15 Days After Landing

Bonjour mon cher blog.

This is my first time to blog on what we have been doing for the past days here in Canada. You heard me right, Canada, not in the Philippines, giggling me.

We arrived in Fredericton on 3 May 2016 and stayed with the FCNB President's (Ate Gina) home for 9 days. Why 9 days? Because looking for a 1-bedroom apartment is a bit of a challenge and is subject for an approval from your personal reference. Good thing Ate Gina is there as our personal reference and later on we ended up on a 2-bedroom apartment, LOL, after looking into 5 apartments.

Okay, so, on 4 May 2016, through the help of Kuya Roland and Ate Gina's family, especially on transportation and going around downtown Fredericton, we went to Service New Brunswick to apply for our respective medicare cards. I, being the principal applicant, just filled up a form for the two of us. I just presented our passports with visa and COPR attached to it. Yes, our respective COPRs were stapled on our respective passports so whenever you needed an identification just present your passport and it is all there. After the staff entered the details on their database, he told us to wait for 4 weeks for our medicare cards to be mailed on our given address. We have used Ate Gina's address as our temporary address even in our PR cards.

Next, this time Kuya Rudy, a fellow pinoy, accompanied us at the Municipal City Hall to get maps, guides on trails and Fredericton as a whole, bus schedules and others. The staff who assisted us is super friendly. Oh, everyone of them. Actually, people here are very welcoming. Even if we do not know them, they will all say "hi, good morning" or just smile at you and nod and all we do is to greet them also, LOL. Even when entering an entrance, they will smile or greet you and even hold the door open for everyone.

Afterwhich, we went to Service Canada, still at downtown Fredericton, and applied for our respective Social Insurance Number (SIN). We got our SIN numbers, without a card, on the same day because according to the staff they are no longer issuing SIN card since February 2016. Our SIN were printed only on paper with our number and name. They told us to keep the paper on a safe place and never ever give our SIN numbers to anyone except our employers. This is to safeguard us and prevent us on tax fraud.

Note that all government services here are all free of charge, even using their library is free of charge and free wifi, LOL. Oh, and Fredericton has a free wifi, "fred_zone". Unfortunately, in some places it is slow or sometimes cannot be reach, LOL. Also, always bring with you your passport for identification, refer to above details. Oh, and do not forget to take your selfies, LOL, it is cold here but the views are just amazing.

Okay, the day is not yet over, after eating our lunch in a buffet restaurant courtesy of Kuya Rudy (everyone here has a way of welcoming us), LOL, he accompanied us to Atlantic Superstore to open an account with President's Choice (PC). He told us to open one for purposes of getting reward points when we buy groceries. PC is a sister company of CIBC Bank (mother bank). In Canada, when you put money in the bank, we are charged for a service fee but in PC there is none but they do not have joint accounts. So, we opened our respective chequing (i'll start to use this as the spelling from now on, LOL) accounts with a debit card and a credit card. However, we were only given a debit card because we only have a temporary address. We have yet to go back to PC for our present address and contact numbers to avail of our respective credit cards and cheque books. We plan to use our respective PC accounts for building our own credit standing and maybe payroll.

We then were accompanied by Kuya Roland to a different bank, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). They have a promo for newcomers where they give us a temporary cheque (for rental purposes) and credit card (to be mailed though) right away. And in RBC we were given a joint account for chequing and savings accounts plus individual debit and credit cards. We applied for a cheque book (we chose joint also) just 2 days ago because the address and a contact number is needed to put on the cheque itself plus our names. We are required to pay for a service fee of CAD$14.83 every month but we chose the promo of free service fee for 6 months instead of getting a mini ipad and pay a CAD$253 in a year. Good thing I do not like mini ipad (and I have an ipad), or else hahaha. Our RBC account are for our everyday expenses, for our families (chequing) and for our little R (savings).

To end the day, I registered online for a family doctor. Just google 'Patient Connect NB' to register. They told us that getting a family doctor is a tough one because we need to wait until one is available. However, if one will refer you, like in our case, we accompanied Kuya Roland's mother to her doctor (also their church-mate), 3 days ago, and told him that we are just new in Fredericton and we are looking for a doctor, bla-bla-bla. Then the doctor told us that once we get our medicare cards, we can give him a call, through his clinic, to register as one of his patients. Nice, right, smiley.

On 5 May 2016, we reported to Population Growth Division (PGD). If you will read in the guidelines, nominated NBPNPs are required to report with PGD once they landed. So we went there but we were welcomed only by Linda B. She have me filled up an Update Form and asked for my contact number so I gave Ate Gina's number. Before leaving the building, I told her she was the one who received our full application last year, LOL. She told me "Oh, you remember me". In my mind, of course, I remember them all, LOL. Then after 30 minutes after leaving PGDs building, Kuya Roland told us that Linda called Ate Gina and they wanted to meet us the next day. She also emailed me to relay the message. They, as in, Ashraf and company, giggling here again.

So, next day, 6 May 2016, and before we end the week after our landing, we finally met Ashraf, Jake and Fatima (I personally requested her as per my fellow applicant's, kidjuwee, request) for the third time. Twice in the Philippines and first time here in Canada. I wanted so much to meet my Officer but sad to say I do not know my reviewing officer because I was directly nominated by NB. Okay, so again, we were the first ones to report with PGD. They do not actually know if others already landed but it was us who first reported to PGD under NBPNP EELMS. I will not divulge the good news here but if you are nominated, with PR visa and about to land here in NB as their provincial nominee, never forget to report to PGD because we reported and they told us that they will take good care of their nominees. And if ever we encounter problems, we are very much welcome at the PGD office.

