On Tue, Oct 1, 2013 at 10:00 AM, Marcelo Cavalcante <[email protected]>wrote:
> 2013/10/1 Nicholas Accad <[email protected]>: > > Marcelo; > > > > Yes, this is a reality even for IT, or at least, it was for me when I > packed > > my bags and left 4 years ago. > > > > So where are you now? And where are you from? > > At the same time I see people saying this kind of thing (as in the > article I sent you) I can also see many people, including from my > country (Brazil), saying that it's hard at the beginning, but it gets > easier with time. As you start to get some fluence on french, and some > "canadian experience", you can start to "normalize" your life in > there. > > But thanks for your answer. > > Right now, I'm in Toronto, I'm from Egypt originally, moved to Montreal in 2000 and left in 2009. I spoke French at home before I spoke my "native" Arabic, I graduated from a French school, I did advanced studies in commercial and scientific French in the French consulate in Egypt, hell, my high school certificate is signed by the french minister of education. I was told, on more than one occasion, that I am not "french" enough. Was it racism, was it just bad luck? I have no idea. The one thing I know is that the French community in Toronto welcomed me with open arms, and because I am a francophone minority here, I get front of the line services, oh god, you speak 3 languages? Let's move you up the career ladder, we need people like you. Again, this is my personal experience, however, it was enforced when a very "quebecker" friend of mine moved out of Montreal because of the political situation, and again, when one of the managers here moved over as well, The guy is so french he's dripping maple syrup. Some people don't find this a problem at all, but when you drive in downtown Hamilton (Toronto suburb) and all the cars have Habs (The Montreal Hockey Team) stickers and half your neighbours talk to you in french, you start thinking, something is off here. I hope you land in Montreal and find yourself a lair, Montreal is amazing, and I would return there in a heartbeat except for the political crap. Good luck -nick
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