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[Khushpreet Virk]: Hello everyone. My name is Khushpreet. And today I'll be interviewing Amanat Kaur about her experiences about immigration, immigrating to Canada and many other things. So first I would just like you to introduce yourself and let our listeners know about yourself and who you are

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and what you do. [Amanat Kaur]: Hi Khushpreet. My name is Amanat Kaur. I'm in my early 20's. I am from Chandigarh India. To tell you a little about my job. Um, I work in immigration as an administrative assistant. [KV]: If you're comfortable, could you describe yourself with your

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race, gender, sexuality? [AK]: I am a South Asian Sikh woman. Um, in my early 20s. [KV]: And can you describe to me your childhood and what your parents did back in India. [AK]: Back in India. My childhood was pretty wonderful. Um, as normal as everybody's. My parents both are

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business people in business sector. And my dad has his own construction um company and my mother she has her own salon. [KV]: Oh that's good. And if possible, can you describe to me a normal day in your life back when you lived in India? [AK]: Okay. That

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was pretty wonderful. Um, from the time I um, when I graduated to um, coming to Canada was six months, I was home. So my basic routine was getting up early in the morning, eight o'clock. Um, getting ready, helping helping my mother with some daily chores cooking

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dinner and just going out with friends. And that's the only thing I did. That's pretty much my whole day. It was easy. Nothing. [KV]: That's good. And can describe to me what school or if you're done, uh where did you attend school and what was the schooling

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experience like in Canada? [AK]: Um I did my schooling, I did my high school from India from Shivalik Public School, Chandigarh, and I did diploma in business from Conestoga College. Um Kitchener campus in Canada. Yes. [KV]: That's good. And when did you come here? And what

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were the circumstances like back then? And what are your memories of it? [AK]: I came to Canada in December 2016. Um the the time at that time everything was pretty normal. There was not too many international students. If I recall in my school, in my school as

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well, I remember in most of my classes there were just five or six international students and others were Canadians and everything was pretty normal. I never felt that they discriminated, everybody was welcoming, so which was a good thing. And yeah, it was not that difficult to

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adjust and because everybody was welcoming. [KV]: And do you feel that the way you practice religion has changed since you've got here? [AK]: Yes, a lot. Um and a lot. In a good way. Because I guess whatever I was doing in India, it was mostly because what my

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parents do, it's not because I wanted to do, it was how everything's worked or basically I didn't even give a thought that do I want to do it or why I'm doing certain things I'm doing, but when I'm here alone, I have that I had this

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chance to figure out what do I want to do and the things I'm doing, why am I doing. So it has positively changed my practices um and I'm really grateful for that. [KV]: That's good. And uh how is living in Canada changed the way you

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think about your culture and has living in Canada change your relationship between your religion and culture. [AK]: Um As mentioned uh it has positively changed. Before that my religion, I used to think everything is okay this is how this is what we are supposed to do. But

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I never thought about the reason why we are doing certain things but now living in Canada independently made me thought that why I'm doing certain things and which which helped me made a lot of progress spiritually. So that's that's one great thing about Canada. The

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best thing about Canada actually. [KV]: That's good. And uh do you think people look at you or judge you differently because of you being an international student? [AK]: I wouldn't say most I wouldn't say all of people do. But yeah there have been a there have been certain

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times when I think people do judge you but not all of them. [KV]: Okay. Mhm. And uh was it difficult leaving everything behind and starting fresh in a new country and uh why were you interested in making the move to Canada. [AK]: It was difficult. Initially the decision

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wasn't that difficult. I I guess when I moved here, I was too excited to even think about that. Is it going to be difficult or not. With time, there was like an initial two months, there was a phase when I thought, why do I actually moved

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to Canada? And that's when everything hit me hard that again, now I have to live by myself and I'm going to be all here alone, I have to figure out my shit on myself. So that was a little difficult time. And I thought, okay, I had

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to be physically mentally and emotionally strong and independent. That was the only challenging part. But apart from that, nothing else when I was initially moving to Canada I was too excited when I was in India, I was too excited. I was not thinking about anything else.

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I was just excited. I'm going to a new country. I'm going to start fresh. I am going to have new opportunities and that's what I was all looking forward to. [KV]: Even myself when I came here, like I'm an immigrant as well and I feel the

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same way. Like I was just really excited and like, you know, like looking forward for new experiences and stuff like, you know, like however you described it. But yeah, and anyways, could you please describe me your experiences you had while finding a job here. [AK]: Um, I guess

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finding job in the initial 15 days, I realized that how the job sector work in Canada is that you need reference um I don't know if I'm the only one who felt this way or this is how it works. But a reference was very very crucial

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part. You get to land a very good job. My first job, I remember my roommate recommended me. Um It was due to her. It was her reference that made me land a good job. Not a good one, but it was just a crew member at Mcdonald's.

