Seven years in Canada
March 21, 2007
Today is my seventh anniversary of immigrating to Canada. It’s a good day to say thank you to the unknown customs officer at Pearson Airport. I wish I had asked for his name.
On March 21, 2000, I anxiously stood in the customs lineup with a suitcase, a backpack and a list of things to be shipped later. 
When the officer saw that I am a new immigrant, he smiled, shook my hand and said “Welcome to Canada! Glad to have you here.”
Some people may dismiss this as a little Wal-Mart greeter type of gesture. It wasn’t. It made a world of difference to me. Since this is supposed to be a PR blog: I don’t think anybody could have done better PR for the country than this customs officer.
Thank you, Officer. And thank you, Canada. I am glad to be here, too.
Congratulations Martin. And congratulations Canada too.
Martin, we PR folk are very happy to have you in the country … and (I hope this is right…) Glückwünsche und glücklicher Jahrestag !
Congrats Martin!
I was also greeted extremely warmly when I got here a few years ago - “my” officer and I had a long chat about football and my fears that I wouldn’t be able to watch the liverpool matches. He turned out to be a Man Utd fan so I count myself lucky I wasn’t sent packing…
Ed
Thank you Jim, Bob and Ed!
Bob - your German is great! You even got the “Umlaut” right. Very nice.
Ed - Good to hear that you had a similar experience. Re soccer: thanks to the German specialty channel on Rogers cable, I can watch the Bundesliga soccer games live on the weekends. Now I just have to wait for my favourite club to make it back into the first division…
Seven years! Not every new immigrant did their thesis on Multiculturalism in Canada, like you. Canada is better with Martin!
Thanks, Leona! When I did the thesis I didn’t know I would become an immigrant to Canada myself. Talk about going from theory to practice…maybe I should have applied as a “certified immigrant”.
Martin,
Wow! Canada is lucky to have you. I can’t believe it is seven years since you arrived. Congratulations,
Sarah
Thank you, Sarah! You and Leona and many others made me feel welcome when I started out in Canada in 2000, which made things so much easier. And time really has flown by since then…
Congrats Martin!
I just found your blog today and this month marks my 6th year in Poland, coming from Canada. It is good to see you received a warm welcome.
- Richard
Thank you, Richard. Congratulations on your anniversary in Poland. My wife (who is Canadian) spent two years in Poland, and loved it.
I’m late jumping on the pile here but belatedly, welcome to Canada again…it sounds like the 7 year inch doesn’t apply here, thankfully we won’t need a citizen intervention of maple syrup, Beaver Tails and Kraft Dinner. Canada’s better for your presence.