When Olena arrived in Calgary in 2022, she came with her husband and five-year-old son, leaving behind a life she had built in Ukraine because of the war.
They chose Canada because it was one of the first countries to open its doors to Ukrainians. It offered opportunity and affordability, and Calgary also made sense because of her husband’s connection to the oil and gas industry. And then there were the mountains.
Still, Olena says she never really believed they would actually make it here.
Back home, Olena was a teacher at a private school, teaching English. She eventually opened her own school, building something that reflected her creativity, energy and passion. She had a career, a community and a life.
Then, almost overnight, she had to start again.
When Olena and her family arrived in Canada, they had no money, no home, no jobs, no credit, no friends and no real understanding of how life worked here.
For their first month, a Calgary host family opened their home to them.
Olena still talks about that experience with emotion. She says that back home, she could never imagine strangers opening their doors to a family they didn't know simply because they needed help.
“That’s Canada,” she says.
It was also the beginning of a feeling that would grow over time—that Alberta was a place where people were warm, friendly, helpful and genuinely willing to support one another.
Olena arrived on a Friday. By Monday, she was downtown Calgary, walking into hotels and handing out her resume.
She got a job with Marriott as a guest service agent on her very first day.
After six months, she wanted to take on more responsibility and was promoted to banquet supervisor. Two years later, she became an assistant banquets manager. Today, she is the banquet manager at Marriott Hotels Delta Calgary South.
Hospitality became much more than a career for Olena. After leaving behind the school she had created, she says she felt burned out and needed to find herself again.
Hospitality gave her that opportunity.
She could use her creativity. She could work with people. She could bring her energy and passion into what she does every day.
Today, she says she loves hospitality and cannot imagine doing anything else.
Her family has also found a way to build a Canadian life while staying connected to their Ukrainian roots. Her son loves school and feels truly Canadian. He participates in Ukrainian dance and soccer, surrounded by both his new community and the culture his family brought with them.
Olena has also found herself becoming a source of support for others. She works with young people, including newcomers from Ukraine, helping them with English, sharing what she has learned about immigration and encouraging them as they find their own way.
She remembers what it was like to need that help.
There is another part of Olena’s story that feels almost meant to be. Years before she ever came to Canada, she decided to write a book. She knew little about Canada at the time, but when choosing somewhere in the world to write about, she chose Edmonton. She wrote about 50 pages.
She never could have known then that Canada would one day become home.
Olena says the first year is hard. There are moments of uncertainty, fear and starting from nothing. But she doesn't want people to give up.
She believes Alberta has opportunities, and she believes in the kindness of the people who live here.
She came to Canada because she needed a safe place for her family.
She stayed because she found opportunity, community and belonging.
And now, she wants to give back—to help others the way Canadians once helped her.
Olena’s story is a reminder of what newcomers bring to Alberta’s hospitality industry: resilience, talent, creativity, culture, passion and a willingness to contribute.
She arrived with almost nothing.
Today, she has built a career she loves, a future for her family and a place she proudly calls home.
And she is helping others find theirs.
“The sun comes up. It is never too late to start over. There are lots of kind people here.”