After almost a decade in Canada, I have come to the realization that my achievements will never allow me to breakthrough the glass ceiling. Today, I am feeling a sense of remorse for a journey that started in Jamaica and continues to be paved with frustration and limited possibilities. The happiness that I once felt has been replaced with trepidation as I make my daily ride back to my suburban home on the “Green Machine” (Gotrain).
I must take responsibility for the position that I am in at this moment and yes I should count my blessings; I own a nice home, a nice car and feel secure in my home. So what seems to be the problem? Someone once told me that professional immigrants from the Caribbean suffer from social dehydration; moving from being a big fish in a small pond to small fish in a big pond. Back home I was accustomed to the good life, good salary and relatively high standard of living compared to the ordinary Jamaican.
In Canada, the workplace is not only diverse but also highly competitive. Landing a high paying job is akin to winning the lottery. Straddling through several job interviews and numerous “letdowns” I now consider myself stuck on the “bridge to nowhere”. My self esteem has been shattered; I continually gazed to the floor rather than hold my head high. So today, I am simply a fragment of myself a decade ago; no confidence, antisocial and stress prone.
I left Jamaica where I was a Big Fish in a Small Pond for Canada where I am now a Small Fish in a Big Pond!
