Cultural Fusion: A Journey of Integration and Harmony

Adjustment and integration of cultures are common concerns and important civic issues. Many new immigrants always ask how to keep the culture of their homeland alive while learning to adjust to Canadian culture. Adjustment requires understanding our worldviews, attitudes, and beliefs. Sherry Soltani sat down with Poran Poregbal to discuss New Year planning, time management, self-care, and financial management as we enter 2024. Poran highlighted that for proper goal setting for the New Year, one needs to be realistic and divide the goal into smaller steps. Sherry emphasized the effectiveness of smaller plans, citing her own experience at 15 when she wanted to work at a Montreal souvenir store. Seeking her parents' permission and advice, this example highlighted the practicality of breaking down larger goals into manageable steps.

A larger goal often results in disappointment if one has not recognized the actions toward achieving smaller steps.

Sherry asked Poran the main factors to consider when planning a new self-care plan. Poran talked about six domains of self-care that are well-researched;

1- Physical domain: nutrition, sleep, exercise, physical health, and more

2- Psychological domain: paying attention to our emotions associated with various events occurring in our lives.

3- Mental domain: recognizing how to manage our thoughts, particularly the automatic thoughts that cause worry, stress, and sleepless nights.

4- Financial domain: managing money and finances.

5- Interpersonal domain: having the skills to build and maintain our relationship

6- Spiritual domain: knowing how we connect to the higher power in any way that we define that higher power for ourselves.

Sherry and Poran shifted their attention to the concerns of a community member. This lady in the community is a retired immigrant who wanted to know how to protect themselves from the bad and sad news we hear every day from Iran. Poran emphasizes that attending social gatherings and community-based programs is a great way to receive support and talk about the news that upsets us. She added that it is important to continue listening to the news while knowing how to manage our emotions by seeking help and support from our community and loved ones.

Sherry then invited listeners and viewers to connect with the show, encouraging them to share their questions or comments. This engagement fosters a sense of community and reinforces the importance of open dialogue on topics that matter to immigrants in Canada.

Volunteer Host:

Poran Poregbal MA, RSW, RCC Doctoral Candidate in Counselling and Psychotherapy

Journalist: Sherry Soltani

Skyrise Media Society