Olena

In this letter, I would like to share my journey toward freedom with you, which has been ongoing for almost two years.

Why toward freedom, you might ask? Because when significant events happen in my life, such as my son's birthday, my wedding anniversary, or the loss of a loved one, my emotions, facial expressions, and gestures express this. However, the problem is that I cannot share my experiences, feelings, and needs through speech without knowing English in my multicultural environment in Canada. In such moments, I feel trapped in my inner world because the communication with society that I'm used to is absent here in Canada. I experience stress in completely ordinary areas of life: on public transport, in stores, at the hospital—everywhere. Often, English speech becomes just noise in my head, and my brain stops identifying words.

There are many sources that claim that one can learn English quickly simply by being immersed in the native culture and hearing the language. But being someone who has experienced what it’s like as a newcomer in Canada, I can confidently say that this quick English-learning method is ineffective because a quick method simply doesn't exist.

I’ve come to learn that the true method of learning English is long and hard—there is no easy way around it. But over time, I’ve memorized unfamiliar words, slowly adding them to my vocabulary. Only daily practice through speaking, reading, and writing, as well as listening to native English speakers, can yield true long-term results.

Sometimes, I feel discouraged, and it seems like I'm not making progress in learning English, and in those moments of despair, I want to give up. I feel like I know nothing.

But then, when I look back at where I started and where I am now, I can see all the progress I’ve made. I’ve come to learn that these feelings are apart of the process and are inevitable—I've learnt how to learn. I am trusting the process. When I remember this, my stress level decreases because in Canada, I can now order my favorite food and explain what kind of coffee I prefer. I can discuss my son's achievements at school and in sports. These are my small victories, one after another, giving me pieces of the long-awaited freedom I am searching for. And I don't want to stop there.

I would like to thank Adult Literacy Fredericton from Read NB for assisting me in reaching my goals in Canada and giving me the opportunity to continue to improve my English skills and connect them to the real world; it brings me closer to my personal freedom which is independence in Canada! Through this letter, I hope to extend a helping hand to other immigrants who face adaptation challenges and cultural shock by encouraging them to take a step towards continuing their learning in this challenging environment by taking advantage of the services offered at Adult Literacy Fredericton so that they too can reach freedom in Canada.