[ATABAY readers are invited to share their stories. "If a story is in you, it has to come
Knowing our plan to migrate to Canada, many had asked my husband Manny and me this question even before we left the Philippines: But why? It was well-meant and proper since we would leave a very comfortable homely life: parents, siblings, relatives, friends, and community.
We seemed to have started on the wrong foot. Trusting a friend in working out our immigration papers, we were crushed when he suddenly disappeared leaving our application astray. I thought of this snag as a cue that, perhaps, the question "But why?" appeared to be also right.
Shrugging off our migration plan, we moved on: took care of our children (corporate duo, a university graduating student, and a high school freshman), looked after our small business, and served our Church and the Couples for Christ community. At the end of the day,
In his
He makes
In his time.
Lord, please
As you're
That you
In your time.
What came about afterward appeared to be our answered prayer. Taking our vacation in the US with our relatives there, we got a Christmas surprise gift: an e-mail from the Canadian Embassy in Manila for our interview appointment. Thereafter, our days were crammed with a flurry of activities brimming with excitement and expectation like an anxious first grader on his first day of school or a thrilled college freshman in putting together her first dorm room away from home.
Subsequently, we sold our properties, attended farewell parties, and picked up "survival" tips from been-there-done-that friends: to get ready not only financially, but also physically, emotionally, and spiritually in braving a different new world with different people, cultures, and language.
Start spreading
I'm leaving
I want
New York, New York.
As well-wishers waved and blew kisses at the airport, I hummed softly the song, as my family and I were boarding the plane with bated breath to set about the first flight of our long journey to the land of milk and honey.
Our plane landed in Los Angeles, our port of entry from Manila, then in New Jersey. Ten days seemed not enough in wandering through "The Garden State" relishing its sights and sounds -- national parks, fine museums, and historical sites – touched up by dropping in resorts along the Atlantic Coast including the entertainment hot spot of Atlantic City. Wanting to be a part of the "City That Never Sleeps" as the popular song goes, we went to see the Empire State Building, took the Statue of Liberty cruise, and, of course, walked the famed Times Square.
Having not seen them for a very long time, we were guests of our relatives and friends living in the US made smoother by Manny's younger brother Yoying and wifey Jessielyn, together with their family, as our caring host and handy guide. My Dad's younger brother Uncle Naring and Auntie Purie with their family were always close by for us.
At Toronto, a welcoming entourage of familiar faces, former corporate peers in National Steel Corporation, took us by surprise. They stunned us with our "new home" in ready-to-move-in mode, furnished with a well-stocked refrigerator and adorned with elegant curtains. Being new kid in town, my family did grocery shopping with our friends lending a helping hand by taking turns in driving us to the market. Unbelievable.
Months passed; the face of reality took shape. In one unguarded moment, strange to say, I felt that life was passing me by. Yes, I got a job, but unstable. Sometimes, I have qualms about my ability in the workplace to excel, to meet high expectations, to achieve lofty goals. I've known full well I ranked among the finest staff in the agency evaluation. Weighing up my plight, I flipped through somewhere and came across this life's savory recipe: Good Luck = Preparation + Opportunity. Opportunities abound in this part of the world, yet am I ill-prepared? Or, like Covid-19, could this be just a side effect of homesickness in the long haul?
Looking back, I thought our family has grown and matured. Aside from having sent financial supports to our families back home in times of emergencies, we have found few and far between chances in sharing with them our precious time. Our family has become more closely knit by doing things together: camping adventure, road trips to visit relatives in the US, cottage escapades for several days, or get together on weekends and holidays. We go to church together on Sundays (do online masses together during the pandemic). Manny (thank God for his bank job) and I have focused our love and care on our family, let alone, being of service to our local Parish and our community.
Leaving PH, I recall this nagging question my friends asked us: But why?
In mulling over my answer, when all was said and done, what comes across my mind is the picture of our two daughters Ejay and Jo and their respective Pinoy husbands Mymy and John, our two boys, Ruru and Elson, still singles, and our two beautiful grandkids, Zeke and Emma.
Why did we leave PH and migrate to Canada? At long last, a bigger picture has dawned on me -- it is not so much about Manny and me today -- it is about the future of our children and our children's children. By God's grace, we have found a special place we can call our home: Canada, a country known for its maple syrup, northern lights, and unyielding politeness, among others -- whereby saying "Thank you" is ingrained in its culture. Thank you, God, for Canada.
No comments:
Post a Comment