'My story is about the word hope' — Newcomer from Mexico shares story of renting in Calgary's northeast

"My story is about the word hope," said Ivan Limas.

"Because we come from a very hard environment in Mexico right now. Even though my wife and I were teachers, it was really hard to be safe there. We came here. We found hope. We found kindness within the community."

Limas documented his story in photos for CBC Calgary this year as part of a focus on renting. We signed up Calgary residents — from across the city — and they worked with us to explore this common and little documented aspect of city living. 

Their photo exhibit is free for public viewing at the Brookfield YMCA in Seton starting this week.

Limas took his camera with him to the three jobs he was working at the time — a patchwork of employment cobbled together to pay for the welcoming two-storey home his family secured in the northeast neighbourhood of Taradale. 

Here is his story. 

"I moved from Mexico to Canada because the inside Mexico, the real Mexico, it's unsafe. Dangerous. We got our house robbed twice. My car was stolen once. And well, we have to be scared, like, the whole time."

"Even if my kids' school is two blocks away, you have to take them or drive them there. And when they finish school, you have to be there 10 or 15 minutes before because you're afraid someone will kidnap her. And that's your reality there."

Both Ivan and his wife, Alejandra Enriques, worked as elementary school teachers in Mexico.

But he worked labour jobs in the United States during the school breaks to learn English, and retrained as a butcher so they could come to Canada as skilled immigrants. He came first, arriving three years ago in Trochu, Alta.

It was a warm welcome from the family who owns the Trochu meat-packing plant.

"I knew Canada was a really good place but still your heart struggles a little.… But right after I came in April 2019, I would say one week after, I called my wife. I told her sell everything. Sell the house, sell the cars and come."

She came. And it was good, perfect for a while. But the family wanted more.

After two years, they left Trochu for Calgary, hoping their daughter Maria will eventually attend university in the city.