Dr. Huda Alladin recently joined Peterborough West Animal Hospital.
Huda Alladinis an adventurous young woman.
She moved to Cavan Monaghan a few weeks ago leaving her home in Cairo to join the staff at Peterborough West Animal Hospital. It was a giant leap of faith, which so far has been very pleasant. Canada was her destination of choice, as her research indicated that this was a safe and welcoming country. This view has been reinforced since her arrival. She has been warmly received, with Dr. Scott Sargent and his wife Trish anticipating all of Huda’s practical needs, arranging a residence, transportation and full-time employment as a veterinarian. She has found friendly, helpful colleagues among the clinic staff of 15, reinforcing her view that Canada is an ideal destination for her.
There are a few practical issues to address in the longer run. While she completed her veterinarian studies in Cairo in 2020, she must complete some clinical work with large animals to be fully qualified in Canada. Obtaining a driver’s license will also take some time despite her driving experience. She is not perturbed by this issues.
Like many people who move to a foreign country, what Huda misses most besides family and friends is familiar food. There are no local sources for Middle Eastern food, but she will search out markets that offer tastes of home when she travels to Toronto where a few of her friends have located .She is already preparing a list of dishes she looks forward to consuming when she returns to her family for a visit next year.
While she is experienced as a vet, she explains that the clinics in Cairo operate a bit differently than in Canada. In Cairo clinics do not have scheduled appointments, so they all act like our emergency clinics, accepting patients as they arrive. She sees the system of scheduled appointments as much more predictable and less stressful but perhaps less exciting than the walk-in clinics back home. She was also introduced to Lyme disease and heart worm issues for pets, which they do not experience in Egypt.
Her English is fluent with no discernable accent but her mother tongue is Arabic. Unlike many new immigrants arriving in Canada, she chose to avoid large cities like Toronto, despite its conveniences and knowing a few people there. Huda was looking for less congestion, more space and more opportunities to spend outdoors, and with its easy access to Toronto, Peterborough was an appealing option. So far she has visited the mall, but looks forward to discovering more about her new community in the months to come.
Welcome, Huda!