Yesterday evening I attended a meeting of newcomers to Nanaimo. Sitting beside me was a very nice lady who asked me where I came from and as usual, because of my accent, I explained that I was here from Edmonton but originally from the Greater London area of England. Excitedly, she asked “Oh, did you […]
Tag: immigration
Optimistic Migrations and Unpredictable Outcomes
These two books about migrations within America and to America have given me a lot to think about. They go beneath the surface and find both heartwarming and unsettling consequences. The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson Between 1915 and 1970 six million Black Americans fled the South for cities in the North and […]
Newcomers Build Churches Part 3
Apparently, this part of Edmonton was once in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the greatest number of churches. I cannot prove this because I can’t find that record on their website, but I believe it. I have been photographing the churches within a one-mile walking distance from my house and so far […]
Newcomers Build Churches Part 2
I have previously posted some pictures of the many churches in my neighbourhood that are representative of the many different nationalities and faiths of the people who originally populated, and currently live in, Edmonton. Here are a few more.
Immigrants are Us
If you are watching the news and thinking we should keep out immigrants, please have a chat with your friends and neighbours. Most, if not all of them, are or were immigrants, or they have ancestors who were immigrants. Immigrants are us. When I see crowds of people waving signs or chanting to build walls […]
They Were Allowed to Simply Leave
Those white supremacists who fear that they are losing their place at the top of the social heap just proved to the world how their place is still safe. They can do things and say things in a public setting that no person of colour could ever imagine doing without going to jail. That is […]
Going Through Credentialization: An Immigrant Meets Red Tape
A few days ago, a new immigrant to the USA told me that she was confused about the advice she had been given. She arrived here last July from India, and would like to obtain work in her field and to take university courses online. Her English is very good with only a few minor […]
Alien Nation Alienation
The other day I was chatting with an Uber driver and she told me that she had come to America from West Africa four years ago. When I asked her if she liked being here, she hesitated. Then she said that she is happy here now, but at first it was very hard because too […]