A Canadian Immigrant's Story

Breathtaking View of British Columbia, Canada 0

Daily Life / Food / Shopping

7 Things About Canada That Surprised Me

Moving to another country brings us a lot of new experiences and takeaways. Today, let’s take a look at the things about Canada that surprised me in my first week as an immigrant. Sunny does not necessarily mean warm. Canada is a cold country. I guess everybody knows that. So, I prepared myself for the winter weather. But a girl from a tropical country does not know what “cold weather” means without experiencing it. Therefore, the weather still lands on top of my list of things about Canada that surprised me. On my first week in Canada, I walked to...

Record-Breaking Low Temperatures Resulted In Ice Sheets Floating on the Fraser River 0

Daily Life / Shopping

Enjoy the Season with the Right Winter Clothes and Accessories

When I first heard the forecast that British Columbia will experience record-breaking winter temperatures in December 2021, I got scared. You see, I moved from a tropical country to Lower Mainland, BC. There was no need to precisely apply the science of layering until that moment. But with a bit of research and lots of experiments, I found a combination of winter clothes and accessories that helped me survive enjoy winter. I am sharing these especially with newcomers and future immigrants so you can enjoy daily winter life as well. Have a look at this list and see what works...

0

Career / Job Search

Simple Tips for Canadian Immigrants to Prepare for a Job Interview

Finding a job is always a challenge, especially if you are new to the country. I know because I was in that situation before. So, I am sharing my tips to help Canadian immigrants prepare for a job interview. Build your Confidence Competing in a new environment often creates self-doubt. We self-judge our accent, lack of Canadian experience, and other shortcomings. But, there is no one else like you in this world. You bring your unique self to a job and that is what you need to emphasize. To effectively prepare for a job interview, you have to build your...

Lights at Lafarge Free Outdoor Holiday Attraction 0

Things To Do in Canada

3 Free Outdoor Holiday Attractions in Metro Vancouver

The merry holiday season can be a financially challenging season. This year is especially difficult as Covid restrictions add more limits to our options. Today, let’s talk about free outdoor holiday attractions in Metro Vancouver that can safely bring joy without the hefty price tag. These suggestions are mainly found in Metro Vancouver. However, this list may give you an idea of what to search for in other provinces as well. Lights at Lafarge, Coquitlam What Lights at Lafarge is Metro Vancouver’s biggest free outdoor light display. It features hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights that magically transform the 1.2...

Managing a Business 0

Finances / Immigrant Stories

Nida’s Story: Starting a Restaurant Business in Canada

“Starting a restaurant business in Canada is certainly not for the faint-hearted. It requires an entrepreneurial mind, hard work, sacrifice, and patience.,” says Fresh Cravings restaurant co-owner Nida. Today, we will learn about Nida’s Canadian immigrant story and how she surpassed the challenges of setting up a restaurant. Life Before Immigration to Canada Nida hailed from a town in the northern Philippines where her father ran a family shoe business. This business gave her the skills, knowledge, and experiences that she needed later in life. At a tender age, Nida and her siblings were exposed to meeting people from different...

DIY Projects Are Great Holiday Gift Ideas 0

Daily Life / Shopping / Things To Do in Canada

5 Holiday Gift Ideas to Circumvent Canada’s Supply Chain Issues

The lingering pandemic, uncertain economy, and raging weather put everybody through unprecedented challenges. The upcoming holidays are supposed to give us some sort of respite from these realities. However, these same issues are causing supply chain problems that threaten our much-needed celebrations. Now is a great time to be creative. Here are a few non-mainstream holiday gift ideas that can bring back the holiday cheer. 1. Stocking Stuffers and More from Liquidation Stores Liquidation stores offer discounted merchandise from brand-name closeouts and factory overruns. The photos feature above show toys and workout paraphernalia from a liquidation store. Shopping in liquidation...

Charleson Park 0

Culture / Daily Life / Food / Things To Do in Canada

10 Things That I Love About Canada

I love Canada. I truly do. In this post, I will tell you 10 reasons why. Notes: There is an exception to almost everything. So, this list contains general observations only. If you have a different experience or opinion, please leave a comment. I would love to learn from you, too. This post is not meant to criticize my beloved country of birth or any other country. Rather, it is more of a list of best practices from Canada that I wish others will emulate. So what are the things that I love about Canada? Clear Air One of the...

Whistler Olympic Rings 0

Places in Canada / Things To Do in Canada

Whistler – A Photo Album of Canada’s Real-life Wonderland

Whistler is Canada’s wonderland. It is famous for Whistler Blackcomb, the biggest ski resort in North America and the 9th biggest on earth. Skiresort Service International also named it the best ski resort in North America. This resort municipality is situated on the unceded territories of the Lil’wat Nation and Squamish Nation. Whistler is may not be on top of every immigrant’s list of places to live in Canada but it is definitely on many people’s travel bucket lists. Today, let us learn more about this wonderland. Travel Options Whistler is a town 75 miles north of Vancouver. It is a...

Vancouver Public Library Central Branch - One of the Most Beautiful Libraries in Canada 0

Career / Daily Life / Places in Canada / Things To Do in Canada

Libraries in Canada Offer Knowledge, Entertainment, and Hope

Libraries in Canada offer much more than knowledge and entertainment. For new immigrants, these institutions are also catalysts of belonging, hope, and success. My Story When I was a newcomer in Canada, I frequently visited public libraries. I enjoyed my visits so much that I own cards for Langley, Surrey, and Vancouver library systems. Here, I was able to: Do my job search-related activities I spent a chunk of my time doing job searches on their computers. Of course, this can be done at home. But, the library environment somehow boosted my productivity. I was also able to gain industry...

Food Options in Canada Include Sushi and Sashimi from Groceries 0

Daily Life / Food / Shopping

Food Shopping in Canada to Satisfy Every Lifestyle

“Food shopping in Canada!”, said my colleague when I asked him what he wished he knew more of when he was a new immigrant. It’s completely understandable. Don’t we all need food for survival and comfort? The thing is, regular people here have to do all household chores including meal preparation. Fortunately, there are many food shopping options in Canada catering to various culinary skill levels, budgets, and lifestyles. Here are a few options apart from buying from restaurants and cooking from scratch. Deli and Ready to Eat Food Stores such as Real Canadian Superstore, Walmart, and Save-on-Foods offer salads,...