It has been a whirlwind of emotions over the past four months. The chaos of packing, migrating, etc.--believe me, it's pretty exhausting.
We landed here in Canada last April and we're still trying to adjust to everything--from the weather, to the its traffic rules, to its people. I mean, who knew there are deer crossing the streets here IN THE CITY?
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| Caution: Deer Crossing |
I didn't even know that there are specific guidelines for a kid's car seat. I mean, I know they should be in car seats, but I didn't know there are rules there too. In the Philippines, we'd just sit on a parent's lap and that's it! But here, safety comes first. You can't crowd a car into carrying more than it's capacity (e.g 5-seater loading 6 persons, 4-seater carrying 5 persons, etc.). And you have to make a full STOP when you see people about to cross the street. I mean, that's a rare thing in the Philippines. You know what I'm talking about, right? Patintero: Man vs. Car edition. Haha!
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| Buckle up! |
So yea, speaking of adapting to the weather. We left Manila on a very humid 36-degree weather, landed in Toronto on a 12-degree weather, then hopped on a plane the next day and came to Winnipeg with a welcoming 7-degree weather! Imagine the shock we had with the climate! Left the super sunny (and very warm!) tropics and came to gloomy (but very friendly) Manitoba.
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| The obligatory wing shot. |
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| Yup. There's still snow in April. |
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A view from my uncle's backyard.
Mother nature forgot the memo that it's already spring! |
Just so you know, migrating isn't all butterflies and rainbows and snowman. It's hard work. Seriously. If you have a nice, opulent life in the Philippines, this is not for you. You won't have nannies here, nor maids and driver/s. You have to do everything here by yourself, or you have to pay. Hired help here costs waaaaay lot. If you must know, blue collar jobs here cost more than the usual clerk, unlike in Pinas. Oh and if you're a manager in your country, does not mean you're a manager here when you apply. You still need a "Canadian working experience" to get accepted in any job--both blue and white collar. Jobs here aren't easy to come by.
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| Hubby taking a photo of me taking a photo of him. |
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| Regie in black and white... Adds a bit of drama, no? |
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One of my fave photos. I saw CMU from afar and thought
of taking a photo of it. |
Anyway, while job hunting, we try to make the most of our time by checking out places with our family here. Do some paperwork--applying for government benefits and stuff. Meet old friends, making new ones. Reconnecting with long-lost relatives. We went to the park, checked out malls, and even check out community playgrounds (which they have on almost every street!). We also registered our eldest daughter to kindergarten.
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| Renee at Assiniboine Park's Nature Playground. |
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Allie on St. Vital Centre's indoor play area. (It was
rainy when we got there so we ended up indoors instead.) |
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Renee's going to school!
Her "Countdown to Kindergarten" orientation. |
Jobs here are very hard to find, whether you're a graduate here or in any other country. It's a good thing that their government has programs to help the unemployed here. Seriously, if you become penny-less AND homeless here, something's wrong with you. Oh and it's a great thing that I have family here to guide me. My mother's sister and brother are here, having the latter as our sponsor. He has been very awesome. He's been very supportive of us since day one, and great cook too! I couldn't ask for more. Plus, he reminds me of my mom (they grew up together, born two years apart). It's like I never even left home. Haha!
By the way, for those of you domestic rockstars who wanted to move here, and know in your heart that this is the best thing for you and your family, you can check out
www.canadavisa.com. Check which province suits you. See if you are eligible, and apply.
Best of luck--or should I say, bonne chance!
