In the vast world of social media, where content creators constantly strive to captivate audiences, there is one digital artist who has carved a special niche with her relatable, humorous, and heartwarming content - Divya Kanchanbaras, known as “Zindagi in Canada” in the digital realm.
How did Zindagi In Canada come about?
I started making content back in 2020 during the lockdown in Singapore. At that time, it was more about motherhood and my parenting journey. When we moved to Canada in 2021, life got super busy with settling down in a new country with two kids, and I found it challenging. During the winter, I felt gloomy and anxious. One day, I saw a funny reel about struggles of desi new immigrants in Canada, and I giggled. I remixed the reel and it went viral. It made me realize that humor helps to cope with struggles, and making people smile was incredibly gratifying. That was the turning point, and since then, Zindagi In Canada is all about a humorous take on the struggles of desi immigrants in Canada. It became my therapy, a way to express myself and make people laugh!
Your content strikes a chord with its relatability and humor. Do you plan your skits in advance, or are they more impromptu?
Comedy has to be impromptu! All my reels are on the go. With my busy life as a mom of two kids and managing a job and household, I don’t have time to stage reels. I get random ideas at weird times like when I’m cooking or cleaning, so I just film them. Earlier, I used to worry about video quality, but people now connect with the raw and real feel, so I feel more comfortable about it.
Balancing work, home, and kids can be challenging. How do you manage to juggle all these?
Yes, it can get difficult, but I’m a super optimistic person, so I try to work things out. Content creation is more of a stress buster for me and for those who connect with my content. Sometimes I hit a creator’s block, and I take it as a sign that I need a break. After all, there is life beyond social media, right?
As an immigrant in Canada, what has been the most significant challenge you’ve faced?
For a die-hard desi like myself, I miss the hustle-bustle of India. I miss visiting the sabzi mandi, kirane ki dukaan, and talking to random people. It’s my desi life that I’m so used to and sometimes find it challenging to cope with the change.
What is one aspect of Canada that you absolutely love, and is there anything you would like to change?
I love Canada’s scenic beauty and the Fall season. However, the one thing I would like to change is the ‘winter’ - it can be quite harsh! (laughs)
Source: ZindagiinCanada/instaHow do you deal with negative comments and trolls?
I don’t let them bother me. The most common trolling I get is - “Go back to your country!” Initially, it used to affect me a lot, but I’ve stopped justifying or explaining myself. We live in a world where some people are happy to see others sad, and that’s the hard reality. So, I focus on making people smile, and that helps me navigate through such situations. Also, for me, numbers don’t matter; I’m happy with the small community I have built and share a connection with them.
How do your children feel about your social media presence?
As a parent, I am very conscious, so I keep my kids away from social media. My daughter has some idea about my content creation, but I don’t actively involve them. Sometimes, I show her a reel before posting to see her reaction, and if she recommends changing something, I do it. She has got my humor genes, hehe. But otherwise, my kids are away from social media. I don’t encourage giving mobile phones to small kids or a lot of screen time - yes, I’m a desi strict parent, and not many people know that side of me.
What are your plans for your social media page?
My page will continue to be a platform for me to de-stress and for people to de-stress too. I want to keep making people smile and smile along with them. Life is a struggle, but humor helps us all get through it!
