How Being an International Student in Canada Changed My Life.

The history begins.

My name is Yazmin. Three years ago, I arrived in Canada without the ability to speak English. Now, I am proud to be a postgraduate international student living in Canada.

This is the first chapter of my story - the tale that led me to leave my roots in Chiapas, Mexico, and pursue my dreams and personal goals in Canada.

Before the journey.

I am a Latina, a first-generation student, and a millennial. I was born into a family living in extreme poverty in a rural community in the south of Mexico. Due to the lack of financial support, pursuing post-secondary education was not an option for me then. However, I volunteered for a program run by a non-profit organization that aimed to provide elementary school education to children living in poverty in small indigenous communities. Teaching children how to read and write was a fulfilling experience for me. After the volunteer year, my life took a turn for the better. I was fortunate to receive financial assistance to complete a bachelor's degree in Marketing and a master's degree in Business Administration.

Why I decided to immigrate.

I was working in Mexico when, one day, I received a message from a former colleague. The message contained a picture of her new life in France, which surprised me. Just a few months before, she was trying to get an administrative job in Mexico. She explained that she wanted something different for herself and for future generations. That's when I realized that I, too, had always wanted something different for myself - different from what I had been told to want. I had a good job in Mexico, but there was something missing. I wanted to wake up every day with excitement, requiring me to make different decisions. So, I resigned from my job and enrolled in an English Language School in Canada to start a new life.

Why I chose Canada.

After leaving my job, I decided to look for better opportunities in another country. It took me a month to find the ideal country to which to immigrate. During my investigation, I discovered that Ireland was a good option for English students who wanted to apply for a work permit. However, travelling from Mexico to Ireland was too expensive for me compared to Canada. I also found that Canada welcomes immigrants and provides different programs to help them build a life in this country. I chose Canada because I would have a large Latin community and be close to my home country in case I needed help.

Goals I wanted to achieve.

When I moved to Canada, my goals were to learn English, obtain post-secondary education to acquire skills and become competitive in the job market, secure a professional job, and establish a career.

Immigration process.

As a Mexican, to come to Canada as an English student, I only needed to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), a letter of acceptance from an English school, proof of income to support my stay in Canada and a valid passport.

The challenges I faced.

In January 2020, I left my country and moved to Canada with high hopes. I wanted a fresh start and aimed to learn English. However, my English school closed in March 2020, just as the pandemic began. I found myself in lockdown, jobless, and unable to communicate in English. Moreover, the accommodation I arranged through an online app was a nightmare. When I arrived, I was put in a house with 20 people; instead of my shared room (2 people per room), I was brought to a basement room with three bunk beds sharing a room with five guys; all of us were somehow following misleading information. A week later, the landlord told me to pack and moved me to another house with fewer people at the beginning, but after a few months, we were between 18 and 20 again. I could not get a refund or complain because I lacked fluency in English. Living in Canada was challenging, and I watched my savings disappear. I had to cut back on my food and transportation expenses and concentrate my resources on paying rent. Finding suitable housing was also difficult because I needed proof of employment. This experience taught me many difficult lessons, including managing my emotions, dealing with frustration, and controlling my financial situation.

At the end of my hopes to remain in Canada, I stumbled upon an advertisement for an international student agency promoting studying programs in private colleges that could be paid for in small monthly installments. With the help of two friends from Mexico, I enrolled in one of these colleges and applied for a student visa, which also allowed me to obtain a work permit.

After the lockdown was lifted, I could complete my English courses and continue on my journey in Canada.

Living as an international college student

I was so excited to start my studies at ILAC International College. Still, I was so new to this new language that I was scared of being unable to understand the lecture, content, teacher, or classmates. I did not think I was ready for it. Still, after the first class, I noticed that, like me, many of my classmates shared the same concern; it was somehow helpful to see that I was not the only one with these challenges and that everyone was doing their best to succeed.?

My economic situation also changed. I was able to find a job, so I worked in many non-professional jobs that matched my tight school schedule, such as cleaning, housekeeping, and moving. Once again, I had to plan my spending and live under a tight budget to let me make some savings for my next plan after my college studies. I also had to keep taking courses to improve my English skills.

My first professional job.

I was told once that networking is vital. It is true. While in college, I worked a non-professional job with a Canadian family. The job position was just for just a few months. Then, I moved to work at a restaurant. In January 2022, the restaurant closed due to one of multiple lockdowns, and I was again unemployed. I was stressed and applying for numerous job positions with no success when my previous employer, from a non-professional job with a family, told me about a marketing position at his company. It was so exciting to finally get the chance to start a career in marketing. The job position was completely different from my previous professional experience. Still, it has been a great learning opportunity that showed me the path of what I want to do for a living.

Starting a postgraduate program.

I have always been interested in marketing. In fact, as a child, I used to practice selling techniques when helping my mother sell fruit in a fruit market. Just after getting my first job, I realized that digital marketing is something that I am passionate about. It is such a big field that I need help deciding what area of digital marketing I want to go to. So, I enrolled in a Digital Marketing Postgraduate program at George Brown College to learn about this field and hope that by the end of this program, I will know what path my professional career will take.

This is what my journey has brought me to today. I am excited about what will come in the future.

I appreciate you all reading the story of my life journey. If you enjoyed it, please follow this blog. I will share other incredible stories about exceptional international students from different countries striving to pursue their dreams.