Why Canada?

Hi! My Name is Stanislav Shakurov and I’m originally from Kazan, Russia. But now I live and work as interpreter in Canada.

Why Canada?

I always wanted to try living a few years somewhere abroad, but Canada was the most attractive country for me, the same weather and climate, but different culture and language.

Likes and dislikes about Canada and the Canadians?

The likes and dislikes always depend on the city or area you live in. I live in a town with the population of about 60 000 people. But I like big cities, so I am considering moving to Edmonton. In general, what I like is that the average salaries in Canada are higher than in Russia 😉

Has your life style changed since you moved to Grande Prairie?

Lifestyle hasn’t changed a lot.

What is the first thing you do when you go back to your home country?

When I go back to Russia, the first thing I do will be meeting my relatives and my old friends as I really miss them.

Does Canada seem multicultural to you?

Canada is really multicultural, lots of people from all over the world come to live and work here.

Do you feel yourself integrated?

Not totally, but I’ m getting there. 😉

Have you ever experienced any cases of discrimination in Canada?

Well, I never felt discriminated, but I hate when sometimes, speaking with a Canadian, and not understanding what he said, he replies “Never mind”. Sometimes it feels like some people here may consider themselves better than others just because of their better knowledge of English.

I am not an expat, and if I had to choose only one country to live in for all my life, that country would be Russia. But I have a choice to travel. I have seen only small piece of Canada and I hope to see and learn more about this beautiful country.

Advice to a new expat in Canada?