when my mom went back to the philippines from her vacation here, her friends asked her how canada was like. to which she replied, "oh, it's all very canadian." luto canadian (ka na diyan)... laba canadian (ka na diyan)... linis canadian (ka na diyan)....
and i know it isn't only my mom saying that. almost all moms i know who come and visit here would never regard their trip here as a vacation. but rather as work.. hard work! moms who have maids back home suddenly find themselves being "maids" to their daughter/son.
when we came over, i didn't know how to cook. i never washed dishes. i never did laundry. and i certainly did not iron nor did i have any inclination to do the garden. plain and simple, i don't do housework. any housework. i am simply not made for it. i am not built that way.
so imagine a person like me suddenly cast off into canada. with no moms. no maids. and 2 babies. disaster. complete and utter disaster! my solution: send an SOS to my mom pronto!
i had barely unpacked my stuff when my mom came over to answer my distress call. in the 3 months she stayed with us, she helped us settle down and taught me things i need to know. how to cook, what to look for when buying raw meat or fish, what cut of meat to buy, how to store food, how to do the laundry, etc. mommy-stuff.
living in canada forced me to learn these things. things i would never have the need to know had i gone on living in the philippines. because there is always someone who would do things for us. someone to cook for us. to do the laundry. to pay your bills. to register your car. to watch over your kids. to buy take out. name it and someone else will do it for you. almost everything can be done by someone else. in fact, more important than knowing how to do something yourself is knowing who can do it best for you.
2 years in canada forced me to learn how to do things myself. to cook. to wash dishes. to clean. to vacuum. to mow. etc. and although i still cannot say that my housekeeping abilities are perfect, i have definitely come a long way. heck! i even know how to make kutsinta by myself now. and sushi rolls! yummy...
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Its All Very Canadian
Posted by Filipino in Canada on 12:52 PM
17 comments:
Great job, Marjess! Typically, no harm meant, but coming from P.I. we lack the skills of doing it on our own. Migrating to another country is an opportunity to learn more things, especially being independent. You were given the chance to compare both worlds: Life in P.I. vs. Life in Canada. You left behind the "spoiled life" in Manila, but you brought with you the good values you learned. Having familiarized with the household chores plus the Filipino values you inherited from your parents, relatives, and friends has now make you a perfect wife and mama to your family.
I can relate to your experience because I have a (almost) similar experience when I moved from Manila to Chicago. If ever you guys need anything just wire me a message. Thank you! God Bless!
Ingat dyan,
Karl P.
=-)
hey karl, dont worry. i will definitely bother you in chicago when i need something. haha! :D ingat!
hi! I just stumbled on your site and first of all welcome to the blogosphere. I am newbie myself but anyways, I can relate well to your blog having been away for 12 years already, however I have one curious question.. why did you leave such a comfortable and well to do life to go to Canada ? Sorry if it's too nosy, this is also part of my research for my blog.
Regards, Mixxy
hi mixxy, it was actually on impulse that we're here. lol... basically, i was having difficulty finding the "perfect" yaya. so when an officemate told me that canada has 1 year maternity leaves, i found myself signing a contract with an agency even before you could say, "migrate!"
hi, i came across to your site from stumble worthy meme, and i'm quite curious because your site is about your life in canada, which i'm interested to migrate too:)
btw, is there any chance or any other ways/possibilities if we didnt qualified for the canadian system to migrate there?
thanks!
hi felinesopher, thanks for dropping by.
you may also try to apply as an investor or entrepreneur. i know of someone who took this option. the only thing is, this requires a bigger cash out than applying as a skilled worker.
you can also check if you qualify for a provincial nominee. or you could try to look for an employer who will give you a work visa.
pls let me know if this helps.
Hi, I do hope to also migrate to Canada or to other countries. Anyone here can help with finding job, the work visas, and other papers? I would really appreciate anyone who can hand me a help.
Your posting is very informative. It could relate to some Filipino that migrate to the western countries. Life here is soooo different. Where are you in Canada anyway?
Hi! I love your site! I too will be leaving my "spoiled" life soon to live in Canada. I hope through you I could be armed with the right attitude and determination to face whatever challenges lies ahead for us there. Good luck
Parents specially mothers are really helpful to their children. I can your mom is industrious.
I need to agree with your mom. Very Canadian and very interesting.
Sounds like you are loving it and really growing as a person! Canada is such a beautiful place!
Canada is really a great place. I think your mom enjoyed visiting it.
I'm very glad that a writer like you invests your time in a meaningful and useful way in which you share your knowledge with the people around you especially us bloggers. I will continue reading your post for it tackles different issues in our society that keeps me interested and go on reading the rest of your articles. This certain article talk about the current issues that is interesting in nature. I salute you for writing informative post and sharing your wisdom. Kudos!
Great author. Thank you for taking time to post this interesting article. I can't wait to read more of your blogs.
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