{"id":618011,"date":"2024-04-23T19:17:48","date_gmt":"2024-04-23T16:17:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/the-accidental-immigrant-macleans-ca\/"},"modified":"2024-04-23T19:17:48","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T16:17:48","slug":"the-accidental-immigrant-macleans-ca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-accidental-immigrant-macleans-ca\/","title":{"rendered":"#The Accidental Immigrant &#8211; Macleans.ca"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2dd84f78789\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2dd84f78789\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-accidental-immigrant-macleans-ca\/#Get_the_Best_of_Macleans_straight_to_your_inbox\" >Get the Best of Maclean\u2019s straight to your inbox.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"wp-block \">\n<div class=\"ad-free-zone\">\n<div class=\" mx-auto max-w-full w-full -mt-20 laptop:mt-0 laptop:pt-20 max-w-[600px] laptop:max-w-[945px]\">\n<div class=\" max-w-full aspect-[945_\/_630] laptop:h-[630px]\"><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"1000\" height=\"700\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover\" style=\"color:transparent\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 945px\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FMyArrival_Folusho_WEB.jpg&amp;w=640&amp;q=75 640w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FMyArrival_Folusho_WEB.jpg&amp;w=750&amp;q=75 750w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FMyArrival_Folusho_WEB.jpg&amp;w=828&amp;q=75 828w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FMyArrival_Folusho_WEB.jpg&amp;w=1080&amp;q=75 1080w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FMyArrival_Folusho_WEB.jpg&amp;w=1200&amp;q=75 1200w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FMyArrival_Folusho_WEB.jpg&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75 1920w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FMyArrival_Folusho_WEB.jpg&amp;w=2048&amp;q=75 2048w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FMyArrival_Folusho_WEB.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FMyArrival_Folusho_WEB.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75\"\/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"all-small-caps text-grey\"> <!-- -->Illustration by Dominic Bugatto<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"max-w-[640px] laptop:max-w-[600px] mx-auto px-20 laptop:px-0 py-20 laptop:py-20\">\n<div class=\"text-smm leading-smm laptop:leading-smxl font-sans laptop:text-base text-grey font-lightmedium\">I got stuck in Alberta after COVID hit. It took me four years to see my family again.\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"author\">Folusho Oloyede<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"max-w-[640px] mx-auto py-20 px-20\">\n<div class=\"mb-8 flex gap-6\">\n<div class=\"relative inline-block\"><button aria-label=\"Sharing Button\" class=\"rounded-xl border border-grey-light px-12 py-6 hover:bg-grey-lighter transition-colors\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\"><g clip-path=\"url(#ico-share_svg__a)\"><path stroke=\"#121212\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M2.419 15.525c1.286-1.37 4.661-4.275 9.458-4.275V15l6.25-6.25-6.25-6.25v3.75c-4.125 0-9.413 3.941-10 9.027a.313.313 0 0 0 .542.248\"\/><\/g><defs><clippath id=\"ico-share_svg__a\"><path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M0 0h20v20H0z\"\/><\/clippath><\/defs><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"fixed laptop:absolute max-laptop:bottom-0 laptop:top-[calc(100%+20px)] left-0 right-0 laptop:right-auto w-full laptop:w-[190px] p-20 rounded-lg bg-white font-sans shadow-[0px_0px_10px_rgba(0,0,0,0.15)] invisible\">\n<ul class=\"list-none p-0\">\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>Copy Link<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>Email<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span><a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a><\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>X<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>LinkedIn<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>Whats<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">App<\/a><\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>Reddit<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"uppercase text-xs leading-normal font-sans text-grey font-lightmedium\">April 23, 2024<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap     undefined\">In 2019, I was living in Ibadan, Nigeria, and working as a high school teacher. My wife, Kenny, and I had a four-year-old son named Dotun, plus lots of relatives living nearby. One of my sisters, Jummy, had recently moved to Lethbridge, Alberta, with her husband, Niyi, who was doing his postdoc there. They just had a son, Tishe, and wanted me to meet him. So I flew from Nigeria to Canada in November of 2019 to see the three of them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">My <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trip<\/a> was only supposed to last a few weeks. But Jummy liked having me around so much that she suggested I extend my stay until late March of 2020, so I could celebrate my birthday with them. I applied for extended leave from my job and rescheduled my flight home. To pass the time, I volunteered with a local food bank in Lethbridge. I also met up with the Nigerian community in the city and attended a few of their gatherings. I bonded a lot with Tishe, reading books and playing with him.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">When COVID hit and the borders in Canada and Nigeria closed, I tried my best to get any available flight out, but I was stuck in Alberta. I felt miserable and useless for the next few months, because I couldn\u2019t be a father to my son and a partner to my wife during such a difficult time. It was mental torture. We did our best with Zoom despite the seven-hour time difference. Sometimes I spent three or four hours on video calls with them, and Dotun might just be falling asleep or waking up, but I still wanted to see those little moments. My son couldn\u2019t understand why I didn\u2019t come back home. He would say, \u201cYou told me you\u2019d be gone for a couple of weeks!\u201d I could tell he was upset with me.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Jummy and Niyi saw I wasn\u2019t myself. They saw me struggling. Since I wasn\u2019t earning an income anymore, they sent some money back home every month to support my wife, and Niyi\u2019s brother suggested I sign up for a three-month online early childhood education course, from May to July. I figured it was a good way to pass the time meaningfully, since I couldn\u2019t do anything else. I also read a lot of books\u2014probably 50 or 60 in those first few months\u2014played with my nephew and went for long walks with the family. Sometimes we\u2019d drive to different parts of Alberta, like Waterton, to hike and explore.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">In June of 2020, the government introduced a policy that allowed people stuck in Canada on visitor\u2019s permits, like myself, to apply for closed work permits without having to leave the country. It felt like things were finally turning around, but I\u2019d need an employer to sponsor my visa. I looked online for a few months and eventually found a job as a live-in caregiver for a Nigerian family living in Fort McMurray. They had two sons, aged two and seven, and I was to help the older son with online school and take care of the younger son too.