MAHVASH SABERI
“I was a teacher in Iran. I taught Persian literature and English grammar to Grades 9, 10 and 11. I came to Canada in December 1993. There was so much snow on the ground and I was so scared of the cold. We have snow in Iran, but it’s not as cold as here, and the winter is not as long as here. If it’s minus-3 or 4 there, people think they’re going to die.
“After three years here, we became citizens; me, my husband and my little son. We chose Canada because some of my husband’s relatives were here. I’d never left Iran before. One of the first things we did when we got here was my relatives took me to the Ottawa River to show me the ducks, and I thought, “Oh, my god, this is exactly like my hometown; my mother had so many geese and ducks and other birds. And the nature, the trees and rivers were exactly like my hometown, so I never felt homesick. I never felt far away. I really thought all the world was a small village.
“I love Canada, for many reasons. The nature is great, the people are wonderful, and you have all the freedom. You can be religious, not religious; nobody hurts you. This is what we really need, all over the world. It’s heaven on earth.”
Q How should Canadians celebrate their 150th birthday?
A “In the most beautiful way. It’s a great country. Everybody should appreciate all this beauty, all this freedom. I can’t explain … everything nice is here.
“You cannot find that in other places. And I’ve always wanted to tell people here: Thank you very much for everything you do for the people who come here. They’re so welcoming. They forgive us for many mistakes we do. They help us to grow. I would like people to know how much I’m grateful.”