A Journey of Love and Faith

This is my immigration story—someone from a small town whose dreams came true. A journey of hope, love, and faith.

"Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience - or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope." - Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility

Two Suitcases

In 2019, I packed my life into two suitcases and moved to Canada—alone. It was my first time navigating an airport in Bengaluru and flying on an airplane. I felt a mix of fear, joy, anticipation, thrill, and the excitement of the great unknown. I’m the first woman in my family to do something as crazy as this, but my family had faith in me and believed I was smart enough to figure things out. And I did.

With no family or friends waiting for me in Canada, I'd booked an Airbnb in Toronto’s notorious Jane and Finch area—I didn't know it was notorious, I booked it because it was cheap. Although nothing bad happened, I was fine—more than fine, actually. I still remember those first few days when I kept bumping into people on the sidewalks in Toronto. I was used to walking on the left side, while in Canada, everyone walks on the right.

Community and Kindness

I started attending a church nearby called Northminster Baptist Church. I was raised a Methodist, for context, but denominations do not matter to me. The church community welcomed me with open arms, and I made friends. One particular couple from the church, Ingmar Bitter and his beautiful wife, offered to rent me their guest bedroom when I was looking for a reliable long-term rental, as it was difficult to find a place in Toronto. Though I lived with them only for a few months before moving to Ottawa, we became friends and I will always be thankful to Ingmar and his family for their kind gesture. In 2023, they moved to Florida, USA, but I am still in contact with them—they’re a wonderful family.

To Ottawa

From 2020 to 2022, I worked for Ciena, a telecommunications and networking company, as an FPGA Verification Engineer. I moved to Ottawa in January 2020 to start this new position with Ciena. Just as I was settling into the new city and starting to build new connections, the pandemic hit in March 2020, disrupting everything. At this point, I was still new to Canada, having only been here for a few months.

Strangers Became Family

In 2021, I found solace in another church community—Resurrection Church, a Presbyterian church this time. There, I met another incredibly kind and welcoming retired couple, Trouborst Pieter and his wife G, who showed immense love to me—a stranger. Pieter and G, active church members and proud grandparents, have become family to me. Though we come from different worlds—I was born in India, and they’re Dutch from Holland—we formed a strong bond with our shared faith, love, and sense of humor. Now, I spend every Thanksgiving with them, in addition to several other dinner invites throughout the year—eet smakelijk. I’ve grown to appreciate two things–cheese and tulips!

Finding My Art

In 2022, I faced a setback when my employment with Ciena was terminated due to poor performance. My ego was hurt, and I felt lost. Pieter and G, were there for me, offering emotional support and helping me navigate my next steps. While discussing this with a former coworker from Amazon, Abhinov Bardan , I mentioned that I loved writing. Abhinov, being a very thoughtful person, suggested I look into Technical Writing, given my background in engineering. I loved the idea—it lit me up like a chandelier. That same year, I went back to school to study Technical Writing.

I realized that setbacks are a great opportunity to pause, reflect, realign, reinvent, and grow. I often wonder, was it really a setback or a blessing in disguise? Perspective.

The Making of a Canadian Writer

In 2023, two pivotal events significantly shaped both my career and my life: becoming a writer and a Canadian.

In 2023, I started working for Marvell Technology, a semiconductor company, as a Staff Technical Writer. It was an incredibly fast-paced environment with tons of work. I learned a lot more about writing and communication at Marvell, than I did in my entire life. Despite the tremendous learning and growth, the intensity took its toll. Working 10-hour days at the office, with a 40-minute drive each way, left me feeling burned out. In June 2024, I decided to quit my 6-figure job at Marvell Technology.?

In the same year, 2023, I became a citizen of Canada. This gave me a stronger sense of belonging and stability. I came to Canada as a Permanent Resident in 2019. You can apply for citizenship after 3 years of Permanent Residency. I applied for citizenship in 2022 and was invited for my swear-in ceremony in July 2023—the first time I sang "Oh Canada" and "God Save the King." On that note, did I already mention that I absolutely love Canada? It's big and beautiful, but most importantly, the people here are incredibly kind and polite!?

The Beginnings

In July 2024, I started my content consulting business—Keynote Copywriting. Although I will still be taking on full-time employment, I will also be building my business.

Over the years of living in Canada, I've carved my very own Canadian dream. It is to contribute meaningfully to society with my skills and to explore the great Canadian outdoors, along with many other beautiful things.??

There are many people I haven’t mentioned in this story who have supported me and continue to do so. I would need to write a book to cover all the acts of kindness I experienced in Canada—a project I might explore in the future. Thank you with all my heart for your love and acceptance. You make my life better and give me the strength to keep moving forward.?

I also experienced some heartbreaking personal events during this time, but that’s a story for another day. I am saying this to be as transparent as possible and not to paint an overly rosy picture of life in Canada. Despite these challenges, my life has only become better here.

With Love

To everyone who has been a part of my journey—through the good times and the challenging times—thank you. Even to those with whom I didn’t have the best start or a positive experience, I hope we can extend grace to one another. I’m grateful for the shared human experience and for each of you.

Here's to new stories, dreams, and friendships... cheers!