Canadian Salad

Did you know white men can't get a job? It's true . . . mostly . . . well,  actually, it's not true at all. Silly white men. White men ARE getting jobs and also get paid more than women and people of colour do, hold most of the positions of power, receive far less discrimination than People of Colour do . . . but we digress. Poor white men? Yeah, not so much. We're dishing it o...

If trauma unites us, it is joy that liberates us. In this final week of Asian Heritage Month, we will celebrate and honour the beauty, strength, resilience, culture and dignity embodied in Asian people both here in Canada and all over the globe. Hostion and Andrea will explore the brief history of how Asian Heritage Month came to be, what was the tone at the time when this annual observance began...

Hostion and I were told that immigrants need to do their research before they come here and that we should have known what we would get in coming to Canada. Blame the buyer for buying what they were sold? Nah . . . we don't think so. Let's dish out this doozy comment! Let us know what you think of this episode! Text us! Go to Canadian Salad Website for all sources cited in this episode....

Immigrant entrepreneurship is not only common in most G7 countries, but it is a response to a greater motive: because they want to. The ability to embrace the unknown in a new country parallels the experience of immigrant entrepreneurs, risking the consistent pay check for something better, something that will leave a legacy.  Yes, immigrant skills and training are often suppressed to work in trad...

Welcome to a brand new, special  series of episodes from your immigrant buddies at Canadian Salad called "Dishes Out". These short, brief episodes are filled with our own responses, funny and serious, to those who negatively comment or message us on our social media platforms. There will always be the naysayers, the anti-immigrant and the ones who are simply being mean. We believe that b...

Happy Canadian Citizenship Week! While we're not exactly sure what that means, we will deep dive into the complicated, messy and even joyous relationship immigrants consider when saying 'I do' to citizenship in Canada. What are the reasons people decide to become citizens? What are the reasons people don't? What is it about Canada that makes someone say 'Yes to the Maple D...

"You don't have any Canadian work experience." As immigrants, we apply for jobs, get the interview and then we're slammed with this comment. Our education, our global work experience and even our skills somehow can't match up to these "high" work expectations in Canada. And we continue to be denied a job. Join Andrea and Hostion as they explore (through ranting)...

Ballroom Culture is more than Madonna or Vogue Magazine. While it’s striking a pose it’s also striking social oppression and creating liberation. Ballroom Culture is a community of people who created an act of peaceful resistance, social oppression and identity rejection. Whether you know all about it, or none at all, listen as Hostion shares a window in a community that creates home, belonging an...

Consider Hostion. Born and raised in China with a strong nationalist culture, government and hierarchy. Then consider Andrea. Born and raised in the United States with a relentless patriotism embedded in family, school, church and even sports games. With two very different and yet similar experiences of national identity, Hostion and Andrea wrestle with what healthy pride of one's country act...

The land we stand on makes us. It defines our seasonal rhythms, our daily habits and our yearly traditions. How we have community, when we see family, the foods we eat . . . everything about us is tied to land.  But what happens when we leave? What happens when it’s forcibly taken from us? Hostion and Andrea share how voluntary migration and forced migration alters how you see yourself and the new...

Ramadan is special. Faith, religion and family shape how we make the holiday meaningful either in our home country or here in Canada. What is the sacred and collective observance of Ramadan and how do Muslims in Canada see this religious day in light of a society that doesn’t observe it? Hostion and Andrea invite two guests, Bushra from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Fayrouz from Libya, to share...

How we borrow money. How we save money. How we give money. It’s not all the same. Culture is the biggest influencer for us in how we perceive and interact with those golden coins and paper bills.  Immigrants have a unique relationship with money, especially if they are from collectivistic cultures. And often, western banking systems and societies misunderstand the ways in which the Global Majority...

Laughter is universal. Humour is a part of being human. Everyone tells jokes. But across the water and over the mountains, sometimes we find ourselves the only ones not laughing.   Hostion and Andrea will tell jokes, laugh and discuss the nuances of humour in new social settings. Are there differences of humour and comedy among cultures? How do you translate a joke so others can understand? Can co...

