Robin Rana is a student completing his diploma in computing science. He works as a social media ambassador for TRU World, as a manager at a local restaurant and in social media marketing. Originally from India, Rana sat down with The Omega in March to discuss life in Canada as an international student.
OSΩ: Where’s home for you?
RR: The place where I can go laugh my stomach out one day and cry my heart out the very next day. My thinking of home is not bricks and walls, but environmental factors. Being accepted and feeling welcomed plays a big part.
OSΩ: What inspired you to study away from India?
RR: Having better opportunities. In India, there’s a lot of competitive exams. In order to get into a good, reputable university, you have to compete with millions of students for an education which doesn’t even rank in the top 100 universities. [There’s] a toxic culture where you’re constantly competing with peers, whereas here you have more opportunities to explore.
OSΩ: Why did you choose Canada specifically?
RR: Initially, I was looking at Australia, but I’m scared of spiders and kangaroos. And then the [United States]…I was not very sure that it was going to be a welcoming place.
I have my sister in Canada, so she was here to support and guide me. She was the first person from our family to come into this country and figure things out on her own. That was a motivating factor [for me] — if she can do it by herself, in a new country with no relatives and no connections, so can I. Because I’m a younger sibling, I’m always looking up to her.
OSΩ: Was Canada like you had imagined?
RR: It’s really quiet, and it’s nature-friendly, which I love. The people are very welcoming and smiling, which took me a couple of weeks to adjust to: “Oh, everyone smiles at everyone.”
OSΩ: Did you experience any culture shock?
RR: [In education], there’s much more accountability on both ends, and the power dynamic isn’t just one-dimensional; it’s two-dimensional, and you’re more encouraged here to speak up for yourself and reach out.
OSΩ: How has your experience been working in Canada?
RR: Working in Canada definitely asks a lot out of you, but it also depends on what your values and work ethic are. For me, I’ve made hundreds of mistakes, but I was grateful that I had a supportive environment that helped me grow rather than fingers being pointed towards me.
OSΩ: What challenges have you faced, juggling school and work?
RR: I haven’t taken a day off in… [long pause]
OSΩ: Can you remember the last time?
RR: Three months? I’m working at a restaurant so my weekends are gone. I work four days, up to 24 hours. I work as a social media ambassador for TRU World, so I dedicate eight to 10 hours to that. I also manage social media for external businesses, so that’s my third job.
OSΩ: What would you want to see more of in the world?
RR: People seeing others for who they are, rather than labelling them based on their background, their skin colour, their race, their accent.
OSΩ: What do you wish more people knew about your experience?
RR: When I came [to Kamloops], there was a housing crisis. I somehow managed to find a living room that I used to pay a good amount for. The living conditions were hell to me. I was naive and misinformed. The only people I trusted were [my roommates].
I didn’t want to live there anymore. I said, “I’m gonna leave next month.” Next thing, they manipulated me and called the cops on me. Before they called the cops, they threw my stuff out. I’d already paid the rent and the deposit for that month. The police came and said that I’m the victim in this situation, that I have the full right to stay there.
I was homeless for three days because I didn’t want to go in that place again. That experience changed me. I saw the dream of education, studying here, coming to a new country and [that was shattered] in front of my eyes. That was just my first semester here, so I was unaware of anything.
Then I got scammed $500 for a [construction] job. The guy said, “Just pay me some money so that I can get you the gear and you can start the very next day.”
Little, naive me gave [the money] because I was wanting to settle in and get a job. And did he contact me again? No. A lot of it is me not being street smart, so I’m not gonna blame.
The next semester, the news was broken to me that my mom was diagnosed with stage three cancer. I was like, “Okay, if I go back, my studies are gonna be affected. I don’t know if and when I’ll come back. If I don’t go back, I may never see my mom again.”
[My mom and my grandma] said, “You focus on studies and [we’ll] be fine.” It turned out to be fine. [My mom] is healthy now.
So that was my starting experience [in Canada].
OSΩ: What a difficult start to living in a new country alone. How do you feel about these experiences now?
RR: ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,’ is an overused term now, but it’s true. I started being optimistic about things. I’m like, “What’s the worst that’s gonna happen now?”
In a lot of these situations, there wasn’t much that I could have done, other than to protect myself, my peace and do the best I [could]; do what’s in my control. Go to classes, get counselling services, get the help I need, educate myself in Canadian laws and bylaws and act smart next time. I know it’s not totally my fault, but at the same time, [I learned] not to be so naive. And not to lose kindness amongst all this.