Miracle in Mariupol: Update from Canada
Many of you will remember the harrowing story of Sasha and Nadia, and their two sons, Vlad & Dima. The family contacted me from Canada with an update.
If you don’t remember the family’s story of their escape from Mariupol, which they shared with me in Vienna last August (nearly one year ago!), please read this post first: Miracle in Mariupol.
On August 1st I received a text message, “hi Tanja, this is Sasha and Nadia, from Mariupol, you wrote about our family, I hope you remember us! I didn’t write you for a long time because when we arrived in Edmonton, Canada, I was immediately busy with a huge number of tasks — finding housing, work, schools, etc. To be honest, it was really hard, because neither Nadia nor I were able to find employment in our professions, our diplomas are not recognized in Canada. Therefore we found what jobs we could, we signed the kids up for school, and are renting an apartment. We have begun to help other Ukrainian families who are arriving to our little city, St. Albert…We remember every single person who helped us on our way to Canada!”
Naturally, I asked Sasha for more details, and said how happy I was to hear from them. Sasha left me a 15-minute long voicemail, the contents of which I will paraphrase for you here. I should point out that after everything that happened to his family and his hometown (Sasha lost both his mother and his brother in Russia’s bombardment of Mariupol), Sasha now as a matter of principle only uses Ukrainian in group chats, etc, but for me he makes an exception, and writes me in the kindest, friendliest Russian. I know this is a sign of respect, for which I am grateful, as I still sometimes have to put Ukrainian messages into Google translate just to make sure I understood everything.
Sasha, in his own words:
“Sorry it took me a while, I was busy again, please accept my apologies. I’ll start with the beginning. On 19 November 2022, we flew to Edmonton via Toronto. We made a stop in Toronto and applied for permits there first. We were flying to a host family which we found online while we were still in Austria (reader: the family spent several months in a frankly pretty awful dorm — a former office building with showers in a container outside and residents were “fed” — in Vienna’s 10th district, run by the BBU, Austria’s federal agency for refugee management). Actually, the host family found us, thanks to the article you wrote about us on your blog. Your blog post really helped us, and so many people read it, I would like to thank you again for that.
They met us at the airport, and they lived about 14 kilometres outside of Edmonton, a small city called St. Albert. We arrived, we were afraid of how cold it might be, but it was ok, maybe -7C or -8C. So we didn’t freeze. Our first impression, the first morning when we went for a walk after we woke up, was just like out of an American film. Streets. Houses. It was really like a movie! I made a video and sent it to my friends, and all my friends agreed — WOW! Then on Tuesday we started with the paperwork. In principle, it was all fast. SIM card, bank account, ID number. We did it all quickly, within a few days.
What was hard was the job search. It’s not that we were upset, but we were slightly shocked that Canada does not recognise not only Ukrainian but any diplomas not issued in Canada. They have to be “approved”, and that is a whole process, and as I talked to people, asked Canadians, yes, they said, it is really hard. So Nadia, who is a nurse by training, trained for operating rooms, she cannot work now as a nurse, she would have to re-qualify in Canada. That would require a really high level of English knowledge, a lot more than ‘my name is Nadia’ (Sasha giggles). So she is now working three jobs part-time for minimum wage. It is hard to find a full-time job.
What we immediately noticed: the nature of course. It is out of this world. Amazing. And the people. Like you, and all the Canadians we have met are super, super, super friendly people. Maybe we got lucky. We have really met only fantastic people. Only a handful who were not that friendly. But in general, Canada’s gold are its nature and its people.
What is also phenomenal, we also looked for housing, which is a big challenge. We finally found a two-bedroom apartment, and other families, Canadians, they helped us furnish the entire place, you cannot imagine! Knives, plates, forks, a microwave, we were so emotional — they completely filled out apartment. We kept crying from happiness, we could not believe it. That people could simply help like that. We are still friends. What amazing people. We could never have bought it all ourselves even second hand or in garage sales. At the moment we only had the first government support money. It was such a help.
About the weather, it wasn’t too cold this winter, a few days of below -30C, but even though Canadians said the winter was “mild”, we had snow, freezing, such beautiful clean white snow. I liked it. The hardest part is of course public transportation. Buses are really not developed properly out here. In Edmonton they have the same problem but not as bad. The bus comes once an hour. So without a car it is really impossible, for those who don’t have a drivers license. But in the big picture that is not such a problem, it is safe here, and Canada really tries to help Ukrainians get started here. Yes, it is hard when you cannot work in your profession. So some people do give up and go back to Ukraine, those who have a home to return to, or to Europe. After we settled in, I also got a job, not in my profession, I found entry-level work in the oil & gas industry.
So once we both had jobs, we started to think, we received so much help, now it is our turn to help others. So I started my own Telegram channel, and then Canadians found out about me, that I am helping Ukrainians. So now people can ask questions, find furniture donations, etc. I think we have to help people because it is really hard at first especially for those who do not know English yet. I knew English, this made it so much easier. We have to help newcomers as translators because they cannot manage at first. They sign up for English classes, but sometime after one, two, three months, they pack up and say we are going to go home. That’s the reality, unfortunately. Many people like lawyers, doctors, engineers cannot find their place here. They had a status in Ukraine, and here they cannot work except to start from zero. My wife and I are over 40, and I see how it is hard for those our age, but you have to fight, no one promised that it would be easy. So many are trying, and those who give up, they go home.
