Preface

The fundamental purpose of this blog is to discuss Vancouver’s new cultural landscape through the personal stories of its new immigrants. Essential part of this landscape, however, are also the old Vancouverites themselves, so their own views and opinions on the subject are equally important. Now, this is a delicate subject and usually, people don’t like to share their personal experiences, feelings and interactions. However, it is my opinion that to know what motivated this new flux of immigrants to come to Canada and especially to Vancouver as well as to what kind of problems they faced upon their arrival, will help all of us communicate in a better way and will make us more tolerant towards each other. And that’s what Canada is all about. A new synthesis and a better social compromise.

In addition, as an anthropologist and a journalist I felt compelled to start this blog, primarily because when I left this country in 1996, it was a very different place and the cultural shock that struck me on the 7th of August 2013, the day I returned to Vancouver, was colossal. This place has changed. And it’s been only 17 years even though it feels that I was gone for a century. For starters, it has become more affluent with all the good and bad things that trail such a trend. And it’s understandable to a certain degree. For the last fifteen years this city has been voted, continuously, as the best place to raise a family in the whole world. So, it seems only natural for affluent people from all over the globe to invest money and time in such a place. Their voices, opinions and personal stories are also welcome in this blog.

Nonetheless, the people that I am really interested to listen from, are the least affluent. The real immigrants. Not those ones who can jump on their Lear-jet and return to their other significant house in an hour, on the other side of the world. I would like to hear the stories of those immigrants who burned their bridges and left their countries because they were in dire straits. I want to hear their own hardships and joys, I want to learn about their personal dramas and experiences in this new cultural landscape. So, feel free to share your experiences and try to be tolerant to everybody else. Communication can make us better citizens.