Immigrating North: Diogo Biazus

Software Developer, Nulogy · Canadian from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Karel: I was first connected to Diogo in March 2017 by Ella Gorevalov, a Culture Specialist at Nulogy. Nulogy has an amazing culture that promotes diversity and inclusion both within their company as well as in the communities around them through their Link Apprenticeship Program for Women and support of great initiatives like Rails Girls Toronto.

Karel: Tell me about your early years and where you come from.

Diogo: I was born and raised in the south of Brazil in a city called Porto Alegre. It is located in the southernmost state bordering Argentina and Uruguay.

K: Why did you or your family decide to move to Canada?

D: I decided to move to Canada after visiting a Brazilian friend that moved here. I ended up visiting Toronto and Montreal in 2006 and it was at that time that I fell in love with the country and the idea of moving here first took shape.

I always felt Brazil to be too violent and unfair. To me, Canada felt a lot safer and resonated much more with my personal values. The people here value the common good over individual gain in many aspects of their daily lives and Canadian culture has this beautiful gentleness that I just love. It’s not only about multiculturalism or being accommodating but also about the understanding that we all stand together. It might seem a bit naïve but, to me, it‘s a drastic difference compared to Brazil.

K: Not at all, I think it makes sense. What about your family? Do you still have any at home?

D: To be honest, Canada is home now. I still have some relatives living in Brazil. I only keep in touch with my siblings (two brothers and a sister) and an aunt (my mother’s sister). My parents passed away a while ago before I moved here. My family completely understands my motivation for living in Canada which makes things much easier. That being said, we always miss each other and time flies when we’re together.

K: How long have you been here?

D: Three and a half years.

K: When and how did you get into technology?

D: I started playing with computers at an early age. In the 80s, personal computers were a bit out of reach for me so the idea of having a computer at home sounded a bit like magic. This machine that can work on its own and create things out of words. Crazy! I had a book my father bought on computers for children which explained how personal computers evolved from earlier machines such as the Harvard Mark I and the ENIAC.

I was so obsessed about the topic as a kid that my parents paid for some programming classes to learn BASIC. I was immediately hooked.

K: How do you define your Canadian identity?

D: I feel that we have a very loose definition of Canadianness and I would say that considering oneself Canadian is almost all that it takes.

Having said that I really enjoy reading and learning as much as I can about Canadian history. I’ve lived in both Montreal and Toronto since I’ve moved here. I like some winter sports, brunch, and bloody caesars. Showing Toronto to visitors gives me great pleasure just as much as spending a weekend at a cottage, be it roasting marshmallows in the fall or canoeing in the spring.

“A famous Brazilian writer once said that you never really learn a new language, for every new word you learn is another word you’ve forgotten.”

K: Okay, time for a few fun ones. How would you define Canada in one word?

D: Can we make it two? Maple syrup? Just kidding. Gentle.

K: Is there somewhere in Canada you really want to visit?

D: So many places. In no particular order:

• Digby, Nova Scotia (I love scallops)
• Whitehorse, Yukon (I’m fascinated by the arctic; I’ve been to Yellowknife and loved the trip)
• Churchill, Manitoba (for the polar bears)
• Moosonee, Ontario (to see the Hudson Bay)
• Banff National Park, Alberta (pretty self-explanatory)
• Vancouver, British Columbia (also self-explanatory)

K: How does being an immigrant affect who you are now and what you do?

D: Being an immigrant becomes part of your identity. Just like being both Canadian and Brazilian. A famous Brazilian writer once said that you never really learn a new language, for every new word you learn is another word you’ve forgotten. I interpret this as “you speak a sum of every language you learn”. In essence it means I have an easy topic to use as a conversation starter, but it also sometimes means that I still miss some Canadian references and my network is much smaller than it once was.

K: What steps do you think Canada can take to become more inclusive to new and old immigrants?

D: It’s hard to say. I’ve had such a good experience as an immigrant so far. Probably because tech professionals are in such high demand. I’ve seen some people in the engineering and health sectors have a hard time to comply with all regulations though.

Immigrating North is a publication dedicated to showcasing the untold stories of immigrants and their families that moved to Canada to build a better future with technology.

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