First step towards driving here in Canada

A lot of people ask me why I don't drive here in Canada (since I am driving naman in Pinas) and here are the reasons I would normally give:

• I don't need to drive since I am "just" a stay-at-home mom (Where will I go? Nathan rides the school bus to and from school)
  
• Our car is manual transmission and I only know how to drive automatic
• The moment I get a driver's license, our car insurance will automatically go up with the assumption that I will use it (even if I won't since it's manual)
•  For me to be able to drive here, we need to buy a new car (gastos!) and the cost of insurance will cost an arm and leg.
  
• The husband is really masipag in driving so I have no problem with mobility
• I am naturally a tamad driver (I won't drive if there's someone who will drive for me) 
  

Seven years! I've lived here in Canada for more than seven years and it is only recently that I had the urge to drive. Medyo naiinggit na rin kasi ako sa new-found friends/amigas ko (haha!). Plus Nathan's asking me na rin kung kelan ako kukuha ng license so I can bring him to school sometimes (naiinggit din siguro sa classmates). Ford's also decided na to buy a new car kaya may magagamit na ako. We'll be selling our old car Subaru since hindi na rin naman gaanong nagagamit (Ford's been given a company car). Nanghihinayang talaga ako kasi kung automatic lang yun, matagal na rin siguro akong nagda-drive dito.

Anyway, the plan of driving here was just a plan until I accidentally watched a youtube video about a fellow housewife who suddenly lost her husband last December. As she was totally dependent on him, ang hirap talaga. Ni hindi siya marunong mag-drive!

Shaiks, the story of my life! The seven past years, naging totally dependent din ako sa asawa ko! To the point na pati driving nga na ginagawa ko since I was 18 eh "kinalimutan" ko na. Narealize ko na paano na nga kung may mangyari? Kawawa talaga ako pag nagkataon.

That very night of February 25, 2021, ayan nag-book na kami ng knowledge test sa ICBC! Sa May 15, 2021 pa ang test schedule but at least meron na.

After I pass the test, pwede na raw akong magdrive basta may under supervision of a qualified driver (i.e. my husband). Bigla akong na-excite! After practicing, Ford will enroll me daw in a driving school para mas maging prepared ako sa road test.

I just wish that ICBC accepts my driving experience in the Philippines kahit na more than 7 years na nga ako dito. I will argue na lang na umuuwi naman ako sa Pinas every year (except last year because of Covid) and I still drive there. In fact, I still have a valid driver's license (which will expire nga lang this August 2021). Naku goodluck talaga sa akin!

It might take several road tests bago ako makapasa. Normal naman yun dito kaya I am not expecting na makakakuha ako kaagad ng driver's license sa first try. Natataranta pa naman ako kapag may nagge-grade sa akin (sino bang hindi?). Pero I will keep on trying. First step ko rin kasi yan towards independence. Kapag nagda-drive na ako, there's a better chance na makahanap ako ng part-time job. May option na rin ako na makapag-aral uli sa actual school dito. Kaloka ang daming plans! I am keeping the faith. 

I'll update you sa susunod the driving adventures ko. Ciao! =)

Senti

We were in UP Town Center yesterday to meet up with my girls (i.e. my college barkada and my core group).

We went to Daiso to Daiso after coffee. I finished shopping first so I waited (together with Michelle) for my other friends to finish theirs. I looked around and observed. Oh how I love this mall. Too bad it was built right after I migrated to Canada.

Then sadness suddenly engulfed me. I told Michelle: "Nakakalungkot din. Dati taga-dito ako, ito ang mundo ko. Ngayon nagbabakasyon na lang ako sa Pinas, limited lang ang oras ko."

 Ewan ko ba, na-senti talaga ako.

#BuhayImmigrant

It's Pop!

In the Philippines, it's soft drinks.

In the US, it's soda.

Here in Canada, it's pop!

Haha, I've been living here in Canada for almost 17 months already yet I am still not used in referring to Coke or Pepsi as "pop." Is it because I associate the word pop with a brand of cola (i.e. Pop Cola) in the Philippines? Kaloka!

