The Journey to our new home . . .

What a better way to relieve those moments than posting our pictures as we travelled from our native home to our new home - Canada. We left the Philippines last June 17, 2010 at exactly 5:55pm and had our 7 hours stop-over in Hong Kong. From HK, we had a 15-hour flight going to Toronto. We arrived Pearson International Airport on June 18, 2010 at 5:49am.

Checking in at the Manila International Airport

Our flight details to Hong Kong

Waiting for boarding time

Stop-over in HK International Airport

Dinner time in HK

Waiting for boarding time

Flight details to Toronto

Getting ready for the loooonggggg flight

Sarap tulog ni JM with his favorite pillow

Breakfast just before our landing

Finally arriving in the City of Toronto

Just a perfect weather

And we have arrived at Pearson International Airport

Too bad our motif wasn't exactly captured in the pictures

'Til my next update . . .

What happened since . . .

my last post in May 2010? So many major things have already happened in the past year especially after my last post. Right now, my family and I have already moved in to Canada since June 18, 2010 to be exact. Exactly one year ago! Don't know where to start or how to back track all the things that has been happening since then.

I'll try to use this blog again to update the major and the not so major incidents in our everyday lives.

To be honest, I'm having a difficult time blogging again. Hope to get back my passion for writing and not just writing a sentence or two in my facebook account. :)

I2C update # 11 . . .

Finally, we already got our VISAS yesterday! ! ! Just before lunchtime, I was already informed by our yaya that DHL already called up our house. They informed her that the documents will be delivered in the afternoon. So, while working up on our month-end close, I was already excited to go home and see the visas for myself.

While in the shuttle, I texted our yaya if the documents were delivered already. She told me that no delivery have taken place yet. I was getting worried already when after about 5 or 10 minutes she texted me back and told me that DHL have just delivered the docs.

I was home just before 7pm and I immediately looked for the package and opened it ASAP. Of course I was so happy to see all our visas. This is it! We've been waiting for this day to come. Time to seriously pack our stuffs already.

Hay . . . . time for our countdown already?

I'm done . . .

with my IELTS! ! ! Yipee! I had my speak test last Thursday, December 10, at Richmonde Hotel in Ortigas. My schedule was at 1:40 pm so the whole family was with me. We were in Ortigas already by 11:00 am. We still had time to go around Megamall and Shangrila for a while. We let the kids ate first so that they won't get hungry while waiting for me. Hubby and I ate our brunch before we left so we decided just to eat afterwards.

I was already in the Richmonde Business Centre by 12:20 cause examinees were requested to be there at least an hour ahead of the schedule since most of the time the interview is really earlier than the schedule. True enough, I was called at around 1:20pm and I'm thru by 1:35pm. I can say that I did fairly well in the interview. I was able to answer what is asked of me including follow-up questions by the examiner. I just hope I was able to convince the examiner that I am proficient with the language.

Last Saturday, December 12, I had my listening, reading and writing tests at the SMX Convention Center in Mall of Asia. The test was scheduled at 9am so I left home as early as 6:15am so that I'll have enough time just in case there will be some unexpected happenings on my way to MOA. I went alone this time since it's too early for my family to come with me plus they'll have to wait for more than 3 hours if they came along with me. I was already in MOA at around 7:30am but I have to walk for several minutes because SMX was exactly on the opposite side where the jeepney stop is. I was in the testing area at around 8:00am and the test promptly started at exactly 9am.

The exam was exactly the same as how it was done during the review. Actually, the tests are easier as compared to the materials used in the review center. Honestly, I could have taken the exam even without the review. :) But of course, I really appreciate the tips on how to go about the exam. I may not have a 9 on my tests but I'm quite confident that I'll be getting the bandscore I need.

The results will be available on the 22nd so I need to go to 9Niners again then go to Makati on the same day so that I can submit it to the embassy before the Christmas break.

Good thing I was able to accomplish all of these before the 45th day of the request by the embassy. Whew! It was a nerve wracking and stressful 2 weeks. Thanks to my ever supportive family, friends and colleagues at work!

I2C update # 8 . . .

Last week, we have already received another letter from the Canadian embassy. I am requested to submit a proof of my English proficiency from an approved organization. This means that I need to take the IELTS ! ! ! With barely a month to accomplish this, I was quite nervous and paranoid at the same time. Too many questions are cropping on my mind. "Will I pass the exams?" "When will be the next testing date?" "When will I get the results?" Will I make it on time on the deadline given by the embassy?"

