'Dear Kyiv, Calgary is actually....' Here's what these new residents would write back home

What is Calgary like for new arrivals? It's different for everyone, of course. 

But for CBC Calgary's Growth Spurt project, we invited people who were new to Calgary to meet with us at the Calgary Public Library.

We talked about what drew them here, and what challenges they've overcome.

After reflecting on all this together, we asked them to write a letter home about what they've learned about Calgary — and themselves — in the process.

Here's some of what they said.

'Dear Nairobi, Calgary is actually a place that I want to make home'

Hussein Mohamed thought Calgary would be a temporary destination as he completed his diploma in business administration at SAIT and figured out where to go next.

He changed his mind and now says this is the perfect place to settle down.

"If I have the choice, I would love to live here forever," said Mohamed.

Most people have been welcoming and he's bonded closely with his former classmates, many of whom were also international students, he said.

Mohamed says that when you struggle with others in a place and together you overcome the challenges, that makes the place feel almost sacred. And now he doesn't want to leave.

"You've been through all of that, and your reward is to stay here for as long as you want to."

"I could see myself having kids here and having a lovely life — the green lawn and having a house. Hopefully sometime soon."

'Dear Kyiv, Calgary is actually the friendliest city in the world'

Anna Bohodaika moved to Calgary two months ago from Ukraine with her partner, Igor. She's been buying winter clothes and worked hard to find an apartment.

But everywhere she turns, she's been surprised at how friendly people have been. One day in particular, she was out in public and just felt flooded with compliments from strangers — more than she's ever received before.

"It made my mood, and I said, 'I have never met [anyone] in any countries like this. I was smiling all day."

'Dear Kolkata, Calgary is actually a place that has everything'

Kaushik Mazumder was shocked to learn about all of the scenery in and around Calgary, from the Rockies to the hoodoos near Drumheller.

"Where on earth is there a city that has pretty much all aspects of nature so close to it? This city has all the things that a big city has — all the amenities. It has culture."

Mazumder moved to Calgary from Kelowna, B.C., and is originally from Kolkata in India. He was looking for a place where he and his wife, Palashree, could afford to settle and buy a home.

He loves how culturally diverse it is here. In Kelowna, he struggled to meet people who were from his hometown. That isn't a problem here. It means he can celebrate cultural festivities like he did back in India, and he can learn more about other cultures without having to leave the city.

His neighbours are originally from China. He says he loves when they wish him a Happy Diwali, just like he loves wishing them and others a Happy Easter or Merry Christmas.

"It kind of fulfils the dream of being in Canada — the Canadian dream that everybody talks about."

'Dear Toronto, Calgary is actually a somewhat challenging place'

"... to meet new people, but full of opportunity for the brave and the patient."

Thomas Ambrozaitis came to Calgary two years ago looking for adventure near the mountains — and for love.

"I would tell people when I moved that I was looking to meet my mountain wife," he said.

He hasn't had any luck so far.

The 41-year-old mental health therapist agrees that people are friendly. He spends almost every weekend hiking in the mountains and he's met tons of people. But he's struggling to form deeper connections with people whose lifestyles and values are compatible with his.

Unlike him, "generally, people are a little more traditional here, a little more small-c conservative." 

That can be lonely and isolating. He's gotten through it with a mantra: "For the man who's nostalgic for a home that no longer exists, what can he do except build one?"

To help others who feel the same, he launched a workshop at the University of Calgary — where he works — about conquering loneliness and building social courage.

That's where being patient and brave comes in.

"[I learned] I also had to be courageous and take the risk. I'm going to have to be courageous and embrace that it's OK to be lonely."

'Dear Nizhyn, Calgary is actually where my dreams come true'

War in Ukraine drove Anhelian Taran to Calgary about a year ago, and the first months were difficult.

She was a TV and radio host back home, so she wondered if she could pursue that passion here. She started a YouTube channel, sharing local news and tips for living in Calgary with the local Ukrainian community.

That's something she's wanted to do since she was little. Now, she has over 5,000 subscribers.

"This city makes me more happy and more confident in what I'm doing. And this city shows me it doesn't matter where you are, it doesn't matter who you are. If you believe in yourself, you will find people who believe in you.

"All of these challenges just make me stronger."

Growth Spurt, Calgary

Calgary is growing again and quickly. But this population boom is different. CBC Calgary is looking at the impacts all week. See what you've missed at cbc.ca/yycgrowth.