For the kids it’s all totally different. We immediately enrolled our eldest in high school. You cannot imagine! In one month the high school moved into a new building, you cannot imagine how cool it is. So progressive. Brand new building. So Vlad has been attending since November. Dima goes to school literally five minutes away from our house, he can walk there. Our balcony looks out on the school doors. We can watch him walk there. So that’s great. No problems with school.
Here in Canada we really feel the support of Ukraine. The flags are everywhere. On balconies. There are many events and info sessions. We are so grateful for this support. We can feel the country supports Ukraine.
In the big picture, was it the right choice? Yes, I think so. Canada is a huge country with so many opportunities. The only issue is our age. Will we manage to establish careers here? Well, if not us, our kids definitely will. It’s all in their hands. There are opportunities here, and the future for the kids is here.
So that’s it, basically, in summary. I would like to add that you have to believe, and move forward, not taking a step back. I see how other nationalities come here and are also fighting for their futures, not only Ukrainians.
Yes, there is legal marijuana here and we were a bit shocked by the drug use in the downtowns of big cities. But we live in a little town and don’t see that here. We ride our bikes around, there are many lakes here, ducks, geese, rabbits, even coyotes. It is wonderful to live next to nature.
I think you probably already forgot about us! But you were probably busy with all your work. We remember every single person who helped us to get here, and are so thankful. A huge thanks, if you write, please tell them all again how grateful we are. It was only with your help that we were able to get to Canada and reach our goals that we set for ourselves.”
I just finished leaving Sasha and his family a voice message, thanking them for sharing the continuation of their story. I also got a bit sad while typing this, especially when writing about the kids, because I cannot say the same across the board about Ukrainian kids here in Austria. They will not all be able to navigate the educational system because it is set up with many roadblocks to non-native speakers by design. But that is the difference between Canada and old Europe. One country looks towards the future, understanding that it needs immigration. The other, without a clear vision of a multi-national future and a pathological fear of change and newcomers, holds onto the past, in all senses of that word.
When I met with Sasha and Nadia last August in a Vienna Starbucks, it was an emotional conversation. Nadia cried, I got teary. I didn't know at the time that my blog post would actually help the family to make useful connections and help them get to Canada, but I am so grateful that it did. The past year and a half has really completely revived my faith in human-to-human help, neighbours helping neighbours, strangers helping strangers. Much less so my faith in state and NGO organisations, but that is another story. As I said to Sasha, Canada is an excellent choice for those who know English and are prepared to work hard and move forward. Europe perhaps better suits those who want to try to tread water on a limited budget of government aid and hope to go home as soon as they can.
My only question which I asked Sasha and will update here with was about healthcare in Canada, their impressions so far…
EPILOGUE:
Sasha left me a detailed voice mail to answer my question about their impressions of healthcare in Canada, so far. I paraphrase:
“It is an interesting question. On the positive side, we, as Ukrainians, were offered special government vouchers entitling us to see dentists, for both kids and adults, and treat what needs to be treated, including braces. This is something that even surprised our Canadian friends, as dentistry can be expensive and must be paid for out of pocket in many cases.
We did find it challenging to find a family doctor. We searched for six months to find a doctor who could take our family on as patients. In the meantime, if someone got sick, you have to go to a walk-in clinic or the ER, and in those places there are long waits for everyone — irregardless of wealth or status. Everyone waits. We have friends whose child was running a 40C fever, they headed to one of these clinics, the child fainted while waiting, and still she was not prioritised. In the end they gave up and went home and treated the fever themselves with medicine they had brought with them from Ukraine.
There are no private clinics. So you have to go, and wait, but after waiting several hours you do get seen by competent staff and do not have to pay for anything. Unlike in Ukraine, here in Canada you cannot walk into a pharmacy and buy whatever medicine you think you need. So you have to see a doctor to get a prescription. When my wife needed something, this involves a bus ride to the clinic (everything is built assuming you have a car), or you have to ask someone to drive you. In the clinic she waited two hours to be seen, then she had to pick up the medicine at a pharmacy, in all it was 3 hours and 20 minutes to diagnose something relatively common and receive treatment.
For more serious operations, we have been told by Canadians, everyone face a long wait. We know someone who needed eye surgery and was given a waiting time of six months. But treatment is free. And it is good. You do notice at all medical clinics that staff seem overworked and understaffed. Everyone is friendly, but it looks like they need more people.
Therefore my answer to your question about medicine is not so straightforward. There are complexities.”
Sasha then left me a follow-up message:
“Tanja, I would like to add that after you wrote about us the first time, many Canadians read our story, and they told me that it made them realise what is really important in life, to look at their own lives in a new light. Family, health, that is what really matters. Homes, money, those things can be replaced. I think in sharing our story you helped many people here in Canada reevaluate how they look at their own lives.”
Tanya we are one of the families who have helped the Perliks settle into their new lives in St. Albert. Literally it was love at first site. We felt an instant connection and that has grown into a family-like relationship over the past 9 months. Alberta is home to almost 10% of Ukrainian Canadians so many of us Albertans have Ukrainian roots. We have been sharing in many of the Perliks' challenges as they navigate through all of our somewhat complicated and confusing systems (mostly our government bureaucracy). We are learning so much about ourselves, our non-questioning and very accepting nature which is foreign to our Ukrainian friends. We have had many intense discussions about why we are the way we are and are left with more questions than answers. We feel blessed that your original article has brought Nadiia, Sasha, Vlad and Dyma to our community and I want to thank you for that. We are hoping that the next months and years will be kind to them as they so deserve it.
Thanks Tanja-- This story would resonate with many of the listeners on @MriyaReport, as they are Canadian or have Canadian ties.