A Tour of NEW Immigrants' Businesses

Say, I had an interesting Saturday, just past! You might find this interesting too.

I think I've mentioned before that I'm a helper in our English as a Second Language (ESL) class on Sunday mornings in our church.

Many of our students are international students from China who did get some English training before they came, but as they arrive here the want to learn to speak it as we do in Canada, and so our classes have a 15-20 minute language exercise, followed by a Bible lesson, and sometimes very exciting quizzes. There are usually 2 Helpers at each round table, with a student on either side of us. We often have lively conversations, especially when there is a lull in the lessons.

The students have often said what they like best is the making of new friends in our class format. We do take a summer break so no one has to feel guilty about going on a vacation. However, some events, like a picnic at Pike Lake, or a BBQ happen during the summer.

Recently our leaders found out that there are about 6-7 new immigrants, rather than university students, who had come to our part of Canada and they have opened small businesses in the small city of Warman, a 15 minute drive north of our city, Saskatoon.

Jake & Carol, ESL Helpers also volunteer at a new Thrift store in Warman, and suggested that the helpers that were free, come on a tour, starting at their grand opening and going to visit some of these other ESL students in their places of business.

We started at the Thrift store, (where I found a few items of clothing in my size!), then we followed each other to an industrial section, where one student has a a small shop with all kinds of lamps, lighting supplies, etc. He made a few sales too.

We went on to a section I had never seen before. There was a low L shaped building with units for small shops. All are owned by Chinese business people and their families. (Later I saw another building facing these which also had businesses). It was said jokingly that this was Warman's Chinatown.

We visited one shop with pet supplies and some containers in which tiny specs of baby fish were being cultivated for sale. The store next door had bedding and linens, towels, etc. The owner announced a special sale (10 towels for $5!) He also told us that the stuff came from his factory in China.

Then we walked across the parking lot to the other corner of the L building, where Lily and her family have an appliance store. There was also a long wooden table about 6-8 ft long, and food appeared there, so we had lunch and socialized.

There was a row of exercise recliners and various ones of our tour group tried them out. Some seemed to fall asleep in the chairs. I was coaxed to try one out, but as the chair pummeled, pushed, squeezed me in various parts of my body I became concerned for my back - the massage part was a little rough on my spine which sticks out and has already had too many fractures. Fortunately several came to my defense and Lily's husband turned it off.

Lily wanted a photo of our group, before we left and went back home.

I have to say that it was a very interesting experience, and it gave us a whole new appreciation for our ESL students. Sunday morning Lily came to thank me for coming as it meant a lot to her. I feel like I know the students in a whole new way, and now understand them much better. They are intelligent and capable people.

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