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I Didn't Even Notice the Cold
Factoid
The Edmonton Immigrant Services Association's New Neighbours program recruits volunteers to provide assistance and friendship for newcomers to Edmonton and Canada.
My favourite season in Edmonton is winter because that's when I can watch hockey. It's my favourite sport. I've been a fan since the Cup run in 2006. Since then I've always watched Edmonton hockey games even if it's pay-per-view. The guys at work are amazed that I can talk hockey non-stop with them. They ask me how I know what I know. I'm a big fan. Every time I watch I wear my pink Oilers jersey with matching hat. The team doesn't do better when I wear them though.
When they opened the Rexall drug store on the south side last year I waited 45 minutes in -32 weather to get autographs from Cogliano and Gagner. I got autographs and a picture, and now that picture is my screen saver. I didn't even notice the cold.
I had a deal with my parents when I came here. I said I'd work and pay for them to come here, or else build them a house in the Philippines. When they decided to stay I built them a house similar to what we have in Canada. I wanted them to have the Canada experience, the comfortable living that we have here. Their house is like a tourist spot now. People go to see the flush toilet and the water tank since their's was the very first house in their neighborhood to have them. I had to show my parents how to use the flush toilet, and they still didn't use it for a month. I said, "If I come home and you haven’t used it yet, you'll get in trouble!" So they started using it and now they love it.
Thanks to Edmonton they're living a comfortable life. Life in the Philippines was very hard.
About Tita Francisco
Tita Francisco first came to Canada on a work permit as a live-in caregiver. She worked 2 full-time jobs for 5 years to finance her parents' home before settling into her current position as a sales coordinator with Citytv.
