For Adán Estuardo Orellana Catalán, sport is much more than a way to excel. It’s also a source of motivation to stay healthy, inspire his children, integrate into his host community and banish boredom.
Text and main photo: Marie-Anne Dayé
Originally from Sanarate in Guatemala, the 33-year-old got his start in the sport somewhat unexpectedly. Leaving school at the age of 12 to work in the bakery, he had somehow integrated “an adult life”, he says. He started smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. At 15, he was encouraged to try handball, and that’s when he stopped drinking. The sport saved his life three times, and this was the first,” he says. After returning to school, his grades soared and he won a scholarship to study in the capital. During handball training, he was noticed and recruited by the national team. The sport became an integral part of his life for the next 9 years.
Then he joined the army. His rank allowed him to train regularly, and he took up running in earnest. Then he decided to give up smoking, for fear of developing lung cancer one day. “I inhaled one last puff, and never touched a cigarette after that. But I had to find something to compensate for the anxiety it created.” So he started running. Marathons and ultramarathons became the norm. Adán was tireless!
Determination pays off
His next job was in government, which paid well enough, but was uncertain in the long term. During this period of his life, he rowed professionally and often cycled and ran to work to escape the three hours of morning and evening traffic.
He and his wife, who is a psychologist, agreed that she would stop working to devote herself to the children at home for five years. If Adán went to Quebec, he could earn a bit more money and open doors for the future, so that the family could settle there.
So he got a job on a dairy farm in Saint-Ubalde and started work in June 2023. He was the only employee and sometimes worked 75 hours a week, leaving him little time for training. He felt isolated and missed his family enormously. But he still found the courage to travel hundreds of kilometers every week to train with the Lévis handball team. This is the third time that sport has saved his life,” recalls Adán. He also received support from his employers and a company advisor so that he could take part in the Montreal Marathon. His three months of intensive training were well worth it: he beat his personal record and ran 5 km in 17 minutes.
The athlete also sees sport as a way of socializing. He has become close to the Accès Travail Portneuf organization and has taken part in several of the activities on offer. There are several things I wouldn’t have done if it hadn’t been for Fernand and Samuele’s help,” he says. Several things happened to me on the farm in the early days, including a work accident. They gave me the rights information guide. Sometimes we don’t pay attention, we don’t read it. But they always direct us to the guide on this page or that page. I think we need to find another way of assimilating the information even better, like with videos”. Samuele Seri, an intercultural worker at Accès Travail Portneuf, sees Adán as a model of perseverance for temporary foreign workers. “Many get lost in the work routine. It’s not their fault, but they isolate themselves a bit. And there’s room for depression and hard times. But Adán has found the strength, not least through sport, to go out, integrate and meet lots of people. He has made a lot of effort to improve his situation and that of his family.”
A new adventure in Quebec
When his bosses in Saint-Ubalde told him they were retiring and selling their livestock, Adán had no choice but to return to Guatemala or find another employer in Quebec. Thanks to his network, he landed a job as a dishwasher at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac. His work schedule is less hectic, so he’ll be able to train more and take French courses. “For me, coming to Canada is an opportunity to grow. If you come with the mentality of making money, focusing on work, building your home in the country, that’s great. You can also come with the mentality of paving the way for your children. You have to get in touch with the people here and learn the language,” says Adán. Sport being part of his DNA, he secretly hopes that his children, if they so desire, will follow in his footsteps, and why not join a Canadian Olympic team.
