The Newcomer Journey is one of resilience, perseverance, and new beginnings.
Yulia Ageenko and her family arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 2021. “We initially moved to Saint John before settling in Moncton. And I still remember my feelings getting off the plane at the airport; a warm feeling of arriving in our new home. People here are very kind and friendly and everyone tries to help.”, says Yulia remembering her first impression upon arriving in Canada three years ago.
Originally from a small town in the Kuzbass region in Siberia; well known for its coal-mining industry and when talking about her hometown, Yulia is always happy to show photos of her region.
As a school student, Yulia started her education path majoring in math. However, she knew that her call and passion were elsewhere so she decided to be- come a journalist. And today, with a master’s degree in public relations and over 15 years of experience in the Tv production industry, Yulia looks back at the path she chose with a heart full of pride and gratitude.
Yulia first heard of MAGMA before moving to Cana- da, “it was while we were waiting for our visa. I came across the organization on social media. I remember thinking to myself: could it be true, all these things and services they provide to help newcomers? No way!”. So, when the family moved here, they decided to go to MAGMA; “I remember how impressed I was by all the work MAGMA does and the services it of- fers”, Yulia recalls. Soon after connecting with MAG- MA, she started attending English classes and a few months later, she joined the Skills Launch program along with 8 other students from different countries from around the world.
The program not only helped Yulia be better prepared to integrate into the Canadian workplace, but it also helped her apply the knowledge and skills she already had to start her career here in Canada. Eventually, Yulia joined the MAGMA marketing team a little bit over a year ago.
Building a new life in a new country where language, traditions and culture are very different is never easy. And when talking about her story, she shares “one thing people must understand most is that when moving to a different country, nothing is the same. Newcomers have two lives – the before and the one after where one has to build their life anew, from the beginning”. She explains that one of the greatest challenges faced by most newcomers to Canada is finding a job; however, this is a challenge that one can overcome eventually by properly planning in advance adding “it might take some time but, in the end, good planning pays off”.
“Each day, I get to be around wonderful people who constantly give me a chance to believe that this is only the beginning for me. Each day is a new lesson. And today, I am proud to be part of MAGMA team; an amazing community that helps newcomers, like me, everyday”.
Yulia’s advice to newcomers?
”You never know how things will go when you are about to start the new chapter of your life. My advice would be, first, don’t be scared, secondly, communi- cate with people whenever you have a chance and last, the most important thing I think is to believe in yourself; believe in your dreams”.
