Immigrant Muse Podcast

When Hanita first came to Canada in 2015 as a tourist to visit her sister, little did she know she was going to meet her soulmate and begin the journey to happy-ever-after. Nine years later, she joins us on The Immigrant Journey to share her experience, the love and hate relationship she has had with Canada and her entrepreneurial adventures.

In this episode of the Immigrant Journey, Deniz Unsal, a Professor at the Royal Roads University shares her immigration and settlement journey. She especially talks about the importance of building community to feel a sense of belonging, and she shares some tips that have particularly helped in her journey. Do you want to be a guest on this show, please email info@immigrantmuse.ca.

On this episode of The Immigrant Journey, Mohit Verma shares his immigrant journey from India to Victoria, BC and how he fell in love with the city. Mohit exudes such positive energy, optimism and attitude of gratitude that you wonder if he has not had his share of struggles and challenges as an immigrant in Canada. His outlook on life is refreshing as he focuses on the positives and learns to get comfortable with the uncomfortable in his everyday life and encourages viewers to embrace the same attitude.

When Julieta unexpectedly gained admission and scholarships to come for her masters in Canada, she knew there had to be a higher purpose in this because this was not what she originally wanted. Even though she got frustrated with her studies barely two months into the program, she remembered her "why" and stuck through despite the loneliness and ego crush she experienced. In the years following her graduation, she has experienced more challenges, including a health challenge that resulted from what she calls "a silly accident" but she remains in Canada, staying focused on her goals despite the detours on her way. In this heartfelt chat, Julieta allows us to walk a mile in her shoes as she shares, the lessons she has learnt both from her own experience and those of other immigrants she has worked with.

When Halima Mela came to Canada 23 years ago, settlement and integration weren't nearly as easy as it is today, despite the challenges that still abound today. In this episode of the Immigrant Journey, Halima compares life as a Black immigrant in Canada 23 years ago to life as an immigrant today. Although diversity has improved today, she is sad to see that some of the challenges of over two decades ago still persist today. Halima emphasizes the importance of community in an immigrant's life. She calls on all immigrant communities as well as host communities to work together to eliminate barriers to immigrants' success, as it benefits everyone. This episode is dedicated to all Black Canadians in celebration of Black History Month.

Statistics show that minority kids are the major victims of bullying, as such it is important to have a conversation about this menace and collectively think of ways immigrant parents can prepare their kids to deal with bullying while providing adequate support. In this conversation, Diane shares her personal bullying experience and how disappointingly, her cousins are experiencing the same thing over a decade later. Yemi also shares her parental strategies that allow her stay involved in her kids' lives despite her busy schedule and how parent can provide ongoing support for their children. Visit immigrantmuse.ca to see a curated list of resources on dealing with bullying.

In this episode of The Immigrant Journey, Barry Vopnu shares his immigration and settlement journey that began as an international student 10 years ago, as well as his motivation for starting his company, Circle Up. Looking back on his journey, he wishes he could have invested more time into networking in his early days and shared networking tips for newcomers to Canada. What is your key takeaway from this episode?

Have you ever wondered why tax filing is such a big deal in Canada and what you can do to make filing your taxes less overwhelming? In this episode of the Immigrant Muse Podcast, Olajumoke Oni, an experienced accountant, helps us to understand the benefit of filing taxes, the importance of seeking professional help and tips to manage our documents efficiently in preparation for tax season, whether as a newcomer, lo9ng-term resident or a business owner. To find Tax Clinics in your neighbourhood, click here. To connect with Jumoke, follow her on Instagram @MoneyRedefined. Is there a topic you would like us to address on the show? Send us an email at info@immigrantmuse.ca.

On December 14, 2022, David Aloba, a five-year-old student of Samuel Burland School in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was bitten by a police dog when the Canine Division of the Winnipeg Police Department Visited his school. The boy was taken to the hospital, where he received multiple stitches to his lower lips from a plastic surgeon. Winnipeg Police reported the incident to the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba, which is obligated to investigate incidents involving the police. However, the unit decided not to investigate the incident because David's injury was not classified as 'Serious'. According to the unit's website, serious injuries involve a hospital admission, dismemberment or death. In an article published by CBC, an investigator from the unit, was quoted as saying that "although David was taken to the hospital, he was not admitted and that the unit could still carry out an investigation if there's enough public interest". In response, Mr and Mrs Aloba authorized NovaDOC African Community to release an online petition to gain public interest, and it received more than 3000 signatures in the first few days. How do David's parents feel about the incident and the way the authorities involved have handled it? What systemic changes do they want to see to avoid a reoccurrence? How can this incident psychologically impact David, his family and other community members? Legally, who should be held liable for damages? To answer these questions on this episode of the Immigrant Muse Podcast, we speak with Mr & Mrs Aloba, David's parents, Carole Sandy, a mental health therapist and anonymous lawyer. Prefer to read the article? Click here.

Many immigrants celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time in their life in Canada, as they struggle to find the right turkey recipe that looked Canadian yet delicious enough for their foreign taste buds. As they celebrate, they may have a few questions about the holiday such as the history of the celebration and its significance. We answer some of these questions at immigrantmusemagazine.ca. You can read the article or listen to it. Happy Thanksgiving!

At iMuse, we muse about everything that not only affects the successful integration and settlement of Canadian immigrants but also invite subject matter experts to share their knowledge with the aim of empowering immigrants with the right information and resources to make informed decisions in every area of their lives. Whether you are a first-generation Canadian citizen, permanent resident, international student, or temporary resident seeking a community of like-minded people who want to make the best of the opportunities available in Canada, then this the right place. We’ll muse about everything from family life to career and everything in-between. Don’t forget to subscribe and come back every week to hear us muse away, you just might learn a thing or two or get the inspiration to get started on the journey to the next chapter of your life!