The New to Canada Podcast

Congratulations! Canadian Citizenship is the final step in your immigration journey… That passport will feel SO good when you finally have it in your hands. If you think you’re ready to start your application, this episode’s guest, Canadian Immigration Lawyer, Larry Butkowsky from Butkowsky Immigration Law, is here to help. *Disclaimer: This episode was recorded on August 5, 2022. Always check the IRCC website for the most up-to-date and accurate information. You don’t want to miss: An update on delayed application processing times at IRCC and what to do if your current status expires. The benefits of becoming a Canadian Citizen vs. remaining a Permanent Resident. A breakdown of the eligibility requirements and the fees involved. Which documents you can use to prove your language skills (you’ll be surprised!) Common mistakes to avoid. What to expect from the Canadian Citizenship test, interview, and ceremony.   Links & Resources: Book your FREE 15-min consultation call with Larry by email: larrybutkowsky@sympatico.ca (quoting “the New to Canada podcast”) Connect with Larry on LinkedIn: Larry Butkowsky Free Citizenship Test Study Guide: Click here  Free travel journal to track your time outside of Canada: Click here New Canadians can explore Canada with the Canoo App:  canoo.ca  Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/ Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com

In 2016, Mike decided to abandon his Law career in Brazil to start a new adventure in Toronto. Fast forward to today, he’s now living an entirely different and unexpected life! He is a successful entrepreneur, has built a cool online community of English learners over on his Instagram @itsteachermike, and is expecting his second child with the love of his life! In this episode, he shares with us his honest (and often hilarious!) experiences with culture shock and how he has adapted from Brazilian to Canadian life. We also chat about how long it REALLY takes to feel settled in a new country, the unrealistic pressures newcomers put on ourselves to quickly build the “perfect” life, and how to stay positive if you feel out of place. Finally, Mike shares he and his wife’s experience of having a baby in Canada and what to expect from Canadian healthcare during the process.   Links & Resources: Follow Mike on Instagram: @itsteachermike Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/ Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com

Sometimes a story comes along that every person on earth should hear - The story of Tareq Hadhad and his family is one of them.  A once displaced Syrian refugee, Tareq is now a Canadian CEO and a public speaker who tours the country to inspire audiences, advocate for immigration, humanize refugees, and share his family’s incredible story of survival.  In this episode, he walks us through his family’s journey from a loving, peaceful life in their home city of Damascus, Syria, to losing everything overnight and fleeing for their lives.  After 3 years as refugees with little opportunity or hope, Tareq and his family were offered a second chance - to start again in a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada. Listen to hear Tareq’s journey to becoming Canadian, the whirlwind of support and love he’s experienced from his new home, and how he and his father have built their successful chocolate company ‘Peace by Chocolate’ so that they can give back to those less fortunate than them.    Links & Resources: Connect with Tareq on LinkedIn: Tareq Hadhad Follow Tareq on Instagram: @tareqhadhad Make an impact by shopping ‘Peace by Chocolate’: peacebychocolate.ca  Watch the ‘Peace by Chocolate’ Movie Trailer: Click Here Watch Justin Trudeau’s United Nations speech about the Hadhad family: Click Here Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/ Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com

Thinking of moving to Manitoba? When choosing which Canadian province to move to, it can be easy to focus on the most popular ones (e.g. British Colombia or Ontario...) Instead, I bring you this episode’s wonderful guest, Diane Bergman, who was born and raised in Winnipeg and is here to tell us all about life in Manitoba! Diane is the founder of Prairie Relocation, a concierge-style relocation company that welcomes and helps set up newcomers in Manitoba. In this episode, she also breaks down all of the “life admin” of moving abroad, from what paperwork and job search prep you should be doing, to how to choose a bank account and apply for your social insurance number. Let’s get all of those overwhelming “to-do’s” checked off the list so you can start enjoying your adventure that much sooner!   Links & Resources: Check out Prairie Relocation’s Website:  www.prairierelocation.com Follow Prairie Relocation on Facebook:  @prairierelocation Connect with Diane on LinkedIn: Diane Bergmann Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/ Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com

