In Toronto, employees are valued both as individuals and for their individual contributions

Introduce yourself in a few sentences. What does your work involve as daily commitments?

My name is Ralitsa Todorova - Baker. I have extensive experience in the field of marketing and brand management, primarily gained in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry at companies like Nestlé and most recently as Senior Brand Manager at Intersnack Bulgaria until June 2024.

As a brand manager, my work involved defining and telling the unique story of each brand, shaping its identity, and creating integrated marketing and media strategies for maximum market success. My daily commitments included market analysis and consumer attitudes, developing and managing innovation projects, planning and executing advertising and promotional campaigns (including digital channels), managing budgets, coordinating packaging design, and close collaboration with the sales team, agencies, and other departments.

Currently, I am based in Toronto, Canada, and while seeking new professional opportunities here, I am in an exciting stage of developing my own brand of handmade knits, called Knitted Clouds by Rali Baker. I am focused on market research and preparation for launching the brand in the Canadian market, applying my experience in brand strategies and marketing in this new field.

In which country and city do you currently live and how did you end up there?

I currently live in Toronto, Canada. I moved here relatively recently, in June 2024.

The main reason for settling here is my husband - he has been living and working in Canada for 12 years. We made a joint decision that at this stage of our lives it is most suitable for us to be together here and build our life together in Canada.

The choice fell on Toronto, not only because my husband is established here, but also because the city is an extremely dynamic metropolis. We believe that it offers numerous and diverse opportunities for both professional development and an interesting cultural life and entertainment, making it an attractive place to start our joint journey.

What were the biggest challenges you faced at the beginning of your stay?

Of course, every new beginning, especially in a different country, comes with its challenges. For me, at the very beginning, the main ones were several:

1. Language adaptation: Although I have knowledge of English, full immersion in an English-speaking environment was a step that required adjustment. Understanding different accents, the speed of speech in everyday life, and specific terminology in certain situations were initially challenging. I am actively working on improving my language skills.
2. Orientation in the new environment and systems: Although my husband was a huge support with his long-standing experience here, my personal orientation in administrative procedures (such as obtaining a health card, SIN number), understanding the transportation system, banking system, and even specifics when shopping, took some time.
3. The scale of the city: Toronto is a huge and very dynamic city. Getting used to the distances, traffic, and overall pace of life in such a metropolis was also part of the initial adaptation, coming from Sofia.
4. Initial feeling of lack of social and professional network: It is natural at the beginning to miss the familiar contacts, the circle of friends, and the professional network that I built in Bulgaria. Building new contacts here is a process that I am just starting.

 

How did you overcome the language barrier (if there was one)?

Yes, as I mentioned, the language barrier was one of the first challenges. Overcoming it is a process that I actively work on every day, and I would say that I use a combination of approaches:

1. Daily practice and immersion: From the very beginning, I realized that the most important thing is to not be afraid to speak, even if I make mistakes. I strive to use English in every possible situation – when shopping, in communication with people in everyday life, when making inquiries. I also actively listen – I watch local news and shows, movies without subtitles (or with English subtitles), listen to radio and podcasts to get used to authentic speech, intonation, and different accents.
2. Targeted learning: I dedicate time to expanding my vocabulary, especially with words and phrases that I need in everyday life or are related to my professional field and the development of my brand. I use various online resources, language learning apps, and read articles and materials in English.
3. Focus on understanding: When I don’t understand something, I don’t hesitate to ask for repetition or explanation. I think this is key to avoiding misunderstandings and for truly learning.
4. Communication with my husband: Of course, communicating with my husband in English (even though he speaks Bulgarian)  also helps tremendously for practicing the language in a calm and supportive environment.

I am still in the process of learning and improving, but I think, that the combination of these approaches helps me gradually feel more confident in my communication in English.

 

What resources or networks (local communities, colleagues, organizations) helped you adapt?

1.      Toronto Public Library (Toronto Public Library - TPL): This is truly an amazing resource for newcomers. Right from the start, I discovered how much they offer – free access to computers and internet, a huge database of books and materials (including for learning English), but most importantly, various free programs. I have attended information sessions for newcomers, as well as some of their workshops. The library itself is a very welcoming and accessible place.