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But that was my first job and after that there was no stopping, I, because that first job gave me the entrance into the market. I was able to progress into different jobs and people were welcoming, as I said. My next job I worked at Conestoga

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College um as an admissions um clerk basically what I was doing was helping them is admissions for India. And I remember my supervisor, she was so welcoming when I first went there and I told her that my experience is just I am working as a crew

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member at Mcdonald's. But I'll be more than happy to work for you guys. And because I know there's a lot I can learn. The only plus point of you hiring me would be I know the background of people well you're dealing with. I know your clients,

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she was good enough to give me that chance and then after that one after the other the letter of recommendations. And reference helped me to go into the sector. But that initial first reference was very, very crucial for me. [KV]: So now that you work in Brampton, right, you

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said? [AK]: Yes, I do. [KV]: So like I just have one more question about your job. Do you think the work experience is better in Brampton or in Kitchener you think? [AK]: Okay. Now for me personally, I I studied in Kitchener. I stayed there for first two years.

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Uh Kitchener has always been a closer to me than any other city. So I always say Kitchener, but my most important job, which I had on my actual job, which I'm doing, which um, is where I want to grow more is in Brampton. So I won't

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say Brampton doesn't have good working environment. It does have. But if given a chance to do this job in Kitchener, I'll say I'll be more than happy. It'll be more satisfactory given that. [KV]: And uh have you ever had any encounters with the racism or stereotyping in

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Canada. If so was the people from your own race or different race or this can be any sort of experience you had. It can be experienced if you experience that you had, if you had any in your job field or even just anywhere else? [AK]: To be

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honest, I never went through it. That kind of face. I never faced racism. I know that's weird, but I never felt that I've met good people or they were always welcoming. I never felt that. [KV]: And do you think about, do you think that the people that

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grew up in different parts of the Peel region had different cultural experiences than you? [AK]: Um yes, I definitely believe that. If you look at us, even the lifestyle, basic lifestyle, the values, uh what the important or what we important uh feel important about that's different to

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um are um the way of living the lifestyles, everything that there is a huge difference even from, even if we are from the same cultural background. Um, the environment around you do make a huge impact on what, what kind of person you are, what you value,

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what you important, what you give importance to. [KV]: Uh, how would you compare your experience to someone of like, uh, that's originally born in the South Asian community like in Peel? [AK]: Um like how are they different to me? [KV]: Yeah. How would you compare them to yourself? [AK]: I'll

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say our lifestyle because somebody who is born, what I'll say is the one major difference that I see is that um if I have my immigrated to Canada, I see myself that I need to keep giving myself push. Whereas somebody who who was born and brought

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up here, they do have that leverage that everything's a little more comfortable and convenient and that's the only difference I feel otherwise if if both both parties are same, hardworking, there's no much difference in a, in a job point of view? That's what I mean. [KV]: Makes sense.

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And uh was it easy to create relationships with other people when you came here. [AK]: Um I was blessed to have good people like my roommates, they were, they were nice people. They introduced me to a bunch of people, they told me what's necessary um to learn

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in Canada some some basic things that you should know as a Canadian. I remember something as small as holding the door um that was something so basic, but they made sure that I knew it that because people around you do judge you by if you do

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that or not, right, that something as basic as it, but if you do it, if you don't, if you don't do it, people people do feel that okay, why won't you? That's so basic. Um or at least I do, I think that way. Um and then

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I was blessed to have them. And then moving forward, I worked at Mcdonald's, there were people from all different kinds of race, right? And everybody was welcoming. It was easy, it was just one place I thought in college, in certain class where there were more Indians

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actually it was difficult to bond with Canadian people. In classes where we were just five Indians and other 10, 20 people are Canadian, it was easy to bond with them. But in a class where we are 15, like 50% are Indian and 50% of Canadian? I

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don't know, I felt that I felt that in those classes it was difficult to bond with Canadians, uh, could be because they felt that people are trying to overpower or they find loud or whatever. But it was difficult in those times. Otherwise, everybody, I I think

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it's pretty, I was very welcoming. Not pretty much, they were welcoming actually. [KV]: I know this is a little off topic. But did your diet change in any way since you've got here? [AK]: Drastically changed. I have gained a lot of weight since I moved to

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Canada because all all I did has been eating junk. Um It's just that you don't, when you don't live with family or when you're living by yourself, you tend to eat a lot of junk food or a lot of things that you're not supposed to. Um

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Yes, that's one downfall or one huge downfall I face after moving to Canada. But I guess it's just the initial period when you are, when you're looking out for studies work and you know, there's a lot going in your life. But once my life has settled,

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like now, I know it has settled. Once I've received my PR my I have a good job, everything else is settled then I think I can go back and take care of my diet, which I shouldn't have stopped taking care in the initial phase, but I

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did neglect it. But now, I guess I it's the high time I should start taking care of it. But that was it has changed drastically. [KV]: And I just heard you saying that you just got your PR, right? [AK]: Yes I did. [KV]: Uh Congratulations on that. And I was just

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wondering can you describe to me like a little bit about like how like you got your PR like what did you have to do? Like you know something briefly. [AK]: Yeah for sure. So I came to Canada for a two year diploma business diploma that I did

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from Conestoga College. After completing that I was looking for a full time job. Um I did had past experience of working at college, Costco, um McDonald's and couple other experiences. Um And then I got I got an interview call from the IC Canada Immigration where I

