It was an unforgettable day in 2014 when I bought a summer house in my hometown in the Philippines. I visit my family every couple of years and being able to gather everyone in this house is like a dream come true. I had no idea the property would become a memento from my days in Alberta. Two years later, the oil and gas industry took a turn for the worse — and it took my job with it. But it’s all part of what I call a beautiful ebb and flow journey in the 13 years since I arrived from the Philippines. These ups and downs made me a strong Canadian and cemented my love for this country.
Working hard to get a foot in the door
I came to Edmonton in late 2009 as the Alberta economy was coming out of a serious economic crisis which had been felt worldwide. Timing is everything, they say. This was true for me.
My first job was as a minimum wage office worker. To make ends meet, I took a second job as a supermarket cashier — three days a week, four hours a shift.
Tan treasures this note submitted by a customer and posted for a time on the notice board at the grocery store where she worked. “It reminds me of this wonderful chapter in my life,” says Tan. (Submitted by Erlinda Tan)
Working two jobs was difficult and some days were very long, but I needed the extra income. Additionally, working in the service industry taught me how to blend in my new home, and I gained confidence talking to Canadians from all walks of life – a skill I would need later in my professional journey.
After 20 months of working two jobs, I had the so-called “Canadian experience” that my resume so desperately needed and felt ready for the corporate world. With my background in engineering, I was hired in 2012 as a document reviewer in the oil and gas industry.
In those days, the price of oil was at 100 dollars a barrel and there were many opportunities. I changed jobs three times in three years. I was part of the rise of Alberta’s economy.
Become a Canadian
Tan, fourth from right, celebrates with friends from Edmonton’s Filipino community after her citizenship ceremony at Canada Place in February 2015. (Submitted by Erlinda Tan)
I was excited about my promising career, but I was even more excited when I became a Canadian citizen in early 2015.
At the swearing-in ceremony, I was moved to sing O Canada for the first time as a citizen. I felt like I belonged, that I was safe. My definition of home changed at that moment – the Philippines was “back home” but Canada is my current one.
And suddenly, I felt a solemn duty to be a good Canadian.
During federal election in October, I followed the campaign on TV like a soap opera. If the citizenship ceremony was emotionally moving, then voting was empowering. That day, I realized how important I was in nation building.
Blind trust
But as the saying goes, every stream must have its ebb.
In 2015, an oil downturn led to a global crisis. Energy companies laid off thousands of workers; I was one of them.
Alberta career sites were empty. I didn’t want to move, but I had to survive.
Tan poses for a photo in one of her favorite places to relax: overlooking the Edmonton River Valley. After being laid off in 2015, Tan was faced with the difficult decision to leave the city she would love. (Submitted by Erlinda Tan)
Friends and relatives sent invitations to work in the US, UK, Singapore and Dubai. It was very tempting. But I had just become a Canadian citizen. I had invested time and hard work: the long hours on my feet as a cashier, watching the news on TV every night to understand politics. Should I leave all of this in the past and walk away?
I’m Filipino Canadian, I said. I have the resilience genes. I will work it out.
In a move of blind faith, I decided to move to Vancouver in May 2016. I had no job, no family in the city, and my church community became my support system.
I was grateful for the job insurance I lived on for a few months and received the insurance money with pride. I had contributed premium and knew I was entitled to it.
Looking for a new job in Vancouver was not easy. British Columbia is rich in forestry and my work experience in the oil industry was not in demand. I decided to accept any job offer, even if I had to start at the bottom.
I got a contract job where the pay wasn’t great, but it got me in the door of a Crown corporation. Five months into the job – when my savings from Alberta were almost gone – I was hired by this company. Sometimes God’s perfect timing leaves you in awe.
I worked as a records manager for a $1 billion project. Then I moved on to a $10 billion project. When I retire, I can look back with pride in my heart to have been involved in two major infrastructure projects in British Columbia.
Silver linings
Tan smiles for a photo on a typical Edmonton morning. One of the clocks behind her shows Edmonton time, the other is set to Philippine time. (Submitted by Erlinda Tan)
In hindsight, I see that being fired from my job in Alberta was an advantage. It forced me out of my comfort zone. I saw more of Canada, made new friends and grew in my career. My horizon got bigger. Thanks, Edmonton, for setting me up.
I joke to friends in the Philippines that I am the definition of a middle-class Canadian: poor in money but rich in benefits. I couldn’t be more grateful.
Sometimes I wonder, do I regret living in Canada when I hit rock bottom? Do I regret not working in other countries? The answer is no. I believe that if God closes a door, somewhere a window opens. But it’s up to me to find it.
Tan, third from right, celebrates Christmas with family members at her home in the Philippines. It’s their family tradition to get together for dinner and photos every time she visits. (Submitted by Erlinda Tan)
Speaking of doors and windows, my home in the Philippines is now much more than just a vacation property. The concrete house, located in the heart of a commercial district and within walking distance of malls and supermarkets, has become a refuge for family members from the typhoons that regularly visit the Philippines.
I am even more proud that it has become the place my mother can call home.
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