Hannah Baek
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My husband and I moved to Canada with two little boys aged six and two on April 18th, 2002. First we lived in Toronto, and then moved to Ridgetown, Ontario for my husbands' employment at KSR International Co.
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Prior to this; we lived in Worthing, England, for two years before moving to Canada but lived in Korea for most of our lives. Learning English was the greatest challenge for my husband and me. Yet, the LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) program offered us an opportunity to improve our English.
At first, when we moved to Ridgetown, my husband and I were slightly worried that we wouldn’t be able to enjoy all the amenities and benefits of the larger city such as providing our children with better education and extracurricular pursuits like music. My child can now take violin lessons at $36 per hour, before moving here it was over $80 per hour.
However, it didn’t take us very long to realize how wonderful our lives could be in this relaxing multicultural community. My children receive a quality education and the neighbourhood was very kind and eager to help us settle. Our children attend Korean cultural class on the weekend as well.
Once, my son was offered an opportunity to attend a leadership camp. The Ridgetown Optimists Club and Kiwanis Club helped raise $400 for his registration fee. All within commuting distance, the bigger cities (London, Windsor and Toronto) makes it easy for us to shop for unique cultural products.
We particularly enjoy the fact that life in Ridgetown is very peaceful and never rushed. Quite frequently, my husband makes business trips to Korea and the U.S. while working for KSR International Co. in Ridgetown. But, he still spends more time with our family and we are happier than ever.
Reasonable prices and affordable housing make Ridgetown a better place to live. My husband has a membership to a fantastic golf course nearby and we have a huge indoor swimming pool for our family at our house. Here, we are surrounded by scenic charm with all the beautiful parks, wildlife and the Rondeau provincial park.
I have the experience of conducting a children’s choir for a couple of years in Korea. Now I enjoy participating in a local choir group called “Player’s Group” which holds an annual Christmas concert every year. Also, I make new friends every week by attending a bible study group at a local church. All this helps me adapt to my home in Chatham-Kent.