Moving to a new country is a big step – especially when it’s to a country that’s completely different from your own. It’s natural to have a fear of losing your culture – and even a part of yourself – along the way. Here are some ways you can embrace your new environment, but still remain connected to your homeland.
Keep in touch with family and friends
With all the ways people can communicate these days, there is little reason to abandon relationships with people from your home country.
Maintain strong ties with those who are most familiar by:
- Making a warm telephone call or sending an email
- Updates through social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
- Popping a letter in the mail (yes, people still do this)
Join a local club
Many cities have cultural associations that organize social events. Joining a club with ties to your cultural background will help you make new friends and meet people with common interests.
Bring your culture to others
Your heritage is a beautiful one and one way to preserve it is to share your culture with your new friends. Make delicacies from your home country for your co-workers and friends, and share cultural stories.
Speak your mother tongue
As important as it is to learn the language of your new country, it’s equally important to keep your first language alive. Speak your native language often, so it remains close to your heart.
If you’re in the area, check out our centrally located furnished apartments in Mississauga. See our website at www.platinumsuites.ca for more information on what we have to offer and to schedule a stay. Many choose to stay in a furnished apartment until they settle in or buy their own home.
Mississauga is a very multicultural city. According to a 2017 study conducted, 334,060 Mississauga residents identify a language other than English or French as their mother tongue. Our residents speak a variety of languages, with Chinese languages and Urdu at the top, as well as Polish, Vietnamese and Punjabi.
By Lisa Marie Brennan