7 things Filipinos cannot find in Canada

Filipinos leave their home country for Canada to find a better life or to provide a better future for their family. But what are those seven things that Filipinos cannot find in Canada? Take a look at these, the seven things that Filipinos hard to find in Canada:

7. You cannot find Tropical Weather.

The Philippines is a tropical country, it is warm and sometimes hot during the summer but I find it just the right weather. But when I migrated to Canada and shift to a Cold Climate where a negative temperature is still considered just cool to Canadians, I appreciate our tropical country. Most of the Filipino seniors that I’ve known here in Canada booked their vacation to the Philippines during the Winter Season. Because they really couldn’t stand the -40 temp, but ask the kids, they are too excited to play in the snow.

6. You cannot find Gorgeous Beaches/Hot Spring.

The Philippines is known for its gorgeous beaches, that’s one of our tourist attractions. In Canada, the bodies of water are the lake. It is beautiful, reserved, and uncommercialized. But it is too cold to swim; definitely, you will miss the warm beaches in the Philippines and special mention the Hot Spring in Laguna too. If you’re interested in taking on those nice warm beaches, you might be interested in something like 2go online booking so you’ll be able to enjoy the warmth and not have to worry about the freezing cold temperatures getting to you.

5. You cannot find affordable Household Help. Do your own household chores here.

Filipinos do enjoy the abundance of inexpensive household help. It seems that even low-income families have maids and nannies at their service. That’s why it’s one of the many things a lot of Filipinos miss when they come here. In Canada specifically in Ontario, the cost of a live-in Nanny is $13/hour, 44 hours per week, paid every two weeks. While the general minimum wage in Ontario is $11.40/hour. Most of the landed immigrants and newcomers got the general labor at first or even for a long time so how can they afford a maid. Well for some, do the math if it is practical to have a Nanny in Canada.

4. You cannot find busy Malls. (It is busy during Black Friday or Boxing Day only so that is merely twice a year!)

Probably because the Philippines is a populated country, going to a mall plays a big pastime role for Filipinos. It’s not that we have the money to burn. We just want the atmosphere and the air-conditioning mall offers. When I came here to Canada, I’m surprised that their malls close as early as 6 pm, and sometimes it feels like a ghost town that you can only see a few people malling. The funny thing is those few people you can see in the mall are Filipinos.

3. You cannot find cheap Street Foods.

Fish balls, Squid Balls, Kikiam, Isaw, Betamax, etc are the types of street foods you can find in the Philippines. I don’t think you can get those or at least the same-tasting here in Canada. Fish balls are still 50 cents each there, the only thing that its price that doesn’t go up for the last 10 years. Lol!

In Canada, the food trucks on the street are sometimes homemade foods like burgers, hotdogs, etc. But sometimes, it is more expensive than McDonald’s. Nevertheless, some restaurants might organize a happy hour during which you could get some very nice food at a low price.

2. You cannot find quiet Lenten Season.

Lenten Season in Canada is a typical day, even though the Good Friday and Easter Sunday are a Statutory Holiday. But in the Philippines, it is a one-week celebration – that is why it is called Holy Week. For some, it started on Ash Wednesday (Forty days before Easter Sunday). Filipinos remember Jesus Christ’s passion thru his death and suffering up to His Resurrection. During the Holy Week, a TV typical program in the Philippines closes from Monday and resumes on Easter Sunday. It is a one-week vacation for every Filipinos there.

Last but not the least….

1. You cannot find Grandeur Christmas Parties and no 13th-15th-month pay.

For Filipinos, it is more splendor to celebrate Christmas in the Philippines. There are Christmas Carols everywhere. Kids can sing Christmas Songs in every house and they patiently wait if the house owner will give them money, they call it “Caroling.” In December, every employee in the Philippines are happy to receive their 13th-month pay, other private companies give their laborers up to 15th-month pay. Unfortunately, there is no such thing in Canada during the Christmas Season.

But….

Despite all these things, Canada still has other new experiences and good things can offer so we really just can’t have them all. For me, these are the only things that I miss in the Philippines and look forward when I decide to go back there or to have a vacation there. It is also something you can suggest to your Canadian partner to consider going there. So what do you think, do you miss all those things in the Philippines? Share your thoughts!