Tara, biyahe tayo sa Pilipinas! Come and travel to the Philippines!

Philippines is halfway around the world from Canada and airfare is expensive, much more than a trip to Cuba for a week of beach getaway. Moreover, because of its distance from Canada the overall travel time is not convenient -travelling for only 1 week is not going to be worth it. In addition, it is not a very famous country and a travel destination for Canadians hence, a lot of hesitation to those who are not adventurous and willing to experience something new. Furthermore, Philippines is a third world country -not having the latest technology and facilities may impair overall expected quality of travel.


I cannot agree more. So why travel to the Philippines?? First, let me tell you more about the Philippines.


Philippines an archipelago located in the Southeast of Asia and is composed of over 7,000 tropical islands. One of its beauty, the Banaue Rice Terraces, was named the eight wonder of the world. It was purely hand crafted by the Ifugao tribes over 2000 years ago to increase efficiency in their rice plantation.

Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines

In addition, Philippines is very rich in water resources some of which are:

1. Palawan Island where you can find the longest underground river and the sunken ships from  WW II -America vs. Japan battle, 
2. Boracay Island -famous for its white sand beach and clear blue waters, 
3. Maria Cristina Falls -one of our hydro energy sources,
4.  Donsol Sorsogon where you will see and swim with the whale sharks -the largest fish in the world.

Whale Shark/Butanding

Along with its natural resources, Philippines has a lot of rare species. One of the most famous species is the Tarsier -the smallest monkey, as big as a person's hand. Moreover, Philippines is known to have 4 of the 6 sea turtle species; one of which is the Philippine Sea Turtle/Pawikan -weighing up to 700 pounds. To name a few more, Philippines is considered a home to Mouse Deer, Tamaraw, Flying Lemur, and Whale Sharks, etc.

Tarsier -smallest monkey

Philippines is not only rich in natural resources, but culture as well. We Filipinos are known for our hospitality, helpfulness and kindness. Our culture was influenced by several countries, mainly Spain, Japan, and America, including our tribal ancestors. While it is a combination of different cultures, Spanish culture is the most influential since it colonized us for 333 years. America also has been a big influence; they "rescued" us from the Spanish colony and ended up conquering us but eventually gave us our freedom. Soon after, the Japanese came and America came back to fight them and to help set us free.

"Bayanihan" -traditional way of moving 
houses and nipa huts

Our national language is Filipino/Tagalog but different provinces speak their own dialect. Surprisingly, a lot of the provinces do not speak Filipino at all, rather, their second language is English. It is only in Manila, the capital of Philippines, where Filipino/Tagalog is widely spoken. When I travel to other provinces, I would have to speak in English -travelling made easy for all Canadians.


Despite a more expensive airfare and a longer travel time, it is definitely worth it to travel to the Philippines. As mentioned, we have a variety of natural resources and rare species that are unique and breathtaking -definitely not your average beach or zoo monkey. Moreover, there are a thousand things you can do, such as shopping, snorkelling, scuba diving, hiking, sailing, water skiing, surfing, island hopping, etc. In addition, our culture is very unique and rich -a lot that can be learned.

So, what are you waiting for?? Save up and travel to the Philippines!

Proud to be Pinoy/Filipino!


Kay

Breaking News..the Mount's ISL... read all about it!

At the moment, I am the International Student Liaison for the IEC, working for Paula Barry and Nicolle Bowes. I applied for this position last year and received the job! I was so excited to be working for the IEC and ISS alongside the present and future international students. This position is made available to one international student every year, and I was fortunate enough to attain the role. I started in April 2011 and should end in April 2012, but to my surprise I have been offered the job again. This has never happened before and I am ecstatic!


Being the first to hold this position for more than a year does not only mean that I do not have to find another summer job, rather, I have done a great job that they want me to stay for another year. This is byfar one of the most rewarding experiences and I cannot wait to improve and make an even better impact in the upcoming year.