Last Friday, I went to 9Niners, the leading IELTS review center, to process my application form to the British Council and to enroll at their crash course at the same time. My testing date is on December 12 and the results will be out by the 22nd. I still need to confirm if I can just pick-up the results or this will still be mailed thru the postal office. Our deadline to submit to the embassy is on the 27th so I really need to verify this with the Bristish Council by tomorrow.

I'm really praying that everything turns out fine. I don't need a take two for this very expensive exam. I know that I am proficient with the English language but I hope I get lucky for the speaking and writing exam since this is subject to the evaluation of the examiner.

Wish me luck folks! ! !

Our timeline . . .

What does our status mean at this point? Hopefully, it means we're barely waiting for a few more months before we finally get our visa ! ! !

Client Application Status

Application for Permanent Residence - Federal Skilled Worker submitted to the Centralized Intake Office (CIO) Sydney, Nova Scotia

This diagram explains each step in the application process.
Status of your application
Explanation

APPLICATION RECEIVED
Application Received by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)We have received your application. After checking for completeness, a file has been created and the information from the application form was entered.

Centralized Intake Office Sydney (CIO-S) ELIGIBILITY REVIEW COMPLETE
Centralized Intake Office Sydney (CIO-S) - Eligibility Review CompleteThe review at the CIO-Sydney has been completed. A letter with additional information has been mailed.

RECEIVED BY VISA OFFICE
Received by Visa Office The application and documents have been received by the visa office.

VISA OFFICE ELIGIBILITY REVIEW COMPLETE
Visa Office - Eligibility Review CompleteThe review of the application and supporting documents has been completed at the visa office. A letter with additional information has been mailed.

WITHDRAWN
Application Withdrawn We withdrew your application and your file has been closed.

This is where we are right now . . .

IN PROCESS
In Process Based on review of your complete application package, it has been determined that your application is eligible for processing. Processing has begun.

DECISION MADE (A decision has been made at this point.)

Medical Results Received by CIC We have received your medical results. We will contact you only if additional tests are needed.

Approval Status Determined Your application will be either approved or rejected. We will inform you of the decision in writing.

Permanent Residence Status Determined If your application is approved, we will send you your permanent resident documentation and a letter saying what we need to finalize your permanent residence.

COMPLETE (This is the last step in the processing of your application.)
Applicant Arrives in Canada and is Granted Permanent ResidenceYou will need to meet with an Immigration Officer who will verify your documents and grant you permanent residence if all is in order.

I2C update # 7 . . .

Finally, after three months since we have lodged our full application package to the Manila embassy, our e-cas has changed from "received by visa office"to ïn process". This means we'll be receiving our medical request in a few weeks time. Here's the status of our application:

Client Application Status

Permanent Residence
We received your application for permanent residence on March 31, 2009.

We reviewed your application and sent you a letter on April 21, 2009. Please consider delays in mail delivery before contacting us.

Your application and supporting documents were received by the Manila office. They are pending review.

We transferred your application to the Manila office on April 29, 2009. The Manila office may contact you.

Your application was reviewed and we started processing on November 12, 2009.

What if . . .

we do get our visa approval in the next 6 months? What would be our next steps? To be honest, we are really hoping and waiting for this. It has been almost 3 months already since we have lodged our full application to the Canadian embassy and it's 7 months already from the time we have initially submitted our application to CIO in Nova Scotia, Canada. I really pray that their timeline of 9 to 12 months processing would be true for us. This means that Q1 of 2010 would be very crucial to us. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that we were able to submit all the necessary documents and the visa officer handling our case wouldn't give us a hard time by requiring additional documents for submission.

When mom was here for a visit last month, we were already talking about our future plans. They are really excited for us to be there with them especially the two kids. I'm sure this will lessen the "homesickness"of my dad. We already have plans for work, our careers, education of the two kids as well as our future home there. I hope we could find a real estate broker like Commercial Real Estate Kentucky who would help us get an apartment or townhouse unit just in time when we get there.

Talking about this topic really gets me excited and I hope plans will all be realized in due time. In the meantime, we're just taking things one day at a time and I try not to consciously wait for the "next letter" so that I wouldn't get disappointed. As they say, things happen when you least expected it. I really hope it does in the next few more weeks . . .

Our beloved Lola Orat . . .

has joined our Creator last September 17, 2009 . . .

She was 90 years old . . .

You'll be missed by your sons and daughter

and your dozens of grandchildren and great grandchildren . . .

May you find the eternal peace and happiness

as you are now with the Father . . .

picture was taken during her 89th birthday celebration in our home in Canlubang . . .

I2C update # 6 . . .

