QUIZ : Measure your chances of success with a Slavic woman
Russian women in Toronto are certainly more numerous than you might think. If you are familiar with the city center you probably meet them every day without paying attention. They are always well dressed, polite, and very beautiful, so it's hard to miss them. But by the way, how is the integration of women from Russia, Ukraine, Moldavia or Belarus going in Canada? One thing is certain, if they arrive alone in Canada, they will not take long to pair up with a Canadian man. In the first video, we present 3 Slavic women from Russia and Belarus who talk about the differences between the cultures of their respective countries and the Canadian way. Very interesting!
Russian immigrant women: Natalia from Moscow, Halina from Minsk in Belarus and Olga from Vladivostok in Russia
The most amazing thing is that even though they live in an ultra-feminist environment in Canada, these three beautiful young Russian-speaking women have kept strong family values. Work should never be the main value of a Slavic woman. Nothing can compare with the happiness of family life and seeing your children grow up, Olga thinks. How many times have we received calls to CQMI from Canadian men who want to meet a Russian, Ukrainian or Slavic woman who already lives in Toronto. The goal is of course to avoid a trip to the Slavic countries and to contribute to a sponsorship process, which seems too long and risky to them. However, isn't going to meet your future wife in her Slavic country a clear proof of your interest for the country she comes from? It is true that Russian women are very beautiful and elegant women who know how to dress elegantly in all circumstances, but this is not the only one of their many qualities. Have you noticed their calmness, gentleness and respect for mankind? Don't you think that your life would be happier with a Slavic woman who looks after you and makes you feel good?
Where to find Russian women in Toronto ?
Facebook : Ukrainians in Toronto Online Community @UkrTO · Communauté
Here they talk non-stop about successes, but they don't talk about failures.
The story of a Russian who moved to Canada
After several years of living in the UAE, Mikhail from Yaroslavl missed nature and winter and moved to Canada with his girlfriend from Brazil. It was not easy to get accustomed to the new place, but the friendliness of the locals helped to smooth over the rough edges. Lenta.ru publishes his story about life in Toronto and Nanaimo as part of a series of articles about compatriots abroad.
About three years ago I already wrote this column - then I lived in the UAE. A lot has changed since then. Although it was comfortable in the Arab Emirates, my girlfriend and I realized that we couldn't stay there forever because of local visa restrictions and the economic instability of the entire region.
In addition, after six years of living among the sand, palm trees and shopping malls, we wanted a change of scenery and to settle in a place where the future of our family did not depend on the price of oil or the mood of the employer paying for the visa. I did not want to go back to Russia, where I had left in 2008, and my girlfriend did not want to go to Brazil, so we considered a third option, where we would both feel comfortable.
Canada was quickly chosen because of its attractive immigration policy, stability, familiar culture, and the nature that I miss. Even though I had never been to Canada, I did not think it was very different from the U.S., where I had lived for four years.
The process took about a year and a half. I had to collect documents from Russia, USA and Arab Emirates, to pass IELTS English language test, to prove my work experience, diploma of higher education in Russia and so on. Only it took me four months to get the FBI criminal record check.
Now I already realize that I got off relatively easy: I had an immigration lawyer to help me gather the documents. As a result, I received a residence permit and in the fall of 2018 I was ready to move to Canada, a country that gave me, a foreigner without any connections, the right to live and work in peace.
The First Time
Preparing for the move, I knew that the first period would not be easy. I had to find a new job that would probably pay a lot less than in Dubai, which is famous for its salaries. Two months of daily remote job searching from the UAE ended with only a couple of phone interviews and general "call us back when you get to Toronto/Vancouver/Halifax" type arrangements.
The Canadian government is trying to help migrants and is setting up organizations to help with job searches, interview preparation, and improving English. That's great, and for some people, I'm sure, these free services have been a lifesaver. I, on the other hand, have not benefited from them at all, probably because of my inflated requirements. So I solved all the issues of finding a job and making a life in the new country on my own.
We arrived in Toronto in early September and stayed for a couple of weeks at a farmhouse we had found through Airbnb. It's hard to convey how nice it was to breathe the fresh air amidst the green trees rather than the dust and sand of the desert. I watched as the farmer - originally from Romania - tended chickens, picked apples, baked pies with his wife, and sold them every weekend to the "townsfolk." In Ontario, outside of Toronto, many farmers make good money from renting, selling organic fruits and vegetables, or making wine.
