. Eat, Play, Drink, and Repeat! You need to register first, and they will give you a band that will cost around 5$. Also, you can take that band with you. No need to pay again. There were a lot of arcade games to enjoy with classic food and beverages.
I enjoyed playing old-school games like Pac-Man, basketball, Car- Race, and many more. After that, we went to Snakes & Lattes to play board games and chit-chat. We ordered Margarita Pizza, four-cheese pizza and some Wine. In Snakes & Lattes, we can play tons of board games. We chose to play one of the games but, it was so difficult as there were many options, some of them I didn’t even know. On a good note, we went back home and did some cake-cutting. It was indeed a special day for me, but I missed my family.
Ganesh Chaturthi Celebration
Around September, we Mumbaikars celebrate the Ganesh Chaturthi festival with great fervor. We Maharashtrians, born and brought up in Mumbai, celebrate this year with excitement and enthusiasm. Moreover, I am a great worshipper of Lord Ganesha. I was missing my home as we welcome Lord Ganesha for one and a half days. So, I thought to celebrate the Lord Ganesh festival in Canada with the same amount of excitement by scrubbing every corner and cooking delicious feasts.
I performed all the rituals and traditions that I used to do back home. My mother was so proud as I followed every rule with great responsibility. The festival lasted for five days as everyone insisted on celebrating it. We all cherished those moments and performed the last ritual by immersing Lord Ganesha in the water. “Ganpati Bappa Moraya, Pudcha Varshi Lavkar Ya“.
