I first visited Canada in 1984 during my graduate studies on Canadian literature and spent some time with Margaret Atwood at her home in Toronto. I returned the following two summers when I eventually met my husband and returned to Berlin married. I immigrated in 1987, had two daughters and worked various jobs until I settled on a career in the utility sector, which I retired from after 22 years in 2016.

I became a Canadian citizen this April after having lived here for 32 years. I waited this long because Germany usually does not accept dual citizenship and I wanted to keep my EU passport so my children can have both for life. I recently found out that acquiring an exception from Germany was becoming easier and could be achieved without a lawyer so I finally finished the paperwork. I find crossing the border to be much easier with a Canadian passport!

I have a lot of hobbies like cross stitching, knitting, crocheting, beadwork, reading, scrap booking, etc. My husband and I love traveling so we spend a lot of time exploring this country and the rest of the world.

I think the CAP [card] is a fantastic idea. We have been to several concerts with our free tickets from CAP and went to Banff National Park. I plan to visit the Bell Music Centre, TELUS Spark and Fort Calgary in the near future. I love art and museums: they teach about the diversity of our cultures and the history that formed this country. They also provide a chance to learn from past mistakes and ensure that Indigenous culture survives. I look forward to many more travels and would love to explore the eastern provinces some more.

About CAP: For nearly 10 years, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) has delivered the Cultural Access Pass (CAP), an innovative, best-in-class program that gives new citizens access to Canadian culture. It’s time to shift CAP to the digital age. Support the ICC.

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