Answer:- I am Oluyemi Abiona, an Electrical and Electronics Engineering graduate from Nigeria. I worked with Shell Petroleum Oil and Gas production company at various capacities in the maintenance and materials management departments at various locations both on land and offshore for about 10 years. Presently, I work at Algoma Steel, at the by-products department as a Control Room Operator (PHOSAM) and Light oil plant operator.
2. What attracted you to Sault Ste. Marie?
Answer:-
Honestly, when I was considering moving to Canada, I was not sure of the best place to start my immigration journey, but I was sure of what I wanted in terms of wanting to start in a small city and not in metropolitan cities with very high cost of living because of my family size. So, someone suggested Sault College for my intended programme of study, I did my little research and concluded it to be a great place to come because of the good things I saw on the internet about the school and because of the size of Sault Ste Marie as a community.
3. What do you love about the Soo now that you live here?
Answer:-
Sault Ste Marie is the perfect definition of a city to live and raise your family. There are so many beautiful places around in terms of arts and culture, coupled with the low cost of living. The people here are welcoming and friendly, this makes daily interaction and integration into the society as a newcomer super easy.
My wife is enjoying the Soo and my sons are enjoying their new school too, we are all adjusting very fast, liking our new community and Canada at large. Our hearts desire is to sta, live in and comtribute to the Soo.
4. How have you found the local community in terms of support and inclusiveness?
Answer:-
Before my landing, I had found out a couple of different support groups available in the Soo from research, so my integration was very quick and seamless. Except that I arrived during the winter, which happened to be my first winter and “January snow” as at that! Therefore, adjusting to the cold slowed my integration down a bit. The first thing I did when I arrived at the Soo was to associate myself with a church within my neighbourhood; United Baptist Church. There, I was warmly received, and later down the line, I volunteered as one of the greeters to pass the good deeds forward (my first volunteering activity in the city… the power of a smile!!!). With time, I was also able to connect with ACCANO (African Caribbean Canadian Association of Northern Ontario) which gave me a little vibe of my African culture in Canada. Through these channels, I was able to meet people of like minds who have been here before me or arrived at the same time as me and who supported my early transitioning period through advice, recommendations for professional help and sincere support in every way possible.
Importantly, Sault Ste Marie is a welcoming home for newcomers from different parts of the world. The Soo is a perfect definition of a city with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness. At this juncture, I cannot but thank Carol Indraccolo and Anna Khull, managers at Food Basic Grocery Store, for the opportunity given to me on my very first job here and the chance to express myself and my capabilities.
5. What advice would you give to newcomers who are just beginning their journey in Canada? How do you stay connected with your culture and heritage while living here?
Answer:-
Candidly, I will advise newcomers not to live in isolation, they need to connect with local communities, get involved in things going on around them, prayerfully select and connect with different people and associations that are genuinely interested and willing to help them navigate the stormy stage of transitioning, will advise they ask questions and seek counsel when confused. I will also advise them to use the available resources provided by the city to their advantage as they are there to help! As for staying connected with my culture and heritage, I remember being told while enrolling my kids in school, that one of the ways to keep my culture, especially with my children is to practice it at home, so I speak my local language most times at home, speak same with my friends from the same part of Nigeria, talk to my family members back in Nigeria on phone as often as possible.
Another thing I do is prepare and eat my local dishes especially now that they are readily available at the Soo African store.
6. What resources or services in Sault Ste. Marie have been the most helpful to you as a newcomer? Answer:-
I have greatly benefitted from a range of services from the Sault Community career centre and Community settlement centre, through the integration of newcomers and workshop sessions, community events update reminders, and information about services available within the community (even as simple as where I can get documents printed), assistance in filling out forms and applications and myriads of others from various centres.
Furthermore, the centre assisted me with timely resources and guidance needed to become engaged in the social, cultural, and economic life of the city, supported me to help with cultural shock and helped with developing healthy relationship within the city and in Canada as a whole.
Also, International Students assistance team for counselling and career needs of Sault College assisted a lot.
United Baptist Church was also helpful with organised sessions on various needs and expectations from newcomers.
My transitioning time to the Soo was greatly helped by most of these services.
Knowledge gathered from some of these sessions and centres has given me a deeper level of understanding about the city and garnered me with information to help friends and newcomers with go-to places for such services.
7. Please give your final thoughts- Share, anything you would like to say about being a newcomer in Canada/ Sault Ste Marie. Final advice?
Answer:-
Moving to a new country like Canada is not for the faint-hearted, especially if done during winter like mine, and also if moving with the family but in the long run, it will be worth it. Be prepared for the challenges, be prayerful and be focused.