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currently work actually my friend referred and that's how I landed an interview. Um They hired me. I remember when I was starting there I was very very annoying. I don't know how my boss even hired me because I gave them a hard time because I thought

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people um not to judge but I thought people in Brampton um very rude especially the employers. But to my surprise he was not at all rude. He was patient with me. And then um I have been working there for three years. I for initial first year

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after my first year we applied for my PNP Under international student job offer which took three months. And after that we applied for my federal obligation. Which took approximately 18 months. After 18 months I got my C. O. P. R. [KV]: That's good. Okay so and what

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is the most difficult part of immigrating here? And do you have any particular experiences that stand out to you? [AK]: The most difficult would be being independent would be living alone. Um Because I feel everything you can adjust but that living alone part is it was most

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difficult for me for sure. Um because you are you you can get used to do work, you can get used to the school, you can get used to the people but not having your family around. That was the most difficult part. And then anybody who's migrating,

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I'll always say that you have to be mentally strong and mentally prepared that once moving to Canada there's gonna be a lot of changes but like you should always remember what's your reason why you're moving to Canada? Right uh if you have something motivating you there

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is no going back. [KV]: Uh uh now that you've been here for a while, do you think the migration process is easier now or has it become a lot harder than the past? [AK]: Um So from my personal experience as I work in immigration sector it is a

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it is easier a lot easier than it was before. Um I've heard people um I've been working in immigration sector just for the last three years. But in the last three years I would say personally, I've seen a lot of change and it has become easier

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in last only last three years before that it was much more difficult. So it is a lot more easier now. [KV]: That's good. Uh, if you knew someone that is coming here, how would you direct them or what would you tell them to expect when they come

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here? [AK]: Um, you know, when...A funny story, when I came to Canada when I was moving to Canada actually, there was a video that got viraled. Um, it was a guy, he, he was an Indian guy and he was telling about his experience in US.

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Uh, he was telling how in India, he had never even picked up his own um, clothes and never washed, did his own laundry. Um, never even picked up his old utensils, never washed them. And then now when he is in USA for six or seven months,

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he has to do everything on his own and he was crying. And that was one thing like that was just a week before I was coming to Canada. And that one thing made me realize that it's not going to be piece of cake. It's going to

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be difficult. But I was prepared for it. And that's what I want to recommend anybody moving to Canada or going abroad anywhere. That if you want to do this, make sure you are prepared for it mentally emotionally. Two things for sure. It's not going to be

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a piece of cake. But you should know why you're moving, be motivated. You know if you're going there to be independent, you have to earn it and once you earn it you'll you'll be proud of what you have been through. [KV]: Uh huh. What are the most

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important things a person could do before they decide to come to not even just Canada I feel like. They decided to come to a new country, like, what do you think, like they should do you know before coming? [AK]: They should evaluate what what what

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are the reasons uh is it is it just they're looking for an exposure because then they can just go to any city right? If you if you just want to live independently or what kind of lifestyle are you looking for? Because for me, what I thought

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was I wanted, I was 18 when I moved to Canada and I was eager to have an independent life. I was when I came to Canada, I was eager to find a job and have my like own my own bread and butter. And when I was successful,

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I remember first paycheck was it's still my favorite like it was, it gave me the highest amount of satisfaction because that's what I wanted: to be independent. It didn't amount. It didn't matter what amount but the satisfaction and then anybody you should know what is, why

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do you want to do that? Not just because your friends are going to anywhere? Right? But you should know, what are your reasons if it is giving you a good life? Yes, for sure. But if you're thinking just because your friends are going um then you

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should reconsider your decision for sure. [KV]: And uh do you regret migrating to Canada? If so why or if not then what do you like the most about this country? [AK]: I don't regret my decision at all. Never. Um What do I love most? I, the culture, how

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welcoming the people are. Um the, even the thinking process that um I don't know, you know if you if if you have known anybody from India, if you known their environment, how they are. So it's not if if I would have been in India right now

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I wouldn't have been earning, I would have been living on my parents uh money, right? And I would have been doing that until 25 or 26 at least. And that's what I'm guessing. So I I became independent and that's my first and the most important thing

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that Canada gave it to me that I was able to do everything on my own and apart from that being a being able to push myself. Like if I was in India I would have been more in my comfort zone but now I am ready to

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give myself push that okay, you know, what let's let's see what do you want to do next? What's next? Push. [KV]: What do you like, how you're saying? What's next? What do you think is next for you in life now? [AK]: Um I as I said I

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my highest level of education is diploma. So I'm looking for bachelors. That's that's what next for me for now at the moment. And then sorry? [KV]: You thought about where to go for your bachelor's or anything? Uh University of Waterloo. That's what I've thought. I've thought of

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this uh bachelor's in finance. But to be honest I haven't applied yet. Okay, so I have to get into it very soon. [KV]: And do you mind asking you, do your parents live here as well or...? [AK]: No. They are in India. [KV]: Okay. Are you thinking of like moving

