LOOKING FOR ANOTHER MILLION-DOLLAR WINNER ON P.E.I.
A new group called the Kerala Association of P.E.I. hopes to help new or visiting Keralites settle and enjoy P.E.I.
Deepak Thomas of Kerala, India, says P.E.I. reminds him of home.
Although located 12,475 km away, he sees more similarities than differences between the two provinces.
“Kerala is just like P.E.I.,” said Thomas in an interview with The Guardian.
“Both provinces are beautiful.”
When Thomas first came to P.E.I. in 2011, there were only 10 Keralites living on P.E.I.
Now, there are approximately 200 people from this southern province in India who have made P.E.I. their home.
“We could see more Keralites coming to P.E.I.”
To help others adjust to P.E.I. living, the Keralite community recently formed the Kerala Association of P.E.I. in the hope of helping new or visiting Keralites settle and enjoy the Island.
Thomas’ journey began in 2010.
He came to Canada with a student visa in search of better educational opportunities.
He has since obtained residence status and completed his licensed practical nurse (LPN) and registered nurse (RN) exams.
He has lived in Vancouver and Manitoba, but after living on P.E.I. in 2011 for six months he decided to move back in 2015 to make P.E.I. his new home.
He now lives in Stratford with his wife, Jincy Mary Manoj.
Thomas works as an RN at the Provincial Addictions Treatment Facility, and Manoj works as an LPN supervisor at Andrews of Charlottetown.
Many Keralites are working in various sectors in P.E.I., including nursing, travel and tourism, engineering, information technology (IT) and call centres.
There is even a Keralite priest on P.E.I. — Rev. George Palamattam at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Cornwall.
“We are happy to serve the community,” said Thomas, adding that Keralites are drawn to P.E.I. because it’s close to the ocean, has a lot of greenery and is beautiful.
“I like P.E.I. for that reason because it feels like I am home.”
Kerala is known as “God’s Own Country” and P.E.I. is known as the “Green Province”.
Kerala’s main resources come from the ocean and forests, and it is a well-known tourist destination in India.
Thomas said there are only two notable differences between P.E.I. and Kerala — weather and population.
Kerala doesn’t have a winter season (instead, it has a monsoon season), and it boasts a population of 34.8 million people.
Thomas admits it was the atmosphere that ultimately made him decide to settle on P.E.I.
“I like the quietness and beauty of P.E.I.,” said Thomas.
“It is not that quiet in Kerala because it’s highly populated.”
Thomas says he feels P.E.I. is doing a great job with helping newcomers including the Provincial Nominee Program and the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canada.
“P.E.I. is so welcoming,” said Thomas. “People here are very friendly.”