Silver Linings: Sean O’Regan

When I landed in Vancouver on March 16^th 2020, Justin Trudeau announced that Canada’s borders were set to close in 48 hours’ time to slow the spread of coronavirus. After nervously opening the news apps on my phone and reading that my new home was to be shut down before I even got in, I rang my parents at home in Ireland for their advice.

We chatted about whether or not I should turn back and start the Canadian adventure another time when normality returned. A decision was made, and thankfully, we finished that call while I was sitting on the SkyTrain for the very first time, and that’s where the silver linings started to become clear.

After the initial concerns of getting into the country, the whole experience has been incredible. I started working as a furniture mover, painter, stone mason, English tutor and finally as a chef. Through the jobs, and nights in Irish pubs, I was lucky to make a close group of friends, meet great people and explore a beautiful country.

I’ve hiked mountains I’ve never seen the height of, I’ve seen whales swimming metres away from me, I’ve tried things that I’d never have done if I had stayed at home. Home will always be there, and that’s a silver lining in itself, knowing that if things didn’t work out, you have family and friends waiting for you in arrivals in Dublin.

East Van, Kitsilano and Downtown have been the neighborhood’s I’ve been lucky to call home since moving over, and despite how tough the pandemic has been on us here, it’s worlds apart from the current case numbers and restrictions in Ireland.

In April, I started with SanMar Canada as a content writer, a silver lining if there ever was one. Starting a new job, in a new company, in a pandemic, from my new kitchen, and not meeting my new colleagues in person has been unusual, but hopefully I’ll be adding yet another silver lining to my Canadian experience soon, by joining the SanMar Canada family in person.

Put simply, Vancouver has been my silver lining throughout this pandemic.