The book that I have been waiting for has arrived. It’s titled ‘Coming to Canada: The Ultimate Success Guide for New Immigrants and Travelers’, written by Chidi Iwuchukwu. Owing to the ease with which intending immigrants are fleeced of their money by fraudsters posing as travel agents and other phoney names they’re addressed with, the author is in simple terms, telling those interested in immigrating to Canada that the process is too serious a task to be left in the hands of only travel agents. In other words, he is protecting readers, mostly intending immigrants from the pitfalls littering the way and also saving them huge costs.
Chidi, a young professional in the financial sector decided to relocate to Canada for the best reasons. But unlike others, he has equally decided to show others the path to follow and ways to avoid common and not so common mistakes usually encountered on the way. The book is easy to read and will not in any way confuse you. In short, all the possible questions you will likely ask in your quest to relocate were painstakingly itemized in chronological order.
The book comprises 10 chapters, each dealing with specific issues that will give you a safe passage from your home country to Canada. It guides you from what you need to do before departing your home country to what you will expect and experience in your first seven days in Canada. Other chapters give you insights on the strategies for success, how to search for jobs using different tested and proven methods, the Canadian work culture, marital relationship, parenting, home ownership to getting involved in community, leadership and politics, everything is laid bare. This is why you need to buy the book.
What Chidi offers Nigerians and others who desire to make the journey is gripping details of the processes, strategic planning and how best to execute such plans. He equally issues some warnings: Authorities in Canada do not believe your words of mouth. He tells you that you need to back them up with documented evidence. He explains further the type of documents you need to put in your bag both for you and your dependents before leaving for Canada as these documents will ensure a speedier and faster integration into the Canadian environment in areas such as jobs search, getting apartments, opening a bank account, enrolling your kids in schools etc.
He reminds you that you need to be alive to succeed in Canada; take care of your health, every other thing is secondary. Each chapter is loaded with information that will guide you at every turn.
The book also provides you with survival tips for the few days, weeks, months you will live in the country without a job. You definitely don’t want to be on the streets homeless or publicly begging for alms. He should have titled it: Your Bible/Qur’an to Canada.
The very last chapter of the book contains some chilling caveat: Relocating to Canada is a Disruptive Process. He draws your attention to one key characteristic that is consistent with Nigerians: The belief that it is business as usual. He is telling you, however, that it is a new order and goes the extra mile to provide solutions on how to deal with the culture shock that you will encounter in your new environment, the type of people you will likely encounter in your workplaces and best ways to deal with different challenges. I mean, Nigeria criminalizes LGBTQ but in Canada, they enjoy all the freedom. The culture shock will affect your ease of adaptation in Canada but how do you surmount those challenges? Read the book.
I strongly recommend reading this book to all intending immigrants and those who have already migrated but are lost on how best to adapt to their new environment.
Okenyi Kenechi writes from Enugu