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down here as well or...? [AK]: If given a chance I'll prefer them here. But for now I like it how it is. [AK]: You think your parents want to come here, or do they like it in India? [AK]: I I don't think so. They wanted 100 percent. But if given yes they will. But

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it's not that that's the only thing on their mind, they're happy there too. But yes, if given a chance or if I'm able to. Um Yes, for sure. [KV]: That's good. And after this immigration process and having lived in Canada for some time now. Do you think

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you will continue to live here? Would you prefer to return to India? [AK]: I'll prefer staying here. Um Just because I feel I have I have made a long run until here, like done a lot of things. So I'll like to progress here because there's I can

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see a better future here and then going back. So I'll prefer staying. There is no way I'm going back. [KV]: I know this might be a little personal question but are you married or? [AK]: No, I'm single. [KV]: Okay and like let's just say if you were married and you came here, do you

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think your experience will be different from like how you are now? Do you think it would be easier or harder or like what do you think? [AK]: Personally what I feel being a woman if you are married and if you come with your spouse to Canada, I feel

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woman are to my experience what I've seen and especially women who are in their early 20s, they became a lot dependent. Um lately I've met a lot of women like that are probably, I've seen some couples, women well-educated people, their their masters in India and

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right now they are not doing anything because they feel like okay, you know what my husband's making good money, I don't want to do it. [KV]: I feel like about that I'm sorry to interrupt you but like I feel like here people like you know if you're

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married they do like you know 50 50. Like I feel like back in India all the pressure for the work aspect of life is put on the husband uh like working at home and everything doing the chores that's like up to the wife? [AK]: Yes. The good

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part is that it is 50, 50. Yeah. The bills get split and the work as well. [KV]: And any last words or advice you would like to share for our listeners? [AK]: Anybody if there is anybody considering moving to Canada or anywhere, that's uh, there's one thing I'll

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say, make sure you think, what are you going to do? Um it's not gonna be easy, but be emotionally, mentally strong and make sure you have good company around. I'll actually use this platform to um share one thing. So, um, there's a group Instagram page or

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there's a lot of instagram page for students and we were just going through a couple of them last week and we saw there are so many groups that have people had silent heart attacks or panic attacks just because of the pressure either from school either from

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personal life or financial pressure. I do want to tell those people that if you are in that kind of scenario, if you're in school, you can see a counselor or if not you can talk to anybody just talk it out. Um, keeping in you won't help

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you. But if you talk to somebody, it will. So that would be if you, if you decide to move to Canada and if you feel lonely here, do talk to people, that's, that's one solution here for sure. [KV]: And one more thing, do you see yourself living

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in the Peel Region in the future, or do you think you'll make a move or go to some other city or like? [AK]: For now I am going to be in Peel for another year or so because of my job commitments and everything. But after that, if

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we're, if your question is where do I want to see myself settled, that will be for sure somewhere in the countryside or GTA... Water... sorry, not GTA. Waterloo, Kitchener region, somewhere in that area. Yes. [KV]: All right guys, so we just had some technical difficulty

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with Zoom, but now we're back onto the interview with Amanat. So now I just want to ask you a question about education. Are there like any differences between the education in India and education and Canada? [AK]: What I personally feel is that there is a

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huge difference between how both the education system works uh, in India, there's a lot of pressure put on these students. Um, but personally, what I feel is that is some good pressure and in Canada, how it works is that things are a little lenient, um, for

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students. When I, when I came to Canada, what I felt was whatever I was doing in my diploma was everything that I, I already studied during my grade 11 and 12. So during my high school, whatever I studied, that's what they were teaching here in diploma.

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Um, but the good part, the good part here is that they are not making you learn unnecessary things. Um like in high school student students to get to choose which subject they want to opt in which they don't want to, right. So they can they can

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pick up accounting and science. Like together. I know they don't make sense but if somebody wants to they can right? Um in India if the only problem is that if you want to go into medicine you have the option of going to science and if you

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want to do um engineering, you have non medical. So it's that you cannot take finance and science together. So that's a little drawback. But I've heard that there's change coming um that in future there will be allowing students in grade 9th 10th 11th and

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12th to pick up subjects of their own. So they have to pick up any subjects and they can keep it. So if that change come, that will be a good point. But yes for now there's this one huge difference that I feel there is that in

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Canada there are too, way too lenient and India they put way too much pressure. That's one huge difference. [KV]: Okay and living in Peel Region, are there any mental health problems that even like students or even international students face? If so, like how do you

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how would you resolve the mental health problems? [AK]: I feel that if um not not just in Peel Region, if you live in Canada or if you live actually anywhere um in this world during this pandemic time, especially the mental health, there are so many students that

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are feeling that way. They are, they are feeling pressured. Um Some people don't like online classes. They don't get it. They cannot get the determination to wake up for classes right? Or they are not able to have their cycle running um to go to school or

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they just don't feel like it right? Um So I feel um not just in Peel Region but overall mental health is a very big issue because of this covid and there's a lot that can be done but that's not one person who can do it. Um

