Life is a grind for Shadi Almjadi.
The father of three boys is going to school, and working two jobs to try and make ends meet.
But for Shadi, that is just perfect.
You see Shadi and his wife Dima have lived in North Bay now for nearly a year and a half now as they came over through a church group that helped them move from Syria, to Jordan and now to Canada.
Locally, the families first year here was sponsored by the North Bay Calvary Pentecostal Church.
“A lot of change (has taken place), I have a car now,” said Shadi.
“When we came to Canada no English, no car, nothing.”
Shadi did a co-op through the Laurentian Learning Centre where he and his wife are taking English. He did his co-op with Northern Tile and Ceramics and due to his talent at the job, he was hired. He works there part-time and then also picked up a cleaning job which has him going weekdays from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. on many nights.
See related story: Third Syrian family arrives in North Bay
The family, has three boys, Taysar, Yazan and Steve, who all go to Heritage elementary school.
They are grateful.
“Many changes in the past year, I love it Canada and all family love it here,” said Dima.
“My three boys are happy in school and Shadi works here and has been working for about 6 months.”
But they admit learning English has been tough.
“It is very hard at first different language, writing, and Arabic writing is right to left,” said Shadi.
Regardless, the new life in Canada is so much better than what they left behind in their original home in Homs, Syria.
“In Syria in Homs, because of the war, everything is bad, nothing is good, it’s guns and bombs,” said Dima.
Now, Shadi’s fears have changed, and instead of guns and violence, he can appreciate some of the better things in life like spending time with family.
“We like the people they are very nice and kind,” said Dima, noting the local church has been great to them.
“Everything in Canada is good and safe.”
They are happy too that they have become self-sufficient as a new Canadian family in a new country. Adjustments still happen on a day to day basis. For example, Shadi is looking forward to a long winter, but Dima can’t wait for the snow to go away.
“The snow is beautiful but Dima disagrees,” said Shadi.
The family enjoys winter activities such as tobogganing and skiing, and they even tried ice fishing for the first time last winter.
“I was very scared walking on the lake, and I walked slowly,” he chuckles.
In future, the family wants to continue with the adjustment with hopes that Dima can find a good job in North Bay and one day purchase their own home.
“I see a very good life,” said Shadi.
