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Storyteller: Gagan (he/him) My name is Gagan, and I was born in Ambala, Haryana, India. Ambala is a city with a rich cultural history and a close-knit community, known for its lively streets and vibrant traditions. Growing up in such a place shaped my values and gave me a strong sense of community, which I’ve carried with me throughout my life. In 2019, I made the decision to move to Canada on a study visa to pursue higher education, seeking new opportunities that would help

Storyteller: Yathil Srinivas (he/him) My name is Yathil and I’m originally from Bangalore, India. Back home, I come from a lively and vibrant city with a rich mix of cultures, languages, and traditions. In India, I completed my education and started working as a hairdresser, which eventually led me to explore opportunities abroad. I moved to Antigonish in 2021 on a work permit. I currently live in Stellarton but work in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. I recently received my permanen

Amarinder (he/him) Interviewer: Bhavpreet Singh Arneja Interviewee: Amarinder Singh Sandhu In this interview, Amarinder, a final-year MSc Computer Science student at StFX, shares his journey since moving from Ferozpur, Punjab, India to Antigonish in August 2023. Currently on a study permit, Amarinder talks about the challenges he faced, especially finding accommodation and securing a job during the summer of 2024. His younger brother, who is also in Canada, helped him find a

Norah Quirk Interviewer: Tavneet Kaur Interviewee: Norah Quirk In this interview, Norah Quirk, a young community member who grew up in New Glasgow and moved to Antigonish for university, shares her experiences. Norah is a final-year student at StFX, majoring in History and minoring in Fine Arts. Norah enjoys photography and filmmaking, which fuel their creativity. Accompanied by a special guest, Norah's therapy cat Tiki, Norah reflects on how the town has changed for the bett

Pavithra (she/her) Interviewer: Bhavpreet Singh Arneja Participant: Pavithra In this interview, Pavithra, an MSc Computer Science student from Chennai, India, shares her experience as an international student at StFX. She moved to Antigonish on August 28, 2023, on a study permit and initially knew little about the town. Through research, she discovered that Antigonish is a peaceful place. However, Pavithra faced challenges, including the lack of public transportation and expe

Neeti Bhatnagar (she/her) Interviewer: Tavneet Kaur Participant: Neeti Bhatnagar In this interview, Neeti Bhatnagar, a community member originally from India, shares her journey to Antigonish. Neeti moved to Canada in 2023 to join her husband, who had arrived in 2021 to work at NSCC in Port Hawkesbury. After spending a year there, they decided to settle in Antigonish. Neeti, a chef by profession, had a catering business in India and did some catering work in Port Hawkesbury b

Nadeeka (she/her) Interviewer: Tavneet Kaur Participant: Nadeeka In this interview, Nadeeka, a 45-year-old permanent resident of Canada, originally from Sri Lanka, shares her journey to Antigonish. She moved to Canada in April 2022 with her husband and two young kids, following a recommendation from her husband’s Canadian friend, who lives in Antigonish and introduced them to the town. Nadeeka graduated with a Bachelor of Education from StFX in May 2024. She recounts that she

Asad Ali (he/him) Interviewer: Bhavpreet Singh Arneja Participant: Asad In this interview, Asad Ali, a 25-year-old international student from Pakistan, shares his journey from Dubai to Antigonish. After spending 19 years in Pakistan and five years in Dubai for his bachelor's degree, Asad moved to Canada on August 23, directly settling in Antigonish. He met the StFX recruitment director at a conference in Dubai, where they discussed Asad’s plans to move to Canada, and the dire

Patrick (he/him) Interviewer: Bhavpreet Singh Arneja Participant: Patrick Patrick, a final-year student at St. Francis Xavier University, shares his journey from Nigeria to Antigonish. He moved to Canada in stages, first arriving in Vancouver on August 30, then Halifax, and finally settling in Antigonish on September 1. Growing up in the southern part of Nigeria, in a small but capital city where the community was tightly knit, Patrick draws parallels between his hometown and

Anik Das (he/him) Interviewer: Tavneet Kaur Participant: Anik Das Anik Das moved from Bangladesh to Antigonish in September 2021 to pursue his Master’s in Computer Science at St. Francis Xavier University. In this interview, Anik shares his journey, reflecting on the challenges he faced and the support he received from professors during his program. Although he finds Antigonish to be a quiet town, he appreciated the academic environment and the opportunities it offered. Since

