Usman Nasim - Masters in Urban and Transportation Planning, 1st Year

Q: You've just spent two months in Vancouver, how has the switch from India to Canada been so far?

A: So to be honest, the second week I was here, I was thinking to myself, why are you here? What are you doing? Just go back to your country, rejoin your job. I had a good paying job back in Delhi. So I thought this is enough, this is not the place for you, you do not belong here. This is the first time I've been away for this long from my family. I worked in Nigeria, Ethiopia, in Indonesia, and South Korea, but not for that long. This time, I am here for two years. So that kind of felt like a setback. But yeah it's going to be a good experience. And yeah, maybe the first term will be a problem but inshAllah from the coming months, this is going to be a very memorable period of my life.

Q: This is possibly the first time you've been in contact with so many people from Pakistan. I know that being in India, though people from Pakistan are an awkward reality, so tell me about that experience of engaging with so many Pakistanis.

A: You know what, I used to listen to French music, although I do not understand the language. But the thing is, the music connects different ethnicities. But with Pakistan, we're the same culture, same language, same lifestyle, so we are more connected with Pakistan than any other country. But yes, I recall one incident when I went to Amritsar to the Wagah border. Two feet away from me was a Pakistani standing. I was in India and he was in Pakistan. But we were not allowed to even see each other. So that is the situation back in India. They're always fighting with each other. But here, when we are out of our own countries, it's like a buddy thing. No Pakistani, no Indian.

Q: Being a Muslim in India, it comes which many challenges. But in Canada, you can practice your religion freely. How are you fitting in within the context of Vancouver as an Indian Muslim?

A: Unfortunately, in the last couple of years in India, the distance between non-Muslims and Muslims has increased. The hate is more apparent now. Even in our own country, we have to defend our nationality. We are Indian by choice. My forefathers didn't go to Pakistan. But these conflicts are one of the reasons I opted for Canada. You can say that yes, I can actually practice my religion here. The best thing I find is that you can identify a Punjabi or Sikh in a large group. But in India, I was travelling with many Muslims, but I didn't know it. Because people are afraid are showing anything that points to them being Muslim.