Both Ford and I use the term "soda." Americanized ha. Ford kasi lived in California for almost 8 years. Ako naman, nahawa na rin sa kakapanood ng US films and series. But I guess it's about time that we adopt the term "pop" na. I am tired of living in Canada yet 'not really' living in it. Gusto ko ng maka-adjust fully sa buhay dito. Ayaw ko ng maging parang isang isda sa disyerto.

So sige sige, from now on, it's pop na talaga!

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NOTE: Ford and I are both pop-addict!

Guess List Card

I bought a purse from Guess last Sunday and the cashier asked me if I have a Guess card. I said no and I queried on how I can get one. She said she could sign me up. After a few mins, voila! I have my new Guess List Card.

Haha, excuse my kababawan. But I really love getting store cards. Aside from the points, syempre panlagay sa wallet haha!

I miss all my cards in the Philippines. Lahat yata ng cards noon meron ako, sobrang bulging tuloy ang wallet ko.

Seriously, each new card that I get here in Canada means that little by little, nai-incorporate na talaga sa akin ang buhay dito. Iba na talaga ang buhay ko -- hindi na SM Advantage Card, Air Miles na.

It's been one year and four months since I moved here. Ambilis talaga ng araw. My son and I are going 'home' in Pinas in June or July. Excited na ako. We'll be staying there for four to five months. Sana magamit ko pa uli yung mga cards na naiwan ko. Not for the points or freebies, gusto ko lang din kasi ang idea na may babalikan pa ako. =)

TFC.TV subscription renewal

We had to renew our TFC.TV subscription today. Whew, time indeed flies! One year ago na nang dumating ako kaya one year na rin ang TFC namin.

Unlike others who have TFC installed on their televisions, ours is just internet based. I prefer it that way so that I can watch anywhere, kahit sa Ipad, desktop, o laptop. Ford is not into TFC naman kaya siya na lang ang manood sa TV namin noh.

We were just surprised though kasi $124.99  na pala ang 12-month premium. Dati parang less than $80 lang, walang movies included. Ngayon wala ng ganung option, kaso puro luma na naman ang movies. Parang di nila pinapalitan.

Anyway, I am happy na rin kasi tuloy ang ligaya sa panonood ng teleserye hehe! When you're living abroad, magiging "jologs" ka yata talaga. You want a piece of home kaya dapat updated ka sa Philippine TV shows and showbiz happenings!

The parents-in-law are here!

When people learned that I am pregnant, most of them asked me: "Eh di pupunta ang nanay mo sa Canada kapag manganganak ka na?"

Sadly, my mother couldn't come for a variety of reasons:

• She is still very busy in the Philippines co-managing our family business. Our operations will be paralyzed without her. 
• She isn't exactly in a perfect state of health. At 68, she's diabetic and hypertensive. Mahirap na kasi baka dito pa siya abutan ng matinding sakit. 
• Edmonton is too far away from the Philippines. She couldn't possibly travel alone (as no one can accompany her).

I know that I need my mother the most during this time but I understand. Often, when we talk on Facetime or Magic Jack, she would tell me to just go home (in the Philippines). But we both know that I couldn't. Ford and I are just Canadian Permanent Residents and if I give birth in Pinas, we still need to sponsor the baby to be able to bring him back to Edmonton. That can take months or even a year. Also, we are talking about the child's future here. Citizenship is the keyword. 

Another thing, Canada has a very good health care system and giving birth here is "free" (well, not really free because we pay taxes). We don't have to worry about spending anything, especially if something not right happens to me or to the baby (wag naman po sana). 

I really miss my Mamoosh. She, of all people understands, what I am going through. She's the only person who can comfort me best, give the care I need. But what I can do, I "chose" to live far away from her.

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I am happy though that Ford's parents, who are American citizens and are based in California, volunteered to come over to help us in these challenging weeks of my pregnancy and upcoming childbirth. It's good that they are just a three-hour plane ride away and there's no need to apply for a Canadian tourist visa. They can come here anytime. They are also very excited cuddle a grandchild (they already have one -- Baby Ysabelle -- but they haven't personally seen her yet because she's in the Philippines) so I know that Baby Chicklet will be adored by them. 

I admit that I know nothing (as in absolutely nothing) in taking care of a child so it's comforting that Pod and I won't be "alone" during the first weeks of our son's life. 