Volunteering in Canada when you’re a newcomer has so many benefits, including meeting new people, building your resume and learning new social norms. This episode’s guest, Lina Sobhy, would not be where she is today in her career without it. She is originally from Egypt and moved to Montreal in 2013 to finally reunite with her husband after living apart from him for 4 years. We chat about making friends as an adult, how to find great volunteering opportunities in your area, as well as Lina’s experience wearing a hijab in Canada. You don’t want to miss: All about Egypt: Breathtaking ancient history, modern cities, paradise beaches, and bustling markets. What to wear when visiting Egypt When your high school sweetheart moves to Canada: Getting married whilst navigating a long-distance relationship until finally joining him in Montreal in 2013. Lina’s experience as a non-French speaker in Montreal The difficulty of making new friends The benefits of volunteering as a newcomer: Building your network and language skills, testing out different careers, feeling comfortable in the new culture, and much more…  PLUS, wearing the hijab in Canada: Some valuable advice for visible minorities.   Links & Resources: Follow Lina on Instagram: @linasobhy87 Email Lina: linasobhy87@gmail.com  Lina’s recommended Egyptian must-visit: Han El-halili, Cairo Canadian volunteering websites: volunteer.ca | govolunteer.ca | getinvolved.ca | charityvillage.ca  ELSA: 7-Day Free Trial of English Coaching App: bit.ly/ELSAxTHENEWCOMERCOLLECTIVE  ELSA: Link to get 85% off lifetime membership and 40% off 1-year membership: https://elsaspeak.com/inf/thenewcomercollective/ Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/ Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com  

Ever wondered how maple syrup is actually made here in Canada? This episode is my very first LIVE on-site tour and interview recording! Come and join me as I speak with Yvonne Storm from the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA), as she walks us through their beautiful sugar bush at Purple Woods, Ontario. There, they have been producing maple syrup for 47 years. Yvonne explains how to choose which maple trees to harvest sap from, how to tap them correctly, and then takes us through the full step-by-step process in the evaporator room from sap to syrup. You don’t want to miss: All about CLOCA, the important work that they do, the free events they host, and natural areas you can visit. Harvesting maple sap: The best time of year for harvest, which trees to choose, and where and how to tap them. The tour of the wood-fired evaporator room and the tools they use: Boiling the sap to evaporate the water until it is 66% sugar. The filtering and bottling process. How the season and cooking time dictate the colour and taste of syrup. The history of harvesting maple sap by the Indigenous people and the methods they used. The surprising health benefits of maple syrup. PLUS, Yvonne’s experience and tips for making maple syrup at home!   Links & Resources: Register to attend the Maple Syrup event at Purple Woods, March 26-27 and April 2-3: Click here ELSA: 7-Day Free Trial of English Coaching App: bit.ly/ELSAxTHENEWCOMERCOLLECTIVE  ELSA: Link to get 85% off lifetime membership and 40% off 1-year membership: https://elsaspeak.com/inf/thenewcomercollective/ Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/ Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com  

Please note:This interview was recorded on January 26, 2022 before the Russian invasion of Ukraine was announced to the world. This episode’s guest, Zara Bagramian, was born in Armenia but moved to Kyiv, Ukraine with her family when she was one year old. We discuss both countries at length.  Zara would like to take this opportunity to share an organization with us that she has been supporting since this interview was recorded. Toronto real estate agents Natalia Popovitch and Todor Yordanov dropped everything and, using their personal money and donations from friends, headed to Bulgaria to help Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war. You can hear more about their story via CBC Listen as well donate to their humanitarian efforts via their Instagram or Facebook. ____ Episode summary: If you have managed to combine your passions with your career, you are truly living the dream. This doesn’t come easy for a lot of us, including this week’s guest, Zara Bagramian. Zara was born in Armenia, grew up in Ukraine, and has now lived in Toronto for the past 8.5 years. In this episode, we chat about what to do when you find yourself unfulfilled by your career, stuck on autopilot, and feeling like something is missing. She shares with us the methods she used to discover her true purpose in life and redirect her career path to bring her more happiness. We also discuss homesickness and ways to overcome it, as well as the immigrant “blip” when trying to understand new cultural references. You don’t want to miss: A Canadian wedding proposal picked up by the media: Her fiancé spelling out “MERRY ME” in the snow and quickly correcting it before she got home! All about life in Armenia and Ukraine.  The kindness of Canadians.  How long the ‘honeymoon’ phase typically lasts before homesickness can kick in… The immigrant “blip”: Feeling behind when not understanding cultural references. Some simple tools to help you combine your passions with your career. Ikigai: A Japanese concept for finding your sense of purpose and how you can shift your mindset to fill each area with multiple passions instead of striving for a “one fits all” career. PLUS, find out what an Armenian *really* thinks about the Kardashians…   Links & Resources: Follow Zara on Instagram: @the.great.move Read more about Natalia & Todor’s humanitarian efforts at the Ukrainian border: CBC News | @uherelief | Facebook Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/ Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com  