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a lot of a lot of work needs to be done from everybody. Um So that things can change but definitely mental health is a big issue as of now. [KV]: I like how you talked about online schooling and I feel like me being in school right now

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as well and studying online and I feel like I tend to procrastinate more like I tend do my things till later and like which you're right, like you know, some people don't have the determination to do the stuff and I feel like you know like in person

00:29:36.810 - 00:29:50.090

is way different because like you know they have to attend the lectures, they have to go to class and like they just have to be on top of everything. But I feel like when you're home and just doing nothing, like you tend to like, you know,

00:29:50.090 - 00:30:02.680

slack off more and just be more lazy in general. [AK]: And then even the environment makes a difference, right? I remember when I was school, there was time when I wouldn't go home to study and I'll just sit in the library to study because I felt I

00:30:02.680 - 00:30:21.650

was more focused there. So when you're at home uh yeah, you can be lazy or you you can feel like, okay, you won't feel that much determined or you feel, you know, your phone is going to be right there, there's no professor telling you to concentrate,

00:30:21.660 - 00:30:35.970

right? But if you are in the class, let's say you are in the class, you won't be looking at your phone every other second. Our teachers never used let us they were... [KV]: Because now like that like, you know on Zoom people can just have the cameras

00:30:35.970 - 00:30:47.280

off and like, you know, they can be doing whatever they want behind the camera. But in class they got to like, you know, look at the teacher, otherwise like, you know, the teacher is going to tell them that, you know, why are you on your phone

00:30:47.280 - 00:31:01.300

like, you know, pay attention to the lecture or whatnot. [AK]: Or at least if they don't listen to the whole lecture, they get 50% of it. But now with, you know, uh turning off your camera or just lowering the voice of the teacher, you can just go

00:31:01.300 - 00:31:21.820

to sleep and teacher will think you're listening right? That's that's one big issue with online classes. [KV]: And how do you think the Canadian government has helped international students in the Peel Region during the pandemic? [AK]: During the pandemic the government has been very supportive. The with the CERB

00:31:21.820 - 00:31:39.890

of uh the best part was that the CERB was not only allowed to PR or Canadian citizens, it was also allowed to international students which in many countries was not done. Um if uh if you have heard you know what Australia Australian government actually said that

00:31:39.900 - 00:32:00.810

international students can go back to their country if they cannot afford right? Um various Canadian government was ready to help them. They gave people $2,000 every month. Um I guess it was 400 a week. Somewhere near that. Um and they helped people during that time but

00:32:00.820 - 00:32:18.570

which shows international student how much the government value them. Um And they respect them, right? And that's why there are people who would prefer coming to Canada instead of going to any other country, right? Because they are feeling welcome. They're feeling that okay um our rights

00:32:18.570 - 00:32:40.400

or our voices at least protected or heard right? We are considered anywhere rather than government just telling us oh you can just go back and look for your own self. [KV]: Yeah. And do you think there's a difference. So as you know there's like a global pandemic

00:32:40.400 - 00:32:57.490

going on around the world, COVID and everything. So do you think there's a difference to where it's like how India has reacted to Covid versus how like we have reacted to Covid like Canada and like the South Asian community and Peel Region. Um I feel there

00:32:57.490 - 00:33:13.760

is there is a very huge difference how both countries are reacting. I know in the early COVID came um India was completely shut down. I remember I used to go to work still was end of March, I was still going to work and India was in

00:33:13.760 - 00:33:28.780

complete lockdown. My mother used to ask me daily, why are you still going to work? It is not safe to go to work. And I was like, we'll get to it. Well, we'll find out some way right. Eventually I started working from home and everything, but

00:33:28.780 - 00:33:45.180

at that time India was taking it very seriously and at that time we were at the stage of just deciding that, okay, we're gonna go to close everything sooner. Um but if you will see now when we are in the lockdown from, I don't know, I

00:33:45.190 - 00:34:03.180

even if I think the last time I went out it was months before. So it's been forever since we are in lockdown, right? Especially Peel Region. I know it's open but still it's not to that full capacity. I don't know when things are going to go

00:34:03.180 - 00:34:21.190

back to or whether they will or not, but now we are in complete lockdown. Whereas if you uh if you search what's going on in India, the everything is open there. We have a farmer's protests going where there are thousands of people sitting on the road

00:34:21.200 - 00:34:40.390

and nobody's wearing mask, nobody's taking care. Um There are people who are still afraid of it. There are still, there are people who feel that, oh this is nothing uh different people have different views. But Canadian government has still, they're putting their foot very carefully trying

00:34:40.390 - 00:35:00.850

to protect people, yet open everything because they cannot, nobody can afford living in the house forever. Right? Everybody eventually needs to go back to work. So Canadian government is trying to carefully step one by one opening. Whereas I guess the Indian government, I guess they afforded

00:35:00.860 - 00:35:19.100

to lock down the country, I guess for 2-3 days. But after that they couldn't. So now everything is open there and Indian government didn't give any any opportunities to anybody. Here, the employer got the employer got money. Um they were told, I guess the employers had

