加拿大移民七項成功的秘訣

作為一個離鄉背井到異地重新打拼的移民, 我們聽過很多成功的故事, 以及很多不同版本的辛酸與無奈. 從這些成功的故事裡, 也許有一些相似的地方, 也許有一些共同的脈絡. 讓我們聽聽看加拿大移民雜誌Canadian Immigrant Magazine 發行人的獨到觀察與見解. "加拿大移民七項成功的秘訣"

以下資料來源 Source: http://www.triec.ca/news/story/120

At yesterday's IEP 2009 Conference, Canadian Immigrant magazine publisher Naeem "Nick" Noorani spoke of his Seven Success Secrets for Canadian Immigrants:

1) Learn English. "The most important thing is the language," Noorani said. "I don't care how well-qualified you are. You need to know the language."
努力學英文

2) Stay Positive. "It's so easy to become negative. Canada doesn't choose immigrants, we choose our future citizens."
保持正面樂觀積極的態度

3) Embrace Canada. "This is your country for the rest of your life. You need to fall in love with your country."
擁抱加拿大, 愛上加拿大

4) Have a Plan B. In other words, don't put all your career options in one basket, Noorani said.
要有雨天備案/ 方案二/ 也就是不要只孤注一個方向

5) Move out of ethnic silos. "Embrace all communities. The more people you have as friends who are outside of your ethnic circle, the more success you will have."
跳出原來的文化生活圈

6) Take risks. "We're natural risk-takers. We've left everything behind. We've left our families and our friends behind, but not just because we are risk-takers, but because we are visionaries."
大膽冒一些風險

7) Volunteer, Mentorship, Networking. Get to know as many people as possible while gaining as much Canadian employment experience as possible, Noorani said.
積極從事義工工作, 向同樣專業背景的前輩/導師求教, 多拓展人際圈

By the Numbers 數字會說話

519,722: number of newcomers admitted to Canada in 2008

247,202: number of permanent residents welcomed to Canada in 2008

193,061: number of temporary foreign workers admitted to Canada in 2008

79,459: number of foreign students welcomed to Canada in 2008

6.6%: rate of unemployment among immigrants across Canada

4.6%: rate of unemployment among Canadian-born workers in Canada

11.8%: rate of unemployment among immigrants in Toronto

$26,636: median income of average recent educated immigrant in Canada

$57,6565: median income of average Canadian-born person

Reference: Toronto Sun

上滑雪課

大衛先生回台灣去, 所以, 只好由我開車載著兩兄弟到Grouse Mountain上滑雪課. 雖然交通順暢的時候只要三十分鐘就到了, 但是從Surrey出口50開到北溫出口14的Capilano Road, 高速公路一路狂飆, 還是讓自己嚇得一身冷汗. 沒辦法, 為母則強, 硬著頭皮還是要辦到. 其實上課前兩天已經帶兩兄弟探過一次路, 也到山上滑過好幾次, 但不知道, 開起車來還是很有壓力.

趁著兩次試過ski(一般滑雪)和snowboard(滑雪板), 我覺得還是snowboard滑雪板好玩. 因為ski的鞋子很硬, 很不好走路, 而snowboard穿的boots比較像一般靴子; 但是, 聽說snowboard比較難學. 兩兄弟因為都還在長, 所以, 採買這些滑雪用具有些傷腦筋. 傑森身高已經160幾, 所以, 買滑雪板就直接以170幾的目標身高來買. 因為, 滑雪板的長度最好是就在身高約下顎的高度, 太長不好駕馭, 太短又可能無法承受體重. 至於強尼先生, 只能用目前的身高來買, 呵呵, 好在買下來之後, 發現我也可以穿/用. 所以, 不怕他將來長高. 呵呵, 做媽媽的如意算盤....

所以, 最幸福的是強尼先生, 因為之前他決定要划ski, 已經先採買ski + ski boots + pole (滑雪杖); 但是之後因為上課只有snowboard有名額, 又買了snowboard + boots + binding. 兩種靴子完全不同. 嗯, 好在剛好符合媽媽的身高和鞋子大小. 附註: 不是媽媽長的只有五年級的身高, 是強尼的大腳剛好和媽媽的小腳同size.

12/31 上課第一天, 下課後, 當強尼從纜車下來一看到我, 就說, 哈, 划snowboard比ski好玩很多倍. (後來才知道他指的是上課, 因為上一次上過一次ski的課, 教練一直教很多基本功, 又因當天下課後天色已黑, 都沒有好好玩到; 但是這次, 教練可能有帶他們邊學邊玩, 所以, 他挺高興的. )幸福的小孩, 這下要玩ski還是snowboard完全隨心所欲啦!

至於傑森, 之前也已經上過一次snowboard課, 所以12/31再上課對他而言一點都不難. 加上之前我們自己來練習過幾次, 他已經很有把握. 現在就是要多練習. (附註: ski 對他而言又更簡單, 因為他很會溜冰溜直排輪, 所以ski很快上手)

1/2 我們再來上第二天的課, 結果氣溫太高(七八度)又一直下雨, 反而比零度下雪還覺得冷...唉, 明天還是一樣高溫下雨, 猶豫著要不要翹課呢...

以下為集合報到的照片, 其他滑雪精彩照只能從缺 (一下午, 我就賴在山下的Startbucks裡)

寄件者 2009 Dec winter/ ski

兩兄弟一直不給我照相,所以,只有模模糊糊的幾張充數一下.

寄件者 2009 Dec winter/ ski

寄件者 2009 Dec winter/ ski

寄件者 2009 Dec winter/ ski

纜車來了

寄件者 2009 Dec winter/ ski

寄件者 2009 Dec winter/ ski

寄件者 2009 Dec winter/ ski

寄件者 2009 Dec winter/ ski

再出發囉!

寄件者 2009 Dec winter/ ski

寄件者 2009 Dec winter/ ski

寄件者 2009 Dec winter/ ski

寄件者 2009 Dec winter/ ski

寄件者 2009 Dec winter/ ski