Ana, born in Dorćol, and Marko, a native of Zemun, met in 2007 in the Serbian capital, never imagining that nearly 20 years later they would be living in the distant city of Winnipeg, in the Canadian province of Manitoba, with their three daughters and their son Uroš, who has autism.
“Our story with Canada began when Marko’s brother informed us that his company had opened a job vacancy. Marko was the first to leave for Canada as a trailer mechanic, while I stayed in Belgrade with our four children for another ten months. Our first home was Vancouver, and a few years later we moved to Winnipeg. Over the years, Marko earned several professional certifications and advanced in his career, while I chose to work as a building manager because of the flexible schedule, which allowed me to be there for our children, especially Uroš,” Ana Nikolić told Serbian Times at the beginning of the interview.
After five years of living in Canada, they obtained permanent residency and decided that Winnipeg would become their home. The decision was largely influenced by Uroš, who, as a child with autism, received professional support that meant a great deal to the family, as well as by the friends they had made and the community they had become part of.
“When we decided to build our future here, we became even more involved in the life of the Serbian community. Sunday liturgy became an integral part of our lives, and all three of our daughters now perform in a folklore ensemble. For us, folklore is not just dancing—it is a way for our children to learn the Serbian language, history, culture, and traditions so that, no matter where life takes them, they will always know where they come from,” our interviewee said, adding:
“Out of a desire to preserve our memories, we created the YouTube channel ‘Srpski koreni Canadian Life.’ We didn’t start it for views or profit. We wanted our children and grandchildren to one day be able to see what our first steps in Canada looked like, while also giving people in the Balkans a glimpse into everyday life in Canada. We film spontaneously—our family life, school, work, travel, interesting places, history, the differences between the Balkans and Canada, and events within the Serbian community in Manitoba.”
Ana points out that it means a great deal to them when people approach them on the street and say they follow their videos or have learned something new about Canada through them.
“We will never tell anyone whether they should or should not leave Serbia. That is a decision every family must make for itself. If someone wants to experience life in the diaspora, they should come, see it for themselves, and draw their own conclusions. Life abroad is not for everyone, but we believe that a person can respect the country that gave them a new opportunity while never forgetting their roots,” Ana Nikolić emphasized, concluding:
“Our greatest success is neither our jobs nor YouTube. Our greatest success is that, despite all the challenges, we have remained together as a family. And to our friends in Serbia and Belgrade, we say: ‘We may have left Zemun and Dorćol, but they have never left us!'”
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