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Last year, Thanksgiving felt like a warm welcome. This year, it feels like a milestone.
As a newcomer to Canada, I’ve spent the past year learning what this holiday truly means. It is more than turkey and traditions. It is about reflection, community, and shared purpose.
I am grateful for
• The engineers and founders who welcomed me into conversations that matter, from agentic workflows to startup storytelling
• The mentors and organizations like S.U.C.C.E.S.S., ICTC-CTIC, ISSofBC – Immigrant Services Society of BC and Empowered Startups who helped me navigate family settlement, career transitions, cultural adaptation and business networking.
• The chance to grow in Canada by deepening my technical skills through the M2M Tech DataTalent and ICTC-CTIC Beyond the Cloud program, where I earned the Generative AI Infrastructure Engineer certificate. These experiences helped me explore how scalable AI-powered solutions can serve real needs while also learning the rhythms of Canadian workplace culture.
Thanksgiving reminds me that integration is not just about fitting in. It is about showing up, contributing, and celebrating the journey.
Happy Thanksgiving, Canada 🇨🇦. I am thankful to be part of your story.
Written by Jonathan Wong at LinkedIn. Originally published as My Second Canadian Thanksgiving: Gratitude, Growth and Belonging