Tag: Jordan

Reflecting on Daily Life: My First Journaling Experience

February 9, 2026

Digital media often invades privacy, or should I say always. Ads for shoes, books, and cars follow online searches. Banners even remind me to journal (writing down daily thoughts, feelings and experiences). I’ve never done this before but yesterday was both challenging and interesting and decided to put it to writing.

Yesterday was challenging because the garage door would not open. Both cars were locked in, leaving us immobile with no public transit nearby. It took time to discover the problem—the spring was broken. Bottom line: I couldn’t get the 2010 Mazda3 to a repair shop for an appointment. The car needed a diagnosis for a knocking noise when turning right, and the brakes were pulsating.

I tried to disengage the door from the lift engine and just push it up. Because the spring was broken, the door was too heavy for me to lift. I used an 8-foot-long 2×4 stud as a lever but still could not lift it. A neighbor came over to help me. Together, we raised the garage door and put a stud under it to keep it from closing. I managed to drive the car to the repair shop, arriving late for my appointment.

Addressing the garage door issue promptly was important, as an open garage without cars inside can jeopardize security. Once I managed to drive out, I called the repair service, and fortunately, they had time in the afternoon to come over to fix it. This was an unanticipated and unwelcome expenditure, adding to the day’s complexity; I got lost driving to the garage even with my GPS on. I took an Uber taxi home.

Yesterday’s other event that made an impression on me involved the Uber driver and the two garage door technicians—all were recent immigrants. It made me wonder: are most service workers in Canada immigrants? While my sample was small, I found it interesting that all of them I met in one day were newcomers.

In halting English, the Uber driver related that he came from Cameroon 8 months ago; he was French speaking. This was his first winter in Canada. I gathered that he had three children under 10 years of age, and that his wife worked as well; they needed two incomes for the family to live. Driving a cab gave Yves, the driver, the opportunity to get home when the children needed him.

He could not find employment in Cameroon in his field, food processing, and immigrated to Italy, where his wife was already living. There, however, he felt that Italians were too close-knit and would not embrace foreigners. For example, he said he never saw a black bus driver in Milan. So, they decided to come to Canada and arrived last summer. On this day, the temperature was minus 20 degrees Celsius or minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit yesterday, a huge climatic difference from Cameroon.

I also had interesting conversations with the two technicians who came to fix the garage door in the aafternoon. The lead technician was from Punjab, India. With his Punjabi accent, he explained the meaning of ‘Punjab’ to me; it means ‘five rivers’ in Punjabi. He also talked about the partition of India while instructing the other repairman, who identified himself as a Palestinian.

Talking with the Palestinian, I learned that he grew up in Jordan but never goes to Gaza, where he has relatives, because of the Israeli road checks. In spite of carrying a Canadian passport, whenever he tried to cross into Gaza, the Israeli soldiers harassed him. So, he no longer visits. On leaving, he advised me to oil the moving parts of the garage door a few times a year and showed me the product he used, which is available at Home Depot. I never thought of oiling the garage door before, a learning experience.

Meeting three immigrants prompted me to reflect on Canada’s diversity. Statistics show that 1 in 4 Canadians is a first-generation immigrant, and another 17% are second-generation. Over 40% of the population has recent immigrant roots—it’s a remarkable diversity. I would not be surprised to find Canada to be the most diverse country in the world.

Late afternoon, I called the repair shop to check on my car. I was shocked to learn their huge estimate to make the car “safe” again. However, after discussing it with the mechanic and hearing his detailed explanation, I felt confident in his recommendation. I realized I had not had the car repaired for years, I thought it was indestructible.

I had to decide whether to choose repairs, knowing that more issues might arise soon, or consider buying a new/used one. First, I thought it was time to trade up. However, I reconsidered; the suggested repairs could extend the car’s use for another year or two. I have spent nothing on this car for years, and I liked the gearshift; they do not make gearshift cars anymore.

Reflecting on journaling, I do not expect every day to be as eventful as yesterday, worthy of journaling. Writing the journal required time and thought. It made me realize the importance of maintenance and discovered the impact of immigration on Canada via direct experience. Some days may be less striking, but journaling can still offer value.

My Rant Today

January 30, 2025

I’m feeling rather irritated right now. The US administration’s illegal actions are shocking. How can they do all of this? They are firing civil servants protected by legislation and freezing programs Congress approved and funded. Surprisingly, I have seen little outrage or opposition in the news yet.

Why does this matter to me? I live in Canada and am not a U.S. citizen, but I have friends and family there and visit them often. The new president’s recent actions require observation; only time will tell if their impact exceeds mere headlines. The administration might revoke some orders. However, given the recent announcements, it is not unrealistic to expect border restrictions or even the requirement for visas to enter the U.S. from Canada. That would be pretty inconvenient.

Two items about the recent batch of activities surprise me. Disgust me is the right expression, and one is bullying. The handling of the Colombian affair is a prime example. When Colombia refused to allow US military planes to land, the US administration announced tariffs on the country, knowing it could devastate its economy. That was, instead of trying to resolve the conflict gentlemanly and diplomatically. The complaint from the President of Colombia was understandable. The US response wasn’t a measured reply but a brutal attack.

The other item is the incredible ignorance shown by the administration. The case in point is the President’s request to Jordan and Egypt to take in Palestinians. It has been policy by both countries not to allow Palestinians to settle in their countries; Jordan already has millions of them, and Egypt fears terrorists. Furthermore, both countries advocate for a Palestinian state, but what becomes of this goal if Palestinians vacate Gaza? As well, the Palestinian people do not want to leave their land. This is common knowledge. So, why would this administration flog an idea that has no currency?

Political events do not form my discussions with friends and family in Canada and the US. I know such subjects lead to significant disagreements, especially those concerning President Trump. He is a convicted felon and a liar whose only interests are to amass power and money. Think of his cryptocurrency coins, selling running shoes, etc.

He talks a good game, but I do not see how his policies benefit his supporters, except business people expecting a tax cut. And that baffles me. Did he con his supporters, close to half of all Americans? An example is the State of Louisiana, which receives over fifty percent of its budget funded by federal sources. The temporary shutdown of all federal programs announced Tuesday would have devastated the heavily Republican state of Louisiana, which relies on federal funding for over half its budget (fortunately, the order was rescinded today).

Trump’s campaign involved outlining his policies, and he’s currently implementing them. Did people vote for him but not believe him? In my experience, the American people are not stupid. I studied and worked there. Recent events, however, have negatively affected my viewpoint on the American people. Republican legislators are eyeing social programs for cuts to free up money for tax breaks for the rich, actions that would have disastrous impacts on the many people who voted for him.