After six months from the time we submitted our immigration application to Canada, here's the status of our application :

March 31, 2009 - Received by CIO in Nova Scotia, Canada
April 21, 2009 - Letter of approval by CIO
May 5, 2009 - We received the letter from CIO
August 12, 2009 - We submitted the complete application package to the Canadian embassy
August 18, 2009 - Acknowledgement of receipt by the Canadian embassy
September 1, 2009 - We received the AOR from the embassy

Right now, we are waiting for the next letter from the embassy. Hopefully, it'll be the medical request already. We are all praying, hoping and believing that we can have our visa before 2009 ends.

I2C update # 5 . . .

Our CIO notice of assessment has arrived! CIO is the Centralized Intake Office in Canada where we submitted our immigration application under the FSW category. Under the new process they said that processing would take about 9 to 12 months. Usually, the assessment is within a 2-month period that's why it came unexpectedly. It was sooner than expected!

Last night, when we arrived home hubby handed me a brown envelope. I thought that it was just a statement of account or just an ordinary letter. My heartbeat went faster when I saw that the envelope is from Canada. Is this the "one"? Is this for real? A part of me wants to open the letter at once but I'm afraid if it'll be positive or negative. I opened the envelope and looked for the magic words : "Your application is being recommended for further assessment by a visa office. You are therefore requested to submit a full application to the visa office. You have 120 days from the date of this letter to prepare and submit these forms and supporting documentation. "

Guess what? The letter is dated April 21, 2009 which falls exactly on my birthday. It was a late birthday gift for me. I was so overwhelmed and until now I can't believe that it was that fast. If I have done it last year we could have gotten our visa already by this time.

Hay, this is it! Time to move on and go forward. :)

Saying good bye . . .

has not always been easy especially when we mean "good bye". Last Saturday, April 11, my father in law has joined our Creator after almost 3 months of battle with the big "C". He has fought the battle with so much courage even at the last minute. He was such a good man and many of his friends attested to this statement during his wake. It was so unfortunate for us especially for the two kids that they will not able to spend more time with their lolo. They couldn't understand it for now but one thing is for sure - they miss their lolo.

I2C update # 4 . . .

Our documents we're finally received last Monday, March 30, 2009. The tracking system of DHL indicates that it was received at exactly 3:12 PM by a certain Dave. Timing was just on time! Submission of our application forms by Q1 of 2009.

We have yet to wait the official acknowledgement receipt from CIC for the next couple of weeks or months. From there we would wait for the 6 to 12 months processing before it'll be endorsed to the Canadian embassy in Manila if and when I qualify under the FSW category. Hopefully, the lack of an Accounting degree wouldn't be taken against my qualifications since I applied under the Financial Accountant category.

I'm looking forward for the next I2C update in the next couple of months . . . I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll have a positive response from CIC.

I2C update # 3 . . .

Yipee! I was able to send out our application forms and the bank draft for the payment of our application fees. I'm sure I'll be tracking this until I have confirmed that it was received already. I'm hoping and praying that we'll get a favourable response from CIC within the year.

DHL airway bill for the docs I sent . . .

Official receipt from DHL . . .

I2C update # 2 . . .

Finally! We had the demand draft ready for submission to CIC. I have checked all the applications forms and I'll just need to seal the envelope and send it thru courier tomorrow. Yipee!

Demand draft for CIC - thanks to BPI Crossing Branch . . .

Project I2C . . .

So, what is I2C? This is the major project I'm talking about in my prior posts. This has been long overdue. I2C is project "immigration to Canada". Even before we got married my parents were already convincing us to apply as immigrants in Canada. It took us a while before we decided to go with it. Last February 2005, we even attended a seminar on how we'll go through the immigration application process. By June 2005, we started to requests for documents needed for the application. But the following month, we learned that I was pregnant with our second baby. We decided not to proceed with the application at that time since we'll be updating all the documents by the time I give birth.

Last year, when my parents finally got their visa and at the same time the global financial crisis hit us the issue on applying as immigrants came up again. Finally, we've decided that we'll push through with it. It so happened that I was so busy with work in Q3 and Q4 of 2008 with the launch of the new Ford Focus that I was not able to concentrate on the application.

At the start of the year, I have set my goal that we need to submit the application by Q1 of this year. I have started printing the guidelines and application forms and I make it a point to update myself on the new rules and policies on immigration to Canada. It was then that I found out that there's a new guideline for the FSW applicants. They have a list of priority occupations and the application will be initially sent to Canada and not here in the Philippine Canadian embassy. Good for me that my line of work is included in the priority occupation.

