Grateful for new friends

We are thankful to the Cuencas - Bal and Cecil - for introducing us to very nice people. They make Edmonton a nicer place to live in for us. =)

You see, Ford immigrated here alone in December 2009. Since then, he's lived a fairly friendless existence, not because he is anti-social but because he's girlfriend-centered haha! He has spent all of his free times talking with me over the phone. Ayun, diretso bahay lang talaga siya after work. He's working din in an engineering firm where there is no other Filipino employee kaya wala talaga siyang makabarkada. But his co-workers were nice naman. They would always invite him (when he was still single) to have a drink or two on Friday nights pero hindi talaga siya sumasama.

In 2010, he learned that he has a distant cousin here pala. Si Ate June. Ate June became his constant eating buddy. Siya lang ang gustong kasama ni Ford.

Then entered the Cuencas. Cecil is my BFF Raxie's first cousin. We've met since college pa and we would always see each other every now and then. In 2009, we learned that her then fiancee Bal is working in Alberta din pala. In 2010, nakasakay ni Ford si Bal sa bus and we were able to "introduce"them to each other. Ford saw Cecil's picture in Bal's phone wallpaper kaya niya nakilala. They "dated" (haha!) after that and became friends. Pero hindi sila constant nagha-hangout because again, Ford was not always interested in gimmicks and Bal naman is working in Fort McMurray. He's only in the city one week every month.

Cecil came here in Edmonton in 2011 (as Bal's spouse/dependent) and I was happy kasi at least may magiging kaibigan na ako dito. Except for Ate June, wala na kasi talagang iba eh. Cecil went back to Pinas in October 2012, a few months after giving birth to their first baby. Bumalik lang siya uli dito last February 2014 when they finally received their PR status.

And since then, we were able to meet their friends din. All of them are working in Fort McMurray too and they all love to cook. Ayun, naiimbita na rin tuloy kami sa mga kainan.

Just like last Sunday (Sept. 14) at Joy's new house in Callingwood.

Picture taken from Joy's FB account

Picture taken from Joy's FB account

Ford and I are always deprived of delicious homecooked meals so we will never say no to kainan haha! #pataygutomnamagasawa

Our "latest" friend, Ate Celina, is a very kind and generous lady who invited us as well in her new home last Monday (Sept. 15). Nabitin yata ang kuwentuhan noong Sunday so she graciously offered to cook for us again the following day!

Picture taken from Joy's FB account (I was in the kitchen, busy packing my take-out food haha!)

Ate Celina is a very good cook! Sobrang sarap ng puto, kare-kare, dinuguan, and spaghetti that she prepapred.

More than the food, we are grateful for having met these wonderful people. Salamat kasi tinanggap nila kami kahit saling-pusa lang kami sa grupo nila hehe. Masarap ang maraming kaibigan dito. Ford and I are self-sufficient couple. We can stand alone, I know. But we realized that we also enjoy the company of other people. Nakakabawas ng homesick din. I just hope that we could build a strong and meaningful relationship with them in the coming days.