00:35:19.100 - 00:35:38.800

some benefits that if you keep your employees, the 50% would be paid by the government and 50% you pay. There was something like that, that was for employers, there were benefits for small benefit uh small business, there was benefit for students. So everybody had something to take

00:35:38.800 - 00:35:56.950

out of it, like government was there supporting everybody. Government got everybody's back. But if you think about what Indian government did. Um, there's nothing particularly, they have did for anybody in India. I remember even this um said the bank loans um you can pay a month

00:35:56.950 - 00:36:08.910

later, but it was, but in India it was not like that if you go to a bank and ask them or you know, it can be put it on hold for a month or so because of the COVID and they would say no straight

00:36:08.910 - 00:36:25.560

to your face. So that was something the government said. But that was never implemented. We're here. I remember in the early days it was said the mortgages can be put to hold even insurance is insurance company in Canada. They've been very supportive because I remember even

00:36:25.560 - 00:36:43.240

when I was working from home, my insurance was okay. Um letting me, you know, waiving of some fees or giving me some discount because I'm not using my car. Whatever reason is they were they were ready to help. Right. Um, so everybody in there in one

00:36:43.240 - 00:37:01.140

way or the other was ready to help. So I, I feel the Canadian government did a very good job handling COVID or at least supporting people, there people. [KV]: Yeah, I completely agree with that point. You're absolutely right. And uh, was there any changes in your

00:37:01.140 - 00:37:16.910

work routine during the pandemic or did you workplace get affected by it or was it like hard for you any type of way during this pandemic? To be honest, uh, there was a huge impact due to Covid. When Covid happened, we just, our office got really

00:37:16.910 - 00:37:34.990

busy before Covid we had some kind of draw and after that the office was busy for a month. So um when when Covid happened initially everybody was working from home and it was difficult because we didn't have printers. We didn't have proper scanners. Um So there

00:37:34.990 - 00:37:50.170

was uh we just had to call somebody to print it and scan it for us and send it to because most of our things is with clients. So that uh there was it was difficult to communicate with the client as well right? Um right now as

00:37:50.170 - 00:38:03.950

well. I remember what before it used to happen, that client used to come to my office, he'll sit in my cabin and then we'll discuss his personal history. I'll fill up the forms as he's sitting in my office. And that was very much convenient for

00:38:03.950 - 00:38:18.290

me because I can get done with the file within the time he's in my office, right? So that could be one hour, two hour, depending upon how long the time is. But over the phone, when I have to do everything over the phone, it takes a

00:38:18.290 - 00:38:32.200

lot of time because we have to figure out what time is he available, what time am I available. And then when we are on call, he got somebody's call, he uh somebody's call. And then he'll be like okay can you hold on for a second and

00:38:32.200 - 00:38:48.100

then I get some messages, I'm getting somebody dropping in my office. Or the seriousness gets broken, I feel right. But when you're sitting in the same office, everything is more serious. You know, you know you we are working towards this but when it's phone there are some

00:38:48.100 - 00:39:00.100

people that won't even take it seriously, we'll tell them okay we have an on call appointment and they'll be driving or they'll be like oh you know what I'm driving, you can ask me anything and then I'll ask you when what time to what time did

00:39:00.100 - 00:39:10.610

you do this job? And then oh you know what? I have to figure that out, I'll tell you later, I'll look into my email and tell you later. And then compared to if he was sitting in my office, I would have told them to do it

00:39:10.610 - 00:39:28.160

right away. Right? And that's that's one thing that have been difficult to communicating because now they cannot come to call it. They cannot come to the office. So and there's a difficult part. Another difficult part would be trusting them. So let's say if I am want

00:39:28.160 - 00:39:44.150

somebody who needs to get something done, right? Let's say I want to I I want to get myself um I want to apply from my PR let's say. Um somebody who's not PR they want to apply for the PR they just have to call our

00:39:44.150 - 00:39:57.850

agent and talk to them. What if the next number you dialed is a scam, right? Because I have heard a lot of times people asking can we meet in person? And I have to tell them that we cannot meet in person. The only time

00:39:57.850 - 00:40:09.110

you'll be meeting in person is when it is extremely important. So let's see if it is a paper based file when they have to come to the office and sign something. So that's the only time you'll be coming to office. But because of Covid we don't

00:40:09.110 - 00:40:25.680

even recommend that. Right? So but it is difficult for the client as well to trust you when they haven't even seen you they don't know where you work from. You can be anywhere from the world you can be a scam. Right? So that's um that was

00:40:25.690 - 00:40:47.030

that's another difficult part that getting the client to trust us and yeah that's pretty much uh the major issues that we face because... [KV]: And aside from all this pandemic talk uh how is your daily routine in Canada? Does it differ from the weekday to the weekend?

