Unit 3: Arrival

The third unit we discussed in class is called “Arrival”. This unit basically talks about the challenges that immigrants may face when they migrate to Canada. I think a migrant truly “arrives” to Canada when they settle, join a community, and know some English (because they need to know how to communicate). When they come to Canada, they may experience some forms of welcome and rejection. Having agencies or organizations that support newcomers to the country, can be considered a welcome because their aim is to make them feel comfortable and “at home”. There are also people who are very kind and open to change; these people could also be considered a form of welcome because they are accepting the people who are new to the country. Although there are some people who are nice and welcoming, there are some people who are not so accepting of other people. Some people do not like the idea of having immigrants come to Canada. Maybe they do not like the thought of change, and accommodating them. Some people are ignorant, or just not used to having “other” people around.

To form new identities, immigrants need to get a passport or some sort of citizenship card. They may also need some legal papers stating that they are allowed to be a resident of the country. Immigrants should be proactive in learning to adapt to their new environment. That may include getting a job, learning to speak English (if they do not already know), meeting people in the community, becoming familiar with areas of their community, etc.

The community provides ESL courses, so that is a way for immigrants to learn to speak English. Kim Thuy wrote a book called “Ru” and we had to read an excerpt from it for class. One of the topics she covered was language. When she came to Canada she met a lady named Marie-France. When she introduced herself to Kim, she said, “My name is Marie-France; what is yours?” Kim would repeat this phrase over and over. She did not understand what the lady said, but because she seemed very pleasant, Kim was very intrigued by this woman. When Kim repeated this phrase to her parents, they asked her if she changed her name. I guess at that point she realized what the phrase meant. Kim’s parents were able to speak French when they lived in Quebec; so, they wanted Kim to “speak French too, as well as English since her mother tongue had become, not ridiculous, but useless”. Because she was living in Quebec, she had to conform to their customs, rules, and standards. Therefore, she could not be speaking Vietnamese anymore because no one else spoke that language. In order to fit in she had to speak the language of the country she was living in.