«Le premier hiver, c’est le manque d’information. Les gens ont peur d’avoir froid. Dès qu’ils voient de la neige, ils voient le froid», résume Maria Vasquez, intervenante communautaire au Comité logement Saint-Laurent.
« Yes, I love Saint-Laurent, but the only thing I am afraid of is the winter! » Chantal Dubrignon, services coordinator at Centre d’accueil et de référence sociale et économique pour immigrants de Saint-Laurent (CARI St-Laurent) often hears this answer when she asked immigrants it they like their new society.
According to her, they often arrive with the preconception that it is always winter here. « Winter, doesn’t have to be nasty, replies the coordinator. But during the winter, one must know how to dress. When it’s below zero, you have to wear more clothes. »
Living in fear
Affraid to get sick or fall, if they go outside, some immigrants and their children spend winter inside their homes.
« They are afraid to fall, so they stay at home. They don’t know how to walk on the ice with boots », says Ana Medina of the Corporation culturelle latino-américaine de l’amitié (COCLA). « It can cause social isolation, especially for the elderly » adds Ms Vasquez.
Some rumors scare the immigrants. Without real life experience of Québec winters, they don’t know it’s false. For example, some believes their ears are going to fall off if someone touched them after they got red from the cold.
Breaking the ice
« Every children love the snow, even those who are from tropical countries », precise Ms Medina. According to her, small children don’t share the fear of cold of their parents.
« We have Colombian families in Chameran. Two children ask me with enthusiasm: »is the snow going to fall soon? » says Julio Rivera, director of COCLA. Parents escape social isolation more easily.
He recommends new comers to ask practical tricks from their friends and neighbor. « You have to break the ice » he adds with humor.
« You must never give up, in this country; there are wonderful things to discover during winter » adds Ana Medina.
Maria Vasquez insists on the importance of information. « I recommend to domesticate the cold season like something new: to confront it. I say to the immigrants: »Go toward winter and the snow related events! ». It is at that moment, they will see how much fun we have », she says.