Abidemi: That’s right.

Jeremy: Can you tell me ______a little bit about________ what the transition was like coming from Nigeria to Canada and doing a Canadian education system?

Abidemi: Sure. For me, it was an interesting experience. ________both great_______ and at the same time—hmm, I don’t want to say ______traumatic_____, but very different in ________terms of lifestyle________. Since I was very young, I’d loved traveling. I wanted to travel. So when my family ______decided to make__________ the move to Canada, I was really excited. But I have to say, I wasn’t really prepared. I _______had no idea_________ where is Canada, America, England—they’re all the same to me at that age.

So when we moved and my dad _______had initially ________ made the move. He _______went ahead of us_________. He got a job. He found a place for us to live. And then, I arrived with my mom and my other sisters. _______There were________ five girls and we arrived at the airport. And my first memory is ____looking out__________, mid-December in Montreal—we arrived at Montreal airport—, looking out, and seeing this __________white thing___covering_______ the ground and thinking, “What is that? Why is it so white?” And I remember saying to my dad as he drove up to ________drive us home___________, “Let’s play in that. I want to play in that. What is that?” So that was ___________was my first memory_______ Canada of the snow.

And it was fun. It was great arriving in December ________but at same time _________, it was very cold. Personally, I’m not somebody that likes the ______the cold too much________, but having the warmth of my family in the midst of that cold made it worth it. _________It was awesome____________.

And then at school, making the transition _______was a little harder________. At that time, the school we went to, ______There were not ________ not a lot of minorities. So, I think some of the teachers and ______some of the________ the students ______didn't know how___________ to get accustomed to us, and we weren’t sure ______what to expect either______________. But everyone tried their best and we _______flourished________. And I went on to high school and then to university. And _______one of the things__________ was having my teachers—like we were talking about before, ________recognize the potential_________ in me and my sisters and really _______encouraging______ us, and being with my classmates and making friends and having fun with them .

And _______during that time________, it was the late ‘90s, and there were a lot of transitions going on in ________other parts of the world________. So people from different countries, like I remember we had ______a lot of people_____ people from Bosnia ______because of the war___________ coming to my high school, and from other parts of the world, from Asia, so it was a really ______multicultural______school________—high school that I went to. So learning about other cultures _____through _______ my friends, too, made it really worth it.

So I’m __________certainly glad_____ that my family made the move. It’s opened up amazing opportunities for me as well. And __________being able______ come now to Japan and teach English, that was because of that. So yeah, ______although it was hard__________ in ways that I hadn’t imagined, but it _____so worth ________ it. And I’be grown and I’be had so many _______awesome experiences_________ that yeah, I’m really thankful for it.

Abidemi: That’s right.

Jeremy: Can you tell me ______________ what the transition was like coming from Nigeria to Canada and doing a Canadian education system?

Abidemi: Sure. For me, it was an interesting experience. _______________ and at the same time—hmm, I don’t want to say ___________, but very different in ________________. Since I was very young, I’d loved traveling. I wanted to travel. So when my family ________________ the move to Canada, I was really excited. But I have to say, I wasn’t really prepared. I ________________ where is Canada, America, England—they’re all the same to me at that age.

So when we moved and my dad _______________ made the move. He ________________. He got a job. He found a place for us to live. And then, I arrived with my mom and my other sisters. _______________ five girls and we arrived at the airport. And my first memory is ______________, mid-December in Montreal—we arrived at Montreal airport—, looking out, and seeing this ____________________ the ground and thinking, “What is that? Why is it so white?” And I remember saying to my dad as he drove up to ___________________, “Let’s play in that. I want to play in that. What is that?” So that was __________________ Canada of the snow.

And it was fun. It was great arriving in December _________________, it was very cold. Personally, I’m not somebody that likes the ______________, but having the warmth of my family in the midst of that cold made it worth it. _____________________.

And then at school, making the transition _______________. At that time, the school we went to, ______________ not a lot of minorities. So, I think some of the teachers and ______________ the students _________________ to get accustomed to us, and we weren’t sure ____________________. But everyone tried their best and we _______________. And I went on to high school and then to university. And _________________ was having my teachers—like we were talking about before, _________________ in me and my sisters and really _____________ us, and being with my classmates and making friends and having fun with them .

And _______________, it was the late ‘90s, and there were a lot of transitions going on in ________________. So people from different countries, like I remember we had ___________ people from Bosnia _________________ coming to my high school, and from other parts of the world, from Asia, so it was a really ____________________—high school that I went to. So learning about other cultures ____________ my friends, too, made it really worth it.

So I’m _______________ that my family made the move. It’s opened up amazing opportunities for me as well. And _________________ come now to Japan and teach English, that was because of that. So yeah, ________________ in ways that I hadn’t imagined, but it _____________ it. And I’be grown and I’be had so many ________________ that yeah, I’m really thankful for it.