O Canada, you had me at hello

First 'taste' of snow.

It's been a year since I first set foot here. Sixteen months to be exact. We're all too familiar with the phrase 'how time flies so fast'. Well here, "it" does literally flies fast. And after a year, I felt like a hundred years old and 25 lbs. lighter ( thanks to running ) :-)

Oftentimes, out of the blue, I can't help but smile when I realized that I am, in fact, here,  a thousand miles away from the place I grew up and supposedly called "home".

Armed with just a bit of anticipation and excitement, I welcomed and embraced my new life in Canada. Actually, I don't have to "overhaul" myself or get culture shock. In some ways, I was prepared to met head-on whatever this "Canadian way" of life throw at me. Even before I came here, I was already "living it", if only in my mind. 

Spring is finally here.

It's amazing what a year can do to you. When you live in an entirely different setting compared to what you've been used to. In my case, almost everything has changed. Fortunately, I did not have a difficult time adjusting to it. Somehow, it felt like I should be here all along. The years I've spend living away from home has prepared me in some ways ( well, that's what I like to think ) so I did not have to deal with a lot of homesickness. It helped that my sister is already here.

With my sister ( my partner in 'crime' )

I've been asked a few times if I like Canada. My reply is always, "I like it here." with a smile. And really, what's not to like? I like the temperate climate because I don't sweat like crazy anymore. The food? Well, I learned to adjust my palate to it. And I still get to eat Filipino food. I like the fact that I can just wear anything and no one would care ( not that I wear 'out of this world' clothes ) I like the beautiful scenery I pass by whenever I go out for a run. I like the fact that there's no traffic and no black smoke from vehicles to suffocate me. 

Living in Canada has opened my eyes to a lot of things. Sure, there are things back home that I miss from time to time but that's about it. I learned to adapt myself to this new country if I have every intent to survive and make it. Coming here has afforded me the opportunity to better myself as well as my family. 

Anyway, I can't help but point out a lot of disparity when it comes to how things are handled here compared back home. Of course, I'm not saying that I'm now partial to Canada but then, who knows. I will always be a Filipino but it doesn't mean that I stick to stuff that doesn't work anymore.