From picking apples to first snowfall: Afghan refugee family embraces new life in Canada

After fleeing their country, nearly 300 Afghan refugees who arrived in Quebec in the fall are experiencing their first holiday season in their new home – including their first snowfall.

Families like the Hashimis, who fled Afghanistan and embarked on a nearly two-month journey, are settling into their new lives.

They left their home country following the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul earlier this year.

“It was my first time that I see from near Christmas celebration here,” said refugee Sayed Rabi Hashimi. “Everything which is new in our lives, we are very excited to see that. I was taking photos, sending to my relatives, sending to my friends in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries. They were also saying, ‘oh you’re living in a very nice place,’ and I said, ‘yes I am enjoying Christmas.’

“In Christmas we went somewhere and Ferdaws, which is my son, he was so excited. He was very happy when he was seeing the lights, the Christmas lights and the balls, and also the people.”

Hashimi fled Afghanistan with wife Zahra, his son Sayed Ferdaws and mother Zia. His brother and three children have also settled down in Quebec.

His five sisters, however, stayed behind. He and his family fear for their safety and hope they’ll get the same chance he did.

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The Hashimis spent a month and a half travelling from Qatar to Germany to the United States before landing in Toronto – where they quarantined – to finally settle in Brossard, Que. That’s where they now call home.

“Because of that we tried to give them a warm welcome, give them a taste of home, cook them Afghan meals because they missed that for a month and a half,” said Nadia Hashimi, the director of programs at Maison Afghane-Canadienne.

“They were very happy, finally, after being on a very bumpy trip after such a long time.”

#WATCH: "I'm enjoying living here. Everything is different for us the culture, the environment the weather," says Afghan refugee Sayed Rabi Hashimi on settling in Quebec after a month and a half of travel fleeing his war-torn country of Afghanistan. @CityNewsMTL pic.twitter.com/BGrgvoVIAz

— Brittany Henriques (@BritHenriques) December 28, 2021

The family arrived in the province just in time to go apple picking: a staple activity in Quebec culture they could not miss.

“We went to apple picking, there was a big garden. This was also very nice experience for us to be honest, we enjoyed it too much also,” said Sayed Rabi Hashimi.

“We are very happy and enjoying life now and now we are working to adjust ourselves here for culture, for people, for working, environment.”

Nadia Hashimi said apple picking was a unique activity for the newly arrived family.

“It was a very good experience,” she said. “The kids were very happy. Finally after being in a very bumpy trip they had something fun to do.

“This whole experience was new for them because in Afghanistan you’re not allowed to go to people’s orchards. You are not allowed to touch the fruits. But here they got to go and taste it.”

For Sayed Rabi Hashimi, one of the highlights has been meeting new people.

“I’m enjoying living here,” he said. “Everything is different for us: the culture, the environment, the weather. Besides from that, it has its goodness. I found the people very nice.

“The most important part was the people who knew that we are new, they were behaving really nicely with us. They were so kind.”