In my background, my family was very cultured. In our neighborhood, we always show respect, call people 'aunt' even though they are not our flesh and blood. So I found it very different here. By working, doing the volunteer job in the school, it helps. I just mixed with the children - whatever comes I take it. And I watch, that's my main point. If I'm doing wrong, I always go and ask. I will accept the challenge, try to correct myself. Whatever help I need, I'm never shy. I always go and ask and then get the help. And the children, I think are far more educated in some kinds of stuff than us. They give us lots of ideas and we just put it together and work it out.

After I came to Canada, I was also involved in my own culture. I was working at our temple, very involved in that too. I was teaching heritage language in my temple. I was the education director for two years there - a volunteer job. Every Sunday from 9:30 till 2:00, I was teaching Hindi, teaching our culture, dance and everything. I was totally involved for two years. Back home, we don't have kindergarten or day cares. The rich parents can send their children to kindergarten, but it wasn't provided by the government. It was private. But here, the children come right from home, they come without English and so we have to go and start from the roots, doing actions with the children to teach them English, but they grasped it so quickly. While I was teaching Hindi at the temple, it was so hard because at home they are speaking only English. If they speak Hindi, their own language at home, it wouldn't be that difficult.

I started working in the day care where I am now two years ago. I saw this place when I walked by one day and came in and talked to the people running it. The day care moved to another location for a while so I went to talk to them about opening the day care again. Nothing was here, no furniture or anything so we went to the licensing board, we started from the root. I took it over, it's a private day care, there is no parent board but I have a program for the parents and we have parents' meetings. They can come anytime and do anything with the kids, they are most welcome. I have a very good set of parents. They come in the morning and spend time with the children. One of the parents volunteered to play the piano and they sometimes read books with the kids. They sit down and do puzzles and stuff like that. All the children know everybody, all the parents. And all the parents regard the children as their own children. I have a mixed group here, I have Chinese, I have Hindu and English and some French-speaking children. A very rich group.

I am thinking of, maybe next year, going and taking more courses so I can work with special needs kids. I also do fund-raising, put flyers together, the parents are really helpful with that. My wages are not too good but we're working at it. But if you think about the children and the recession and those out of jobs, I think it's good. I'm going to get more qualifications in other fields like counselling for the parents, if they have kids with problems. I'd love to take that. I'm taking an administration course now. I have also taken workshops, like art or multiculturalism. I also use the resource centre and take out their books.

I keep going, even though sometimes it's difficult. I get help from God, I thank God and he gives me encouragement to do whatever I want to do. Otherwise I would have been nowhere. I felt so isolated when I came here five years ago. . . . And my son, he's my best friend, he always encourages me. So through him I get strong and I believe in God a lot. I am so fortunate that what I wanted to do, I'm doing right here. I was a teacher back in my country, I didn't change my job.