After acclimating, we stayed for a couple of months with the only person we knew in Canada who was an immigrant like us, but who had moved a dozen years before us and started a successful business. I was looking for a job and an apartment at the same time, which turned out to be not so easy.
Whereas in Dubai you can find and rent an apartment or a villa in a day, in Canada, as the locals put it, you have to "jump through hoops. It is not enough to just give money, you need to provide good references from the previous landlords, a certificate of permanent employment and from the bank about a good credit history, which, of course, we did not have immediately on arrival.
Fortunately I found a job in a couple of weeks, started as a part-time Russian language teacher in one of the language schools in Toronto, I already had a similar experience in Russia and the U.S. Since the school was private, I didn't need a teaching license. There were adult foreigners and Canadians who were interested in Russian culture and language. Soon I found a full-time job with an international educational company, where I engaged in recruiting students - in other words, I did the same thing I did at the Emirates.
Interestingly, the Canadian government often invites foreign specialists to fill labor shortages in certain areas. However, when these specialists arrive, their foreign degrees and international experience are not recognized by employers. Therefore, successful engineers, doctors, and teachers often start out working in cafes or whatever they have to do. I was lucky in terms of finding work in my specialty because of my good knowledge of the language and thorough preparation for the interview.
The main thing was not to lose positive attitude and realize that out of the 50 online applications I will call back only two or three employers, and an interview will call one if you are very lucky. It took me a year to find the perfect job where I really wanted it.
Putin and hockey.
What pleasantly surprised me in Canada was the widespread friendliness. In no other country have I encountered such support. Here, as soon as my interlocutors heard about my recent move, they told me that they had been through it themselves, wished me to "get used to the local realities" as quickly as possible, and often offered to help.
The population of the country, especially in the Toronto area of Ontario, is very international. On the job I met colleagues from India, China, Mexico, Egypt, Great Britain, Albania, Korea, not to mention all the provinces of Canada.
This mix of nationalities couldn't help but affect the gastronomic image of Toronto. In the Iranian neighbourhood, you can find great bakeries with inexpensive oriental sweets and shawarma stands. The Portuguese-Brazilian, Jewish and Korean neighbourhoods have their own interesting spots. You don't have to look for Chinese restaurants at all - they are everywhere.
As a small snack, Canadians love Chinese bubble tea and poutine (emphasis on the second syllable!). It's a fried potato with bits of cheese and gravy. There's a lot of controversy about poutine, but they say the best one is in Montreal. For some reason, I never liked this kind of treat. Like the famous Canadian maple syrup, though, it's a little too sweet for my liking.
In general, a great deal of attention is paid to the quality of food in Canada. The community is proud of the local farms which supply milk, poultry, and vegetables, and supports them with dollars. Not all of the products of our neighbors to the south, the Americans, meet Canadian quality standards.
Culinary preferences may vary among Canadians, but everyone loves sports. They talk nonstop about successes. They just don't talk about the failures. And while hockey's Maple Leafs don't shine, everyone in Toronto is obsessed with basketball. Last year, for the first time in NBA history, a team from Canada made it to the finals and the local Toronto Raptors became champions.
Canada literally went crazy that day. The streets of Toronto were packed with fans. The next day we celebrated this historic event at work: we ordered pizza and watched the game. Well, when the Canadian junior hockey team beat Russia in the finals, I didn't hesitate to be approached with a smirk to discuss just how good "they" were at hockey.
Housing in Toronto
Back to the topic of housing. We rented an apartment close to my work in Markham, a suburb of Toronto. It's a new, safe suburb with good infrastructure and a predominantly Chinese-Hong Kong population. It was surrounded by colorful restaurants with customers who spoke little English.
Our house had a pool, covered parking, concierge, sauna, library and table tennis table, which was always busy. The living room and two-bedroom apartment cost 1,750 Canadian dollars plus utilities. I came to Canada with about $25,000 Canadian dollars. That gave us enough for six months, including buying a car and getting married in December.
