HOSPITALITY TO A UKRAINIAN

In early July 2022, three plane loads of Ukrainian refugees landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia with the help of the UN and ISANS (Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia). Each family was assigned to a housing unit in cities across Nova Scotia and then put into the immigrant support system to receive financial aid, employment options, and language classes.

In July I happened to be visiting family in Halifax and decided to go to Subway for some lunch. It was a hot summer day and I walked briskly towards the air-conditioned restaurant. As I walked in the door, I noticed a middle-aged woman behind me and held the door for her. She looked up and said “Thank you.”

I couldn’t quite place her accent. Somewhere in Eastern Europe maybe but I wasn’t sure. After I ordered my sandwich and paid, she walked timidly toward the counter and asked the employee in a soft voice “Sorry, I don’t really know how to do this, it’s my first time here, I just arrived from Ukraine.”

He smiled at her and walked her through the process of ordering a subway sandwich. When she was finished, she reached into her purse and pulled out some of the money the ISANS worker had given her on arrival. The subway employee looked at her and said “No.”

“This is on me” he said.

“Welcome to our country.”

I was so touched by this kind gesture of an ordinary Canadian worker, and how welcoming and hospitable he was to a newly landed Ukrainian refugee.