Hard work, positive attitude, and working in your passion will surely help you go a long way!

Another year I get to drive the Mount mobile, yaaay!! :))

the Mount's International Student Society (ISS)

At the Mount, I was treated as an international student even though I landed in Canada as a permanent resident. The International Education Centre (IEC), which I now work for as International Student Liaison, had always included me in their events and social activities. The IEC also introduced me to the Mount's International Student Society (ISS). This society brings all international students together through a series of events in hopes that we all learn about each other's cultures and to help one another cope with the new change of environment and culture of Canada. In 2009, I was nominated to be its Student Events Coordinator and since then, I have been very much involved with international activities. This role came with many challenges and joys that I most certainly have grown and developed positively.

As events coordinator, I had to plan and organize the year-round events and the biggest of all, Multicultural Night, which takes place at the end of the fall semester. By far, this was one of the hardest things I had done. This being my very first big project, my resourcefulness, leadership, dedication, and other organizational skills were tested. I can honestly say that I had no experience whatsoever in any volunteer work. I had never been an active member of any society nor did I have any experience in organizing events. Despite all these, and with my time and energy, along with the help of the ISS board and the Mount, the event was sold out and very successful. I was so proud of what we had accomplished, what I could have accomplished, and I wanted to continue growing and learning with the ISS and the Mount.

This experience was very rewarding that I became internally motivated to be part of as many activities as I could. To be more involved and to succeed in what I do started to become a need, and is now an addiction that I continuously crave. I continue to be an active member of ISS, currently holding the position of Asian representative, and will continue to be active until I graduate.

I <3 ISS!

ISS downtown social

Chicken and Shadow in Canada

In winter 2009, my parents decided to buy a house. Unlike paying for mortgage, paying for rent was a waste to them because there is nothing to re-sell after. Moreover, our family had at least 5 more years of stay here, making the house a worthy investment. We had a family meeting, we discussed the advantages and disadvantages (extra work, bigger space to clean, etc.) of having a house instead of renting an apartment. At the end, I told them that I would do whatever extra work they assign me to do with one condition; to be able to bring the dogs here in Canada. They all agreed.


Beginning of summer 2010, my parents bought a house and in July we moved in. Soon after moving in, I went back to the Philippines for a vacation and to bring my dogs back to Canada. For two years I have not seen my friends, grandma, and my dogs. Plus, the warm weather and Filipino food; could you imagine my excitement?


My final destination was Manila, where my best friend picked me up from the airport. I stayed there for a couple of weeks until I made the arrangements to pick up my dogs and visit my friend's parents who took care of my dogs. I flew to Davao city, southern part of the Philippines, to finally see my dogs. Unfortunately, my friend was in the states at the time so it was only her parents and younger brother. I had a great stay, they are such loving and generous people. I will always be thankful to them for taking such good care of my dogs.


I flew back to Manila and stayed there for another 4 weeks. During that time, I chilled with my friends, visited some relatives and my grandma. Moreover, I made several appointments to the veterinarian to get them vaccinated and checked-up. I also arranged all the necessary paperwork and medical certifications the dogs will be needing to come with me to Canada. Everything was good to go and it was time to go back to Canada. On September 7, 2010, my dogs and I landed in Halifax. Promise kept, I came back for them :)

Our first Christmas (2010) with them in
our new house in Canada

Chicken and Shadow in the Philippines

If you have read my first post, you would have realized that my dogs mean a LOT to me. I have always wanted a dog but my mother never allowed me to have one because in her opinion I am not responsible enough to care for another living being that requires more than feeding. It is true that dogs can be a lot of work; feeding, bathing, walking, grooming, playing and veterinarian appointments. Regardless, that did not stop me for I was very determined to have my own dog.

Chicken playing with his stuffed toy chicken

After continuously begging, my father bought me a puppy. My very first puppy was Chicken; a toy poodle and was 5 months old at the time. My mother was not pleased with this surprise. However, Chicken being his very charming self, my mother began to love him. This was great, my mother now loves dogs! I took advantage of this opportunity to bring home another dog. I told my mother it would be good for Chicken to have a puppy playmate/brother since we were out most of the day. My mom was very hesitant but she eventually agreed.

