Where are you from?
Recently a LinkedIn colleague, posed the question: When do you stop acting like a tourist and start acting like a local in your immigrant journey? As I mulled over this thought-provoking question, I was reminded of a personal episode that finally made me feel like a local in my new overseas community.
I lived in Cambodia for several years and the first community where I lived called Kracheh or Kratie, was rather remote and rarely saw Westerners who actually lived in the community. They were more accustomed to the odd tourist or backpacker that passed through on their way to visit the beautiful Irrawaddy fresh water Dolphins living in that part of the Mekong.
Every morning as I would walk from my apartment along the riverside on my way to work a young moto dop driver would pass and ask if I needed a ride. And everyday I would answer him in my limited Khmer “Ot te Bong” which essentially meant “no thank you”.
One morning he finally stopped as his curiosity got the better of him and he asked that world renowned question that every newcomer gets asked, “where are you from?”. I didn’t miss a beat and quickly responded “Kracheh!”, It took him a moment but he burst into laughter shook his head and waved at me repeating “Kracheh, hahaha, Kracheh”. I had definitely made his day.
After that, every morning he would pass me waving and yelling “Sues’ a dey, Kracheh” (Hello Kracheh!) and I finally felt like I was accepted into the community and had made a friend.
I realized later that this is all part of the process as a newcomer of taking ownership of your new home. When you tell people you are from here, this place, where ever you are, you have claimed it as your home and where you belong.
Even though I’m a Canadian, I’m a relative newcomer to New Brunswick meaning that I don’t have generations of family behind me from the region. I too still get asked “so where are you from?”, and now I have remined myself to tell them that I am from here, Saint John, New Brunswick because that is where I have chosen to make my home. This is where I belong.
Becoming a “local” starts with each of us understanding that we belong here. That is taking ownership of your new chosen home. Are you ready to start building your life in Canada? As a professionally regulated Immigration Consultant I would be happy to meet with you to discuss the immigration process in detail. We will work together as you start to build your life in Canada.