There are currently over 450 heart languages spoken in Canada , according to the most recent statistics of 2021. With language comes identity, culture, history, and family. And when we immigrate, so much is sacrificed in order to adapt and even survive. Language is one of the first to be compromised. But should it be? Hostion and Andrea discuss their journey with their family’s heart languages and...

Politics. Most of us will shy away from it, stay unengaged and ignore the noise. It's complicated, confusing and it's completely different than what we're used to in our heritage countries. After all, it doesn’t really affect us . . .right? Well, maybe not. Hostion, Andrea and returning guest from Belgium, Niels, will discuss the complexities that we, as immigrants, face living in C...

Immigration is not for the faint of heart, especially with kids. How do you navigate a new culture while trying to preserve pieces of your own? What do you let go of and what to you accept? How do you balance your ever evolving identity while your children grow up immersed in a culture, community, traditions, faith or background that is different than your own? Meet Fayrouz from Libya, Kari from J...

You've said "I do" in Canada and possibly in your heritage country. The house is bought and the kids actually like macaroni and cheese. You've made roots and you're proud of all that you've done. All can seem okay on the outside, but what about the inside? In this final episode of the 'Love and Relationships in Canada' series, Hostion and Andrea invite four...

February is Black History Month and for many immigrants, and Canadian born people, the history of Black people in Canada is unknown. From the lack of Black history taught in Canadian schools to the lack of understanding as Canadian immigrants, it is time that we understand what Black History Month is and what it can truly do for all of us living in Canada. Join Hostion and Andrea as they unpack th...

Love is in the air! Your partner is amazing and how lucky we are to be dating! Even with all the butterflies and kisses, dating can be really hard. If you’re new to Canada, you’ll know how dating can be a bit freeing and a bit limiting to your integration experience. Can a dating relationship help you integrate easier? How does a dating relationship affect your long term immigration plans? Join Ho...

Being Single in Canada! What is it like? Is it hard? What makes it easy? What are all the juicy details? Well, you’ll just have to take a listen on this first of its kind Canadian Salad episode. That’s right! On this first episode of a three-part series, Hostion and Andrea will be interviewing two guests - Akari, an immigrant from Japan and Stanley, an immigrant from Malaysia. They’ll talk about b...

Happy Lunar New Year! It’s the year of the dragon and there are many countries celebrating this holiday worldwide. But what is this holiday about? What does celebration look like in Korea, Vietnam, China or Malaysia? Take a trip around the world and explore this ancient holiday of family, luck and money.  Join Andrea and Hostion as they uncover the traditions of giving money, honouring ancestors,...

Coming to a new country can feel like having a new adventure - it might be exciting and mysterious. But it can also be very uncertain. How does someone make sense of a new culture, a new place, a new country? Integration is often left to the newcomer to Canada. But it takes more than just one person - it takes all of us.  Andrea and Hostion will talk about their ongoing journey of integration in C...

Ever heard the phrase "third world country"? How about "first world problems"? What do these phrases really mean? Do we really need to rank each other? Honestly, it’s dumb. Hostion and Andrea will unpack the 72-year-old term “third world country” (yes, folks, it's that old and ready for retirement), the origin of the phrase, how it evolved and what it means to this day. Th...

It can be easy to point fingers. “They’re racist!” And yes, admittedly, it can be easier to see racism in other people than in ourselves. But if we’re honest, racism can be found in all of us. Join Andrea and Hostion on this honest conversation about the racism that is found in all of us. Together they’ll discuss how the systems of whiteness shape our understanding of ourselves, within the white c...

Smashing plates, eating grapes . . . wearing red underwear? As wild as these activities sound, they are the traditions of New Year across the globe! Forget dropping balls, this is an episode with fun and traditional ways to celebrate 2024. In this first episode of 2024, Hostion and Andrea will take you on a journey around the world to Haiti, Japan, Ireland, Spain, the Philippines, Denmark and Braz...