There are many things in life that can change the course of a person’s life. It can either make a positive impact or a negative impact on a person’s life. It’s always best to have the positive impact though. For me, the life-changing event happened when I enrolled in Niagara College a few months ago. Since that occurred, December has always been a special month for me because this is the month that makes me remember the event and remember how this event totally changed my life and made me look at my life from a totally different view.
On December 10th I received my passport back with a visa stamp on it from Canadian embassy, soon after that I started visiting all my relatives and well wishers. My Mother started preparing my favorite seven cups sweet to take it along with me. Finally the day approached to leave to the dream country, my mother, father and myself went to the airport. I was so excited, nervous and scared too. My mother was so emotional, she hugged me and I started rolling out my tears on my face and same with my parents. During the flight journey a lot of questions were flowing in my mind. I could not even have my lunch due to some emotional feelings.
I met a senior citizen beside my seat, he noticed all my sadness of missing parents, he started consoling and sharing all his life experiences, but the only thing I could do in flight is lean back to the seat and watch clouds outside through the window. When I first arrived in Toronto, I was astonished at seeing the airport. It is almost as big as Bangalore (India) airport but the infrastructure and cleanliness was excellent. Also when compared to the Bangalore airport the rules and the people around sounded different to me and also its not that crowded too. Canada was the first time I had left home.
Fortunately I got a homestay which I reserved from India. Canadian Homestay is like a god gift for me because at the beginning when I joined them they were really friendly, they always include me as a family member. In other words they are like Canadian parents. The whole process was highly emotional for me, because my parents who have always taught me that our home is the most important place to cherish. The feeling that my parents are so far away makes me feel so depressed, as is the case in my room at home, it also made me feel anxious, as I began to feel the strain of being so far away from my parents.
Overall, for the first time I am so far away from my parents and the process taught me an important lesson in the importance of moving away and establishing my own life separate from my parents. In India I never worked as part time while I was studying, but here in Canada, I am working part time, which makes me feel humble and also makes me to think I am grown up enough to look after my expenses. Canadian working experience is fantastic, people here are such hard workers and also makes us to work hard which is very important.
Working part time enables us to manage our time. From this busy schedule I am learning time management very well. Another issue which I found challenging is making new friends and especially now that I was in a college here, I did not know anyone. Making friends at home country has always been an easy task, given that our home is located in a farming community and my parents usually used to visit the neighbors. As they did, they used to introduce me to the neighbor’s children and therefore provide a very good platform for me to make new friends and interact with them.
To make things even better, most of the neighboring children went to the school where I was enrolled and which also made me to have new friends easily. In college, however, I had to make some new friends, which is exciting and challenging. So, I do think, adopting to the new culture, new people and making new friends and also working with people whom I don’t know very well, are the life changing moments in my life. And I never expected that all these could happen at one time and I am glad I am succeeding and enjoying each and every moment.