2.      ESL courses (English as a Second Language): To work purposefully on my language skills, I enrolled in an ESL course. This helped me tremendously not only to improve my English in a structured way but also to meet other people from around the world who are in a similar situation. The exchange of experiences in such an environment is very valuable.

3.      Connection with the Bulgarian community: Even before I arrived, and afterwards, I sought contact with the Bulgarian community here. There are different groups and gatherings are organized, which is a great way to stay connected with the culture, to speak your native language, and most importantly – to exchange extremely valuable practical information and advice with people who have already gone through the adaptation process. The sense of belonging that these meetings provide is very important.

4.      The Women's Club: I was lucky to find a Women's Club organized by a Bulgarian here in Toronto. This is a more specific and very supportive network. In the club, we share experiences, support each other in the challenges and successes related to life here, and build friendships.

5.      My personal network: Of course, my biggest support is my husband, whose experience and knowledge of life in Canada are invaluable.

What are the main differences between the work culture in your current country and that in Bulgaria?

Since I have not yet worked as an employee in a Canadian company, my direct impressions of the internal work culture are rather limited and based on research and conversations. However, in the process of starting my own brand here - Knitted Clouds By Rali Baker - and my adaptation in Toronto, I already notice some significant differences in the overall business environment and approaches compared to my experience in Bulgaria:

1. Digitalization and administrative efficiency: This is perhaps the most noticeable difference for me so far. I am strongly impressed by how many administrative processes are streamlined, especially those related to starting a business. For example, company registration turned out to be significantly faster and easier, with a huge part of the steps, as well as subsequent services like business banking or tax registrations, happening almost entirely online. This creates a sense of efficiency and accessibility, which is very different from the sometimes more bureaucratic procedures I have encountered in Bulgaria.
2. Communication and customer approach: Although I have not yet worked directly with colleagues here, in my contacts with various institutions and suppliers, I notice a focus on extremely polite and customer-oriented service. There is a clear culture of responsiveness and following procedures in a very predictable manner.
3. Work-life balance (from observations): From conversations with people here and from general observations of the pace of life, I am left with the impression that greater importance is placed on the balance between work and personal time compared to the often more intense and sometimes more demanding work environment I know from Bulgaria. Of course, this likely varies greatly depending on the industry and company.
4. Emphasis on networking: It seems that building a professional network and informal contacts are a very important part of career development and business success here. There are many platforms and events encouraging this.
5. Diversity and inclusion: The topic of diversity (Diversity and Inclusion) is very visible and seems to be integrated as an important value in the business environment and communication.

These are initial impressions, of course, and they are filtered through the lens of someone who is just entering the local business ecosystem as an entrepreneur. I expect to learn much more when I have the opportunity to work within an established organization here.

What values and workplace practices have most impressed you?

Again, I will emphasize that I still do not have direct observations from working inside a Canadian company, as I am currently focused on starting my brand and researching the market. My impressions are mainly from my interaction with the business environment as an entrepreneur and from the overall atmosphere.

However, from what I see and from conversations with acquaintances and former colleagues who already work here, several things make a strong positive impression on me as values and practices that I understand:

1. Valuing employees as individuals: This is something I often hear – that there is a greater focus on the person behind the position. I understand that there is an encouragement for caring for employees' mental health and a desire for people not to be systematically overloaded. This creates a sense of a more sustainable and healthy work environment.
2. Recognition of individual contributions: They also share with me that there is a culture of valuing and recognizing personal results and efforts of each employee. This sounds extremely motivating and like a practice that I would certainly appreciate highly.
3. As I mentioned before, efficiency and digitalization in administrative and business processes are also extremely impressive and show value for time and resources.

Of course, these are largely "second-hand" impressions regarding the internal culture, but they paint a very positive picture of a potential work environment that values people and their balance, and recognizes their achievements. This is something I find very attractive.

Have there been situations where cultural differences have challenged you?

Yes, of course, when moving to such a different cultural environment as the Canadian one, there are inevitably moments when you feel the differences and have to adapt. I wouldn’t say that I have had any serious difficulties caused by cultural differences, but there have definitely been situations of slight confusion or the need to learn a new approach.

One specific example is related to communication style and level of directness. In Canada, and specifically in Toronto, people are extremely polite and diplomatic in communication. Communication is often more indirect than I am used to in Bulgaria. Many softening phrases, positive constructions are used, even when a refusal or criticism needs to be conveyed.

