#myimmigrantexperience Molly A.

Calkins

Outline +Included Research

Name: Shoma bisswas-Banarje Place of Birth: Dhaka, Bangladesh Medium: Twitter Personal Information: Used to work in sweatshops, her parents both died when she was at a young age and was forced to take care of her younger brother alone. Trying to get to Canada. Shoma is 23 years old and her brother is 15. She is worried that her brother will get involved in gangs and is tired of living in poverty. In order to support her brother she was forced to work at a sweatshop and due to her young age, it was the only job available. Many of her friends have been dying and now that the sweatshop she has been working in has collapsed due to low care, she is worried that she will not find another job. She has heard stories of people leaving Bangladesh to find a better life. Her aunt and uncle have already immigrated to Canada due to violence in their small village outside of Dhaka. She hopes that she can take her brother and herself and get them into Canada based on the grounds of family status. Push factors: Poverty: Lives in a typical Shack shared with 6 others o She has no access to fresh water and has suffered from many waterborne illnesses due to bacteria in the water (http://water.org/country/bangladesh/) Youth Gangs: o Children get stolen and taken away to join gangs. Shoma is worried that her brother will be taken (http://twocircles.net/2013jul22/bangladeshi_criminal_gangs_new_challen ge_delhi_police.html) Poor quality of life: o Due to the low wages, Shoma has a difficult time obtaining clothes and having any free time to actually enjoy life. Poor health care and hardly any access to educational tool makes living everyday life difficult o http://www.prosperity.com/#!/india-bangladesh Low wages: $25 a month. They are allowed half a day off every Friday and do not get holidays or paid sick leave. o http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2456412/My-life-sweatshopworker-Undercover-reporter-tells-crushing-work-terrible-pay-girl-bossaged-just-NINE.html No family other than brother in Bangladesh General unhappiness

#myimmigrantexperience Molly A. Calkins Low number of opportunities o Jobs are hard to obtain and for women mostly sweatshop jobs are the only options Poor education o Was not able to go to school because she was forced to provide for her brother after her parents died

Pull factors: Some relatives in Canada o Aunt and Uncle live in Toronto More employment o Through an agency she has arranged a job at Tim Hortons o Waterford Immigration http://www.waterfordimmigration.com Higher wages o Wage guarantee $12 an hour with review and increase throughout the year Higher quality of life o Access to healthcare and benefits due to work plan Better education o Shomas brother will be able to learn English and finish school Safe country o More protection and law enforcement Large community of people from Bangladesh o Over 100,000 in Canada 70% in greater Toronto area http://thebengalitimes.com/details.php?pub_no=0&menu _id=13&val=1816 The "Voyage" Had to travel from Bangladesh through to India Used the immigration agency to get there although this journey was long and still dangerous Once arriving in Mumbai: Family in Canada saved money to buy plane tickets Got permission to fly to Canada from Canadian government. Also through immigration agency Stressful connecting through different countries where there was different language 28hr flight : http://www.farecompare.com/flights/DhakaDAC/Canada-CA/citycountry.html

#myimmigrantexperience Molly A. Calkins Difficulties arriving in Canada Since Shoma had proof of employment, there was less paper work, although her brother had a hard time answering questions Status Talking to customs officers due to language barrier What to say about where Shoma and her brother have come from Life Difficulties Weather is much colder Lots of discrimination at school for Shomas brother As well as at Tim Hortons where Shoma works People use racist terms and are often rude due to some language barriers Living with Aunt and Uncle Have not met many people from Bangladesh o Although there is over 100,000 Bangladeshis in Canada http://thebengalitimes.com/details.php?pub_no=0&menu_i d=13&val=1816 Low income o Due to higher costs of products, Shoma also finds it hard to manage money even though she makes more than she did before Has not really found place of belonging Learning Canada culture customs proves difficult English language barrier Men Finding a proper school for her 15 year old brother o One that will support the English Second Language o http://www.tdsb.on.ca/Default.aspx?TabID=1008 Daily Life Affect Causes some depression Tension between the relatives Makes Shoma feel uncomfortable in certain situations (due to cultural difference) Must take language classes to gain English proficiency Her brother is bullied due to the fact that he is from Bangladesh Overall feeling Really nervous and anxious to get to Canada Happiness once arrived to Canada although it declines due to racism and trouble fitting in Feels that Canada is a much better place for her and her brother despite some small difficulties Dealing with problems Uses Aunt and Uncle as a reference point Thinks about what her parents would have done

#myimmigrantexperience Molly A. Calkins No point in giving up because she knows that even though it may be tough in some spots, it will get better eventually