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Personal History: Immigration stories

On the eve of Canada’s 150th, we talk to several immigrants about their Canadian story
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Above from left: Gype and Gengy De Torres, Joseph and Shelly Cabug-os, Michelle Payumo, and Israel Afable.; Right: Zara Carnie with her partner Kyle Boaz. ~ Photos by Imogen Whale & contributed, respectively

By Imogen Whale, Special to the Review

Canada is a land of immigrants. Aside from First Nations people, all Canadians can trace their roots to a different continent or country. For some, they can trace their Canadian ancestry for centuries, but according to Statistics Canada a fifth of the population was born elsewhere.

With Canada Day approaching, we spoke to several new Canadians about immigrating here and what they like about their new home.

Israel Afable, Michelle Ann Payumo, Shelly Mauren Cabug-os, Joseph Cabug-os, Gengy De Torres and Gype de Torres

Though they didn’t all know one another before they moved to Canada, Afable, Payumo, the Cabug-os and the De Torres are all close knit friends and part of a group of vibrant Filipino Canadians and permanent residents who call Revelstoke home.

“I think most of the Filipino folks in town all live in the same apartment,” De Torres laughs.

This sense of a community within community holds comfort, especially when it comes to specific times of year. “We have Christmas in September,” Afable explains. “It’s nice to have other people around who celebrate the same times as you do.”

Most of the group has been here for years, and Canada has become a second home. Back when they were deciding where to go, choosing Canada was easy.

“There are many reasons to pick Canada,” De Torres explains, “The value of the dollar, job opportunities, and safety.”

“Back home, I saw an agency saying there were jobs in Canada in the restaurant industry, where I already worked,” Payumo says. “It’s a provincial program that leads to permanent residency. But most of us thought, we will do our two years and leave. Except after two years, life here has sort of sunk in and we didn’t want to leave.”

Several members of the group were hired at Tim Hortons and A&W and have worked their way up to managerial positions.

“Canada has so many privileges and so many opportunities, you have to grab them.” Shelly Cabug-os says. Her husband Joseph agrees. “This is a safe place. Revelstoke is a small community with good people and not much crime.”

“In the Philippines, the population is much denser,” De Torres explains as he bounces a volleyball to his young son. “In a space the size of Revelstoke you could fit tens of thousands, maybe a hundred thousand people.”

The space here is appreciated and technology still lets them feel connected to their loved ones and home country. “If you pay, you can watch all of the same TV shows, and movies that are in the Philippines as well as the news, so you know what’s happening,” Afable says.

When asked what they miss the most, family, friends and food are all mentioned. It’s expensive to fly a family back to the Philippines to visit. “I miss the weather,” Shelly Cabug-os says with a laugh. “Two seasons, sun and rain.”

There are many things they love about their new home. From the wildness to the opportunity and safety, it is the people they have met that mean the most. “Everyone is kind,” Payumo says. “And at work, the people there have made us feel like family.”

Everyone questioned are open and friendly, constantly laughing and optimistic about their futures. As they relax outside after work, they pet the neighbour’s cat and reminisce about strays at home who would sneak into their homes and help themselves to their dinners. Later they admire, from a respectful distance, a black bear that saunters through the woods beside their residence. Several children are held up to catch a peek. All of these children are first generation Canadians and are growing up fluent in their parents’ native tongue as well as English.

“This is our home now,” Joseph Cabug-os says with a smile.

Naoko Swift

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When Naoko Swift first arrived in Canada in 1996 on a working holiday visa, she enjoyed her time so much she extended her visa for an extra year and a half. Young and travelling, Swift explored the country from PEI to Vancouver. Along the way she made lifelong friends and fell in love.

“My ex husband came to Japan after I went home,” she said with a smile. “I think when he did that, I decided to come to Canada and be with him.” Since Swift had already spent two years in Canada, she knew the country resonated with her.

Swift arrived in Revelstoke in 1999. Settling in another country had both its challenges and rewards. “I was just learning the language and sometimes I wanted to wear a sign explaining who I was, where I came from, and why I was here,” she laughs. “But people were very kind.”

Part of this kindness came in the form of trust, and that trust helped Swift forge her career.

“People would ask me to look after their children and babies. At first I thought, me, are you sure? They are your most precious thing, but I am so glad they did.” Swift loved working with the kids, and the kids loved her back.

