Manila Tread for English Speakers - join here!

[callasandra]

anyone here bound for regina,sk?

 

[GoonerClank]

I'm from Ottawa but will be in training at the nav Canada facility in Moncton for 7 months. I've never been there before. I'm traveling with coworkers to visit the place. We might stay here in Edmunston for the night though. My wife lives in bangkal in Davao but she has lots of relatives and friends in the Tagum area. I got married in Davao last year. Been as far as panabo but never had the chance to go to tagum.

You are from Ottawa too?... I am in Ottawa.... my wife is from Digos..

 

[Pauluz]

You are from Ottawa too?... I am in Ottawa.... my wife is from Digos..

Yup from the Orleans area. I'm currently in Tagum's home turf though on my way to Moncton. I didn't realize there's lots of spouses from the Digos-Davao-Tagum region. I grew up in Carmen (more or less where Steph's spouse is from). Whereabouts in Ottawa are you from?

 

[Pauluz]

One thing that is for sure, We as North Americans get treated like kings or as I like to say, " a rockstar". I am often embarassed by the way I am treated. especially in the rural areas. They get chairs for me, I don't wait in lines at the bank etc. It's hard because if I decline the special treatment they might be offended. One thing you can't deny is how genuinely friendly the filipinos are. They will give you the shirt off their backs, even if they can't afford it. I give back as much as I can. The tough part for me is the widespread poverty and not being able to do much about it. I am not talking about "Canadian" poverty, but real poverty. Going forward, I really hope the government changes and distributes more funds to the people in need and not just feed their own bank accounts. The new online rage is North Americans getting virtual assistants and virtual techies in the Philippines that are highly skilled and educated but only pay them peanuts and think it's acceptable ($1-3 per hour). It's sad really, but a lot of them take the jobs because they need the money but it's still not enough for a comfortable life here with the education they have. okay, enough ranting.....

People always ask me why we live here and not in Canada as so many wish and dream to work and live abroad. For me, being here is a great way to learn about my wife's culture first hand. We had lived abroad in Costa Rica for many years where we both were "strangers in a strange land". It's been a good opportunity to live here where she was on her "home turf" and experience a different way of life than in Canada. Something I think all Canadian spouses should experience. I am still way too young to retire but I think it would be a cool place to hang one's hat at the last leg of the journey. There are definitely worse places to be in this great big sandbox we call earth.

I have to admit though the country is in a much better shape now than how it was 15 years ago when we left it. But there's still a lot of catch up to be done especially in the corruption part. I'm sure you're wife appreciates your effort in getting to know her and her family more by living in pinas. I wish I could do the same but I'd get fired from work if I do, lol. Nevertheless I feel fortunate that my wife and I are culturally the same (were both from Mindanao, we both speak Cebuano and we like the same food) but having spent half my life in Canada I actually need to relearn and re-appreciate my heritage. Before I met her I hardly have flip friends, except those people I see in church. Now I'm beginning to hang out with flips again and even using Tagalog and Cebuano more and more.

Which part of pinas is your wife from? I'm glad that for the most part you see the beautiful side of pinas. Its painful to see and hear that in most cases only the bad and corrupt side of flipland get noticed by outsiders.

 

[GoonerClank]

Yup from the Orleans area. I'm currently in Tagum's home turf though on my way to Moncton. I didn't realize there's lots of spouses from the Digos-Davao-Tagum region. I grew up in Carmen (more or less where Steph's spouse is from). Whereabouts in Ottawa are you from?

In Britannia... Near Britannia beach. Someone just told me there is a new filipino store/restaurant opened up on Carling near the Canadian tire store. Opened up in July. I haven't been yet. I actually might go today

 

[Pauluz]

In Britannia... Near Britannia beach. Someone just told me there is a new filipino store/restaurant opened up on Carling near the Canadian tire store. Opened up in July. I haven't been yet.

