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especially her bopular sprihévgcfilis one mean lasagna. She still keeps «VF- .._. -.... nun-"ulna anvu « such as hanging a bunch of grapes on the front door and blasting all TVs and radios to usher In the New Year. Her lhreeâ€"year-old daughter. Maya, IS learning Fillpan. In the early years. Edna worked as a nanny and a caregiver As one of the fastest growing groups in our country. almost 653.000 people could claim Filipino descent by 2011 and more than 17.000 live in York Region. Fast forward to the present: after marrying my nephew. Graziano, several years ago. Edna is a vital part 0! our extended family. She Introduced us to Filipino ioods. nonnatnnn l.__ _a, . When my niece. Edna I Canada. she knew no one She was part ofan1rHH1'iéralion wave lh‘ population in Canada increase from 301 between 2001 and 2006. Ministry approved BDE course provider june 2015 ('fitouffvil/e Free Press Seats are limited! ”980% War spot today! anada inciease from 300.000 (OVA-00.000 nd 2006. Edna, left the Philippines and arrived in ly Hannelora Volpe rolls. and laarnéd-to maké eps her own traditions alive grapes on the front door and What does Ejine Oil System Cleaner do? rat saw the Filipino .wâ€"vâ€"u-uav- l 91!, W. Stouffvflle GB TOYOTA GettingThere. Starts He‘re (905)642-6688 or (416)921_-1288 m ._. (905)642-9558 “I came here to have a better opportunity." she saad. “At the very beginmng the opportunity is not here.“ . , - 7 , L__ _ At first. she questioned her declsnon to _ come here She couldn't afford to go back to school since she was relying on her pay to help support her two brothers attending university back home. In the Philippines. she was a chemical engineer and an Instructor at Saint Louis University in Baguio City. Here, these qualifications weren‘t recognized. “I picked up the phone at my first job." she recalled. “You don‘t know how many tears I ha! in my eyes.“ Graziano and Edna recently welcomed their daughter. Chiara, It was Edna's experience that inspired me to find out about the stories oi Filipinos In Stouffvilie. One rs Elena Medina. who arrived in Canada in 1985 on her own. Her memories of her first day at her receptionist 10b remain strong. a Edna wanted to go back Grazia to work. but her training as a . midwife in the Philippines isn'l recognized here to university for four years wasn't feasible. Ins‘ been pursuing her education as a personal su and also learning lo drive. ‘ Edna left her most recent job as a nanny when Maya was born. ,to the elderly. After working tor a family with three children for a decade, she was let go. She didn't 'know where to turn She eventually asked some Filipino employees at a local donut shop lor help, which led to jobs tor a while, Then she began titling in for tuli»time nannies. who became her friends. including Cecille, who will marry another nephew. John. later this summer At Home In Stouf‘fville The Filipino Experience I recognized here and returning Isn't feasible. Instead. she has as a personal support worker. I/x Mm [rm/210mm 571/; II/) to like us Grazlano and Edna w (fl/4 u I”! [ml/(1‘1“. [ml thunk: «m faccl'xmk 'mr lap-c J 1k )1 77/.) A 7171/; :\‘/.\‘, mmucmr at Sam: Lows new baby l Elena! um a chcnuc L'nwcmu m Baguio (In); Here, they: , qwdtjicau'um weren't engine recognized the l’hxhppm When her young son began m cry c insisted she leave. She refused. Them to‘learn to drive. here in Canada." she observed She is a member of the St. Mark's Catholic Church choir. IS a coâ€"ordinator for the Ministry of Lectors 'ith their young family and for the church's EDGE Ministry for youth. Nestor and Nati Gandoza arrived in 1988 With their six-monthâ€"oid son and were welcomed by Mr. Gandoza's parents. :uld an “We were excited to see the snow," Ms Gandoza remembers. The Gandom are members ofthe choirat St. Mak‘s Catholic 905.640.2869 wwyybostonpizzaco'nci m'w Momma mm Dim _ The couple's two sons are now adults, but she recalls an incident that may have been spurred by the fact that she is Filipina. 'Back then there we(en‘t as many Asians They first lived with Mr. Gandoza‘s parents. saving up for their own house. Finding a job wasn‘t too much of a hurdle for Ms Gandoza. who came here with a university degree and is now a medical lab technicran. Her Canadian co-workers were very supportive during her first years here. she said. ' At first, she and her husband had a hard time adjusting to the culture. missing the fogd. friends and relatives back home pagan to cry on a bus, the driver Ms Medina really came into her own after moving to Stouflville in 2006. She was able lo do volunteer work and is so at home here that “it is like being In the Philippines." However, persistence paid off, and she worked her way up through the same company, where she is new information technology administrator.‘ TOI I l"\ Ill} :iQent convinced her