At the very beginning, I found myself misinterpreting this politeness. For example, I received a response to an inquiry (whether by email or in conversation) that sounded very positive and encouraging, but actually, after nothing followed or I sought clarification, it turned out that this was a polite way to say "no" or "this is not possible at the moment". It took me some time to get used to "reading between the lines", to pay attention to the finer nuances in expression and not to take everything literally. I also had to adapt my style, to be more careful and indirect in certain situations, so as not to be perceived as too blunt, which is not typical here.

This did not create real problems, but rather was an interesting learning process – to understand and adjust to the local norms of communication. You learn to understand not only what is said, but also how it is said and what it means in a given cultural context.

How does finding a job differ in your current country compared to your homeland?

The process of finding a job here in Canada (specifically in Toronto) differs quite significantly from what I am used to in Bulgaria, based on my previous research and initial attempts. The main differences that I highlight are:

1. A huge volume of applicants and fierce competition: This is perhaps the most striking difference. The market here is much larger and more dynamic, which means that the number of applicants for each open position is enormous. As you noted, it is not unusual for one position to receive applications from hundreds, even over a thousand people. This competition is really daunting and makes the process much more difficult.
2. Low response rate for direct applications: As a direct consequence of the huge number of applicants, the chance of receiving a response or an interview invitation just after sending a CV is significantly lower. It is completely realistic, as you said, that from over 100 sent CVs, you might receive feedback from only 3-4 companies. This shows that just standard applications are often not enough.
3. The critical value of the professional network (Networking): Precisely because of the low effectiveness of direct applications, building a professional network here is not just useful, but absolutely key, especially for someone like me, who does not have a pre-established network of contacts in the country.
4. Specific networking methods – "virtual coffee": Here comes a very specific practice that is extremely popular and almost expected. People actively invite employees from companies they are interested in for a brief virtual coffee chat or informational meeting. The goal is not to directly ask for a job, but to create a contact, to learn more about the company or the industry from the inside, and to make an impression. This is a much more proactive and structured approach to networking than is usual in Bulgaria.

In summary, while in Bulgaria the process may rely more on formal applications or existing connections, here success seems strongly dependent on your ability to proactively and strategically build a new professional network and stand out among the huge competition by using methods like informational meetings.

Did you have to go through any additional qualification courses?

No, for my profession in the field of marketing and brand management, it was not mandatory to go through specific additional qualification courses or exams in order to practice here in Canada.

This is a key difference compared to other professions, such as physicians or engineers, who, as is known, cannot practice legally here if they do not pass the relevant exams and licensing procedures.

However, for my field, it is true that any additional qualification is very welcome and is certainly beneficial for my professional development and competitiveness in the Canadian market.

Have you encountered prejudices or obstacles due to your foreign origin?

No, frankly speaking, I have not encountered any prejudices or faced obstacles specifically due to my foreign origin.

My impressions, although still from a relatively short stay, confirm what is known about Canada – that it is a country built by immigrants. Especially in a city like Toronto, the diversity is huge. Foreign origin here is not something new or different, but rather a daily occurrence and norm. People are used to interacting with representatives of different cultures, and overall the environment is very open in this regard. So, at least I personally have not felt any negative attitude or obstacles because I am from Bulgaria.

What would you advise people who want to take such a step?

My main advice to people considering a step like mine is perhaps quite simple, but comes from the heart: as long as they have the desire, just do it!

I believe it is very important for a person to follow their aspirations. It is better to try, to see how it is, to gain experience, so that you know for sure that you have tried, rather than wondering for years "what if...?" and regretting the missed chance.

And another important thing to remember – this is not necessarily an irreversible decision. The world is dynamic, plans change. There is always the possibility to return back to Bulgaria if they decide that it is better for them at a given stage. No one loses anything from the experience, even if it does not lead to permanent settlement abroad.

So, yes – if the desire is there, act, try! The door to home always remains open.

If you could go back, would you choose the same path?

Yes! Absolutely yes! Without any doubt or hesitation.

Despite all the challenges that are an inevitable and normal part of the adaptation process when taking such a big step, the experience I am gaining, the new opportunities and horizons that are opening up for me and my family here in Canada, convince me every day that this was the right decision for us at this stage.