Our 15 minutes encounter with Ashraf, Jake and Fatima was full of laughter and advises. Advises only a provincial nominee will know, so better report. But hey, I told my friends about it (Filipino First Batch NBPNPs). Laughter, LOL, because I requested Fatima and I told them why. I even told them the whatsapp chat (and they wanted to join, hahaha) and Fatima was laughing. Oh, Ashraf says, do not take it against Fatima, or whoever our reviewing officer is, because NBPNP goes into 3 reviewing officers then the nomination. I asked for a picture, knowing me who loves taking picture, but they politely declined because as per Jake the Federal Government and even NB forbids them to do so, sad face, but I understand. Did you notice I remove the ma'am or sir? Because Ashraf told me so. In Canada, everyone is treated equally so never address someone with a sir or ma'am even if he/she is your boss.

Okay, so the weekend is dance practice, LOL. June 18 is the gala night of FCNB and I was recruited (recruited?, LOL) to dance Singkil, LOL. Do not be surprise if you see pictures of me dancing. Also, we already tasted the famous lobsters of NB, yummylicious, LOL. We went back to Service New Brunswick to buy the booklet for driving. In here we have to review first the booklet, take an exam and if we pass only then can we start our driving lessons. Note that this is only applicable to newbies like us. And, hey, everything here is machine operated. I have a funny story to share with regards to dishwasher, hahaha. Okay, so first of all, there is no dishwasher in the mountains where I came from and I am thinking of a dish dispenser all the while and I thought the dishwasher is for storage of plates, etc. but I am also curious why they are putting used utensils in the dishwasher. What I did, I get them and wash it and nanay was on panic mode saying "why did you wash them, i was about to run the dishwasher, bla, bla, bla", I was actually again laughing to myself now, bwahahahaha. I am thinking not to blog this so I can get even with my friends who are coming here but it is too funny not to blog it. See you are laughing also, LOL.

Anyway, we started looking for an apartment only on May 7, 9 to 10. We have looked from Gorham, Killam and Colpitts Properties. We made reservations with Gorham and Colpitts on May 7 and 9, respectively. Both were subject for approval and a personal reference is needed since we do not have jobs yet. And both were also approved. We rented Gorham's apartment at CAD$760 (Colpitts is at CAD$750) exclusive of heat and power because it has a balcony and I really love balconies/terraces. We are near Fredericton High School, Priestman Elementary School and lots of commercial establishments. All walking distance.

Since we are occupying our apartment only on May 12, we are required to pay a pro rated rent and a security deposit in cash/debit card. The month to month payment will then be automatically charged in our bank account so we gave them our temporary cheque. The security deposit will be given to the rentalsman and this can be withdrawn when we wanted to move out in our apartment but subject of course to checking if the apartment is in good condition. We were required to call NB Power to put up electricity but ours where just a transferred account from previous owner so our heat and light is ready when we transferred. Water, parking lot, bathtub, washer and dryer (coin operated), range, fridge and dishwasher (LOL) are all part of our rent. It is in all apartments, except for the dishwasher (again, why always..., LOL) and bathtub.

Okay, so before moving to our apartment, we went to Surplus Furniture here in Fredericton to purchase our bed, mattress, dresser, sofa, center table and dining table. NBPNP First batch were already checking on the website since last year that is why we have budgeted a portion of our settlement fund to buy our things. Some of our things were donated by some Filipinos here.

On May 13, we tried to apply for our cellphones with Bell Alliant even without our RBC credit card. We have been waiting for it because they told us that we need credit cards to apply for a phone. Good thing our passports and COPRs are enough to have a postpaid phones. We bought our phones here. We have chosen the Family bundle where we will be paying CAD$65 for unlimited call and text Canada wide and shared 5GB data plan. CAD$100 each per month. One account, shared data and discounted internet, cable and phone at home. We were given discounts on our phones too and what we did is a one-time payment for each phone so that we will only be thinking of our monthly charges. We are planning though to remove the data on our phones since we already have a FibreOp at home.

Anyway, since we already have a permanent address here in NB and contact numbers, we just started sending applications online just yesterday, May 16. We also visited Ignite Fredericton and tomorrow we will be reporting with MCAF. All of these you will know when you attend your CIIP seminar back home. Thanks to Kuya Roland because he is the one coordinating us with the services above. Remember, all of these government offices are all free of charge. Also, I wanted to share what Ashraf and Julia (Ignite Fredericton) told us with regards to job hunting here in Fredericton or NB as a whole. They told us that here in NB, to land a good job "it is not what you know but whom you know" so they advised us to expand our network, attend social events (which they have given us in Ignite Fredericton).

Also, Ashraf told us to apply for a job based on our professions because we were already screened by them and we can compete here because we have our credentials. As of now, aside from sending out applications, I am also reviewing their accounting system here online. I plan to attend a seminar, not free, on accounting by June. Both me and my husband also plan to get a certificate with NBCC. We know that as a starter we cannot land a job based on our professions but, as Ashraf told us even CIIP, we do not want to just settle on survival jobs because we are under federal skilled worker express entry through provincial nominee program.

By God's grace, in His time, He will give us a job we would love. He did not put us this far to settle for less. Pray and believe it will come just like when we believe that everything will fall in the right place and time for our little R. Pray and have faith.

P.S. sorry if I cannot reply on your queries but
I will try my very best to answer them. Just give me time.