Succeeding From the Margins of Canadian Society: A Strategic Resource for New Immigrants, Refugees, and International Students. Francis Adu-Febiri

every immigrant who rails at the system and complains about how terrible Canada is, you might find another who seems, at least on the surface, to have found the secret to his own personal success within the very same system that is cutting others off at the knees. Rather than getting stuck within one’s community it may be a good idea to seek ideas from different sources. Some immigrant groups have done quite well because they share critical information with people in their circle, thus saving newcomers years of headache. In seeking information, talk to both those who have had challenges and those who have succeeded. Sometimes they’ll be one and the same. It is probably better though to steer clear of those who see no light at the end of the tunnel. Talk to those who have been able to achieve their goals and find out what they may have done to put their dreams and goals on course in spite of roadblocks. Talk with Canadians from different backgrounds; some will go out of their way to help you.

      Collect brochures, newsletters, and other pieces of information, and take the time to read them as they may hold key pieces of information that could fill in for you the puzzles and perplexities of being a new immigrant.

       Be Decisive

      Some immigrants just go with the flow. They accept whatever life throws at them. In some cases, this works quite well. A series of happy coincidences can land someone where he or she wants to be. But one cannot always count on such coincidences. Is it not better to have a solid plan, albeit one that is flexible enough that it can accommodate any interesting detours? For some, working in a factory is the way to go. If they are fortunate enough to land a job in the field of their choice then all that is left is working as hard as they can and advancing through the ranks. But how far can you go on that route? For others, self-employment is the key. In this regard, the range of possibilities is immense. While some are able to transmute business skills into success in Canada, for others, it is necessary to continue the process of learning. Such knowledge can be acquired not only from the Internet but also from books, community colleges, and various government agencies. For still others, however, the best strategy may be committing to an academic path.

      Part II of this book provides some tried and tested strategies that can help you succeed in your academic career. More than that the skills presented will help you develop critical thinking skills, which can be beneficial in the world outside of academia. Make it a point to read and reread Part II with a highlighter in hand.

      Now, if one makes it one’s goal to be truly well informed it is possible to acquire information to no end. In life we are presented with an array of choices, some good, others bad. We continually have to decide what to do with the plethora of choices we face. And not making a decision also constitutes a decision. It is only by taking the time to reflect on one’s needs that one can make the proper decisions in life. If we come to the decision to do something with our lives, we are energized to direct our activities and to take the necessary steps that would take us inexorably to that end. But we have to decide. Is going to school the best decision we can take now? Or is it better to work for a few years and save some money before taking that step? And if going to school is the goal, which type of school do we want to attend? Can we afford to go back and forth to school? Or are we better off taking a correspondence course? At some point, and the sooner the better, after gathering information, we need to decide what to do with our lives. If we have been well informed it is possible that the direction we take may differ from what we might have considered before coming to Canada. It is also possible that the information we glean from our research would confirm the wisdom of our original plan. Making our decision on a foundation of information rather than whim would make us rest easy as we go about doing what it takes to get us where we want to reach in life.

       Take Action

      Have you ever had the opportunity to watch a boxer in training for a bout? Okay, if boxing is not up your alley, what about a sprinter or for that matter any serious sportsperson. An athlete who is serious about winning understands the necessity for daily practice. The Japanese have a saying: Keizoku wa chikara nari, which translates to: Persistence is power. Action, therefore, need not be a matter for the moment only but one that is continual. Thus, an athlete might wake up every morning long before the sun is up to practice for several hours. This may be fun in itself but it may also be gruelling, raising periodic doubts as to the wisdom of embarking on what may seem like an elusive quest; and yet the determined person presses on, day after day after day, knowing that the payoff would come handsomely on the day of competition. If you have decided to go to school, do you see the goal of achieving your degree or diploma in the same light as the Olympic-bound athlete? And are you willing to press your pants to the chair and study for several hours each day as part of the preparation towards the achievement of your goal?

      Or what if you are unemployed and your immediate goal is to get yourself a job. What kinds of actions are you willing to take each day towards the achievement of your goal? If you feel discouraged at the kind of responses you are getting, do not forget that an athlete in training for a competition may not come out of every training session feeling as good as gold. And yet she presses on. Burn the idea of the need to take continual action into your mind; let it rest on a foundation of informed decision making and the struggle towards personal achievement is already half won.

       Operate From a Position of Knowledge

      Lack of knowledge creates hesitancy. An army that does not know the capabilities of its opponents might overestimate the enemy’s strength and hold back from making the critical attack. Canada is one of those countries where one can easily be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information available. Almost every piece of information you want has been filed somewhere ready for you to access. Your starting point may be the phone. Practice GOTT: Get On The Telephone. A few carefully placed phone calls are likely to get you whatever information you need. And of course, the Internet is another useful source of information. In some cases, however, it is not enough to practice GOTT. You also have to practice GOYA: Get Off Your Ass (Kennedy 2000). This applies whether you are looking for a job, applying for entry to university, seeking scholarship funds, or thinking of starting a business. The personal contacts you build in the community can all contribute towards the achievement of your goals. It is an illusion that what you know will always get you where you want to go. Unfortunately, sometimes whom you know is just as important as what you know. So get with it – build your contacts. But as you learn from others remember that sometimes in order to get you have to give. So do not be stingy with sharing with others knowledge that you might have accumulated, whether in a particular subject area, experience from traveling or even elements of your culture. There is no better way to build bridges and connections with people than to share with them aspects of your culture – in particular with those who show genuine interest.

       Take the High Road

      Perhaps out of frustration or under the influence of misguided “friends,” some immigrants find themselves on the wrong side of the law. This does nothing to further the goals for which you might have come to Canada. It is difficult to put your plans into motion when you are behind bars. And make no mistake, no matter how benign you might think you are, there are times when you might be provoked into doing something stupid. For example, how do you react when someone calls you by an ethnic slur? How do you react when people run away from you though in your mind there is no reason for them to? How do you react when people refuse to rent you an apartment or a house? If you have some creative ways of challenging people to come to their senses without resorting to violence all power to you. As a new entrant you might profit from finding out from those who have been around a little longer, what the best course of action is in situations that seem unusual or puzzling to you. You do not want to contribute to whatever negative images people in the mainstream might have of people from your particular background. Do you hear the word restraint? A word to the wise, as the saying goes, is enough.

CHAPTER FOURBARRIERS TO MINORITY SUCCESS: ETHNOCENTRISM

       In the eyes of the world, Canada is an open, tolerant country that does a remarkably good job of accommodating newcomers. In our own eyes – and those of recent immigrants