Daddy and Mama arrived last Tuesday (October 21) and will be staying with us until Dec. 2. Of course they can still extend if we request them too.

October 22, 2014 - Lucky Supermarket

I am used to their presence actually. They already visited us last January-February (for three weeks, if I remember correctly) so I knew how they are at home. I feel more comfortable with them now. Sa una kasi siyempre nakakaaasiwa na makasama nang matagal sa isang bahay ang mga biyenan, especially since hindi naman ako domesticated na tao. I have so many flaws (haha) which I am afraid they'll find out. But Daddy and Mama are both nice and kind and non-judgmental. And they cook well, too! It's a breeze living with them.

I am so grateful because now I don't have to worry about our meals haha! They even do the dishes na rin kasi talagang masakit na ang tiyan ko palagi and I am afraid to move. Ang sarap. I can go into labor anytime now because I have companions na kahit nasa office si Ford.

Thank you Daddy and Mama for coming over to help us out. We can't thank you enough!

Hope in a cup cake

When Ford went back to the Philippines last May to attend his grandmother's burial, one of the requests I made to my Mamoosh to send me back here was pack of Lemon Square cheese cup cake. I am a sucker for cup cakes but unfortunately, wala dito nitong gusto ko. Yung Regent brand lang ang meron, yung custard cake with different flavors (na hindi ko naman type).

And then two weeks ago, I spotted these familiar yellow-packaged goodies at T&T Supermarket WEM. I was so thrilled that I couldn't help but utter: "Wow, may Lemon Square na sila dito! Yes! I'm so happy!" As usual, the hubby was dedma. He's not as passionate as me when it comes to Filipino products. He's been living in North America since 2001 and he has no attachment on these things. He will never understand my excitement.

It's actually not the cup cake per se that I am excited about. You see, every time a new Filipino product comes here, I am becoming more hopeful. Hopeful that in the next few years, all those items/foods that I love in Pinas will soon be readily available here. Iwas-homesick kasi yun. When you're living abroad, kung pwede lang that you bring every piece of "home"with you, right?

We are lucky because in this day and age of globalization, hindi na rin masyadong deprived ng familiar foods ang mga immigrants. But still, I would want to see Jollibee and Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs here in Edmonton. When that happens, I'd be at peace na haha!

I've been on a zero-sweet diet since August because of my gestational diabetes but I couldn't refuse this one. Grabe, ang sarap! After I give birth, kakain ako nito araw-araw! 

I wish many Filipinos here patronize these products so they can continue importing. =)

Craving for the real tender juicy hotdog

Migrating to another country entails a lot of sacrifices. Aside from being away from my family and friends, ang pinakamalaking adjustment ko na siguro ay sa food.

I am a very boring eater, I don't eat much variety. I always want to eat what's familiar. One of my favorites at home (i.e. in the Philippines) is Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs. Tsk, too bad bawal i-export ang mga meat products dito sa Canada. Kung meron lang sigurong TJ hotdogs dito, solved na solved na ako.

Yung dating taken-for-granted red hotdogs ko sa Pinas, miss na miss ko na talaga ngayon. Especially now that I am pregnant, grabe lalo ang pagkatakam ko.

We were at Lucky Supermarket last week and I grabbed a pack of this Pinoyfoods Tender Juicy Hotdog. I knew malayo sa lasang hinahanap ko (sa kulay pa lang iba na eh) but still, I gave it a try. Baka sakaling ma-satisfy ang cravings ko.

Pero syempre, BIGO ako. Imported sausage talaga ang lasa niya. Sana di na lang nila ginaya ang packaging ng Purefoods kasi medyo hopeful yung bumibili eh. Ganun ba talaga kahirap gayahin ang pulang hotdogs ng Pinas?

Anyway, after posting this hotdog thing in Instagram, my cousin Sarah from Illinois suggested that I look for Martin Purefoods Hotdogs. Haha, another so-called "purefoods hotdog." This one looks better though, pula na nga kasi talaga. And according to Cha, its taste is the 'nearest to the real thing.'

Photo taken from  http://www.philamfood.com/ (credits to the owner) 

The bad news is, I am sure we don't have it here in Edmonton. Kung meron nyan, matagal ko na sanang nakita. I always scout for Pinoy products in Asian supermarkets and Filipino stores eh.

