Aliaa El-Mezawy Speaks about on Her Life in Canada

Aliaa El-Mezawy Speaks about on Her Life in Canada

Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent

Aliaa El-Mezawy is a resident of Vegreville who was born and raised in Egypt, a country in northern Africa. Aliaa explained that she lived in Egypt for 25 years, and then she traveled with my husband to Germany where she lived there for five years while her husband and her studied for their Ph. D. degrees.

Aliaa said she was 35 when she immigrated to Canada. “My first impression was a mix of how far away I was from Egypt and a family friend in Edmonton picked us up from the airport, so it felt like a hospitable environment right away,” Allia said.

When I asked Aliaa how Egypt was different from Canada, she replied, “The culture in Canada is inclusive and vibrant due to the existence of various backgrounds coming together in harmony. The majority of people are polite, kind and not judgmental. The climate is harsh and requires some “getting used to”. I like the kindergarten, elementary and high school education system in Canada. The focus on quality over quantity, the inclusion of sports, field trips, and extracurricular activities are great ways to engage students.

Post-secondary education on the other hand is financially exhausting to students in Canada whereas it’s almost free (very minimal tuition and text book fees) where I grew up. Egypt is a beautiful country, with thousands of years of civilization, history, art, science, good people and a great climate, despite its political and economic challenges. I wouldn’t be the same person if I didn’t live the first 25 years of my life there.”

Aliaa went on to say that the constitution and the law in Egypt which pertains to the values of the citizens are the same in Egypt and Canada, however, their interpretation by each government is what makes the difference. “In Canada, you can present your opinion, as long as, it does not infringe on the rights of others, without fear of persecution or harm.”

Aliaa then said her favorite part of Canada when she first came to Canada was when a visiting scientist position proposal came from Canada and her favorite part of living in Canada now is the country has become home to her.

Aliaa in the lab when she was working as a scientist. (Photo/Submitted)

When I asked Aliaa if she ever encountered racism in Canada, she replied, “Racism is something that may not be explicitly expressed but can be in the form of discomfort, microaggression or bias. For almost all visible minority immigrants, whether to their knowledge or not, with or without intent from the other person, they have experienced some form of racism. So, to answer your question, yes I encountered racism while living in Canada.”

When Aliaa was asked how we can prevent children from being racist, she said, “There are obvious racial differences in appearance and children notice them at an early age. These differences become racist only if they are labelled with either inferior or superior values. Starting conversations and education to address existing biases are never comfortable. But approaching that with a truly open mind and compassion is necessary to understand the experience of people who encounter racism. Parents and the School System are vital to educate children and teach equality to ensure our next generation aren’t racist. Justice is the third main element in the equation. It’s crucial to see people who are racist are held accountable, regardless of what position they hold in society.