Expat Interview Series: A Conversation With Jackie

In this interview series, we had the opportunity to chat with our clients to learn more about their personal experiences as newcomers.

Here’s what Jackie had to say.

Q: What was something unexpected you encountered during the process of relocating and settling in?

Fear of driving, and I almost gave in to it, letting it take hold of me. Before we relocated, I had been a licensed driver back home for more than 15 years. I expected the confidence I had in navigating the roads back home to have followed me, but it let me down. Recalibrating the mind was not as automatic as I had anticipated; getting comfortable driving on the opposite side of the road was not as easy as it's made to sound. The highway speeds here terrified me. And yet, I had to overcome the fear, study, and sit for the exam and pass it as part of my integration to Canada, which I did.

Q: Was there anything about your new country or city that surprised you?

The warmth of the Canadian people. The world receives a lot of information in the news and other platforms that portrays the Western nations as cold, impersonal, busy, and individualistic. The Canadian people have been nothing like this at all. We felt welcomed and embraced. People have gone out of their way to be helpful to us, and this helped us settle down and integrate so quickly that we still meet people today who don't believe we've been in Canada for under two years. My favorite is when people find something in my house, and they ask where I found it, and now I have become that go-to person with contacts :)
All this is testament to the difference finding a great relocator can make in one's life. Susan was the person we needed to make our transition as effortless as it has been. She paid attention to every detail and literally held our hands as we navigated things like shopping, eating out, accessing medical care, where to hang out for the weekends, and getting all the relevant government documents. She was our go-to person and almost moved in with us at the start, meeting us daily to help us with our needs. Very professional and welcoming :)

Q: What’s something that helped you feel more “at home” in your new location?

Bring with you treasures from your country of residence/ point of relocation. Be it food, art, linen, or pieces of clothing. They make the transition easier.
Having the RIGHT Relocator: We cannot appreciate enough the role that Susan from New Roots Relocation played in our lives. She had reached out to us before the relocation and prepared us for the transition, including the clothing items to carry or buy ahead of the move. Every detail regarding the upcoming move was covered, including packing and shipping of our items, etc.
She was there when we landed at the airport and had made sure our house was ready with everything we needed, including groceries to start us off. She then handed us a detailed handbook she had prepared, which became and still is our guide to this day. It details everything any new person needs to blossom and thrive in Toronto.

Q: What is one piece of advice that you would pass on to a future expat?

Choose to keep an open mind, embrace learning, and be open to experiencing and creating new memories! And also you're stronger than you think ......