So, where are we in the application process? Finally, after months of printing and filling up the application forms we're officially done with it! ! ! I have proof read the forms last night but I still have to ask a third party to do the proof reading just to ensure that all questions were answered correctly. I have signed all the forms and I have asked hubby to sign his papers as well. Simultaneously, I have asked hubby to open up a dollar savings account for us since we've already closed our dollar savings account. Though hubby works in a bank, he is not spared from the requirements needed when buying dollars. Good for me that one of my officemate's husband arrived last week that's why I was able to get our dollars without the effort. he he he . . .

We'll be on leave this Friday to do a lot of things. I have asked hubby to arrange the bank draft for the payment of our application fee. We'll be sending our documents through courier on Friday as well. I'm so happy because at least we're a one step closer to our application process. Though we'll be counting years for us to get an update, at least we are waiting for something already. Wish us luck on this project! :)

The Big "C"

My father-in-law was diagnosed with liver cancer last January, just a week after his birthday. It came as a shock to everybody because there were no earlier symptoms seen. FIL had his first check-up in Binan Doctors and it was the diagnosis. He further underwent several tests in Asian Hospital and they confirmed the diagnosis as well. 2 weeks ago he had an MRI in Medical City and that's were they've seen the severity of the cancer. Other organs were infected by the cancer cells as well. The doctors informed the family that he has 6 months to live. Huh??? How could it be? It's so fast! Everybody is hoping and praying that FIL can still be cured and recover from his illness. More than medical intervention the family is hoping for a divine intervention so that we can spend more time with him especially the two kids - his source of strength at this point.

The family can attest that my two kids really makes wonder. Normally, my FIL would just stay in bed because he's too weak already. But when he knows that we'll be visiting, he would regain his strength so that he can see and play with the kids. With this, we make it a point to visit him on weekends and on other times at least once on a weekday.

To all, please include my FIL as well as the whole family in your prayers. That they may find hope and strength amidst this difficult time in their lives.

Photo Opps . . .

Last Sunday and Monday night, we had some photo opps with my parents before they left for Canada. Here are some of the pictures :

Lolo and Lola with their cute apos . . .

The Miranda girls with our kiddos . . .

The complete family picture . . .

Daddy doing some last minute packing in one of their boxes . . .

The kids playing around with the boxes . . .

The kids had a grand time posing in this box . . .

Ate Kaila . . . in the mood for picture taking . . .

Their destination . . .

In the airport already . . . a little past 6am . . .

The kids still in their pajamas . . .

Tita Tata, naiiyak ka na ba?

Time to say farewell, see you soon!

The countdown is about to end . . .

We spent the weekend in my parents house over the weekend. It'll be their last and tonight is their last night. They are bound tomorrow to Toronto, Canada. I know it'll be better for them to stay there but of course it saddens us a lot especially for me cause I know the kids will be missing their lolo and lola and Tita Tata. Hopefully, we get to visit them soon and hope to process our application as well so that we can follow them there. For now, we pray for their safe travel and hopefully they won't get sick when they arrive there since it's winter already.

Bank hopping . . .

I was on scheduled leave last Monday. It was our day to process all the necessary documents for the different bank accounts of my parents. All their remaining accounts here were divided among us and we were added as account holders. Most of them were time deposits so no need for additional action from us. It will just be automatically rolled over. But as per hubby's advise we should also update it once in a while to ensure that the money is there and not used by anomalous bank employees. I''m taking his words for he himself is a banker so he knows very well how the people can do such things to their absentee clients.

We went to UCPB first where we did quite a lot of process. A portion of the time deposit was maintained and rolled over but I was added on the account. A portion was withdrawn and later on opened to a new account in BDO. The current savings account was closed and a new one was opened and I was added on the account again. My dad also filled up a form for the renewal of his pension account from SSS. It took us more than an hour to process all of these. Next stop was RCBC. I just filled up a form here since I was just added on the current savings account of my mom. The time deposit here was for my younger sister. This took us about 30 minutes only. Next stop was BDO. We opened a new time deposit here and opened a new savings account as well. It was quite tedious again and took about an hour to finish the whole process. Next stop was Union Bank. We only got the forms to be filled up since the maturity of the time deposit will be on the 27th. I filled up the forms when we got home already.

We were just in time for lunch when we finished everything and we still have to fix our things since we stayed in Canlubang over the weekend. Kaila was already getting ready for school. We just ate our lunch and from Canlubang we headed straight to Kaila's school since her classes sarts at 1:30pm. We left the yaya and we went home after. My parents stayed for a while but they left before Kaila returns from school because Kaila doesn't want to go home yet.

It was a busy weekend for us but we're just trying to maximize the last few days of my parents and youngest sister here. Most probably we'll be staying in Canlubang for the remaining two weekends.