The Rural Voice, 2005-12, Page 28IN A STRANGE NEW LAND
New immigrants to Ontario's farms face obstacles
that go farther than just not knowing the
language
Story and photo by Bonnie Gropp
People living in rural south-
western Ontario know it's a
special place. Serene, airy and
vast, the country wraps you in
pastoral perfection. It's a place
where work, home and community
blend, where roots run deep and the
solitude is welcome.
But imagine staring out at the
absolute hugeness, feeling unsure
how to reach beyond it. Imagine the
telephone ringing and you're unable
to answer. .
For many new Canadians,
beginning a life in rural Ontario can
be a daunting experience, fraught
with uncertainty, embarrassment and
trepidation. Bernice Weber, an
English -as -a -Second -Language
teacher with the Avon Maitland
District School Board stresses that
not only have these people left
behind their families, friends and
careers, but they arenow facing an
24 THE RURAL VOICE
environment that is unfamiliar and
that they are challenged to discuss.
Weber can relate well to her
students. A few years ago she and her
husband sold their farm and moved
to his native Switzerland for a year
and a half. "We wanted our children
to learn his culture, get to know his
family there and experience
something new. Having worked in
China as a single woman for two
years previously, 1 thought I knew
what the cross-cultural experience
would be. However, going to a new
country with a young family and
responsibilities, the challenges were
at times more complex and stressful."
Weber often had to rely on her
children, who had been raised
bilingual, for assistance. "When does
a mature and intelligent woman feel
like a child and less than competent?
—When she has to ask her three and
four-year-old to translate
Bernice Weber (standing) works
with students (left to right) Ellen
Vinkx. Yvonne Vergeer, Connie
Vergeer. Tineke Groenewegen and
Michiyo Gillan.
everything."
In a mother/children gymnastics
class Weber couldn't follow the
instructions and had to continually
ask her boys to tell her what to do
next. At the grocery store her
children helped her find the foods
that she needed and translated
everything the grocery clerk was
saying.
"Instead of me guiding my children
through society my children had to
guide me. What a responsibility for
children so young."
ay -to -day living in a foreign
country proved to be not just
challenging, but somewhat
frightening from time to time,
especially considering that her
husband was delayed by two months.
"At one point my phone got cut off.
After I managed to get through to the
company to correct the problem I
was told that I needed to send in a
form that had been sent to us. I
couldn't read it so had set it aside for
my husband. Another time, a service
technician came to fix the phone and