English

“Overcome your barriers, intend the best, and be patient.” Jack Canfield

Can we build a house starting from the roof? Of course NOT. We need to build the foundation to support the house. Here is the same process. If we think of it as our home, English language fluency is the foundation of the house; and relationships and career are everything else, such as a kitchen, bedrooms, and all the other rooms.

How can someone survive without speaking English in Canada? Well, some people can, but they just speak their native language, and they talk to people who speak the same language. I think, that is not a good living because they are not integrated into Canadian society. Learning English was the first and the biggest barrier for me. To learn a new language as an adult is a big challenge. Sometimes there is no spare time to study, and of course, family and work are priorities, but if you need to study, you should discover a solution to find time for it, and never give up.

So, the lack of language fluency affected my social relationships.  When we do not have a good command of the language, we cannot express ourselves properly.  The limitation of communication becomes bigger than feelings. Sometimes, I like the person, and I want to make a conversation, but when I try to communicate, I feel ashamed because I am afraid to say something wrong, and the person can laugh at me. How many people did not say anything, just because they were afraid to make mistakes? If you are not fluent in English, your performance is affected in all aspects of your life, for example, when you go to see the doctor, go shopping or travelling. An immigrant misses the mother tongue and all the friends and family they left behind. It is hard to make friends as an adult and more difficult when friends speak a different language.

Another barrier, no less important than others explained above, was that I faced a difficulty of obtaining meaningful employment in a different country. This one is a consequence of the lack of English too. Of course, a person that speaks English perfectly will find a better job, and that would be an open door to a professional success. What employer would give a job to someone who does not speaks English fluently? My mom always says “Those who know less – work harder”; she means that people with poor education normally have to work harder. They just need an opportunity to improve their skills, to find a better job, or they just like their jobs and do not want to change. In my case, I was a Social Worker in Portugal. If you ask me if I miss my job, for sure my answer will be YES! Many people ask me why I did not have my diploma recognized and start a Social Worker career in Canada. Well, it is not an easy process but it is something possible. I would like to be a professional here, but first I need to improve my English skills and after that, I will be ready to proceed and complete all the evaluation process of my international degree. Step by step without rush.

I can conclude by saying that English language fluency has been my biggest challenge in Canada. Language fluency is the basis, the foundation, on which we build social relationships and professional careers. We need to learn English first with the objective to communicate with others, make friends, find a job and live in the society. It is indispensable to know English because it is important for everything in Canada, unless you live in Quebec Province, where you need to speak French. We can verify that the fluency in English makes one’s life easier. So, I would like to recommend to all the immigrants that they should take a language course, to improve their careers, and should not be afraid to make friends and to live happily in the community.