Elif arrived in Edmonton in the Spring of 2024 from Turkey with her husband. For the first couple of weeks, they were a bit nervous about their new start in Canada; thankfully, she has family in Edmonton who supported them from the start.
Elif had two priorities when they arrived: 1. Find a place to call home, 2. Look for an English school. Both things were easy to tackle with the help of her family! Her cousins took them to look for a place to live in a nice neighbourhood, and they also told them about CCI-LEX.
As a Refugee Claimant, getting into English classes was an important step for Elif to settle in. She started her classes in September 2024 and has not stopped since then. She has taken our English classes specifically for Refugee Claimants, the Reading & Writing class, and even a Summer Speaking class!
But it doesn’t stop there. Elif is also part of conversation activities at a church to practice her skills, she takes a second English class, she joined the EPL conversation circle, and more! Besides that, she also joins many of CCI-LEX’s student activities and field trips, where she has had the chance to see new places like the Muttart Conservatory and the Art Gallery of Alberta.
All this hard work has a reason: Elif was a middle school teacher for eight years back in Turkey; her dream is to continue her career in Canada. Now that her English has improved and she is more confident in her skills, Elif has started volunteering at a daycare, so she rearranged her schedule at CCI-LEX and moved from afternoon to evening classes.
It has been quite a journey for Elif! From speaking a few words in English to being confident enough to apply for a volunteer position on her own. “I believe in a little time I will have my dream job; I will become a teacher.” At CCI-LEX, we also believe in you!