Shadow begging for food

My second puppy was Shadow. Shadow is a miniature Schnauzer and was 7 months old when I got him. I told my mother that my best friend is giving me a miniature Schnauzer however, he was not what my mother was expecting. In my mother's mind, I was bringing home a puppy just as small as Chicken, not thrice his size! Nonetheless, Shadow was here to stay and she could not do anything about it. Like Chicken, she began to love Shadow, him being very sweet and affectionate.


In no time, Chicken and Shadow became the center and heart of my family. I was very happy to see the changes they unknowingly made. They brought out compassion, love, patience, and happiness. Unfortunately, just as they became a big part of our family, we had to move to Canada. We were all very sad and I was crying like I had the ocean to fill. As much as we wanted to take them with us, we could not because most apartments here in Canada do not allow dogs. Luckily, my really good friend took them in and I promised them that I would be back. I was not sure when but I was to come back for them.

Road trip!

In the summer of 2009, my brothers and I went on a trip to USA and around Canada. To maximize our trip and minimize our costs, we took the family car instead of flying. 

We went on a road trip to the east coast of USA. We stopped at many places for sightseeing and visitation purposes such as New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Virginia, Boston, Washington, and Pennsylvania. On our way back to Halifax, we stopped by Niagra Falls, Toronto, Ontario, and Montreal. My dad wanted us to tour around Canada, get to know the country and the culture in different provinces. It was an adventure!

When we were deciding what places we wanted to visit we naturally picked what peaked our interests, as well as those where we had friends and relatives. Having a free stay was very important to us because we were spending our own money and of course as students, we had a tight budget. (Note, we of course wanted to see all of them and the free stay was just a bonus to us). Another reason why we wanted to travel was to shop. Things were much cheaper, had more variety, and had no tax in some states!

In comparison to our last visit prior this, they had even bigger shopping places filled with new stores and designer labels, which made us very much pleased. 

I cannot wait to go back!

the Balite kids on the road

First Winter

Coming from a tropical country, I have never experienced winter season. I have seen snow when I was 9 years old and I thought it would be the same thing, but I was wrong.

I remember when I first saw snow falling, it was beautiful! While having my morning coffee I looked outside the windows, there it was, snow. I had a big smile. I was excited and could not wait to get out. I stepped out to our balcony and finished my coffee. I went back in to get ready for school and I said to myself, walking to the bus stop should be fun. As I was walking, I looked around and saw how pretty snow was. Everything was white and clean looking. I felt like I was in a dream. I felt like I was a kid in winter wonder land. I was happy that day.

A few days passed and snow started to melt. It was no longer a winter wonder land for me. Soon after, temperature started to drop and I was COLD! I did not want this anymore. Weeks after, it became worse for me. Temperature dropped to -30 and I had to wear two pairs of long john's as well as several layers of tops. I hated it! I could not move as well. I had to take extra time in the morning to dress up. I had to take out layers when I was in class and again put them back on as I left the classroom.

Looking back, I do not know how I survived. By far, that was the coldest winter I have experienced. However, I have somewhat adjusted to the coldness and I rarely wear long john's anymore. I still enjoy snowfalls, especially the first snowfall of the season, but in my heart I know I will always be an island girl.

Summer all the way!

Kay in a bangka (small boat)

My First Canadian Work Experience

Moving to Canada came with extreme lifestyle change and financial sacrifices. I had to find a job, somewhat support myself, and also contribute to my family. The whole process of moving and adapting to Canadian lifestyle/culture was difficult enough, more so obtaining a job. Regardless, I tried.

