More and more I think of us, Immigrants, as sailors.
Realistic, independent, stable, persistent, genuine, practical, and thrifty individuals navigating the New Cultural Sea. Many away from our families for several months or years.
At the beginning of our relaunched careers, we are often responsible for more of the menial chores on a ship – scrubbing the decks, cleaning the living and eating quarters, operating the winches, and learning fire safety and firefighting methods.
As we gain more experience, our responsibilities increase – we might get trusted in vessel maintenance and operation. We follow orders given to us by our captain on duty and the harder we work, the faster we learn new skills and move up in the ranks.
We are exposed to weather conditions, falls, shipwrecks, and sinking risks. We are always prepared for the dangers, alert at all times while on duty.
Being a sailor (read immigrant) is not the easiest job. Even for those of us who made this life choice voluntarily. We live between two homes – the Sea and the Shores.
We know that the Sea will never be tamed; but we also know that returning to remain on the Shores will never make us happy.
So, we sail. “Keeping our boat floating, our crew happy and ourselves on track to where we want to be.” In irons forever, stuck to the call of the sea.
In the video ‘Why We’ve Chosen A Life of Sailing in Maui”, at 5:38 min, Captain Randy Coon says:
“As I kid, I loved the water, but I was afraid of the ocean, and so it was until we actually had built the original Trilogy (boat) and took off and we’re blue water sailing and I acquired skills and knowledge and certain confidence that that fear was replaced by respect for the ocean, as well as humility.”
These words are so deep and so meaningful.
To succeed in the new country, we immigrants need to have open minds, seek guidance, and never stop observing and learning. We must be willing to accommodate our cultural behaviour to the norms and expectations of new society, and most importantly – “take off and be blue water sailing, with humility and respect for the ocean.”
All of this is easier when we have the right crew by our side. People who understand our challenges and can help us navigate waters of cultural adaptation.
In 2016 I founded Quiet Tenacity, a consulting agency that serves Internationally Educated Professionals (IEPs) as well as companies with skilled IEPs on board their teams. We help our clients to develop global skills and build strong personal and professional brands in the North American cultural landscape. We also offer cross-cultural training to teams and individuals, providing them with valuable tools and tips on how to adapt to a new culture and stay true to themselves at the same time.
I have also analysed the learning needs of hundreds of IEPs these past years, and as a result, developed the Canadian Cultural Competence Program. This program is an ultimate guide to someone relaunching their personal and professional life in Canada who wants to advance in their adaptation journey in a more efficient way.
Canadian Cultural Competence Program also brings a deep feeling of belonging to a family of people like yourself – others who are also striving to understand how to make a new life.
You will find community and togetherness forged with similar challenges and goals, as well as peer support to build trust and bring confidence in tomorrow. You will find your crew.
Over the last 10 years, I myself have met amazing, incredibly resilient people, whose aspiration to succeed in a new country has been encouraging and motivating to me personally. Many of them have inspired me to advance my own knowledge and skills. For example, I recently decided to become a Certified Global Dexterity Method Practitioner.
Join us. We will help you to stretch your capabilities and overcome the Ocean Fear. You will build new and needed skills. You will finally exhale and enjoy the magnificent view.
Welcome to Canada!