Vlog

36 2023 Surrey Fusion Festival

One of my favorite festivals is the Surrey Fusion Fest which is held every July in Surrey, British Columbia’s Holland Park. Watch this video to know why.

35 False Creek Seawall | Latin Fest | Central City

Summer is in full swing. People seem to be enjoying the sun, energy, and the vibe that the season brings. I guess people in Metro Vancouver are enjoying the break from Raincouver.

In this video, I’ll take you to False Creek Seawall, Surrey’s Latin Festival, and Central City Mall. I hope you enjoy watching this short video as much as I enjoyed being in these places.

34 Asian Grocery Trip | Safety Shoes Shopping | Walk in the Park

Today’s video features three stories: 1) a regular trip to Hannam Korean grocery store 2) a shopping trip to look for safety work shoes at Mark’s Work Warehouse 3) a leisure walk at Green Timbers Urban Forest Park.

Visit this channel to watch!

33 2023 Canada Day in North Vancouver

Canada Day is the biggest annual celebration throughout the nation. Almost every city has its own way of celebrating the birth of this wonderful nation. So, there are many options to choose from. This video brings us to North Vancouver, British Columbia and shows the energy, fun, and wonder during Canada Day 2023.

32 2023 Canada Day in Vancouver

July 1, 2023 marked Canada’s 156th birthday. Come and join me as I celebrate Canada Day 2023 with the community in Vancouver!

31 T&T Asian Grocery | Pinoy Festival | Picnic at the Park

It was another rejuvenating weekend!

It started with a trip to a T&T Asian store on Friday. The next day, I attended the biggest Filipino festival I’ve ever seen in Canada. Then, I went to a picnic in Surrey’s Newton Athletic Park.

Life in Canada can be challenging. But it can also be fun.

30 Festival Fun | Surrey Fest | 5 Block Party | Korean Festival

(Metro) Vancouver has earned a few monikers including “no-fun city”. But I don’t think that is necessarily true. There are lots of things to do in (Metro) Vancouver.

This video will take us to 3 festivals happening on the same day: Surrey Fest Downtown, 5X Blockparty, and Korean Culture Heritage Festival.

29 Tynehead Regional Park | Plants Update | Cleaning Hack

This Sunday wasn’t exactly special. But the simple pleasures surely made it fulfilling.

See snips of Tynehead Regional Park in Surrey, BC, and life in Canada.

28 Proudly Pinoy | Clothing Donation | Weekday in Vancouver

June is Filipino Heritage Month. It was a joy for me to participate in the Proudly Philippines event.

The next day, I dropped off some pre-loved items at a thrift shop. Hopefully, other people find joy in it.

This week, I had the chance to go to downtown Vancouver on a workday. During my walk, I reflected on the beauty of Vancouver and the contrasting lifestyles that it holds.

27 Hyack Festival 2023 | Mini Art Project | Trip to Walmart

It’s another weekend so that means I’m sharing another video. This video features the Hyack Festival 2023, a mini art project, and an early morning trip to Walmart.

26 May Long Weekend | Pinoy Breakfast | Wedding Anniversary | White Rock

There are 11 statutory holidays in British Columbia, Canada every year. That’s not much considering that my home country, the Philippines, has almost 20 holidays. So, each holiday, each long weekend is special.

This video was taken during the May 2023 Victoria Day long weekend around Surrey, New Westminster, and White Rock, British Columbia, Canada.

25 Summer Garden | Spring Cleaning | Dollarama Trips | T&T Shopping

Warmer days are here again, and I feel a bit more energized!

It was a fun week as I explored a pop-up nursery and bought chili plants, went to Dollarama twice to buy supplies for myself and my plants, repotted my new plants, sorted out clothing for donation, and shopped at T&T Asian store. Watch the full video by clicking the link.

24 Hot Week | Guilford, Surrey, BC | Farmer’s Market | Superstore

If you are from Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, you would know that one of the things that people like to complain about is the weather – It’s always raining! It’s too hot! It’s too cold! But, we love Metro Vancouver anyway!

This week was one of those weeks when I heard a lot of these complaints as we experience hot, chilly, and hot (again!) weather. But, all is well with a bit of flexibility and a lot of gratitude.

23 Almost Monday | Receiving a Gift | Helping Immigrants to Canada

“I’m happy to be reminded that an ordinary day full of nothing but nothingness can make you feel like you’ve won the lottery.” – Susan Orlean

I call Sundays almost Monday. It’s my day to relax, do house chores, and prepare for the coming work week. This Sunday is one of those days.

22 Garry Point Park | Party for the Planet | Charleson Park

Would you like to live in or visit Vancouver, BC, Canada? Come with me as I visit the amazing Garry Point Park during cherry blossoms season, participate in the fun Party for the Planet, admire the breathtaking Charleson Park, and have a last look at cherry blossoms in Granville Park.

If you haven’t been to Vancouver, I’m sure that you will add this spectacular city to your travel bucket list after watching this video.

21 Printing Documents | Dollar Tree Shopping | Going to Richmond

This video shows the highlights of another week in the life of an immigrant in Canada such as printing documents, dollar store shopping, and going to Richmond, BC.

20 Saturday Routine | Asian Grocery Trip | Vancouver, BC | Peruvian Snack

Don’t you wish that three-day weekends are more common? I would love to have this so I can have one day for chores, a day for fun and special interests, and another day to relax. Since this is not yet part of my reality, I must cram all my activities into my regular weekend.

19 Surrey Guildford Library Tour

Beyond sharing information and educational materials, public libraries in Canada offer entertainment, facilitate community gatherings, and help immigrants settle in their new country.

This video will give you a quick tour of the Guildford Branch of the Surrey Libraries System. Come and take a look. You might find some valuable information that will help you thrive in Canada.

