Exactly one year ago, I got off
the plane after an exhausting 14-hour flight from Manila. I felt excited for my
new life but I was also very apprehensive about my future. I have left my
family, my friends and my successful career. At 38 years old, I have left my
pretty good life to start another chapter that was so vague and uncertain, it
caused me a lot of sleepless nights.
I have been thinking about it for
years but I have always wavered in my decision to immigrate to another country.
I had the heart of a nomad. I liked going from place to place and experiencing
new things. I have been to dozens of different cities in North America, Europe
and Asia. I felt like I would never be completely satisfied living in one
country without going away every now and then.
Going to a different country as
a tourist or a temporary worker isn’t a hard decision at all because it’s only
temporary. Deciding to leave one’s own country for good, however, is a
momentous one. It took me years and years to make the biggest decision of my
life and for good reason.
Back home, I was in no way destitute. I had a higher than average salary that would have enabled me to live for the rest of my life comfortably and free from financial worries. I had an excellent career in Learning and Development working in Junior Management. I have worked for prestigious Global corporations. I have also had the opportunity to work with some of the best HR and Learning professionals in the world (a big shout out to my previous colleagues at HSBC Workplace Learning and Performance and Accenture Capability Development). Some of my previous employers have sent me to different countries for process migration and knowledge transfer. I got perks that most people my age only dreamed of. Some of my relatives thought I was crazy to give all these up and they did have a point.
The truth is, I would have happily stayed where I was if it wasn't for stress. I
didn’t really mind it too much when I was younger. I was young and I
had the energy to face the daily torment of living in a huge and overcrowded city. It was when
I started traveling that I realized that life is not supposed to be just one
endless struggle. I could choose how to live. That made me
finally take the leap into the big unknown.
The most important decision made,
I had to make the second most important one - where to settle. I have been in
the US and didn’t really want to live there permanently. It’s a good place to
visit but I didn’t want to stay there for good. I toyed with the idea of migrating
to Japan. I am fascinated by that country and would have wanted to go back but
then I would have to learn Nihonggo and that would take time. I also loved the
UK. I would have wanted to emigrate there if it wasn’t so expensive. It was not a good place for me if I wanted financial freedom.
I chose Canada because it is
immigrant-friendly. The country really takes care of its immigrants. Even
before I left my country, I got to attend seminars to help prepare me for what
is coming. After landing, there are Government and privately-funded agencies
like the Centre for Newcomers that help newly arrived immigrants to have a smoother transition and integrate successfully. They have weekly seminars here that help people with everything from
building credit to building a resume. They even have places where newcomers can
print out resumes for free! Now isn’t that nice?
So there I was a year ago, so
exhausted it took me a week to get over the jet lag. My future was very
uncertain but not for long. Canada has been very good to me, so far. I got a job
7 days after I arrived and I’ve been working there since. Everyone here has
free health care, even non-citizens like me. I arrived in Canada as a Permanent
Resident and I have all the benefits of a citizen, save one. I could not vote yet
but that will come later. I thought 4 years was such a long time to wait but
the first year flew by so fast. In 3 more years, I could apply for citizenship.
I love Calgary. It is so far from
the bustling and noisy city that I used to work in. I feel so safe here. I
could walk the streets with my phone out at 10:00 PM and not feel scared that I would get mugged. The public
transportation here is so convenient that people would just drive their cars to
the nearest train station and take the train to the city. Even during the rush
hour, it is not too crowded. I could still maintain my personal space in the
train, which is unimaginable in the MRT at 5 PM. Driving is a dream here. The
roads are so wide and there are no hour-long traffic jams. What people consider
to be traffic jams here are just like regular traffic light pile-ups in Manila.
I also love the people here.
Canadians are nice. Strangers would keep doors open for the people behind them.
People would keep the train door open for you so you don’t miss it. Cars would
actually stop when you are crossing the street. I used to get so embarrassed
because there would literally be 4 cars waiting for me to pass even though I
would signal them to go ahead. People would stop what they’re doing to help the
elderly with their walkers and mothers with their baby strollers. It is a nice
thing to experience when you come from a city where a lot of people are just
too busy with their own concerns to care.
What can I say about my life 365
days later? I have a job with great co-workers. I live in an apartment so close
to my workplace that I could wake up 30 minutes before my shift and I would
still be there on time. I have cousins here that have supported me from day one. I have found wonderful friends. I have
made a good life for myself here that is free from stress. The only thing that
would make it perfect is if I had my family with me but that will come soon. I’m
no longer a nomad and I am happy.
