Newcomers who arrived in Calgary during pandemic forced to put dreams on hold

It's not the dream start to a new life in Canada that Khalil Jomaa imagined as he headed to Canada from Syria seven months ago.

Jomaa, who was a teacher in Aleppo, and his family lost their hometo the war there.

• Watch the video at the top of the story to hear more as thefamily describes what it was like to land in their new country just as the pandemic forced everyone into lockdown

They came to Calgary via Turkey in February, ready to embrace Canadian life. But COVID-19 had other ideas.

Just as they arrived, COVID-19cases started to rise and Calgary went into alockdownof sorts with rules and restrictions changing everything. It was especially confusing for new arrivals like Jomaa inthe early days of navigating the city and the systems in place to help newcomers.

"As a newcomer, you need to go very fast and progress into society, but we can't," saidJomaa.

"All the time, we must stay at home," he said.

"We cannot visit our neighbours, we can't go. It's COVID, what can we do?" Jomaa said.

COVID shutdown was 'a big shock'

Everything got harder when COVIDarrived, from making friends to accessing in-personsettlement services.

Jomaa, his wife and his older children are all learning English online, but he says it's difficultlearning remotely, without the interactions of fellow students and instructors.

Jomaa is doing courses with Columbia College andhis son is enrolled at Bow Valley College.

Like colleges and universities, settlementorganizations includingCalgary Catholic Immigration Society, Immigrant Services Calgary and the Centre for Newcomers have moved their workshops and programs online.

Jomaa says government services have also been impacted. He's been trying to sponsor his remaining daughter to come to Calgary from Syria but he saysthe process has slowed down significantly during the pandemic.

Even Jomaa'smedicalappointments have moved online.

Jomaa's wife, Yazi Alhandhal, doesn't speak English yet, but shared her thoughts on arriving during the pandemicthrough an interpreter.

"We were so excited to go out and explore Canada and enjoy it and we were shocked that as soon as we arrived, COVIDhit and we couldn't go out or go anywhere. It was a big shock," she said.

Their son, Nazar,has his sights set on a career in the fashion industry. He wants to start his own business when the pandemic is over.

"Right now, I go to college just one day per week. Online courses are good but not better than face to face at the college," he said.

"We have conversations with people, the students, the teachers, not just stay home," Nazarsaid.

"I have more things to do. I would like to start courses infashion design and I hope to open a company making clothes," he said.

Pandemic forces newcomer centre to get creative

But formany newcomers like Nazar, theirdreams are on hold.

Agencies that work with newcomers say that, right now, the problems and issues facing them keepstacking up.

"We're having to get innovative with the services we provide," said AnilaLee Yuen, CEO of the Centre for Newcomers.

"We're openbut we try to do everything online and that can create problems," she said.

Some families don't have computers or devices. Sometimes theyjust rely on a phone.

Lee Yuen also says health monitoring like temperature checks and long lists of questions can be frightening for people who've come from hostile countries and environments.

Getting kids into schools and integratedis also problematic during the pandemic as well as accessing avenues of financialassistance.

"We got issues with employment, there's less jobs available. That gets more difficult because your ability to get assistance right now is diminished, your ability to go out and look for a job is also diminished, also your ability to get into society, getting to know people and socialize is also diminished,"she said.

"It creates a layering of effects, which is creating a lot of vulnerabilities for our clients," said LeeYuen.

Agencysees 'more blatant racism' amid COVID

With gathering restrictions in place, it'seven difficult to get to faith-based events and take part ingroup meetings, limiting who people get to know in the city andleading to mental health strains and isolation.

"When you're only looking at your own family for eight months, you can get a little stir crazy," saidLeeYuen.

"Invitingpeople for coffee, going to someone's house for dinner, having play dates for children, [not being able to do] all of that is an impediment to newcomers' integration," she added.

Another issue for some newcomers unique to COVID has been an increase in racism related to the virus and its origins. It's another issue some newcomers have to face on top of everything else.

"That's been something new that we've had to incorporateintoour training when we're meeting with newcomers, just saying there is a bit of a heightened, more blatant racism we're seeing in light of COVID," said LeeYuen.

She saysthe needs keep rising among newcomers. Thisyear, her organizationsaw 5,000 more clients than last year and newcomers are still arriving, all needing some forms of assistance to help them settle.

'I'm excited to go to school, meet people, integrate'

Early on in the pandemic, the needs were more urgentfor things like food hampers. Now, LeeYuen says the focus is on employment and supports forissues like domestic violence and mental health, which are alsoissues in the wider population.

"I hope when COVIDis gone everything, gets back to normal," saidYazi.

"I'm excited to go to school, meet people, integrate into Canadian society and explore Canada and Calgary. I want to visit my neighbours and invite my neighbours into our house. Then we can fit into society faster," she said.

Her husband,Khalil, says his hopes and dreams are still alive, just on hold.

"We're dreaming of a good future. We'd like to be Canadian, to get citizenship, to work in society, to be like Canadians," he said.