It’s an intercultural world!
On-the-job language training
In a phone interview with a young father who had arrived in Canada a year ago from Taiwan, we found out that one of the most difficult aspects of learning English while on the job is handling misunderstandings. Where do these come from? Non-English native speakers are befuddled by idioms, slangs, Canadianism and wordplay that are not explained but are oftentimes spoken in jest. While his experience settling in Canada is a very positive one, it is chiefly marred by casual but potentially upsetting “you-don’t-get-it” remarks by co-workers. It’s harmless fun but hardly promoting good working relationships between employees.
If you see such puzzlement on your co-workers’ faces, chances are, they didn’t “get-it”. That’s because you never gave them a chance to understand it. Take a moment and share the pun, explain the idiom. Shared laughter rings louder, and longer.
We want to come alongside people on this intercultural journey and as they find a better life, share how they can also find abundant life – and eternal life! That’s the life Jesus Christ talked about when he crossed cultures!
Learn how to understand people from different world views.
Call for Entries
New Country New Life Call for Entries
Do you remember the first time you came to Canada? Do you recall the funny, the puzzling, the downright fearful moments when it finally hits you- You are now living in a new country and are beginning to experience a new way of living? Do you have an interest to draw or sketch or paint what that initial feeling was like? We would love to hear from you! If you love to draw and would like to send us at: interculturalnetwork@powertochange.org a 10cm x 10cm black and white illustration electronically as a jpeg, tiff or png file, we would love to hear from you and publish these visual immigrant stories on this site.
From Tehran to St. John
An immigrant’s story of coming to Canada…
It’s a long way from Tehran to St. John’s, but Sepideh is glad she made the trip.
The Iranian-born-and-trained physician immigrated to Canada with her husband and young daughter in the summer of 2002. Sepideh says they left behind a good life.
“I’d been practising medicine for five years. My husband had a good job. We were successful, but we wanted something better for our daughter—a place where we wouldn’t have to worry about bombs being dropped on our heads.”
They settled in Toronto, and while Sepideh says they enjoyed being part of the city’s active Iranian community, she is candid about the family’s difficulties.
“We didn’t speak English very well and our savings ran out within a couple of months. Since we came from Iran, no one here knew anything about our qualifications and we had to take any work we could find just to survive.”
Sepideh’s husband, with a master’s degree in chemistry, worked as a labourer. She went from one medical office to another, searching for work.
“I would have taken anything in the medical field, a clerk’s job, anything,” she says. “I couldn’t even get a job as volunteer!”
Read the whole article here