Please Welcome Yemi and his family to Sault Ste Marie. ❤️
Meet Yemi: Conversations with a Newcomer
1. Can you please introduce yourself ?
Answer:- I am Oluyemi Abiona, an Electrical and Electronics Engineering graduate from Nigeria. I worked with Shell Petroleum Oil and Gas production company at various capacities in the maintenance and materials management departments at various locations both on land and offshore for about 10 years. Presently, I work at Algoma Steel, at the by-products department as a Control Room Operator (PHOSAM) and Light oil plant operator.
2. What attracted you to Sault Ste. Marie?
Answer:-
Honestly, when I was considering moving to Canada, I was not sure of the best place to start my immigration journey, but I was sure of what I wanted in terms of wanting to start in a small city and not in metropolitan cities with very high cost of living because of my family size. So, someone suggested Sault College for my intended programme of study, I did my little research and concluded it to be a great place to come because of the good things I saw on the internet about the school and because of the size of Sault Ste Marie as a community.
3. What do you love about the Soo now that you live here?
Answer:-
Sault Ste Marie is the perfect definition of a city to live and raise your family. There are so many beautiful places around in terms of arts and culture, coupled with the low cost of living. The people here are welcoming and friendly, this makes daily interaction and integration into the society as a newcomer super easy.
My wife is enjoying the Soo and my sons are enjoying their new school too, we are all adjusting very fast, liking our new community and Canada at large. Our hearts desire is to sta, live in and comtribute to the Soo.
4. How have you found the local community in terms of support and inclusiveness?
Answer:-
Before my landing, I had found out a couple of different support groups available in the Soo from research, so my integration was very quick and seamless. Except that I arrived during the winter, which happened to be my first winter and “January snow” as at that! Therefore, adjusting to the cold slowed my integration down a bit. The first thing I did when I arrived at the Soo was to associate myself with a church within my neighbourhood; United Baptist Church. There, I was warmly received, and later down the line, I volunteered as one of the greeters to pass the good deeds forward (my first volunteering activity in the city… the power of a smile!!!). With time, I was also able to connect with ACCANO (African Caribbean Canadian Association of Northern Ontario) which gave me a little vibe of my African culture in Canada. Through these channels, I was able to meet people of like minds who have been here before me or arrived at the same time as me and who supported my early transitioning period through advice, recommendations for professional help and sincere support in every way possible.
Importantly, Sault Ste Marie is a welcoming home for newcomers from different parts of the world. The Soo is a perfect definition of a city with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness. At this juncture, I cannot but thank Carol Indraccolo and Anna Khull, managers at Food Basic Grocery Store, for the opportunity given to me on my very first job here and the chance to express myself and my capabilities.
5. What advice would you give to newcomers who are just beginning their journey in Canada? How do you stay connected with your culture and heritage while living here?
Answer:-
Candidly, I will advise newcomers not to live in isolation, they need to connect with local communities, get involved in things going on around them, prayerfully select and connect with different people and associations that are genuinely interested and willing to help them navigate the stormy stage of transitioning, will advise they ask questions and seek counsel when confused. I will also advise them to use the available resources provided by the city to their advantage as they are there to help! As for staying connected with my culture and heritage, I remember being told while enrolling my kids in school, that one of the ways to keep my culture, especially with my children is to practice it at home, so I speak my local language most times at home, speak same with my friends from the same part of Nigeria, talk to my family members back in Nigeria on phone as often as possible.
Another thing I do is prepare and eat my local dishes especially now that they are readily available at the Soo African store.
6. What resources or services in Sault Ste. Marie have been the most helpful to you as a newcomer?
Answer:-
I have greatly benefitted from a range of services from the Sault Community career centre and Community settlement centre, through the integration of newcomers and workshop sessions, community events update reminders, and information about services available within the community (even as simple as where I can get documents printed), assistance in filling out forms and applications and myriads of others from various centres.
Furthermore, the centre assisted me with timely resources and guidance needed to become engaged in the social, cultural, and economic life of the city, supported me to help with cultural shock and helped with developing healthy relationship within the city and in Canada as a whole.
Also, International Students assistance team for counselling and career needs of Sault College assisted a lot.
United Baptist Church was also helpful with organised sessions on various needs and expectations from newcomers.
My transitioning time to the Soo was greatly helped by most of these services.
Knowledge gathered from some of these sessions and centres has given me a deeper level of understanding about the city and garnered me with information to help friends and newcomers with go-to places for such services.
7. Please give your final thoughts- Share, anything you would like to say about being a newcomer in Canada/ Sault Ste Marie. Final advice?
Answer:-
Moving to a new country like Canada is not for the faint-hearted, especially if done during winter like mine, and also if moving with the family but in the long run, it will be worth it. Be prepared for the challenges, be prayerful and be focused.
Please Welcome Yemi and his family to Sault Ste Marie. ❤️