If you’ve grown up religiously following your country’s chosen national sports, it can be a real culture shock when you move to a new country where those sports just aren’t as popular… Enter this episode’s guest, Jack Tanetta from Wales, United Kingdom. Jack was studying at Cardiff University when he met his Canadian now-fiancée and moved to her Ontario hometown Ontario in 2017. In this episode, we discuss Jack’s tactic of using sports as a tool to meet new people in Canada and feel more at home. We also chat about the power of social media for job searching, Canadian weather, and what to expect when driving on Canadian roads…   You don’t want to miss: The city of Cardiff, Wales and its unbeatable vibe created by Rugby and Football. The power of using sports to meet new people abroad (and which British sports you can find in Canada…) The pros and cons of both Canadian and Welsh weather. Harnessing social media to build your network and find employment. Teaching in Canada vs in the UK and the qualifications and visas involved. Driving in Canada: The differences between Canadian and British drivers and which rules of the road you should be most aware of. PLUS, the Welsh language: How to pronounce the longest place name in Europe: “Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch”   Links & Resources: Connect with Jack on LinkedIn: Jack Tannetta Welsh Language YouTube Channel: Gwyneth Angharad  Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/ Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com  

Want to know what it’s like to move to a new country as a young child? Emilia was just 11 years old when her parents decided to move their family from Honduras to Canada. Host, Kate, moved from England to France when she was just 13 years old. Together, we discuss the things that our parents did to help us settle that we are now thankful for today, language barriers, the guilt of leaving loved ones behind, and more. Whether you’re a parent worrying about your own children adjusting to a move abroad or you’re just curious about seeing immigration through a child’s perspective, this episode is for you.   You don’t want to miss: Growing up in Honduras: Family, beaches, history, and chicken buses! 20 years in Canada: How Emilia’s family plans to celebrate this *huge* milestone. How to make the transition easier for your children: What our parents did back then that we really appreciate in hindsight. The generosity and kindness of Canadians: How a Canadian family took Emilia and her family in and welcomed them into their small Ontario town. Supporting our parents with language barriers: Our shared experience of being middle schoolers on the phone to banks and lawyers! The benefits of moving to a smaller town for quicker integration. PLUS, the guilt of leaving loved ones behind: A refreshing and positive spin on long-distance relationships with your family.   Links & Resources: Follow Elizabeth on Instagram: @sisulegal  Download my 50 free tips from newcomers to Canada: What they wish they knew before they moved! thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/ Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective For more about us and what we do, check out our website: TheNewcomerCollective.com  

The New to Canada podcast is a place for internationals from around the world to share their honest, real-life experience of moving to Canada. The host, Kate Johnson, went backpacking solo around South-East Asia in 2016 and met a dashing Canadian... Cue an unexpected move across the world from a crowded English city to a new lake life in rural Ontario! After living and working long-term in 5 different countries, Kate is passionate about helping you adjust to your big move abroad by sharing the lessons she's learnt along the way and introducing you to others who are going through the exact same struggles that you are facing. You are not alone. Let's build a life in Canada that you love! Download my FREE 50 tips from newcomers to Canada - What they wish they knew before they moved: thenewcomercollective.com/canada-tips/ Follow me on Instagram: @TheNewcomerCollective