I am Nidal, a newcomer to Canada. I have called Harriston, Wellington County my home since moving to the country a year and a half ago when the local church sponsored my family from Syria. My brother-in-law, who lives close by, helped us find this wonderful house where I live with my husband and three children.
My husband is a ceramic tiler. He works at a local tiler’s business and finds great satisfaction in his duties there. He does not speak English, but this does not come in the way of friendships he has developed with his co-workers. They are very patient and understanding of him. His boss relies on Google to translate English to Arabic while giving him instructions on what needs to be done. This makes my husband feel included and he brings home lots of stories. I can sense this and I feel truly happy to have made the decision to move to Harriston, Wellington County.
While my husband is at work, I take online English classes. I recently completed my CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark) level three and couldn’t be prouder of myself. The ESL teachers here are very kind and helpful. They allow me to take my time and meet me at my level on my language learning journey.
"The community in Harriston is very warm and welcoming. The hospital I visit in a nearby city has a friendly environment - they have Arabic translators which makes conversations easy."
I am a homemaker and a full-time caretaker of our youngest, special needs 14-year-old. Life can be hard, but that does not stop me from finding beauty in what it has to offer. My refrigerator always has dessert or pastries filled with pistachios, dates, and semolina cakes soaked in syrup, just like my home in Syria would. During my spare time, I visit with family, bake cakes, and make paper flowers and lamps. Doing these things makes me happy and makes the days much easier.