There was one further west along Carling before but it didn't stay open too long. I gotta check that place out when I get back in town. That's one thing we need in Ottawa, Filipino restaurants. They hardly remain open, considering the growing Filipino community here. I worked in the Britannia area in my stint as auxiliary constable for the Ottawa police but we were based in bayshore community police center. Its a nice area though

 

[Pauluz]

In Britannia... Near Britannia beach. Someone just told me there is a new filipino store/restaurant opened up on Carling near the Canadian tire store. Opened up in July. I haven't been yet. I actually might go today

Haven't seen your timelines. How far are you in the pipeline gooner?

 

[GoonerClank]

Haven't seen your timelines. How far are you in the pipeline gooner?

Just got PPR on Wed..

 

[Pauluz]

Just got PPR on Wed..

Cool! Hopefully It won't be that long from this point on.

 

[xxdieselxx]

I have to admit though the country is in a much better shape now than how it was 15 years ago when we left it. But there's still a lot of catch up to be done especially in the corruption part. I'm sure you're wife appreciates your effort in getting to know her and her family more by living in pinas. I wish I could do the same but I'd get fired from work if I do, lol. Nevertheless I feel fortunate that my wife and I are culturally the same (were both from Mindanao, we both speak Cebuano and we like the same food) but having spent half my life in Canada I actually need to relearn and re-appreciate my heritage. Before I met her I hardly have flip friends, except those people I see in church. Now I'm beginning to hang out with flips again and even using Tagalog and Cebuano more and more.

Which part of pinas is your wife from? I'm glad that for the most part you see the beautiful side of pinas. Its painful to see and hear that in most cases only the bad and corrupt side of flipland get noticed by outsiders.

It has probably evolved leaps and bounds from 15 years ago but there is definitely room for improvement corruption wise (most noteworthy Napoles). I must say that during my residency process here, we encountered none and it was a really good process (especially compared to Costa Rica). As for only the negative side that gets noticed by most outsiders, I agree. Many choose to just see the sh!tty aspects of a society. I too see many of the negative aspects almost daily but choose to look at it as it as the current way of life and it is what it is. And not to b!tch and complain about it (too much). It will evolve and get better given time. The genuine people and their passions are what makes this country great.

I would love to see Cebu before we leave but am not sure if it will happen. We have a few adventures already in the works before we get the PPR notice! My wife and her family are great! I can't say enough about them. My wife's family is from small town Luzon and grew up for the most part in Manila. Thats cool that you are able to hang out with some fellow countrymen again! You probably get to eat authentic filipino food more often now at filipino gatherings! I think it doesn't matter where a person is from, they always miss their home town food! I sure miss Montreal smoked meat sandwiches on rye bread!!!

 

[roomonfire23]

Thank you everybody!

Here is my timeline!

And today 2013.09.03 - Received COPR!

Congrats! Which was the email you used to contact the Manila embassy? My medicals have expired and they haven't contacted us about re-medical...

 

[callasandra]

Congrats! Which was the email you used to contact the Manila embassy? My medicals have expired and they haven't contacted us about re-medical...

you should email them..what happened with my papers was that they sent the wrong re-medical instructions to the wrong email extension (their fault)..3 months waste just for that..

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

What all do you miss about the Philippines? Did you spend a lot of time here?

I've been a few times now but I love the climate and the food of course. I love the fact that no matter how crowded it gets I can still see over the heads of everyone around me. The attitude of Filipinos is one of perpetual positivity. You rarely hear anyone complain even when there may be much to complain about.

I realize that I get to experience it as a tourist so it would be different to be working and living there and if you are struggling to make ends meet it would be a hard place to live.

 

[roomonfire23]

you should email them..what happened with my papers was that they sent the wrong re-medical instructions to the wrong email extension (their fault)..3 months waste just for that..

Is the email address manila-im-enquiry@international.gc.ca? Which email address did you use?

 

[Iay]

Congrats! Which was the email you used to contact the Manila embassy? My medicals have expired and they haven't contacted us about re-medical...

Hi, what's your timeline? I believe you are from Japan going through Manila VO, right?