Soon after being accepted at the Mount, I started my job search. The master plan was to apply everywhere and anywhere. I prepared my resume and I went door to door asking for the manager to ensure that my resume gets to be reviewed, at least. A few days went by and I received a call for a job interview from Winners. This interview being my first ever, I was nervous as I ever could be. My father prepared me for it but unfortunately, I did not get hired. I did a follow-up call for that interview as well as the stores I  dropped off my resume to. Their response was, I do not have sufficient experience, specifically not having any Canadian experience. I was discouraged and not impressed to say the least.

My father told me to get back on my feet and continue applying. He also suggested that I volunteer because that can be credited towards my "Canadian experience". I did as I was advised. Just a week prior to the beginning of school I received a phone call and it was from MSVU. At this point, I was so discouraged that I did not even thinking that it could be the job I applied for at Vinnie's pub. To my surprise, it was Todd Hoffman the new manager of Vinnie's pub, and he asked that I come in for an interview. I went to the interview and it was a success, I was hired!

To date, I am working at Vinnie's Pub & Student Lounge and still very thankful for giving me that first Canadian experience.

Cheers!

Bartending in Vinnie's pub

Coming to Canada

Preparing for our new life, my brothers and I browsed through magazines my parents brought back from their visit in Canada. One thing that caught our attention was how far the houses were built from each other. We thought to ourselves, wow, our life will be very different there. We pictured living in a country type neighbourhood and having to drive half an hour to get to a grocery store. Growing up in a city, specifically the capital of Philippines, this was a nightmare to us. Nevertheless, we accepted this thought and continued with whatever else we had to do.

Applying for university was hard and confusing; never having done an online application made it worse. As immigrants, we knew we were going to land in Canada as permanent residents but in the application there was no option for that; either you are an international student or a Canadian citizen. Regardless, we applied providing information to the best of our knowledge. Unfortunately, we did not hear back and had to leave for Canada without a university to study in.

On July 22, 2008 my brothers and I left the Philippines, travelled for over 24 hours, and arrived in Canada on the same date due to time difference. We were welcomed by our parents who left two weeks earlier to look for an apartment and to make sure we had the necessities. They are great and organized like that, which we were very much thankful for. Setting our priorities, we got settled for the first week and did a university search right after. 

My eldest brother can only go to a certain school due to his program. My second brother already had Dalhousie in mind because he wants to study law. I on the other hand had no particular university in mind. One morning, my father and I made a stop at the Mount to take our chances. At this point we were anxious and desperate because classes start in a month. I applied and throughout my application process, I was very pleased of how friendly and helpful everyone was to me. Fortunately, the Mount accepted me because I knew I wanted to study in this kind of environment.

I love the Mount!

    

Mabuhay!

Mabuhay and welcome to my blog!

For my first post, I would like to tell you a little bit of myself.

Palawan, Philippines

My name is Kristi Balite but I go by the name of Kay, a nickname given to me when I was a child. I am 24 years old, born and raised in the Philippines. For those of you who do not know the Philippines, it is a tropical country, located in Southeast Asia and very rich in natural resources. I grew up in Metro Manila, which is the capital of Philippines.


Growing up, my father always kept us active, especially during summer breaks. I participated in gymnastics and badminton for recreation. I learned how to swim and eventually entered competitions provincially. Moreover, I learned how to scuba dive, currently holding a license as an advance scuba diver.


A big part of me is my family. My family consists of my parents, my two older brothers, and my two puppies. My father is a houseband, cooking and caring for the whole family. My mother is the breadwinner, working for a government agency. My eldest brother is 28 years old and is taking up Aeronautics in the hopes of being a commercial pilot. My second brother is 25 years old and is taking Masters in Public Administration at Dalhousie in the hopes of being a lawyer. My first puppy is named Chicken. He is a toy Poodle and is 5 years old. My second puppy is named Shadow. He is a mini Schnauzer and is also 5 years old, but is 2 weeks younger than Chicken.


There is a lot more I would like to share but I am sure you will get to know about me in the next posts to come.


Until next time!

Chicken, Kay, Shadow :)