Cohen Wang (he/him) Interviewer: Tavneet Kaur Participant: Cohen Wang In this interview, Cohen Wang, a first-year student at St. Francis Xavier University, shares his experience as a newcomer to Antigonish. Originally from the north of China and currently on a work permit, Cohen has been living in Antigonish for only a few months. He reflects on his transition to life in this small town, the challenges and opportunities he's encountered, and how he is adapting to both the aca

Anonymous A sunny day captured in the town, captured on September 17, 2021. Copyright @art_nouveau___ As a Canadian student from British Columbia, moving to the small town of Antigonish in the winter of 2022 was a big change for me. I had grown up in a city and was used to the busy, bustling lifestyle, so the quietness of Antigonish was a bit of a shock. However, I was excited to experience a new environment and learn about a different way of living. One of the main problems

Tejal (she/her) Tis the season in Antigonish Captured on January 20, 2021. Copyright @art_nouveau___ Hi, I'm Tejal, an international student from India who came to StFX in March 2021 to pursue my Masters of Applied Computer Science program. However, after arriving in Antigonish, I did face problem in terms of finding part-time jobs. There weren’t many job openings, and I couldn't find any online job postings for the jobs I was looking for. This was a challenge for me as I ne

Anonymous A frozen brook in the town of Antigonish. Captured on January 28, 2022. Copyright @art_nouveau___ As an international student from South Africa, I had always been fascinated by the beauty and culture of Canada. So, when I got accepted into StFX University, I was thrilled to embark on this new journey. However, little did I know that it would be a rollercoaster ride filled with challenges and opportunities. Upon my arrival in Antigonish during the winter of 2021, I e

Kesha Patel (she/her) A busy day at the main street in Antigonish. Captured on January 3, 2022. Copyright @art_nouveau___ Hi, I'm Kesha Patel, an international student who joined the Masters of Applied Computer Science program at StFX in April 2021. While my experience at the university has been great so far, I faced a major challenge when it came to finding suitable housing. The limited options for housing and the high cost of rent made it difficult for me to find accommodat

Anonymous One of the best ice cream spots in Antigonish, during the summers. Copyright @art_nouveau___ Moving from the busy city of Toronto to the charming town of Antigonish in the fall of 2020 was an exciting experience for me, eh. However, like any big change, it came with its own set of challenges. Here, I share my experience of the problems I faced and how I overcame them, eh. One of the biggest challenges for me was getting used to the slower pace of life in Antigonish.

Anonymous A beautiful sunset, clicked on February 12, 2022. Copyright @art_nouveau___ As an international student from Bangladesh, I came to Antigonish during the winters of 2022 with high hopes of pursuing my higher studies. However, my experience was not without its challenges, and the biggest of them was the language barrier. When I first arrived, I found it hard to understand the accent of the locals. Though I had studied English in school and had a good grasp of the lang

Original author: Ravjot Singh (he/him) Editor: X Helping hands An eye view of the Town of Antigonish from Xavier hall, clicked on January 28, 2022. Copyright @art_nouveau___ I am an international student from India. I recently graduated in May 2022, with a degree in Masters in Applied Computer Science. I arrived in Antigonish during the fall of 2021. Due to a country wide lockdown in my home country and late visa approval, I had to complete the first year of my studies from h

Original author: Abhishek Walia (he/him) Snowview of St. Ninian church clicked on January 15, 2022. Copyright @art_nouveau___ I am a second year Masters of Computer Science at X. I am from New Delhi, a city in the heart of the capital of India, which has a great historical significance along with lively marketplaces and amazing food. I came to this beautiful town of Antigonish in the fall of 2021. As an international student, I experienced high cost of transportation, which i

Original author: Venkatramana Ramadev Krishnamurthy (he/him) Sunrise captured from the town on January 10, 2022. Copyright @art_nouveau___ Hi, I am Venky, that’s what my friends call me. I am a graduate student in the second year of Master of Computer Science program at X. I am from Chennai, a city, famous for one of the best information technology and industrial engagement in India, and this developed my interest in computing and software. I came to Antigonish last year in N