As a IS(you know by now what that is huh?! 😉 ), I had to leave EVERYTHING behind me and had to start a new life in a country that I didn’t like at first. It was frustrating to leave my parents that I cherish a lot and my siblings, to go study and I mean why do we have to leave people that we love to go do what we don’t like?(let me know in the comments if you like to study;I don’t). I was wishing that I could have a better reason.
But anyways…yes I had to do it, and despite all of that, a little something inside me was excited because I was going to live in “Canada”. I forgot about the freezing cold that my friends had told me about,my basic English skills and I thought of all the cool stuff that I would be able to do. Obviously I thought that once I got there, I would finally get all the freedom I had wished for,I thought that I would be independent.I would go shopping as I want, go to the movies, hang out with friends all night long with no curfew and be able to buy the latest gadgets, I would miss classes if I don’t fell like going,after months my English will be on fleek 😉 and blablabla…
But heeey, let me tell you this is not TRUE. Don’t be fooled by others. Life is a struggle my friend. And that is why it’s worth being lived 🙂 Actually let me break it down for you 😉 Being an IS is not as easy as it may seem.
You have to be independent
Yes,it’s not easy. For 15+ years you lived with your parents who would take care of you all the time. Either you were sick, you needed clothes, you wanted to eat,you wanted to go somewhere,they would just do all these things for you. For anything you needed,you only had to call mum or dad.Now, you are alone and if you don’t remember to cook,you won’t eat, if you get sick, no one is going to take you to the hospital. You know what I mean? You are your own mum and dad.I don’t mean to scare anybody nukuri. Being independent is not easy for the very first months trust me.
You need to learn a new language
For some of us, English is not our first language,we either speak French, Chinese, Portuguese and so on. If you had chance,you probably learned some words and expressions in English back home and won’t be very lost. And who ever said learning a new language was simple? No it’s not. Even though you think you know some,your accent may betray you sometimes. I hate when I speak and people be looking at me like I have no clue what you talking about. Trust me it’s not funny. And plus, you go to school and have to study and learn new things in that same language. Ahubwo I am starting to think that we are the smartest kids 😀
You basically have to start a new life
In general, I would say that it is a new life that you start when you move from your country to your new host country.Of course you stick to your roots because you talk to your family(almost all the time the very first months in my case) and trust me you will tend to find people who share the same culture as yours,speak the same language,eat the same food.etc because you miss your country a lot.
Remember that you only hate the road when you’re missing home and that’s just the way it is.Enjoy your journey and have fun. To me,it is an opportunity that many wish they could have. I stop complaining about the bad weather (or at least I try to stop)and the stress that comes with it,and try to meet new people from whom I will learn a lot for sure.
By I.L.Duchesse
Being Duchesse 