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">I moved to Fort McMurray in January the following year. The family welcomed me with open arms. Working for them made me think about what life would be like if my family moved here. In Nigeria, rich people and politicians are almost untouchable\u2014they could use their power to get away with anything. I liked that there was accountability in Canada, especially for politicians, where people question you if they suspect you\u2019re doing something wrong. I also liked how everyone here has equal access to good roads, health care, playgrounds and public schooling, regardless of their economic standing. I thought: <em>this is the kind of place I want to live in<\/em>. It would be a great place to raise a family. I always wanted just one child, but being in Canada made me think I\u2019d like to have another. I started talking with Kenny about the idea of her and Dotun immigrating to Canada. She was hesitant at first since it would be a big change, but she soon saw how it would benefit our family and create a better future for us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">In the fall that year, Niyi got a job at the Okanagan campus of UBC, so he, Jummy and Tishe all moved there. I didn\u2019t like the idea of being in Alberta alone and my sister was worried about me too. She suggested I look for a job near them, in Vernon and, a few days later, sent me a link to a job posting at a childcare centre in town called Maven Lane. I applied, did an interview and got an offer within 24 hours. I immediately packed up and moved to Vernon, arriving less than a week after my sister\u2019s family. I stayed in a spare bedroom in their new house.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">My first contact at Maven Lane, Kyla MaCaulay, knew about my visa situation. Since I had a closed work permit, I\u2019d need my employer to sponsor my visa, which they were happy to do. Kyla connected with a friend who was a local coordinator for Vernon\u2019s Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Project, or RNIP, a new program designed to bring immigrants to smaller communities by giving them a faster route to permanent residency. Through this pathway, I could sponsor my wife and son under my PR application too. Finally, I thought, we would be reunited.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">The RNIP issues immigration nominations based on the community\u2019s needs. A committee in Vernon assesses prospective candidates for those who would be the best fit, considering factors like our professions and ties to the community. It helped that my sister was living in Vernon too. Initially, they turned down my application because I was too new to the city\u2014they wanted me to live there for at least six months. So I waited. Then, in March of 2022, I got the community nomination through the RNIP and could start working at Maven Lane. I could apply for permanent residency too, for myself and my family, which I got by early December that year. I was overjoyed that my family could finally be reunited.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Kenny and Dotun arrived on December 11, just a few days after their paperwork went through. Seeing my wife and son after four years was surreal. It was a moment I had played over in my mind so many times over the years. I ran over and lifted Kenny up and gave her a long kiss. Then I gave Dotun a hug and lifted him up too\u2014I realized how much bigger and heavier he had grown. He said, \u201cDad, you didn\u2019t tell me you were going to be gone for so long!\u201d We all stood together in a hug and cried for a couple of minutes before we headed to the car. I felt like I had a bounce to my step after they landed. I was just so happy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">A week after they arrived, we moved out of my sister\u2019s house and rented an apartment five minutes away. Dotun is a social animal. He\u2019s now in Grade 3, and he made friends quickly at school. Kenny took a bit longer to adjust to a new home and culture, but it helped to have Jummy nearby. The two of them became good friends and often went for walks and coffee together. By the end of February of 2023, Kenny got a job as a sales representative at a financial company. She\u2019s become close with her coworkers, and our families spend a lot of time going on picnics together and visiting the lakes around the Okanagan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Were it not for COVID, I would have probably flown home to Nigeria in 2020 and I\u2019d still be living there with my extended family. Being separated from my son and wife for so long was extremely challenging. But I\u2019m grateful that it paved the way for us all to be together in Canada now. Our family is growing too\u2014in March this year, Kenny gave birth to a little girl, Tiwa. Everything I have now makes the sacrifices feel worthwhile.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block \">\n<div class=\"ad-free-zone laptop:px-0\">\n<div class=\"max-w-screen-desktop mx-auto px-20 tablet:px-40\">\n<div class=\"wp-newsletter-signup max-w-screen-desktop mx-auto w-full py-20 my-20 tablet:my-40 tablet:py-80 &#10;          border-t-3 tablet:border-t-[6px] border-dark bg-white\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col tablet:flex-row max-w-[800px] w-full mx-auto tablet:items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col tablet:w-7\/12 space-y-10 text-center tablet:text-left px-20\">\n<h2 class=\"text-red\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_the_Best_of_Macleans_straight_to_your_inbox\"><\/span>Get the Best of <em>Maclean\u2019s<\/em> straight to your inbox.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"newsletter-subtitle font-sans text-sm leading-xm tablet:leading-smm font-lightmedium text-grey\">Sign up for <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>, commentary, analysis and promotions. Join 80,000+ Canadian readers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more News articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/general\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">General category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/society\/the-accidental-immigrant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Illustration by Dominic Bugatto I got stuck in Alberta after COVID hit. It took me four years to see my family again. Folusho Oloyede Copy Link Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit April 23, 2024 In 2019, I was living in Ibadan, Nigeria, and working as a high school teacher. My wife, Kenny, and I&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":618012,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cms.macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MyArrival_Folusho_WEB.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-618011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=618011"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618011\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/618012"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=618011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=618011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=618011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}