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NameHaris Estrada
Gendermale
Country of OriginEl Salvador
Destination CountryCanada
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When I decided come to live in Canada, I faced the fear of the unknown, starting from scratch in a country with a different language, a different climate and a long way from my family and friends; but, I decided to put aside sadness and nostalgia and meet life's challenges head on. I came to this country more than 13 years ago, when I was 25 years old, and just started my career as a professional. In El Salvador, access to employment was difficult and I had been waiting for a couple of months for a place as a radiologist in a Salvadoran Hospital, but the opportunity never came. This situation despaired me, because meant that so many years of study were useless. In those months, my mother raised the possibility of migrating to Canada as a resident. I had never considered living in another country before, but I felt that in El Salvador I could not make progress. I had a hard time at the beginning, because I had my dreams, the ones you had since childhood, studying, getting a good job, buying a house, helping my family. Here, things have not been easy, one of the main problems at the start was the language, and I thought I could speak English, but as soon as I got off the airplane, I knew I did not. My studies did not work either, although I tried to validate my degree, in college they told me that I had to start a career again. As I had to work I left my profession aside and dedicate myself to the construction, it was one of the hardest changes, going from an office job to a physical job, but I do not complain. Thanks to this job, I have been able to travel, to know many places and enjoy living conditions that would not have been there. When I think of El Salvador, it is inevitable to think about my friends, the beach, and coffee, but, above all, I think about my family. Here I learned the true value of the family; I think that if my mother did not live here and had not been from the beginning, I would not have endured being so far away. I brought my collection of coins that I started as a teenager, in high school. I thought that was the only thing of value he possessed. I imagined that here I would meet people from more countries and I assumed that I could increase my collection. Sometimes, when I feel that I do not belong to Canada, but I do not feel part of my country, then I talk to my sisters and my nephews and I see my collection and a couple of books that I brought with me and I find again the bond that unites me land. I do not know if I will return to El Salvador soon, but while I can help my family to get ahead, as a small way to repay what this country has given me.

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