Coming from the sticky heat and crowded streets of Mumbai, India, to living in the cold winter and open spaces of British Columbia, Tanya Thomas loves being right where she is.
Tanya came to Canada to pursue her education, and when she landed at the Kamloops airport, she thought she had the wrong place.
Her first thought, having come from a city with an estimated population of around 20 million, was: “Where are the people?”
She had landed at the small airport, far removed from the city itself, and empty of any obvious citizens, in extreme contrast to what would have surrounded her upon leaving Mumbai.
Seven years later and living in Williams Lake, she says while she misses Mumbai, she now loves her six feet of space and proudly declares: “I’m a small town girl now.”
Tanya said coming to Canada was a chance to see the world, as well as have opportunities she might not otherwise, given the amount of competition for jobs in India.
She had done her bachelors degree there, but came to Canada to complete her Masters of Business Administration (MBA) at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops.
The intrepid and independent woman enjoys other solo adventures, and has explored Edmonton, Victoria, Prince Rupert, Bella Coola, Toronto, Bella Coola, Niagara Falls, and Montreal.
“I feel I’ve seen more of Canada than I have of India.”
After graduating with her MBA, Thomas got her first job in Prince George.
Moving to the northern interior, many people warned her about going there on her own, calling it the ‘most dangerous city in Canada.’
“I had the opposite experience there,” said Tanya, who shared examples of random acts of kindness by strangers, including one woman randomly giving her flowers. Another stranger driving by her as she ran to catch a bus one day pulled over to tell the driver of the bus to wait for her.
She also met her fiancé while she lived in Prince George, and the pair relocated to Vanderhoof not long after he went there for a job.
Read more: OUR HOMETOWN: The best of both worlds
After Vanderhoof, the two moved to Williams Lake for another job opportunity for her partner, and she applied for a position with the Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN).
Her passion for her role as the Director of Human Resources is obvious as she describes her work.
‘This is the best place I’ve ever worked,” she raves, crediting her team of coworkers with her job satisfaction. She also appreciates working with a First Nations community, citing the similarity to India’s family-focused culture.
“Overall, if you just respect someone, they will treat you with respect,” Tanya advises.
When she and her partner arrived in Williams Lake, they both joined the Rotary Club and were a part of the Toastmasters which helped them meet people in the community.
She feels like Williams Lake has given her so much already.
“I’ve never seen a grumpy person here,” she said.
The couple got engaged on a local trail and have recently built a new home here. They also enjoy hiking on the area’s many trails.
She looks forward to being able to experience the Williams Lake Stampede and other local traditions once COVID allows and having her parents come to visit from India. She hasn’t been able to see her family for three years due to COVID.
“It’s the sacrifice we made when we decided we wanted to see the world,” she said, with her brother also having moved to the United States before she moved to Canada.
She misses the food, but is grateful there is now an Indian restaurant in Williams Lake to help her cravings.
“It saved my life,” she laughs.
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ruth.lloyd@wltribune.com
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