I have a favourite quote: “Before you start to judge me, step into my shoes and walk the life I’m living, and if you get as far as I am, just maybe you will see how strong I am.”

 

My name is Daisy Mendez. Let me tell you a story about my interview shoes. I bought these shoes for my graduation from Philippine Christian University in 1996. I immediately fell in love with their nude colour and three-inch heels. 

 

In my culture, you have to look confident and refined when you apply for a job. Whenever I wear these shoes to an interview, I feel quite sophisticated. They help me stand much taller than my four-foot-nine-inch stature. I feel confident and accomplished when I wear them. 

 

Twenty-six years is a long time to have a pair of shoes. My interview shoes have walked me into new careers and are still in perfect shape. 

 

When I immigrated to Canada in October 2013, I imagined these shoes would work the same way and help me land a job that would relaunch my career. My first job interview was at IKEA on November 30, 2013. It was a frigid day. The weather report said it was minus thirty-seven degrees, but that didn’t matter to me. All I knew was that I was happy to have my first Canadian job interview. I wanted to show up confident and elegant, just like I used to do when I lived in the Philippines.

 

I planned to arrive at IKEA two hours early. I carried my little backpack. It contained my interview shoes in their shiny nude-coloured polyester bag, a matching nude-coloured dress, my makeup, and a flat iron for my hair. Two hours would give me enough time to get out of my winter clothes and be ready to show up feeling prepared for my interview.

 

I waited at the bus stop near the corner of Grant and Kenaston, but after seeing no buses for a long time, I decided to walk. I couldn’t risk being late for my interview. About five minutes into my walk, I realized I had made a dangerous mistake. The wind blew so hard it whipped the snow around. I could hardly see where I was going. I realized I was in deep trouble when I was in the middle of a field. I could not see any houses or buildings, just snow and the highway in the distance. I was dizzy, my eyes were watering, and my mouth was dry. My lips were about to succumb to frostbite. 

 

I was so afraid. I prayed, “Lord, please give me enough wisdom to surpass this wrong decision.”

I was in tears as I plowed through the snow to get back to the highway. After a few cars, one good Samaritan stopped to pick me up.

 

I was so exhausted and confused that I couldn’t speak, and I never got to ask his name. But he immediately recognized that I was experiencing hypothermia. He drove me down the highway to the nearest building, which was IKEA, and stayed with me there until I stopped shivering and could identify where I was. He even sought help from the staff. One of the people who came to assist me was the person I was supposed to have my interview with. 

 

Wearing my winter boots, ski pants, and parka, I was interviewed later that morning. My interview shoes stayed in my backpack. 

 

By the way, I got the job!

 

I will never forget the stranger who saved me that day. He didn’t know it, but he saved my dreams of Canada from becoming a nightmare. His kindness is the reason I can tell this story today.