This year marks my third year here in beautiful BC. Like many immigrants, I've had my fair share of ups and downs. But at the end of the day, as much as I miss the Philippines, I can honestly say that I'm happy and fortunate to be here.
Moving your whole life to a different country can be incredibly scary and daunting (to say the least). So I wanted to share my experience in the hopes that it may help anyone who has thought of or is planning to move abroad. (I fielded these questions from Instagram Stories so thank you to everyone who contributed!)
Why did you decide to move to Canada? Why British Columbia?
The short answer? It was my parents' decision. When my mom was still flying for Cathay Pacific, they would frequently have flights to Vancouver. She fell in love with the place and told dad (even before they were married) that she'd like to move here one day. So when a friend of theirs told them about the Immigrant Investor's Program, they hopped right on it and chose Vancouver, British Columbia over the other Canadian provinces.
The plan was we were going to move after I finished high school, with the hopes of taking university in Vancouver. However, the process took longer than expected. In fact, we thought we were denied because a number of our family friends who also applied already got word that they were denied. But surprise! 6 years later, after I graduated from Ateneo de Manila University and established my own restaurant, we got a call from the lawyer saying we were approved, had to do our medical evaluation and leave all within 6 months.
What was the application process like?
Because it was my parents' decision to apply in the first place (I was 100% against it at first; what can you expect? I was only 16 y/o and all that mattered to me was my boyfriend then and my social life), I wasn't really involved in the application process. Apparently though, the Immigrant Investor's Program is no longer available. However if you visit the Government of Canada website, it lists out the different ways you can become an immigrant. Based on what I've heard, the most common way is through the Provincial Nominee Program which means you can immigrate by being nominated by a Canadian province or territory i.e. you have the skills, education and work experience to contribute to the economy of a specific province or territory. For example in Nova Scotia, they are in need of physicians so if you are one, you can apply to become a provincial nominee.
Did you already know some people (aside from your family) when you first arrived?
Yes, however they weren't our blood relatives. We were lucky to have connected with the Ateneo community and found some families whose parents were batchmates of my parents from way back in the day. And just like in true Filipino fashion, they were incredibly helpful and hospitable. Everything from picking us up at the airport when we first landed, inviting us to their family Christmas/New Year's Eve celebrations to helping us move from our different apartments. I'm incredibly grateful for them and consider them to be my extended family here.
In fact, when my family and I all landed together in August 2016 as Permanent Residents, they actually all went back to the Philippines after a month to tie up loose ends and let my brother graduate university. So I lived here in Vancouver, alone, for about 2 years before they all "officially" moved here. Those same family friends took great care of me, treated me like their daughter and made sure I had a family to turn to. I remember for my 25th birthday (my first birthday in Vancouver), they all threw a surprise party for me. So if you're worried about not knowing anyone at all, reach out to your communities and I'm sure you'll find some connections. Trust me, the world is small and the Filipino world is even smaller.
How did you adapt to Canadian culture? Were there major adjustments you had to do?
Can you share about culture shock?
To be honest, I don't really recall making any major adjustments. Vancouver is a very diverse city with people from all over the world so it's truly a melting pot of different cultures. However, it helped a lot that I studied first. So the reason I stayed in Vancouver alone was because I took up a 3-month Accelerated Program in Digital Marketing & Communications in the University of British Columbia. The program has changed a bit since I last attended but you can find information about it here.
It was beneficial for me because 1) being in a classroom setting, I was forced to meet and socialize with people and 2) it gave me a "way in" professionally (will explain this further below). So to answer the question, no major adjustments. My advice would be to just immerse yourself as much as you can - whether it be in school, work, volunteer programs... that way you're "forced" to meet people and learn about the culture.
In terms of culture shock, it was evident but in a very positive way. Like I was pleasantly surprised with how efficient public transit is and how friendly/polite Canadians are (but on the flipside, can be pretty passive-aggressive too). Some words are also pronounced differently here. For example, data is dah-ta (not day-ta), caramel is care-a-mell and Toronto is toronno. They also refer to things differently - fridge instead of ref, A/C instead of aircon, washroom instead of CR (although I was never one to say CR).
