Although the people in Canada are generally accepting of diverse newcomers, it was hard adapting to life in Canada because, back home, it’s all one culture. As a result, Canada’s immense diversity was eminently shocking for my parents. The familiarity and connectedness that my parents felt in Bosnia had been weakened; nevertheless they made new connections in Canada. Those feelings of connectedness and congruence between people was what they missed the most about Bosnia. Speaking Bosnian was customary back home, but in Canada, not many people speak Bosnian so it felt a little out of place at times to speak our native language. Their culture, in other words, did not feel as strong in Canada as it was in Bosnia.
The largest adjustment that my parents had to make was leaving family behind in Bosnia. Although my parents were excited to begin their new life in Canada, they could not help but feel guilty for leaving behind the remaining family and friends. However, these same people never failed to reassure my parents that they were making the right decision. It was an adaptation for not only my parents, but also for their friends and family. Not only did my parents have to adjust to living without their closest companions, everyone left residing in Bosnia also had to accept the loss. Technology was not as advanced back then as it is today, so it was difficult keeping in touch with those back home. Despite all of this, my parents have been able to return to Bosnia and rekindle the friendships that got left behind.