My parents-in-law, who are based in California, are coming here soon to help us with the coming of Baby Chicklet. Ford said we could ask them to bring some of these hotdogs for us. Sana may makita sila. Since they will be coming from the US, they are allowed to bring some meat products here in Canada. 

Hay, pag-uwi ko sa Pinas kakain talaga ako ng TJ hotdogs every day. Promise yan!

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For a follow-up post, please click ---> There are No Purefoods Hotdogs in Canada

I don't need a BMW

We dropped by my husband's office last Sunday afternoon because he had to check on something. A BMW car was parked in front of their building.

POD -- Tingnan mo yung technician namin, naka-BMW! Bago!
BIM -- Wow, technician naka-BMW? Talo ka pa, Daddy!
POD -- Oo, kaya ayan linggong-linggo eh nandito. Nago-OT. Palaging naghahanap ng overtime.

I was not surprised though. Common naman dito na crew lang ng McDo ay naka-Mercedez Benz. Iyon nga lang, kailangang mag-triple job para may panghulog.

But this scenario made me remember that many years ago, I wanted a BMW too. Imposible akong magkaroon ng ganun sa Pinas pero dito, kaya naman talaga. I just need to work hard.

But will I buy one later on? Naaah, I don't think so.

You see, Ford and I had a serious talk before I came here. We discussed on what our lifestyle will be like when I come here and we both agreed to a 'simple yet comfortable' living. Actually, my husband has always lived like that (he's an Ilocano eh). It's me who's more materialistic so I was the one who needs to adjust.

Yeah, I would like to think that I've changed. That's the thing with migrating "late" (I came here at the age of 34), you look at things differently. A more matured outlook perhaps? And acquiring a BMW will definitely not be part of the grand plan.

Don't get me wrong. If I am a millionaire, I will surely buy a powerful car as well. But as "ordinary" resident of Canada, I'd be contented with our Subaru that provides us the same comfort and service naman. Nobody really cares about what you drive here anyway.

Many people who came here in Canada are deprived of material things in their respective countries. That's the reason they immigrated in the first place, they aspired for a better life. I honestly respect it if they want to have a nice, big house or a luxury vehicle -- it's their right, of course. But still, it pains me to see them giving up their sleep or precious quality time with family just to be able to afford those expensive stuff. For me, that's not the way to live. You shouldn't spend 15+ hours of your daily life working to pay for a house that you hardly sleep in. You shouldn't spend every minute of your day thinking about your enormous car mortgage. Why put so much pressure on yourself? You are already in Canada, you can relax.

In my observation, most Canadians who were born and bred here are living modestly. I truly admire their simplicity. You can hardly see them carrying Louis Vuitton purses or wearing designer clothes. It's the newcomers (especially Asian haha!) who are very particular with brands.

Oh well, kanya kanya lang talaga siguro yan. But in my almost 11 months of living here, alam ko na kung sino ang peg ko. =)

Another meet-up in Edmonton

September 30, 2014 (Tuesday). Marlon, a kababata, school batchmate, and neighbor in Lolomboy (my mother's home barangay where I grew up), and his family came for some holiday here in Edmonton. They live North Battleford, Saskatchewan. He messaged me on Facebook and asked if they could drop by our house. I suggested that we meet in West Edmonton Mall instead because I don't know how to cook so I have nothing to serve them haha!

I met them the following day after my check-up. It was my first time to get acquainted with his wife and kids who immigrated here in Canada in 2012.

Picture courtesy of Marlon

It's really nice seeing a familiar person from your home country. Marlon and I were not that close in Pinas. But that's the thing with living abroad, kayo-kayo lang kaya dapat maging close haha! Kapag nandito ka pala talaga, hahanap at hahanap ka ng kakilala.

Too bad I wasn't able to invite them in our house. Aside from the fact that I don't cook, I also do not have the energy to entertain eh. Our house at the moment is not at its best form since I am too tired (and lazy) to tidy it up. I hope I could make it up to them some day.

Oops by the way, I really like Marlon's family. His wife and kids (and even his mother-in-law) were all nice. Sana taga-Edmonton na lang din sila.