Dr. Mahesh Guntamukkala
It didn't take very long for Dr. Mahesh Guntamukkala (Dr. Mahesh), anesthesiologist, to decide to live in the province. After responding to an ad posted in the British Medical Journal, Dr. Mahesh had to complete a seven-day visit as part of his interview process, and his experience was so positive that it only took one day, to make up his mind!
Dr. Mahesh had some knowledge of Newfoundland and Labrador. His father had been in the diplomatic corps and so Dr. Mahesh had traveled the world, including Canada. Moving to Canada was not a foreign concept to Dr. Mahesh, but he had never been to Newfoundland and Labrador before and "the scenery, peace and quiet is what convinced me to move from Belfast to St. Anthony," he says.
He arrived in the month of January when winter was at its best, with snow as far as the eye could see. That was 13 winters ago and the Mahesh family is still here. Dr. Mahesh was born in India and studied there as well. He traveled and worked in many parts of the world, including South America and Europe. When he accepted the position in St. Anthony, it was for a maximum of two years. That time has come and gone. "St. Anthony is the place to live," says Dr. Mahesh, now a Canadian citizen. "There is fresh air, no pollution, and you can walk anywhere. The people are very friendly and welcoming of newcomers. […] I am involved in different aspects of the community here. I volunteer for different events and I love to cross-country ski and spend time outdoors."
Dr. Mahesh had some knowledge of Newfoundland and Labrador. His father had been in the diplomatic corps and so Dr. Mahesh had traveled the world, including Canada. Moving to Canada was not a foreign concept to Dr. Mahesh, but he had never been to Newfoundland and Labrador before and "the scenery, peace and quiet is what convinced me to move from Belfast to St. Anthony," he says.
He arrived in the month of January when winter was at its best, with snow as far as the eye could see. That was 13 winters ago and the Mahesh family is still here. Dr. Mahesh was born in India and studied there as well. He traveled and worked in many parts of the world, including South America and Europe. When he accepted the position in St. Anthony, it was for a maximum of two years. That time has come and gone. "St. Anthony is the place to live," says Dr. Mahesh, now a Canadian citizen. "There is fresh air, no pollution, and you can walk anywhere. The people are very friendly and welcoming of newcomers. […] I am involved in different aspects of the community here. I volunteer for different events and I love to cross-country ski and spend time outdoors."
The fact that their son has been accepted and integrated into the school and community has played a major role in helping the Mahesh family settle in St. Anthony. "Our son has had no problem making friends here. The community has been very welcoming," says Dr. Mahesh. "We knew we were in a safe place here."
One of the greatest "problems" they have encountered, laughs Dr. Mahesh, has been getting their son to come home. "We had never heard of sleepovers before we came here. When my son was younger he would go sleep at a friend's house and, in turn, the friend would come and sleep at our house. We thought this was great."
Immigrating to Canada and starting a new job at the hospital went very smoothly for Dr. Mahesh. He says that if you complete all of the paperwork and present it to Citizenship and Immigration, you should have no problems. Likewise, he insists that "teamwork at the hospital is the reason the new position went so well. When you work in the OR department, you have to work as a team and work well together."
In the beginning settlement services were a challenge for Dr. Mahesh's wife. However since moving to St. Anthony, she too has accepted a position as a physician with St. Anthony Hospital. Dr. Mahesh has no regrets about moving here. "I would encourage people to come to Newfoundland and Labrador. It is a beautiful place!"
One of the greatest "problems" they have encountered, laughs Dr. Mahesh, has been getting their son to come home. "We had never heard of sleepovers before we came here. When my son was younger he would go sleep at a friend's house and, in turn, the friend would come and sleep at our house. We thought this was great."
Immigrating to Canada and starting a new job at the hospital went very smoothly for Dr. Mahesh. He says that if you complete all of the paperwork and present it to Citizenship and Immigration, you should have no problems. Likewise, he insists that "teamwork at the hospital is the reason the new position went so well. When you work in the OR department, you have to work as a team and work well together."
In the beginning settlement services were a challenge for Dr. Mahesh's wife. However since moving to St. Anthony, she too has accepted a position as a physician with St. Anthony Hospital. Dr. Mahesh has no regrets about moving here. "I would encourage people to come to Newfoundland and Labrador. It is a beautiful place!"