A Canadian Immigrant Story Part VII
Brian Sankarsingh weaves a tale of a Canadian immigrant
Job Hunting
The next morning Vijay was at the Manpower Temporary Agency doors. Imran had told him about this place and had suggested that they helped him find a job very quickly. “Tell them you’re willing to do anything,” Imran counselled. So that was exactly what Vijay did. He didn’t have a phone number for them to call him at, so he promised to come to the office every morning. Although that meant walking from Springhurst Ave. to Eaton Centre – a 5 km journey – he was committed to not losing out on any opportunity. For an entire week, Vijay walked to the temp agency and walked back to his home without any opportunity presenting itself. He had saved a little of the money Peter had given him and decided to purchase a winter coat and shoes. He was now doing some of the detailed work in the basement and also helping Peter do the lawn work around the house by raking the leaves and keeping the common areas clean. He realized that he could only do so much before running out of goodwill. Once again, his nights were filled with worry and stress.
It was during the second week of December that he walked into the office and saw Mary, his Manpower account manager, looking at him with a smile on her face. She beckoned him into her office and told him there was an opening in the mailroom of a bank. It was a temporary position but it was a start. Vijay did not remember the walk back to Springhurst Ave. that day.
December 7, 1988
I got a job working with the National Trust Company in their mailroom. I have no idea what I will be doing, but the job wanted someone who could lift 40-50 pounds and who could work overtime if needed. I start on Monday.
That evening, Vijay knocked on Imran’s door. He wanted to share his news with someone. Although they had talked fairly frequently this was the first time, they both sat in the small space between their two rooms and had a long conversation. Imran was originally from Iran and had moved to Afghanistan and then Canada. He had no family back home and none here. Deep into the night they sat talking about their Canadian experiences. Although they were from different parts of the world, their colour made them the same in Canada and so many of their experiences were as well. The spoke about the negative racial experiences they had. There were some White Canadians who were racist and did not care to hide it. They belittled and spoke down to anyone who wasn’t White. However, both young men also discovered that they had both encountered many White Canadians who were extremely welcoming and friendly.
Vijay marvelled at Imran’s ability to remain positive, especially because he seemed alone in the world. He parents had died and somehow, he had found his way to Canada. If he failed here, there was no going back home for Imran. To Vijay, he felt like Imran was walking a tightrope without a safety net. It forced him to think about his own situation. If things went badly with his immigration hearing, he would be sent back home, but his parents were still there, and they would welcome him home with open arms. But, what if he didn’t want to go back?
Stay tuned for the continuing story…
Bio: BRIAN SANKARSINGH is a Trinidadian-born Canadian immigrant who has published several books of poetry on a wide range of social and historical themes including racism, colonialism, and enslavement. Sankarsingh artfully blends prose and poetry into his storytelling creating an eclectic mix with both genres. This unique approach is sure to provide something for everyone.
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