Oshawa, Canada
“I think I am a better person - more empathetic, good listener and totally independent”
Mohd’s interview is published here as a transcript. The recording is not yet available.
Born in Mumbai, India, Mohd Javed grew up in a Muslim-dominated area and faced discrimination as a Muslim student throughout his education in government schools. He got an undergraduate degree in pharmacy in 2014 and worked in the industry for three years. During the pandemic, he decided to pursue higher education in Canada. He secured a financial loan and got admission to a pharmacy program at Durham College, but due to visa delays couldn't travel on time. He reluctantly transferred to an international business program. After receiving his PR invitation in 2023, he started driving Uber full-time for flexibility while job hunting. After nine to ten months, he found work aligned with his interests and is now employed there.
We were always considered as Pakistani who never belonged in the society. I grew up in a Muslim-dominated area, which meant that all of my friends were Muslims. However, despite having a pre-dominant Muslim student body, I never had a Muslim teacher at school, and most of my interactions with my teachers in school were tense, and openly discriminatory towards the Muslim students. My experience at college was also shaped by this anti-Muslim sentiment.
I secured a financial loan to fund my education and got an admission in a pharmacy program at Durham College. However, due to last minute delays in the visa procedure I couldn't travel to begin my program on time. Reluctantly I transferred to an international business program. Balancing a demanding academic program with part-time employment was challenging. I started as a part-time cook at a fast-food chain, then eventually took up full-time employment.
I quit my restaurant job and started driving Uber full-time after I received an invitation to apply for my Permanent Residency in 2023, hoping that Uber would provide me with the flexibility of applying for jobs, relevant to my education and experience. After a job-hunt that lasted about nine to ten months, I found work that aligned with my interests and am now employed there.
There is definitely less fun in life in Canada compared to India. But I think I am a better person - more empathetic, good listener and totally independent. It's a fair trade-off.