Since those early days, Swift has gained her Early Childhood Education certification and worked as a preschool teacher in Revelstoke. Currently, she is the full time Strong Start Coordinator and fills in at local daycares. Though now divorced, Swift and her ex remain friends and co-parent their teenage son.

With aging parents at home in Japan, Swift returns yearly with her son and never gave up her Japanese citizenship.

“I have two homes,” she explains. “Canada, and Japan. Sometimes in Revelstoke I get homesick for Japan, but when I am there I miss Revelstoke.”

If Swift could bring one thing (other than her parents) to Canada, it would be groceries. “If I’m in Vancouver I can get what I want from shops there for cooking,” she says.

As for her favourite things about Canada? First, the vastness. “In Japan there are many more people and very big cities in a much smaller space,” Swift explains. “Here there is so much space.”

Swift finds Canada’s multiculturalism wonderful. “There are so many differences; people do not look the same. Where I come from everyone has dark hair and brown eyes. Here, there are people who once called many other places around the world home, and now their home is Canada.”

Prajeesh Shammy

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Prajeesh Shammy headed overseas to take postgraduate studies in 2013 (he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business at the University of India), and knew he was likely leaving India forever.

“I chose Canada because it made the most sense,” he explains. With a less expensive and equally high quality education available, Canada, unlike other countries, also offered the chance to take the steps needed to become a permanent resident after the completion of his education. “In England it was, ‘OK, pay us, learn, and leave,’” Shammy says.

After completing a postgraduate diploma in Business in Toronto in 2015, Shammy learned that Revelstokian Goldie Sanghera had a work placement available in Revelstoke at her restaurant, Paramjit’s Kitchen, as part of the Canadian permanent residency program. He has been happily working hard at Paramjit’s ever since.

His long-term goals are to get back into the world of finance. “I think securities,” he explains. “Shares and mutual funds, that sort of thing.”

Though he misses his family and friends, the greater diversity of food and other aspects of India, Shammy says he will never move back to India full-time. “Canada is home now,” he says. “I just wish I could bring my parents.”

For Shammy, working with Goldie and her family has given him a second family. Paramjit, who is prepping food in the restaurant named after her, leans over to me. “We’re his second family, we love him. People ask if he is my son,” she says with a smile.

“The best things about Canada?” he muses. “It is a country with a good economy and infrastructure. People do well here; there is lots of opportunity and not much poverty.”

His love for Canada includes his new hometown of Revelstoke. “It is so nice here,” he laughs. “Everyone is so friendly and open.”

Several years into his time in Canada, Shammy is still exploring. “First, discover all of B.C.,” he says, “and then the rest of Canada.” Last year Shammy learned to ski and loved it. In the summer he bikes and parasails. “This is a good place,” he says.

Zara Carnie

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When Scottish born Carnie was 18, she met a Canadian who became a close friend and travel partner. It was during their adventures that Carnie realized she wanted to emigrate to Canada.

“There was just something about Canadians and how they spoke of Canada,” she says.

Her Canadian adventure began in 2010 when she landed in Vancouver and worked as an Activities Coordinator for an ESL school. Then she headed to Chilliwack where she learned the ropes of being a river raft guide.

“All the guides would go to Revelstoke for the winter season, so I tagged along. I had never heard of the town,” Carnie explains. After spending the following summer in Revelstoke, Carnie was hooked. “I became Revystuck,” she laughs.

Carnie worked seasonally at La Baguette and then spent two years working at Downie Timber. Now based at the Revelstoke Child Care Society, Carnie is studying to become an Early Childhood Educator. “It’s super rewarding,” she explains. “It’s a great place to work and learn and meet so many nice families.

“From time to time I do miss the family, food and banter. Nothing beats a good old fish and chips and chatting with my Scottish friends. It’s a whole different way of communicating,” Carnie laughs.

Since becoming a Revelstokian, Carnie has fallen in love and lives with her long time partner Kyle Boaz, who was born and raised in Revelstoke. Together they have their own little family of dogs and cat.

Carnie has no problem choosing her favourite things about both Canada and Revelstoke.

“It’s the Canadian lifestyle and the province of B.C. where I can hike, kayak and climb all just out my doorstep,” she says.

“I travelled for a long time before settling in Revelstoke and I have never felt more at home or welcome,” Carnie explains. “People are genuinely kind. It’s a beautiful community, a perfect place to grow old and have a family, eventually. It’s home and that’s why I love it so much.”



About the Author: Black Press Media Staff

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