Today is a very blessed day.

I’m officially an RN in Canada!!!

Early this morning, me and the 3 other Filipino nurses here in our town went to the post office to check our mail and as expected, there it was! The big white envelope.

With hands shaking, I opened mine and the first word that I read was CONGRATULATIONS!

My world stopped for that brief second. I think my heart even stopped!

The others started saying they passed and boy oh boy, were we ever so ecstatic!

People started looking our way. They were also smiling not even knowing why we were so happy. Some asked what was the matter and once we’ve told them that we passed our RN exam, they’ll congratulate and even hug us.

That’s the beauty of a small town. The friendliness of most, if not all, people.

Sad to say, there were some who were not fortunate to pass the exam. I can’t imagine how depressing it is for them. But, they will still get another chance in February. And I’m praying that they’ll be successful by that time.

Anyhow, we haven’t celebrated yet. We’re still very ecstatic to even start planning for a party. In due time.

Booze anyone?

Since Thursday, me and the 3 other Filipino nurses I’m with here in this part of town in MB has been waiting in vain for the result of our CRNE. Most of the other Filipino nurses in the region that was hired the same time as me got their results already. I know patience is a virtue. But I guess, if your future depends on it, it’s very hard to be patient. Especially, knowing that 100% of the Filipino nurses from the other parts of the province passed!

To get our mind off waiting, me and my flatmate cleaned our apartment and did some decorating. Christmas is getting near so, we bought some christmas lights that we have put up on our front window and we ordered a christmas tree!!!

Happy happy…

Tomorrow, we’ll be going to the post office and check our mailbox for the exam result. I’m hoping and crossing my fingers that I passed. If not, I’ll prepare for the February schedule for CRNE. :’(

As of this writing, I’ve been here in Canada for more than a month. Celebrated my 1st monthsary last October 1. Nothing exciting ‘coz I think I was working that day but other than that, I guess it was the jitters of the CRNE exam that made me forget that yeah, I’ve been here and survived my first month in Canada.

And of course, I have to mention that I celebrated my first wedding anniversary alone as well. Some friends and colleague gave me a hug. My husband greeted me a day before. My mother-in-law also texted me. Don’t know what to feel, really. I guess that’s life and this is the life I chose.

Been here in Canada for like what, more than a month already and it’s now dawning on me that yeah, I do need to purchase a car as soon as I can to get around. There’s no bus or train to go to the city and the taxis, well, it’ll cost me a fortune to ride them every single time I want to go somewhere. So yeah, having a vehicle of your own is really a necessity here in this country!

The problem is, it’s almost winter time! I’m not brave enough to drive during winter. I’m not that much of a professional driver. I also have until December to use my Philippine driver’s license. I better write that damn driver’s test this month and have my road test by next month to get a Canadian license. Hell, so many things to do!

Anyways, I’ve been looking at some cars on the web and here are my choices:

1. Honda Fit

2. Toyota Yaris Hatchback

3. Toyota Matrix

4. Mazda 3 sport

5. Toyota RAV4

6. Honda CRV – expensive!

Any suggestions?

After only 3 days of hospital orientation, I am positively sure that working in the hospital wing is not for me.

I just can’t understand why, even if it’s only a 24-bed hospital facility wing, that there’s only 1 RN on duty! I mean, the RN will take charge of the whole hospital wing which includes the OPD patients and the ER patients! I guess, the set-up is ok if you have a doctor there at the ER, but NO doctors around! You either have to call them in the clinic or at home!

The LPN’s will mostly do all the work with their assigned patients like what nurses do in the Philippines (eg. vital signs and meds except IV meds) but still…

RN’s here are charge nurses. I have to be very honest that I don’t think I’m ready to be a charge nurse this soon. Adjusting to the set-up, names of their medications, not to mention their culture is already hard enough.

I’m not an ER nurse. So yeah, I don’t like the hospital wing.

Just got back from my 2 weeks of orientation.

Mind you, it was not the unit orientation in the hospital yet. I still need to do 2 months of hospital orientation starting Tuesday. I’m a bit stressed actually. Nursing here in Canada is very different. But with prayers, I know I’ll get by.

I also have a lot of catching up to do with my reading and review for the CRNE exam on October 7th. It’s only a couple of weeks to go! Oh my! Stress stress stress!

So, how should I start describing my new found life here in Canada? Hmmmm….

Well, I live in a very small community here in Manitoba. I can’t mention the name of the place for purposes of confidentiality of course, but believe me when I say it’s a SMALL community. People know everybody.

The hospital is small as well. Very different from what I was used to back in the Philippines and in Saudi Arabia but it’s a start for me.

I have to be honest that I was depressed the first day I arrived here. All expectations were not met! Haha… A word of advice for those nurses in the Philippines researching in the web for the town they’ll be going to, don’t believe everything you see there! It’s just pictures!

But in all fairness, the people here are very warmth and friendly. Well, of course, not all of them are friendly, but majority are so in a way, that helps with the adjustment.

What else? Oh, winter will be coming soon! We were lucky that we brought summer with us when we came here, September 1st. Usually, they say, their summer months is around July and August. They did not have a good summer during those months this year. It was cold and there were still some snow. So now that it’s September and summer is still here, they are hoping that the winter months or should I say the snow won’t come until mid-October. That’ll give me enough time to shop for winter clothes!

Fashion, during winter here, is out the window and into the drains! People  won’t even care what you look like in the winter months! Their priority is staying warm! Imagine temperature going below 45! Yikees!

I’m thankful though that there’s no shopping mall from where I live. It will take about an hour drive to the nearest shopping destination, but at least it’s a good excuse to save lots and lots, right? Especially for a shopaholic like me! As long as I don’t get hooked up with online shopping, I’ll be A-okay!

Of course, I won’t deprive myself of necessities. I already have my wishlist. Three things that I really want before Christmas:

1. Blackberry Tour (I’m hoping to get it next month after payday!)
2. SLR camera (Nikon preferred but Canon will do if I don’t get a Nikon)
3. Honda CRV (this may come after winter, but we’ll see)

Of all the above wishlist, my main priority is to process my husband’s papers so we can be together soon! I miss him terribly!

Well well well….

After all the hassle and bussle I’ve been through during my waiting game with my visa, finally, I’ve landed safe and sound here in Manitoba, Canada.

Everything is still so very surreal to me.

I still can’t believe that I’m in Canada. