My First Christmas in Canada

My First Christmas in Canada

Christmas marks the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a day of celebration for Christians to spend together with family and friends. People go to church on Christmas Eve. After church, we all went to the house together. We exchanges gifts, have some drinks, and eat together on "Noche Buena."

In 2009, I celebrated my first Christmas in Canada with my family without any relatives around, unlike other people who had been longer in Canada. It was an exciting experience because in reality, there was snow falling around. Before, the snow was just a dream.

After the celebration of Halloween, we assembled the Christmas Tree on the living room and started putting up some decorations. I also fixed some decorations on the walls to feel more with the Christmas spirit. On Christmas Eve, my family went to church for a night mass. At home waiting for the midnight, we opened the gifts, hugged and kissed each other, and as a sign of respect the kids placed the back of our hand to the forehead. On Christmas Day my family went out with friend's house to celebrate with them. We have to brought some foods for potluck. In winter time, We visited the Enchanted Forest. Enchanted Forest was a viewing park to the public every winter. It was filled with light all around the place including the big trees with different coloured lights. I wondered how many hundreds or thousands of volts was consumed. It was so amazing.

I felt so wonderful in Canada. It was the first Christmas with my family. On the second thoughts, I missed my parents and relatives back home. We celebrated the Christmas season together with my family and relatives every year, it was a memorable moment every year. The tradition of Christmas was a totally different in our country. We used to go outside without the winter jackets, no snow falling outside, and the children were going to their Godparents every Christmas to greet and hug them.

In Canada, we have to get used to the situation. The winter is longer. It's our choice to be here. I have accepted the fact that I'm now here in Canada with my family.

I'm enjoying a White Christmas in winter season with my family together.

Posted by Lorelei Canlas

Remembrance Day

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My First Christmas in Canada

Christmas marks the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's a day of celebration for Christians to spend together with family and friends. People go to church on Christmas Eve. After that they exchange gifts, drink. and eat together on "Noche Buena."

In year 2009, I celebrated my first Christmas in Canada with my family without any relatives around, unlike other people who stayed longer in Canada. It was an Exciting experience because in reality, there was snow falling around, before it was just a dream.

After the celebration of Halloween, we assembled the Christmas Tree on the living room and started putting some decorations. I also fixed some decorations on the walls to feel more with Christmas spirit. On the Eve of Christmas Day, my family went to church on a night mass. At home waiting for the midnight, we opened the gifts, hugged and kissed each other, and as a sign of respect the kids get the back of our hand to one's forehead. On Christmas Day my family went out to friends house to celebrate with them. We usually brought some foods with as potluck. During the winter season, I have been to the Enchanted Forest, it was a viewing park every December filled with light all around the place including the big trees with different colored lights. I wondered how much hundreds or thousands of volts used. It's so amazing!

It was so wonderful to feel that I'm in Canada and it was my first time to spent Christmas with my family. One the second thought, I missed also our parents and relatives that we celebrate the Christmas season together every year. It was a totally different from our customs and traditions in our native land. We used to go outside without the winter jackets on, no snow falling outside, and the children were going to their Godparents every Christmas to greet and hug them.

Here in Canada, we have to get used to it, it's our choice to be here. I have accepted the fact that I'm now here in Canada with my family. Now,

I'm enjoying a White Christmas on winter season with my family together.

Cultural Folk Festival

 




Jeepney use in the Philippines

 

 

 

           

                                           

Cultural Folk Festival The Folk Festival is an annual celebration that started in Saskatoon in 1980. Folk Fest is a 3-day event every year. Visitors will find cultural displays, dance, song, food, folklore, souvenirs and many things related to different cultures. The Folk Fest is a multi-cultural experience that has allowed visitors to become one of Saskatoon's attractions. It ran in August at several venues throughout Saskatoon. It has 21 pavilions, and this year 3 pavilions would be added to the list. A Folk Fest passport is used to visit any of the pavilions for as long as the they want. A Folk Fest passport is also used as a ticket on a special Folk Fest bus. I have posted pictures above. These pictures were taken at Folk Fest 2012. My family visited last year's event, and it was fun. Unfortunately, we visited 5 pavilions among the 21 pavilions all over Saskatoon. All 5 pavilions we visited were in one venue. It took us half a day to visit one place. I was surprised by the visitors that arrived at the Philippine pavilion. They came from different nations. We saw that they enjoyed the program, and watched while dancing to our own native dance steps. They also enjoyed the food prepared by the staff. Every event was a memorable one because we appreciated every culture presented by each pavilion.

                                                  

Lifelong learning experience at LINC Home Study program

Lifelong Learning Experience

One day, I heard someone tell me about the study of the English Language. So I asked this person for information on how to be able to study in the program. I came across the interview and I took the language assessment at Open Door. The problem was a conflict of time with my work. I can't go to school. The facilitator explained to me LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) Home Study program.

At first, I was not confident because I have to use a computer. I didn’t have enough knowledge of the computer. The only thing I knew was how to surf the web, including Facebook, Google and email. LINC Home Study program has given me a lot of experience. As a novice, I'm confident that I can communicate and write well because of I’ve learned back home. It came as a surprise to me to learn of the errors of sentences and paragraphs. Did I forget what I learned from school? It came to back to mind.

Luckily, I have a good instructor. He told me to be confident. There are rules and regulations to follow. I had a tough time and sometimes, I feel ashamed of myself. My instructor keeps on reminding me not to feel that way. I've learned the proper way to correct run-on sentences and comma splices. Those are serious errors. They should be fixed immediately. Every lesson I have assignments for the following week. Sometimes, in the middle of a conversation, we come across phrases which are unfamiliar. Mostly, we talk about them and explain the meaning of the phrases.

I'm happy and proud that one of my blogs was published in the NewsLINC. All that I've learned at the LINC Home Study program can be an important aspect in my daily living. There's a lot way to go. Now, I'm on Level 5.




Posted by Lorelei Canlas

Summer Vacation Plans

Our plan this year is to go the Philippines for a vacation. We had a problem because it is only during months of July and August classes will be close. This is the time my daughters can go with us. Regarding my work I can't go this year because there was a policy made by the owner. We can have our vacation leave after 2 years in the company  Now we change the plan next year. There are things to consider. We are thinking of positive ways My husband left the Philippines since 2006. He wants to see his hometown, mother and siblings. His employer allows only 15 days vacation leave. We have a pet dog at home. We cannot leave the dog alone for a month  Another vacation plan is to explore Jasper in Alberta.  If the plan will be finalize we'll make a stop over for 3 days in Hongkong. We plan also to go Underground River in Palawan

         

       

Summer in the Philippines

It's fun in the Philippines. Summer starts typically on the third  or last week of March and ends on the first week of June.



Banawe Terraces in Baguio City

Tagaytay City

At Summer, the temperature reaches 30 to 40 degrees Celsius. It was a hot weather during those months of March and June. Some people are going on beaches, swimming pool resorts and places like Baguio or Tagaytay to soothe the heat and relax.


Matabungkay Beach Resort

Summertime was an exciting moment of vacation for us. Every year, we went to visit my In-Laws in Pampanga. We celebrate Holy Week and Easter Sunday mass with them. In this province they observed the passion of Christ. Some re-enactment on the suffering of Christ, the nailing on the cross, crowning of thorns, walking on the road whipping their body, and singing the passion of Christ they called "pasyon".