Gursahib Singh would have done several things differently if he could have done it again.
The 30-year-old Singh moved to Canada from New Delhi in 2018 to study at Confederation College in Thunder Bay, Ont.
He was already a working engineer at home, but he wanted to start living in Canada. However, for several years he clung to what his new Canadian life should look like.
Now, through his popular social media channels – some of his Hindi videos on YouTube have been viewed nearly 400,000 times – he offers advice to prospective students in India to help them avoid the same mistakes.
Singh recently took a job at an engineering firm in Waterloo, Ont. He is currently working remotely, but plans to move into the near future. (Submitted by Gursahib Singh)
“Everyone is bragging on social media as if they have a big car or a very expensive gadget,” said Singh, who became a Canadian resident earlier this year. So when other international students come to Canada, they think, “Oh, it’s very easy to afford all this stuff in Canada.”
“Students who think this way find themselves in debt within months of arriving,” he said.
“I fell into this trap when I finished my training, but now I’m out of it. I’m really happy about it.”
They see other international students who are already in Canada and see their photos. Everyone is parading on social media. So they think it’s very easy to afford all these things in Canada. – Gursahib Singh, YouTuber, former international student
Singh worked for an engineering firm in London, Ont., Before recently joining a company in Waterloo called Molex. Singh and his partner, who joined him in Canada in 2019, plan to move to Waterloo in the near future.
Now the couple is saving on a down payment for a home.
“My motive is to make a good career, buy a good house and make my parents proud,” he said.
Tips for work, shopping, housing
Based on the number of students enrolled after high school in Canada, Singh’s videos have a potential huge market.
According to Canadian statistics from 2018/2019 to 2019/2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a 13.7% increase in international student enrollment, while Canadian student enrollment decreased by 0.9%.
During his time at work, Singh created two to three videos on YouTube and Instagram a week, offering advice to prospective students on everything from grocery shopping to finding a part-time job and how much to expect to pay for. clothes.
“There are so many music videos in my home country,” he said. “In these music videos, the presenter will wear expensive brands, brands like Armani or Gucci. And students who plan to study in Canada think, “Oh, it’s very easy to afford these brands.”
In a recent video, Singh visits a mall in London and demonstrates how much you can actually buy for $ 100.
Although there are advantages to being roommates with other international students, he warns that it comes with challenges.
“Everyone gets busy and all the housework stops. Nobody washes the dishes because there are exams. Nobody cleans the house. Nobody does anything.”
And that could lead to conflicts, he said.
Prince Sain moved to Brampton, Ont., From India in April to study at Algoma University. He says he learned what to expect in Canada from Singh’s videos. (Submitted by Prince Sain)
Singh’s proposals on social media have had a wide impact, including on his followers.
“I watched videos from Gursahib’s YouTube channel,” said Prince Saine, 32, who moved to Brampton, Ont., In April to study at Algoma University. I’ve been watching since I was in India.
Saine admitted that it was difficult to find accommodation when he first settled in Brampton. It also took him a while to adjust to public transportation in Canada.
But he said Singh’s videos have taught him how to deal with the challenges and given him practical information on what to expect when he arrives.
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