“Welcome to Canada”

…says our Asian neighbour on the flight from Hong Kong. She lives in Toronto. “Welcome to Canada”, says the immigration officer. “Welcome to Canada”, says the Pakistan UBER driver who moved to Canada a year ago. “Welcome to Canada”, says the bus drivers, coffee baristas, Airbnb housemates, library host, shopping assistants and banker.

And we feel welcome. Welcome in a country where processes are designed to welcome new immigrants into society. Within 20 minutes after arrival we are “processed” by the friendly black Canadian man and our papers are sent off so that our Permanent Residency cards can be delivered to our house. After another few minutes we receive our SIN numbers – Social Insurance Number – from ‘n friendly Asian Canadian man. We also receive a book for new immigrants with helpful information regarding medical insurance, job centers, rental contracts, English and French lessons, car licence processes, schools etc. The Canadian customs officer that apologetically confiscates our last packet of biltong is delighted because he is also a Bekker and only knows other Beckers.

Our first morning in Toronto greets us very early and we go for a walk before rush hour traffic starts. There are no walls in front of the houses and no bars in front of the windows. People walk and jog, and large black squirrels dash between the trees. The motorists stop when we approach to cross the street. We drink a coffee at the drive-in coffee shop across the road and stare at the large pickup trucks that roar past. Except for all of that it almost looks a bit like Johannesburg, only they drive on the wrong side of the road.

The bus drivers are quick to give directions and asks us if we are South African – they know a few old South Africans. A man in a suit stops and asks if we need directions while we look lost on our way to a John Mayer concert. “Welcome to Canada” says the couple next to us in the ice hockey arena which doubles as a concert venue. The soulful familiar sound of John Mayer feels like a welcoming concert.

We meet David O’Leary and his wife Melony, whom Christiaan will be working with, and we get our first taste of a Canadian barbecue – yes, we had burgers. And it was burgers with a twist – Beyond Burgers – which are plant based meats and currently the hype in Canada.

We also spend a few days with friends in Stouffville, an hour’s train ride from downtown Toronto. They live on a smallholding, here called an acreage, and we enjoy the countryside and pine trees that stretch out from beyond Toronto City. Our friends mention that they often have raccoons (what!) around their property and even had a run in with a black bear one evening. Luckily there’s no grizzlies – that will have to wait for Alberta. We drive to Niagara Falls and experience the jaw dropping wonder of the Niagara river rushing over the 51 meter drop at 2400 cubic meters per second (which means it’s big and pretty 🙂 )

The next morning we are off to the airport for our journey to Calgary, Alberta – home of the Stampede, Rodeos, the Rocky Mountains, grizzly bears, the Flames ice hockey team and hopefully our new home as well.

Do we feel at home in Canada yet? No, it might still take a while. But we feel welcome, very welcome.