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As a refugee, I hated Canada until one specific night. Now I see…
As a refugee, I hated Canada until one specific night. Now I see this as a stage in a journey
By Syn Amanuel
Two years after Syn arrived as a refugee in Canada, she returned to Africa to get married and to visit the rest of her family, who were refugees in Sudan. She told everyone who asked that she hated Canada – the winter and how difficult life was – until one specific night, when her brother came to wake her in the courtyard at 3 a.m. [1]
“Wake up, we need to get inside.” [2]
“But I want to sleep outside where I can breathe freely.” [3]
“Not tonight, a sand and dust storm is approaching.” [4]
They rushed into the one tiny room where her mother and two brothers were living. The wind started to blow furiously outside in the small, dirt compound. Inside, they sat in darkness with the windows shut and without even electricity to power a fan. The sound of rain outside was just blowing sand. She felt like she was buried alive. [5]
When morning finally arrived, all Syn wanted was to pour water over her head, but that wasn’t available either. And the thermometer read 50 C, the maximum it could register. Miserable, she sat under a tree in the compound. In that moment, the strangest thing happened – she actually wished for what she hated most. Winter! [6]
Syn longed for the snow of Canada and finally realized that as difficult as things were in Canada, they were far better than what her family faced in Sudan. [7]
She didn’t know it then, but she’s since learned there are specific stages that many refugees go through, similar to the stages of grief. The first is a honeymoon phase, with a sense of relief and accomplishment for having made it to a safe country. Then reality kicks in with Stage 2, a stage of grief and hardship. [8]
“When you are a refugee, you are a nobody. You’ve lost your identity. Everything that you once believed to be true and familiar is jeopardized and you’re rebuilding a life from scratch.” [9]
In 2001, Syn and her sister left Eritrea and were two of the first Eritreans to arrive in Saint John. Although the local community was incredibly kind, they had little idea how to help them. They learned by trial and error and had to open many cans and bottles to taste if it was close to what they were accustomed to eating. Syn has lasting scars from frostbite on her legs, from when she didn’t understand how to protect herself. [10]
Syn was working two full-time jobs to support herself and her family back home. She worked overnight shifts as a health care aide. Her colleagues assumed she would sleep during the day, but that’s when she worked at Tim Hortons. [11]
She thought she knew basic English but was lost when customers ordered a “double-double,” and the term “feeling blue” seemed completely unrelated to emotions. [12]
Syn felt exhausted, overwhelmed. Only the support of her faith community kept her going. Meeting with her spiritual family three times a week brought her a sense of belonging in all of the pain. [13]
The third stage in many refugee journeys is adaptation and acceptance. For those first two years, this seemed distant and unattainable. She wasn’t even trying. Until the night that she experienced the sandstorm in Sudan. [14]
It was Syn’s wake-up call, prompting her to reconsider her mindset. When she got back to Canada, life was still difficult but that spark of gratitude helped Syn transition into the recovery phase. It took roughly six years, but she slowly grew comfortable with the new country and culture. She moved to Hamilton, and took a one-year diploma course in medical administration, which opened the door to a better job. [15]
Her husband arrived and they moved to Calgary. They were able to buy a house, and the city is so culturally diverse, she no longer felt like an outsider. Plus, the rest of her family was able to come. That took 10 years but finally her brothers, sister and parents all live together in the same city again. [16]
Today, Syn can look back and see those stages in her journey. She’s seen these stages in the lives of other refugees as well. For 15 years, she’s been volunteering to help settle newly-arrived refugees and is now doing so in a professional capacity as a licensed immigration consultant. [17]
Many people get shocked by the scale of the challenges they still face. Syn wants to share her story to give them hope, to tell them they won’t always feel like a refugee. Canada welcomed her with open arms 22 years ago, whether she could appreciate it or not. Today she’s giving back to the community in her work and volunteer life. [18]
It’s been a long journey but now Canada is Syn’s home, even though she still hates winter. [19]
Syn Amanuel · for CBC First Person · Posted: Jul 23, 2023 Adapted from: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/syn-amanuel-first-person-refugee-1.6892865
Glossary:
jeopardized [9] put into a situation in which there is danger or failure
frostbite [10] injury to skin because of exposure to extreme cold
“double-double,” [12] a way to order coffee with two creams and two sugars
overwhelmed [13] strong emotions when something feels too much to manage
Part A: Vocabulary
Fill in the sentence blanks with appropriate words. These words are found in the box located below. These words can also be found in the article you just read for this test. Not all words will be used. Words should only be used one.
When choosing words, please understand that you may need to change the word form in order to accurately complete each sentence.
approach
transition
grief
share
furious
volunteer
specific
assume
rebuilding
journey
1. The students were _Furious______________ when the professor gave them a surprise test worth 50% of their grade.
2. It is an important lesson for children to learn to _Share______________ their toys with their brothers and sisters.
3. The photographer carefully and quietly _Approach__________ the birds so they wouldn’t fly away.
Part B: Comprehension, True OR False
Read the statement below. It is based on the reading.
a) If the statement is true, circle “True” = 1 mark.
b) If the statement is false, circle “False” = 0.5 mark. Then, correct the false statement to make it true = 0.5 mark. (Rewrite the sentence in a way that makes it “True”.)
1. All refugees to Canada are required to work 2 jobs.
True or False?
False
Your answer:
Not all refugees to Canada are required at work 2 jobs.Syn Amanuel worked two full-time jobs , but this is not a requirement for all refugees.
Part C: Comprehension Questions
Answer the following questions in 1, 2, or 3 grammatically correct sentences.
Use your own words. Do not copy from the reading.
1. Study paragraph 18 in the reading. What is the main idea that is being discussed in this paragraph? Remember to use your own words when answering this question.
2. Study paragraph 14 of the reading. The first sentence says “The third stage in many refugee journeys is adaptation and acceptance.” What is the author trying to say with this part of the paragraph?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
D. Paragraph Writing
Choose ONE of the following topics and write 5-7 sentences. Remember to write in complete sentences and to use correct verb tenses.
Indent the first sentence of your paragraph.
Begin each statement with a capital letter and end it with a period. If it is a question, end it with a question mark.
Use signal words, such as first, then, after, finally.
Develop your paragraph with three points.
Use correct paragraph form. Use a variety of sentences: simple, complex, and compound sentences.
In your answer document, please clearly indicate which part and question you are answering (e.g. “Part D, #1”).
Your topic: (1 or 2) # _____
1. The author describes stages that she believes refugees go through. Identify and explain the differences between these stages.
OR
2. How did the author’s trip to her homeland affect her?
