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Showing posts from 2020

new school

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I am currently enrolled in a Canadian College taking up three subjects for one term. I feel happy to finally put myself out there and get another degree. There are differences in the levels of learning but perhaps this is due to the circumstances that I am in. First, with COVID-19, I am taking up asynchronous courses. These courses are not "real-time" and it is quite advantageous for me since I have a job to keep plus the time zone has a big time variance.  Second, I noticed that the manner of course deliverance is "independent" meaning, students are expected to do everything by themselves. If they have questions, then that's the only time they ask for assistance. unlike our local college, where every instruction is supervised, professors in my Canadian College only asks for the output. It depends on the student whether they reach out to the professor or not because professors would not check out on you every time. Third, I noticed that with online education, co

exaggerations

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I scrolled Facebook and saw how happy my friends’ posts are. I’ve seen their husband, kids, and the little things they do as a family.   I’m not going to lie. Seeing those, I began to feel a familiar ache deep within me. I wondered whether I will have the same fate. I wondered whether I can be as happy as I perceive them to be with all the settling down and blossoming family life.   I closed my Facebook app and switched to Instagram. I saw the same thing. I saw smiling faces of celebrity couples lounging at home for quarantine. I saw newly engaged Demi Lovato. I also saw the other Demi, cheek padded as she just had a wisdom tooth removal surgery and Tim Tebow was capturing that moment. I even saw my close friend, having the time of her life with her new beau.   In that moment, I began to feel uneasy. I know, we need to be happy for someone else. I always inject that in mind. But I cannot help myself from feeling uncomfortable. To put it bluntly, I felt a tinge of bitterness in my mouth

how's and why's

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I am a force to reckon with. I can be very passionate. I can be very strong. I can take storms and dance with the waves. I am happy knowing that I am resilient enough to withstand whatever it is that I am faced with. I always try to be at the top of my game. BUT… Along the lines of control and enduring without breaking… Along the swells of the waves and never drowning… In the middle of it all, I lose that one thing that keeps me going. I am so busy with the how’s that I end up forgetting my why’s.

new chance

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Few days ago my cousin opened up about lacking of work, I was earnestly listening. She told me, “I am over age, it’s so hard to find a job” I truly understand what she meant and it brought me into thinking how I can possibly help.   Her predicament is one of the many factors why OFWs try their hardest to stick around overseas, some unfortunately, despite the mistreatment. It drowned me to a thought about having youth as a major capital in the work force. But what happens when you quit from one job to transfer to another? What happens when you decide to change the course of your life after 30s? Only a few can because most companies never hire experienced staff for the entry-level jobs. I remembered my former colleague who was 45 and told me how he wanted to change companies but can’t do so for fear of companies not hiring him. He said he will only resign when he’s hired by another company. He decides to stick around to the company since he was 20. I am brought to a halt. Sur

what's up, covid?

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Hi!!! I’ve been out of context these past few days and what better way to blow off some steam than to write it down. It’s funny that it is in these moments that I feel so vulnerably human. 2020 made it possible for people to pause, cancel plans and obviously, stay at home. Gone are busy commutes and invariably busy daily schedules.  Gone are our coffee chats, cafe hopping and dinner with friends.  With COVID, everything seemed to stop. Well, for the most of us who aren’t at the frontlines at least. This pandemic brought innumerable effects: the lives lost, work termination and the devastating economic crisis looming in, may God forbid. So many things can happen and if we overthink, the negative impacts are far too scary to even ponder, the onset is almost tangible. BUT… life is about HOPE. In a world of uncertainty, we look past the negativities and focus our time and energy on the “blessings in disguise”, “silver lining” and positivity, in general. This sudden halt brought

How I DIY-ed my Canada Student Visa application?

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Is it possible to DIY Student Visa application for Canada? The answer is Y-E-S! I will lay it all out here, so stay tuned! Timeline: Jan 27, 2020 (MON)-          medical exam upfront at Health Systems Nationwide Jan 30, 2020 (THU)-          submitted my application through the cic.ca website -        received a confirmation from cic -        Scheduled an appointment via VFS global in Cebu since Davao does not have any VFS office for Feb 3 Jan 31, 2020 (FRI)- asked by CIC to do biometrics Feb 1, 2020 (SAT)-  rescheduled my VFS appointment to Feb 5 ( due to airline ticket price) Feb 5, 2020 (WED)-            flew to Cebu for my 1:30pm appointment. Plane delayed for 3 hours 8:50am flight moved to 11:50am; reached VFS office at 1:23pm Feb 6. 2020 (THU)- received biometrics confirmation letter (correspondence letter) Feb 7, 2020 (FRI) -  received a passport request letter -        Passport submitted Feb 9, 2020 (SUN)- flew back to DVO Feb 10,2020 (MON)- 

Yes! this is it!

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Hear ye! Hear ye! I got a good news to share and I bet it is a pretty good opener after months of being an absentee here. I’m getting married!!!! LOL Nope. My visa has been approved! That’s it! I am ecstatic as I have been hesitant for a year whether I’d leave PH or not. And don’t get me started on how I made it possible… it took a lot of effort, time, money and PRAYERS! I have been reluctant to move to Canada for several reasons--- primary reason being too far from PH, where all my family members are plus not having a relative in Canada at all. It took me months to finally convince myself that I need to move forward and Canada is a safe choice! I have made the application myself without an agent and how I did it? Well, I will try to write another blog post solely dedicated for that. I am grateful for the doors that have been closed on my face because it provided me with a forced closure. (lol) I mean, I wouldn’t dare move on if not with a delibera