So, if I could turn back time, I would definitely choose the same path again.

Oh, absolutely yes! Without any doubt at all!

And if I have to be completely honest, if I could turn back time, I would not only choose the same path to Canada... but I would also definitely choose the same husband 😊.  Actually, thinking about it, maybe first I would check if he is "available" and then the decision about the path is easy – I would follow him again, wherever he is! So yes, the answer is definitely "Yes"

 

What do you miss most from your homeland in a professional and personal sense?

Yes, of course, there are things I miss from Bulgaria, both professionally and personally. This is quite natural, especially at the beginning.

In a professional sense:

1. The established network of contacts: Perhaps what I miss most is my long-established professional network in Bulgaria – colleagues, partners, people from the industry with whom we know each other well and can easily exchange ideas or seek assistance. Here I have to build all of this from scratch.
2. Deep market knowledge: I miss that intuitive ease that comes from years of working in the Bulgarian market – understanding consumer attitudes, the media environment, the specific cultural nuances in communication. This is expertise that I still need to acquire for the Canadian context.
3. Language in a professional environment: Although I am working hard on my English, I miss the comfort and speed of expressing complex professional ideas and nuances in my native language effortlessly.

In a personal sense:

1. Family and close friends: This is perhaps the biggest absence. The daily contact, the opportunity to share important moments (or just coffee) spontaneously, the support and closeness of your dearest people – this cannot be easily replaced.
2. The feeling of "home": That deeply rooted sense of belonging, the familiar streets, places, even smells and sounds that you associate with home.
3. The little things: I also miss smaller, but dear things – certain Bulgarian foods and flavors, walks in favorite places in Sofia, sometimes even our specific sense of humor and the common cultural codes that make communication so easy.

Of course, all of this is part of the adaptation process. As I build my new life here and create new connections and memories, these things will always hold a special place.

Have you considered returning and under what conditions would you do it?

Honestly, at this stage I have not seriously considered returning back to Bulgaria. I moved to Toronto relatively recently (in June 2024) and at the moment all my focus and energy are directed towards adaptation, building our life with my husband here, launching my brand "Knitted Clouds By Rali Baker" and exploring the opportunities that Canada offers.

Of course, life is dynamic and one never knows what might happen in the long term. As I advise others – there is always an option to return.

Hypothetically speaking, if I had to think about under what conditions I would consider returning, it would most likely be related to some very serious, unforeseen circumstances. For example:

• Urgent family reasons: If a situation arises concerning the health of my closest people in Bulgaria that requires my or our long-term presence there.
• Significant change in our personal plans: If something in our joint plans with my husband changes radically and leads to a decision to return.

But these are really just hypotheses in the realm of "if". At the moment I am here, I am motivated to develop and succeed in Canada and I firmly believe in the decision we have made. Our plan is to build our future here.

What do you think about money? What is its influence on your life? What is your advice to people who often ask themselves questions related to money and how sufficient they are?

"I think of money as the fuel for the car, and I love to travel in life. They are not the destination itself, nor the car itself, but the necessary resource that allows you to move, reach new places, and have the freedom to choose your route."

"Their influence is exactly that – like fuel. They give me the opportunity to "travel" – to provide security for myself and my family, to invest in my development, to allow myself to take measured risks like starting my own brand, to make a big change like moving to Canada. Without this "fuel", many of the paths I want to take would be closed. So they are an important factor that provides opportunities and freedom, but also require wise management, to reach where you set out to go without getting stuck along the way."

"My main advice starts from the idea that sufficiency is really very relative. How much "fuel" you need, depends entirely on how far you want to go and what kind of "car" you are driving (i.e. what kind of lifestyle you lead and what your goals are).

Therefore, I would advise them:

1. Define your destination: Instead of worrying abstractly "is it enough?", think about what exactly you want to achieve? What are your real needs and goals? How much "fuel" is realistically necessary for your journey, not for that of your neighbor?
2. Be good "drivers": Learn to manage your resources wisely. This does not mean not to "travel", but to plan the route, monitor expenses, and have a reserve. Financial literacy provides control and reduces anxiety.
3. Do not forget the journey itself: Fuel is important to get somewhere, but it is not the journey itself. Do not let worries about money (fuel) prevent you from enjoying the road, the views, the company (i.e. life, health, loved ones, experiences).