It's simply that we have an ideal picture of the country before immigrating. We believe that, as soon as we arrive at the airport, the carpet will be rolled out for us and we'll have a job. There's really nothing that prepares a newcomer for landing here. It's surprising to arrive here. I think there should be a lot more integration courses for those who choose to immigrate, as soon as they arrive here. Those courses should be given by people who are very familiar with our culture and who can orient us and tell us what's different from back home and what we have to do here.
I'm telling you that sincerely because I've made two attempts at immigration. I went back to the other country. My children were here, and they had to go back twice. We arrived in Quebec City in 2005. I followed them in 2006, and I stayed four months. Then, finding myself with nothing, I went back to take my position at the university, like what the father of Miguel Tchuemboum Kouam will be doing.
Then I came back. My wife was already here in Ottawa to take the courses she needed at the University of Ottawa. I also saw that I had no opportunities. I went back, but I ultimately realized you can't live that way, separated from your family. So I made the decision to come back. Once back here, I told myself that I had to achieve something. I started something at the University of Ottawa; I saw that wasn't working. I wanted to do a doctorate. Where was that leading? I had three degrees: one in theology, a second one in history and a third in computer science, in documents, in electronic document management. So three degrees were enough for me; I was versatile. I really liked to work. I had followed my path on the outside. I haven't just lived in Burundi; I also lived in France for at least seven years, in total.
When I arrived here, I really felt an attachment at the Cité collégiale. The programs developed there show us how to live in Canada. They tell us about Canada; they present Canada to us and its economic realities, consumer habits, credit card-related problems. We're shown tricks that enable us to manage both our time and our finances, and we're shown how to talk to employers. That opened my eyes, and, once I'd finished, I was taken right away.
I figured that parents had to be well prepared. What we lacked, ultimately, was knowing how to enter the workforce.