I think one of the bigger cultural differences though is humor here is so, incredibly different than Pinoy humor. Here, they're very into parody, irony and satire (think "The Office") while Pinoy humor is very... "sabaw" and corny. Translating Pinoy jokes to English just doesn't cut it.
Canadians are also extremely laidback - in all ways. They HIGHLY value work-life balance (my boss encourages us to leave work once the clock hits 5 and leave work at work). They prefer hikes and outdoor activities over clubbing (although they go all out on holidays like Halloween and St. Patrick's Day) and are perpetually in Lululemon leggings and Blundstones. It's very rare that you'll see Canadians in designer anything - it's mostly the Asians in designer clothes/carrying designer bags.
How many years (or months) did it take you to adjust to living there?
Did you have moments when you said, "I give up. I'm not happy here. I'm moving back."
During my first year alone, I thought I had adjusted pretty well. But in hindsight, I think I was just too busy to be homesick. While I was studying full-time, I had a part-time job working at Forever 21 and then a poké restaurant. But even when I landed my first marketing-related job, I was still working part-time as a server at Earl's Test Kitchen. From 9-5 I'd be in the office, then on Tuesdays I'd be at the restaurant working from 6pm until close (which was any time between 12am - 2am) then I'd work days all weekend.
I was able to juggle everything until the second year where I was just incredibly burnt out. My mental health took a toll and I was extremely homesick. I never got to the point where I gave up, but I did get to the point where I felt lonely and depressed. So as much as I advise you to just throw yourself in the deep end, remember to also take a balance and take time for yourself - to meet people and create a circle of friends and explore this new country you're in.
Update: I'm happily adjusted now. I let go of the server gig (although it was pretty good extra cash), focusing on my full-time job and making sure I have enough time for myself.
I'll be moving as an international student this year and want a part time job.
I fully support that! It's not going to be easy but getting that Canadian work experience as early as possible will be beneficial to you in the long run. In case you didn't know, it's tough to get work in Canada if you don't have any Canadian experience. It doesn't matter if you graduated in your country's top university or was a manager in your previous role back home - bottomline, they're unfamiliar with it (unless it's a huge international company or ivy league school) so they don't recognize it. So get a job, any job. Get your feet wet, network, save some money, and work your way up!
Pro tip 1: If you think you're capable, become a server. It requires some work (like memorizing the menu front & back) but tips are great, it's a fast-paced environment (so you're not watching the clock unlike in retail), you meet a lot of fun people and you get free/discounted food.
Pro tip 2: If you can find an internship in your field, take it. It'll get your foot in the door in your industry. That's exactly why I took up my course - because the latter half of it was an internship. I attribute most of my professional "success" to that as I was able to network. That internship in a marketing agency led me to a contract role with them and then eventually a full-time role for one of their clients. The rest was history.
What's the average cost of living? (I live in Victoria and wonder if it's similar)
I'm not going to sugar coat it - it's expensive to live in Vancouver. In fact, Vancouver is the most expensive city to live in Canada. Cost of living is about $1,200 per month, not including rent. Depending on what kind of place you get, rent in downtown can range from $2,000 - $3,500. Of course all of that can vary based on your lifestyle and if you choose to live further away from the city center. But the good thing about Canada is that wages are more or less enough to cover these expenses (unlike the Philippines and most third-world countries). Plus, quality of life is A+ (hello, free healthcare!)
Overall, I'm happy and blessed to be here in Vancouver. It's a beautiful city where you get the best of both worlds (city life and nature) all at your fingertips. Of course there are a number of things I miss back home (friends, family, beaches, Jollibee) but I can definitely see myself living here long-term and I'll always be thankful to my parents for giving me this opportunity. Like I said, moving to a different country can be daunting and lonely, but at the end of the day, the pros outweigh the cons. As my parents would say, "if you don't like it here, you can always move back. But the opportunity is only once in a lifetime." So if you're lucky enough to have that opportunity or are looking for a sign to make the move, take it; do it. There's so much to explore in this world, why limit yourself?
I know that was quite the brain dump but if there's anything you want me to dive into deeper, feel free to reach out via Instagram! 'Til next time, friends.
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