London was not on the radar of Jacqueline and her family when she first looked at coming to Canada. The typical Vancouver and Toronto options were weighed, and as her husband wanted to continue studying, they eventually decided on London. Coming from a city with a population of six million people, Jacqueline was looking to escape the fast-paced, ever moving lifestyle that she was raised in, and find a good environment to raise their children. Jacqueline explains that she was looking for opportunities where people don’t discriminate.
“We fell in love with the country and my entire family moved to Canada.” She remains impressed by how cultured Canadians are. “A Canadian is someone who is very empathetic, who seeks to understand and look at the deeper issues or the deeper value of things. Canadians are not as quick to judge, not arrogant in comparison to neighbours and subtly patriotic. Being Canadian is also about acceptance.”
In 2007, she was forced her to give up her work after becoming very ill. As a hardworking individual, it was tough to have to lose that part of herself, and she took three years to grieve over it. Eventually, she decided if she was not able to remain in her work environment, she would make her neighbourhood her work environment, and began volunteering. “The last 10 years have been such a period of personal growth. I’ve learned that when one door closes another one does open. You may just not know it or you may have to wait but it does open for you and there’s more to life than the four walls of a building; work can come in different ways.”
Jacqueline pushed herself out of her comfort zone, and as a new immigrant she thinks that’s just what you have to do. You have to be willing to put yourself out there, as success comes in different forms. She says that she’s never been happier than in the position she is in now.
“The big differences are that I feel that what I do [now] is out of my heart, out of passion and of interest. I’m not giving for a pay cheque but I am on a mission to change the attitudes towards volunteers; volunteering is a Canadian way of life.”
Jacqueline’s favourite part of Canadian culture: is the culture of giving back and volunteering.

After escaping the bad situation in Syria, in order to better the future of his family, Basel spent three years in Lebanon completing the interview process to relocate. After one year of interviews with the UNHCR, followed by a year of interviews at the Canadian Embassy, Basel was sent to London.
He was notified one year prior to departure that he would be relocated to Canada and on arriving at the Montreal Airport he found out that he would be going to London. Basel’s sister and her children are still in Syria along with his mother.
“I was sponsored by a church who helped me with everything. Now, for me they are like family.” Basel is very thankful for the way they have taken care of him and helped him during the transition to London; they picked him up from the airport, rented an apartment, and overall made everything easier.
With his passion for food, Basel now works at a food store, as well as catering for small events on the side. The church started selling his food and he made $1,500 in a day, and his business only grew from there. The church offered Basel use of their kitchen for his business. He used to cook on ships and in restaurants back in Syria, and overall he enjoys cooking Middle Eastern food and desserts.
To Basel, being Canadian means a lot. Mostly, being supportive to the community is what defines Basel as a proud Canadian. His message to newcomers to London: “It’s nice, safe, and everything is good here… I like London a lot. It’s a good city. It’s quiet, a lot of greenery, friendly people… It will be different for the first months but when they get used to it, I’m sure they will be very happy here.”

Myrian came to Canada in 2002 with very little information about the country and no knowledge of English.
Moving from Bogota, the capital of Colombia, to London was a drastic change. Upon arriving in London, a sense of safety was immediately evident to Myrian. A place so safe that even children could play in the streets with no worries. She grew to love the community she now calls home, commending it as a great place to raise a family.
The move to London had its fair share of challenges. Learning English became an immediate task. Myrian recognized that knowing the language was essential: not only to obtain a job, but also to integrate into her new community.  Obtaining her Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) was the next priority. Within months of moving to London, she was inspired by her daughter to start volunteering. Volunteering helped Myrian and her family understand the culture in London and was a way of giving back.
Today, Myrian works as an employment counsellor where she continues to give back to her community and other immigrants. Her advice to newcomers is simple, take time to learn where you are, give back, and you will always find a helping hand. Pay it forward.

Aaron emigrated from China in 2000. Upon arriving in Canada, Aaron and his wife resided in Woodstock, then moved to London following his wife’s acceptance at Western University.
London was the perfect city for Aaron as it was safe, and not too big or too small. The friendly local community atmosphere contrasted to big cities he had visited. Being located in a region close to many of his customers, London also proved to be an excellent base for the software business he started in 2006.
Aaron and his wife appreciate London for what it is. London’s excellent healthcare system helped them welcome their first son in 2003. He also praises the education system as well as the friendliness of the community. These are just some of the reasons Aaron thinks London is a great city to raise his family.
Aaron appreciates the excellent operating base that London offers his company. In turn, he gives back to the community by providing software grants, offering internships and employing Fanshawe and Western students. He encourages other employers to recognize and avail of the large talent pool of recent graduates from local universities and colleges.
Aaron sees the city as a place with lots of potential, plenty of good jobs for newcomers and an excellent place to start a business. He advises immigrant entrepreneurs to connect with the London Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) to access their resources.