18 Cherry Blossoms Spotting in Vancouver

“Every flower blooms in its own time.” ― Ken Petti, Author

Cherry and Plum Blossoms are the unbeatable forces that coax me out of my winter hibernation each year. The variants bloom at different times, so I have more time to enjoy the pink wonderland that Metro Vancouver becomes. The blooms we see in this video are mostly the light pink Akebono variants.

At this time of the year, my heart is full of gratitude because I could live in this spectacular land called (Metro) Vancouver.

Would you like to live in a place where Cherry and Plum Blossoms bloom?

17 A Beautiful Week in Metro Vancouver

Immigrating to a new country alone is adulting on a higher level. You’ll have to work to pay your bills, do chores, and care for yourself…alone. But every now and then, you can create a beautiful week. After all, you alone can make a dull moment beautiful. This video shows one of those times when I made the effort to make the week better than it could have been.

16 Fun Saturday

I love spring! This season brings so many colours, energy, and happiness. It makes everything come alive and everyone comes out of hibernation. This warm Saturday was fun and eventful. This video is proof of that!

15 Mini Grocery Battle: Walmart vs Superstore

As a new immigrant, one of the first questions that came to mind was: Which is the best place to buy groceries? Honestly, the best grocery store depends on the shopper’s lifestyle, needs, and preferences. With sales and promotions, the top choice may chance from time to time.

Watch the video to find out which store won this mini-battle.

14 Saying Goodbye to Winter

It was a busy but fulfilling week. I said goodbye to winter by turning the clock forward and starting my spring cleaning. I also rewarded myself by indulging in a homemade Filipino dessert. (It’s easy to make. Try it!)

Have a look!

13 Crazy Weather + WFH + Dress for Success Vancouver Events

One of the reasons why I chose beautiful British Columbia (BC) to be my home is the mild winters. But like many people in BC, particularly in the Lower Mainland, piles of snow can shock us.

This video chronicles the crazy weather that broke snowfall records in several areas in BC and how I coped with it.

12 Volunteering + Grocery Shopping at Walmart + Visiting New Westminster

This week is a bit more fun and I love it. I volunteered for Dress for Success Vancouver online. In the middle of the work week, I made a quick trip to Walmart. My week ended with a stroll along the New Westminter Pier Park while waiting for the snow.

I chose to make my week a great one, and fortunately, it happened.

11 Simple Joys During Winter

Sometimes, it is during the quiet moments that we find simple joys. Watch this video and find simple joys with me.

10 Quick Evening Stroll in Vancouver

I can never resist the beauty of Vancouver. Never, ever.

I didn’t have a lot of energy left but, I really wanted to take a quick stroll in Vancouver. In this video, I’ll show you a glimpse of beautiful Vancouver so you’ll know why it’s hard to resist.

09 A Day Well Spent in Whistler

Beautiful places do wonders to my body and soul. So, I consider myself lucky to call amazing British Columbia home.

So, I hopped on a bus to Whistler. After less than 2 hours of comfortable bus ride, the beauty of Whistler was already in front of me. Come with me as I wander around the village.

08 Going to Whistler

Gorgeous beyond words! That’s how I would describe Canada after a sprinkling of snow. So, I planned a day trip to Whistler, BC on Family Day long weekend.

Click the link to watch.

07 Starting the Workday + De-stressing After Work

It’s only Monday and I am already feeling tired. I don’t really know why. It must be the gloomy and cold weather. It can also be the long screen time at work and home. Maybe, it’s stress. Whatever it is, I need to shake this feeling off. This video shows a quick glimpse of a regular Canadian workplace. Then it brings me to the Green Timbers Urban Forest Park again as I try to destress.

I hope you enjoy walking with me.

06 Productive Sunday

It’s another rainy day in Raincouver. That is not a typo. Vancouver earned the nickname Raincouver because of its rainy climate.

I usually feel lazy and a bit sad during rainy days. So today, I will just stay home, finish my chores, and hibernate in my clean house.

I know it’s boring. But, life is not always exciting. I do hope you won’t get too bored and find my tips useful.

05 Shopping at T&T Asian Grocery

They say that the best memories are made when gathered around the table. I agree.

When I want to feel closer to my country of birth and remember fond memories, I look for food that is familiar to me. I guess many immigrants feel the same way. So, it is a joy for us to have easy access to ethnic groceries.

I hope this video also gives you joy.

04 Window Shopping + Filipino Breakfast

What would I do when I want to take a walk but the sun is about to set and the temperature is dropping? I would take a walk inside a mall. This is what the first part of the video is all about. The second part shows me preparing a Filipino breakfast for me and my friend. We were so full of food and stories after the meal.

Life is not always exciting. But, simple moments like these make life more enjoyable. I hope you enjoy this video.

03 Weekend Errands + Museum of Surrey Visit

My weekends are meant for doing chores, engaging in special interests, and indulging in self-care activities. This video features an ordinary Saturday.

02 Winter Driving + Kitchen Experiment

Driving in the snow is a novel, exciting, and scary experience for some immigrants from a tropical country like me. Though I have been driving for several winters now, it doesn’t mean that I like doing it. Also, Metro Vancouver cities and drivers have a reputation for not being the greatest at handling winter conditions. (Sorry!)

You will know what I mean after watching this video.

01 An Hour in Green Timbers Urban Forest Park

In 2011, I moved to Canada alone from the Philippines. I went through many of the challenges that immigrants usually face. So, to help immigrants like me, I created this blog in 2020. However, I feel that life in Canada can not be accurately and vividly described through words alone. Thus, the idea to create short videos came up.

I am sharing my slice of life so potential immigrants can decide if Canada will truly fulfill their dreams. I also hope that new immigrants will learn from my adventures and misadventures.

This is my Canadian Immigrant Story.