00:40:47.030 - 00:41:01.670

Like I can't describe to me like what your day is like what your day is like on the weekend or like you know what you like to do and stuff. [AK]: Um So on a Monday my day looks pretty uh packed up. It was pretty packed

00:41:01.670 - 00:41:20.090

up. I wake up at seven o'clock in the morning. The first thing I do is grab a glass of water um do a little walk around the house and then get my day started. Um take shower, have have a little breakfast someday, I skip it and

00:41:20.090 - 00:41:37.910

then go to work. I start at nine o'clock and then 9-6 I'm at work right now. Pretty swamped. There's so much going on. So there's usually, I have appointments. I we work on an appointment basis so I'm a slot booked for whatever client it is and

00:41:37.920 - 00:41:57.800

I get free at six if it is busy day I'll be in the office till 6:30, 7:00. If it is not I will we leave the office at six. After that, what we usually do is we play uh something. Some days it is it'll be basketball

00:41:57.800 - 00:42:15.210

the other days it'll be badminton, just with friends for an novel or so. Um And then I'll go home, I'll cook something for dinner and for, and I'll pack my lunch for next day. Um watch Netflix and go back to sleep? That's pretty much everything

00:42:15.220 - 00:42:32.960

I've been trying to include a lot of things. I have had I have this new habit tracker that have been trying to, certain habits that I'm trying to include like working out, which usually I do twice a week which I want to do more but

00:42:32.970 - 00:42:54.210

that's how it is as of now. Um other things um like reading something good. Right now the only book that I'm reading is uh it's a it's a book called Kobani. Um So that's what I'm reading right now. So that's pretty much it. I'll read it.

00:42:54.210 - 00:43:10.910

I'll read a page or so and then I'll go to sleep. [KV]: Mhm. That's good. [AK]: And then um you asked about weekends. My weekend goes is usually I wake up late and then everybody in the house we all cook together we'll make good Indian breakfast so will

00:43:10.910 - 00:43:29.280

be some parathas. Um and then... [KV]: I'm sorry to interrupt. But you said so you live with other people you said? So are they international students as well or? [AK]: All of them are international students. [KV]: Okay. Okay. Okay. All right you can go ahead. [AK]: So usually we all

00:43:29.280 - 00:43:50.160

sit together do something, we'll do painting or if everybody's home we'll play something, watch some TV. Um If if everybody is home we always cook something good on the weekend we try to make custards or an Indian dish, burritos. We do something or the other just

00:43:50.160 - 00:44:08.360

to keep us busy and then some little house chores, laundry stuff. That's pretty much it. On the weekends I try to work out. That's the only day I do. So yeah that's it and now on weekends I'll go to bed around 10 so that I can wake

00:44:08.360 - 00:44:27.590

up around nine next day. [KV]: That's good. That's good. [AK]: That's pretty much it. [KV]: That's great. And also I've heard that you would want to move to Kitchener and prefer living there more than Brampton. So why do you prefer that? Like more than the Peel Region? [AK]: Um Actually

00:44:27.590 - 00:44:45.550

I came when I came to Canada in my initial days I was in Kitchener, I completed my school and from Kitchener. So it's it's that it's more of my comfort zone. I have my friends there. Um I like things more there than here. I know my

00:44:45.550 - 00:45:09.580

work is here but still the environment I feel is completely different in Kitchener than in Peel Region. No, no matter Peel Region does have a lot of opportunities. Um There was good competition here, right? Um and then Kitchener is still growing. But I guess probably

00:45:09.580 - 00:45:24.970

because I just when I came here I went to Kitchener that's why I have a value Kitchener more than anyplace else. And then when it when it turns out that where do I want to settle? Um you may know that getting a house in Brampton is no

00:45:24.970 - 00:45:45.720

piece of cake it is really expensive whereas other markets are still going up. So that's the, my budget won't even allow me to settle to in Peel Region as well. [KV]: All right. And uh when you came here, did you find any difficulties finding a place to

00:45:45.730 - 00:46:04.470

live in as an international student? [AK]: Um Initially uh initially where I came there was no difficulty because my um family friends recommended me somewhere and they were friends, we stayed there for 2 years. There was no difficulty but when I moved to Brampton uh that's when

00:46:04.470 - 00:46:22.630

I realized okay it is a little difficult because there were some places where they wouldn't they'll say we won't we won't lend the house, we wouldn't give it to on rent to an international student and which which makes which makes you think that why? Like you

00:46:22.630 - 00:46:39.040

cannot ask them for a reason but then it actually stuck your mind why? But like you know you just want to give it on rent. Why not to an international student. Um And then recently we've been looking for a place to live right now everybody's PR

00:46:39.040 - 00:46:53.230

like we are five bills, everybody's PR or on work permit. And we had one of the viewing set, we told them we are a group of friends who are looking for a place. He was happy to show the place, but when it came up that okay

00:46:53.230 - 00:47:07.730

we came here as international students and he was like okay sorry I cannot give you the place. And that's when, that's when I felt weird about it. You were okay a minute before. But just because you got to know that we were international students. Now you're

00:47:07.730 - 00:47:28.980

questioning us. So uh that was difficult that sometimes they're, not all of them, but there are some people that do judge you um for being international students and I I don't know why that is [KV]: Mm. That's true. All right thank you. Mhm. So like how you

00:47:28.980 - 00:47:43.340

said as being an international student is difficult to get a house for rent here and and uh but can you just please expand that a little bit? Like what do you mean by that? [AK]: So I wouldn't say it is difficult to get a house and rent

