From the Editor
It has already been two years since SAN first appeared on newsstands. In the meantime, in the greater Toronto area, everyone who speaks Serbian has heard of SAN and at least leafed through its paged. We even got correspondents from Alberta, Quebec, and the United States! SAN has grown and maintained itself thanks to you—our readers, as well as our sponsors who place their ads in the magazine. SAN is continuing its mission thanks to the huge enthusiasm and effort of the team that puts it together.
In this issue, SAN is also commemorating 150 years of Canada.
The country that offered us hospitality. The country that gave us a chance.
For some, Canada was and remained a “useful country,” but for the majority, it became their new homeland.
My love for Canada was not remotely “love at first sight.” In the difficult and stressful first years of an immigrant’s life, there were a lot of disappointments and critiques of this new country and new society. Over time, there came accommodation and acceptance, #The Diary of an Immigrant (from previous issues of SAN). It has been proven that many important relationships in life, such as marriage and friendships, become stronger and last longer—often for life— when they are not “at first sight” or “seasonal.” Over the years, many of us have gotten to love Canada and have seen the many particular assets of this country and society, such as the regulated governmental and political system, cosmopolitanism, civil liberties, and much more. I would particularly emphasize that Canada offers every citizen countless and vast opportunities.
Over time, our countrymen and –women here in Canada have shown their incredible ability to adapt to a new society: their professional competence, ambition, persistence, resourcefulness, diligence, good communication, and many other qualities. I would particularly emphasize the desire of all of us to help Canadians discover more about Serbia through our lifestyles, behaviour, success, and stories (A question I hear less and less is “Are you from Siberia?”) I hope that in that way we have been succeeding in changing the negative image— which was established by our people during and after the last war in the Balkans— into a positive and respected one.
I believe that the majority of our countrymen and –women are now happy in Canada, and love and are proud of their new homeland. Even if members of our generation do not completely identify as Canadian, our children certainly do, and this is and will remain their homeland.
In the name of our children and all of us, let us celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday!
And in the name of preserving Serbian culture, tradition, and language, let us celebrate SAN’s 2nd birthday!
Toronto, June 2017