Visualising living in Canada for a long time, Egyptian pharmacist Ahmed Metwally not only realised his dream, but he also managed to lead a successful career and contribute to his community.
“It was expected for me. I felt like I was living a dream that I had seen before,” Metwally told the Egyptian Mail.
“Starting from 1989, I was visualising this. I was buying CDs about places in Canada. I read a big book about Canada. So, I was living the dream by reading, listening and watching stuff about Canada,” he added.
Metwally’s journey from Egypt to Canada began back in 1994 when he started writing to almost all universities in Canada seeking post graduate education. That’s even before he graduated. “Back then, I received a very nice and detailed letter from Memorial University of Newfoundland. This was one of the best things that could have happened to me, laying out the foundation to immigrate and showing that everything is possible,” he said.
“Since 1992, I have become obsessed with the idea and I started to communicate with all my friends telling them that I am going to immigrate to Canada.”
Metwally received his bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical science in 1997 from Assiut University, Upper Egypt. He also received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) specialising in technology commercialisation from the University of Alberta in 2014.
The first time Metwally landed in Canada was in 2006 and it took him a year to get his license as a pharmacist. By the end of 2006, he became a pharmacist and from 2007 to 2009, he worked as a relief pharmacist for various chains in Alberta.
Metwally opened his first pharmacy in 2009 to start a journey of opening several other businesses in Canada.
The middle-aged pharmacist founded a chain called “iPharmacy”. He has two specialised compounding Pharmacies under the same franchise, which offer capsules, hormone replacement therapy, creams among other products.
Metwally is also a fellow of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP). He served one three-year term as a council member of Alberta College of Pharmacy.
In Egypt, Metwaly is a partner in a hospital in Upper Egypt and in a new medical spa centre and pharmacy in Cairo.
For Metwally, the main reason behind choosing Canada was “looking for an opportunity for personal advancement, private business and better lifestyle.”
“For me, Canada was a better environment to achieve and plan for my future and of course upgrade my career.”
Metwally describes himself as “the black sheep” in his family because almost all his family members are professionals working as professors, doctors and engineers.
“However, I am the one who chose to travel and I am the one who decided to have my own private business and be an entrepreneur.”
In Canada, Metwally faced a lot of challenges, including making new relationships and adapting to the rules and traditions of the country.
“Quickly, I embraced the pillars of Canadian culture, which include freedom of speech, diversity, acceptance and respecting the opinion of others”
For future plans, Metwally seeks to expand his pharmacy business and open new lines of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics in Canada.
But he also wants more “quality time with his family, more focus on personal growth, healthier lifestyle and of course more travel”.
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