00:47:43.350 - 00:47:58.600

but the main problem is it is difficult to get a house uh at reasonable price on rent. So there are so many landlords that that just owned properties so that they can get the best trend. I know what that is what the rental property business is

00:47:58.600 - 00:48:16.410

far. But There are like as I told you just that we were searching for a house a month ago and there were places where there was so small houses, tiny rooms and they would charge $400 for each room or like with and one of the house

00:48:16.420 - 00:48:37.060

they even converted their cold rooms and um their laundry room which was next to the cold room. They turned it into a room which has stairs going up and then we'll just cover that. So they have tiny rooms or they are asking for a very bigger

00:48:37.060 - 00:48:53.200

price or they think that you know what we just need to provide a room. They don't care about provide a proper living like a proper environment. Um They just think of how can they get the rent. So that's what I feel that in Peel Region especially

00:48:53.200 - 00:49:14.890

because there are so many students or any place where there are so many students or the the housing market is um a very much uh in big demand the the landlords tend to exploit you by cutting short some supplies or saying that you know the

00:49:14.900 - 00:49:37.300

rooms, the rent's gonna be this much, you pay your utilities on the top of it or just not giving proper, proper safe environment. So the main problem is with the high rent, there are places available, but yes, the rents are skyrocketing right now. Yeah. [KV]: And

00:49:37.310 - 00:49:53.570

can you tell me what aspects of the Peel Peel Region you like the most or even if you like it or not. [AK]: I do like Peel Region. I know I've mentioned a lot of time that I prefer Kitchener over Peel Region, but I

00:49:53.580 - 00:50:12.750

do prefer Peel Region or a lot of things as well. The first major thing about Peel Region is the food. Oh my God, I get like there are so many Indian options that I get here. Um and the food is as tasty as I can find

00:50:12.750 - 00:50:31.690

India. Yeah, so that's one huge huge profit, huge benefit of living in Peel Region, and which I truly truly love. Um The second good part of living in Peel Region is how, how I have people, so many people of my culture living here. So in

00:50:31.690 - 00:50:51.110

Canada and um whereas in Kitchener, I like it but there are like I have friends from all the different cultures and um you know different backgrounds but here the good part is that I feel home because I have my family friends, I have my friends uh my

00:50:51.110 - 00:51:08.390

I have people from my religion um there are so many gurdwara, there are so many spiritual places I can go to. Um There are so many events happening in the, in that um in that way even um even if like even in Gurdwara is like even

00:51:08.390 - 00:51:26.360

in the spiritual temples there are so many events going on compared to what it was in Kitchener. If uh I remember in Kitchener the only time we used to go to um the Gurdwara or the spiritual temple was on Saturdays or Sundays. But here they have regular

00:51:26.360 - 00:51:47.420

events they have before, Covid I know they used to have classes for musical classes. Um So you can learn different instruments. Um They had other like they had martial arts classes. Um and so much so um if I see from that point of view, there's so

00:51:47.420 - 00:52:09.040

much happening in Brampton right? Um And even um the another good part is that everything is so close by, right? If I want to go to Toronto, it is close by, Niagara is still close like whereas from Kitchener everything was an extra one hour. And what

00:52:09.040 - 00:52:29.220

else do I like? Um And I'll say like when I was about to move to Brampton and I heard a lot of things about Brampton which include that the employers exploit to the landlords exploit you. Um, people are not nice to you. Um, I did felt

00:52:29.230 - 00:52:47.310

a little bit somewhere that people are not nice. But apart from that, everything was a lie for me or from a personal experience because my employer was good. He never tried to um, take advantage of anybody. He never tried to, uh, you know, get somebody to

00:52:47.310 - 00:53:04.640

work without paying. My landlord was good. They never interfered with anything going in the basement. So, and so with the people around me. Um, so I guess it was, it's just the idea that have been given out that, you know, there's, there's a lot going in

00:53:04.640 - 00:53:25.340

Peel Region. Peel Region is a peaceful place as well. Just not as much as peaceful as other cities are. But yes, it is, it does have its own peace spots and um, advantages. Yes, that's, that's what I feel. [KV]: Uh, do you consider Peel Region as being

00:53:25.340 - 00:53:48.910

like very multi culture, multicultural or not? [AK]: To be honest. I'll say it is, but there is a limitation or probably I am saying this because because of my circle here. Um, or because I work for an immigration firm which is an Indian immigration firm. So

00:53:48.910 - 00:54:10.710

the most of the clients we have are Indians, I live with Indian friends and landlords are Indians. Um, probably that's why I think it is um not 100 but but it is. It is. But I like if I compare it to any other cities, I'll say

00:54:10.720 - 00:54:26.920

it is not but individually fit you'll say if you'll see Brampton or Peel Region as one yes is multicultural. [KV]: It was nice talking you today. I hope you enjoyed as well and I wish you all the best for your journey and thank you. [AK]: Thank

00:54:26.920 - 00:54:31.060

you so much for your time. It was so good to talk to you. Have a good day. [AK]: You too. Thanks.