After the wedding, we took a vacation to French-speaking Quebec. The first impression was as if I had left Canada altogether: different architecture - a kind of mix of medieval Europe and America of the 60s, more sophisticated food, and, of course, French as the main language of communication. Many people told me that Quebecers pretend and don't speak English on purpose, but it didn't seem that way to me. We had to learn the commands in French to take a dog sled ride, otherwise the local huskies would not have run.
French outside of Quebec and Ottawa is not much needed in everyday life, but its knowledge is a big plus for employment, as is having a local driver's license. Every province has its own nuances, but an entry-level license with restrictions can be obtained in a couple of weeks even without driving experience.
The first year of our life together flew by quickly. A lot of work, little rest, not the easiest financial situation because of high income taxes and rent. Life in the Emirates seemed like a vacation compared to Canada. 20-degree frosts and blizzards did not bother me too much, but it was not easy for my Brazilian. So we decided to move.
Although Toronto is the financial and cultural center of the country, we wanted a place where life is quieter and cheaper and the climate is milder. The coastal provinces are ideal: Nova Scotia on the Atlantic and British Columbia on the Pacific.
We recently moved there, to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island (not to be confused with Vancouver City). This town of a hundred thousand people was once a small port where whaling ships docked, workers mined coal in the local mines, and lumberjacks cut and floated timber. Several Indian tribes lived and still live around the area.
Over time, the coal in the mines ran out, whaling declined, and the town became a popular tourist destination because of its proximity to Vancouver and the U.S. city of Seattle. Retirees from all over the country are also drawn here because of the favorable climate and amazing nature. It snows a couple of days a year and lies mostly in the mountains. On the coast, even in winter, the average temperature is +6 degrees Celsius.
I started working at the local university, advising and recruiting foreign students, and my wife concentrated on her business - English courses for foreigners. Quality education is one of the main reasons why foreigners choose Canada. It is cheaper than our neighbors in the United States, but at the same time provides more opportunities after graduation. Many foreign graduates want to stay in Canada, as the government provides a three-year residency and work permit for those who have studied for at least two years.
Nanaimo also has its difficulties, typical for small provincial towns in Canada, such as the lack of doctors and petty theft - it is better not to leave the bike on the street. But the local nature - forests and mountains - gives only good impressions. And to live here is cheaper and more convenient. All you need is in 10-15 minutes drive, no traffic jams or daredevils on the roads.
We now rent an apartment that is even more spacious and 500 Canadian dollars a month cheaper. Only the rules are stricter here: no pets allowed, no live Christmas trees on New Year's Eve. Even the use of perfume before visiting public places is not recommended, so as not to irritate the sensitive public.
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My wife and I take our time making plans for the future. We are not going to leave Canada and British Columbia, arguably one of the best places in the country. Even considering the local nuances - the homeless moving here from cold Alberta, or the popularity of marijuana legalized last year.
We'll grow our business, save up for a house, and in between rains, stroll through local parks and neighboring islands, each one unique in its own way. By the way, Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, is on the same island as us, an hour away from Nanaimo. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle just moved there. Most Canadians don't mind their company, but they're not going to provide for them from the treasury.
Perhaps the famous couple will stop by our Nanaimo for September's main celebration, the bathtub races. Amateurs and professionals attach motorboat engines to the tubs and race around the island. Over the years, they have become so popular that they attract spectators from all over the province. I advise you to see them if possible, the experience is unforgettable.
Are you still hesitating to buy your plane ticket to Kiev in Ukraine or Saint Petersburg in Russia to meet the most beautiful Russian women in the world? It's because you probably didn't listen to the video report about our 3 beautiful young women from the East. Olga explains that Canadian men are better groomed than Russian men. They noticed that you dress better with more taste and style than men in Russia and Belarus. Canadian men do more sports and are careful about their weight so as not to have extra kilos. Did you know for example that the life expectancy of men in Russia is almost 20 years shorter than that of men in Canada? So you have a unique chance to make a difference with your physical shape and your beautiful appearance. Slavic women in general will look for a man who will be reliable and definitely ready to start a family in a model with traditional roles in which the man has a role of head of the family capable of providing for his family.
Valeria 25 years old from Kyiv
To Meet a Slavic - eastern European bride in Toronto :
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