From Bengali Roots to a Canadian Mosaic with Urmi Hossain

Moving Along

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”
—Joseph Cambell (1904 – 1987)
Every journey is a tapestry of experiences, and Urmi Hossain’s story weaves a vibrant pattern of culture, identity and self-discovery that stretches across continents. Our conversation peels back the layers of Urmi’s life, from her early years in Italy to her adventures in Canada, illuminating the bittersweet nature of frequent relocations. She recounts the challenges of being a Bengali Muslim in Catholic schools and the complexity of being a third culture kid caught between worlds. With each move, Urmi faced the daunting task of bidding farewell to friendships and adapting to new surroundings, yet she found a way to embrace the excitement of exploration and the richness of Canada’s multicultural milieu.

Digging deeper into the heart of immigration, Urmi reflects on her parents’ brave leap from Bangladesh to Italy—perhaps influenced by Italy’s permissive Martelli’s law—a journey made not for work but for the promise of a better future. This chapter of Urmi’s life paints an intriguing portrait of identity struggles, as she feels more anchored to her Italian and Bengali roots than to her Canadian citizenship. Urmi likens the move to Canada to Joseph Campbell’s “cave you fear to enter,” which holds “the treasure you seek.” The analogy captures both the risks and the rewards of diving into the unknown, a country where even the language, Quebecois, created a formidable hurdle to acceptance. Her adventurous spirit is a testament to the power of taking chances and the profound impact such decisions have on shaping one’s life narrative.

In the final stretch of our intimate dialogue, we traverse the landscape of Urmi’s personal growth and the resilience she has honed over the years. Becoming a Toastmaster has helped her in pursuing her ultimate quest for giving a coveted TED Talk. She is a dedicated mentor to other women and girls through her volunteer work in Canada, and Urmi shares how her commitment to fitness, particularly boxing, has fortified her mental and physical strength. As we wrap up, we contemplate the paradoxical relationship between joy and sadness and the adaptability that is carved from life’s hurdles. Urmi’s journey from Palermo to Montreal exemplifies the transformative process that many of us navigate, reminding us that the essence of our shared human experience is as unpredictable as it is beautiful. Join us for this heartfelt exploration that is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever sought their place in the world.

Highlight Timestamps

(03:08 - 04:27) Exploration and Self-Discovery Through Moving

(10:17 - 12:06) Immigration Experiences of Bangladeshi Family

(14:54 - 15:52) Questioning Ethnicity and Accents

(21:08 - 22:18) Journey of Personal Transformation

(29:50 - 30:55) Exploring Career Paths and Personal Accomplishments

(32:23 - 33:06) The Importance of Taking Risks

Places mentioned in this episode:
Palermo
Bangladesh
Italy
U.K.
Montreal
Canada

About Urmi Hossain
Urmi Hossain is Bengali by blood and Italian by birth. She is the author of Discovering Your Identity: A Rebirth from Interracial Struggle. She works in the financial services industry in Montreal, Canada, where she currently resides. Blogger, speaker, mentor and polyglot, she is fluent in Italian, Bengali, French and English.

Urmi is an advocate of women’s empowerment and very passionate about teaching and mentoring other girls and women. She is part of the organization called Women In Leadership for the Victoria Chapter in Canada as the social media lead. She enjoys being a promoter of self-investing and personal development. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and boxing.

Contact Urmi at her blog: https://www.myways.ca/

Urmi’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZoiI0SGU0Xo9_lNjtLWtgg

Urmi’s book on Amazon: Discovering Your Identity: A Rebirth from Interracial Struggle

Urmi Hossain on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/urmi-hossain

CREDITS

Host and creator: Christi Cassidy

Contact: [e-mail]

Artwork by Phyllis Busell

Music by Eve’s Blue.

Show notes written with assistance from https://podium.page.

LINKS:

More information and to listen to past episodes: https://movingalongpodcast.com

Past episodes are here too: https://moving-along.simplecast.com/

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