Yonas’ Story Finding a Home

“ You need to be patient and know what you are going to do...” This is the advice Yonas offers to immigrants. Yonas, having moved four times and endured a lot, knows about trying to create a new life for himself. His story begins when he was born in Asmara, Eritrea in the year 1980 this is where he learned to speak his first language of Tigrigna that was followed by many more. The variety of languages Yonas speaks demonstrates how many places he has been to in his life and how, as a refugee, he has overcome many language barriers. For eighteen years Yonas lived in Eritrea with his parents and brother and his way of life was familiar. In Eritrea he loved participating in their traditions and was surrounded by friends and family.

While in Eritrea Yonas enjoyed many aspects of his life. He loved to play soccer and eat stew. Yonas also aspired to get a good education and one day work with technology.

Yonas spent many years in Eritrea and completed up to secondary school there. At school Yonas also learned academic English where he decided to become a computer engineer, unfortunately trouble in the form of a war was beginning in his country. Looking back Yonas said his biggest fears as a child were of the war.

Yonas’ life was torn apart when Eritrea and Ethiopia went to war, both fighting at the border trying to expand their land. Everyone eighteen years and older were required, by the government to fight for their country. Yonas along with many other within his country didn’t agree with being forced to fight. They believed they should have a choice and that the war was started without reason. However people could not freely speak their opinion as the government would throw them into jail. Yonas, who was eighteen at the time, did not want to fight.

Yonas made the difficult decision to leave his family and home. He didn’t want to live in a place where there was little peace and people were forced to fight because of government requirements. Yonas said that his country was ruled by fire and to escape it you had to flee.

Yonas left Eritrea for Sudan, Sudan was the closest country and therefore the easiest to cross into.In Sudan his future had more potential there since as he was free from the conflict and could attend university. However looking back Yonas felt that the limited rights in Sudan prevented this from being a positive time in his life. While he was there Yonas was determined to finish his schooling and continue to pursue his goal of working with computers and technology.

Yonas went to university while in Sudan and got his qualifications at Omdurman Ahlia University. Here he attended a five year program, and was able to get a degree in computer engineering.

Yonas lived and worked in Sudan for thirteen years. While there he learned to speak Arabic. After he got his Computer Engineering degree he worked as a computer instructor and as a computer tech with a Catholic organization. Eventually he decided he wanted a different and better life, so he chose to immigrate to Canada. He chose Canada because he was looking for better jobs and rights. Also he wanted to be truly free from conflict.

After Yonas filled out a lot of paper work and found sponsorship in the form of a friend he was cleared to immigrate to Canada as a refugee. Unfortunately moving to Canada forced him even further away from his home and family. The positives were a better life and new horizons with more opportunities and freedoms.

When he came to Canada the culture shock and the difference between the life he knew made him feel alone. The only person he knew was his friend, and he couldn’t make other friends easily as he didn’t know the language all that well. He knew simple words and explicit technical language, not everyday words that he could to clearly communicate with those around him. He came to Canada and found that due to a lack of communication skills he was isolated.

Yonas initially came to Winnipeg and lived under the support of his friend. While living there he discovered there were not many job opportunities. So he decided to move to Calgary in search of employment and an apartment of his own.

Yonas rented an apartment in Calgary and soon began to search for a job. He again encountered a language barrier as applying for work in Canada required strong communication skills as opposed to the skill based evaluation in his home country.

After immigrating to Canada Yonas faced many challenges, the biggest perhaps the language barrier. He knew basic English from his schooling in Eritrea however he needed much more advanced communication skills to find a good job and connect with those around him.

Yonas came to Canada in search of new opportunities and although he did not find as many as he was hoping for he loves the scenery and freedom Canada has to offer, as well as the friendships he is beginning to form. He was frustrated with the struggle that finding a job has presented and he wanted to continue to learn English so he could form more bonds and communicate better in an unfamiliar place.

To help him improve his English Yonas decided to go to CCIS and he has been able to improve his communication skills and connect with other around him. This has allowed him to form bonds in an unfamiliar place.

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Yonas continues to stay determined and focused on the success he hoped to find in Canada. Therefore he is going to attend SAIT this April and work toward his career goal of becoming a computer networker. He hopes that this recertification and his stronger English skills will allow him to get the job he has hoped for ever since arriving in Canada.

Yonas is currently living as a permanent resident within Canada and he is going to apply for citizenship this October. He is excited for the new opportunities this will allow him and he is planning to exercise his right to vote. He wants to have his voice heard in the government after living under dictatorship for so many years. Once Yonas is a citizen he wants to sponsor his brother so he can come to Canada under refugee status.

To, Yonas

We wish you the best of luck for your future in Canada. We hope you enjoy your courses at SAIT and are able to become a computer networker soon. Hopefully your Canadian citizenship will allow you to help your brother come to Canada. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us and we hope that your future here is full of hope and promise.

Sincerely,

Kirsten, Logan and Rueben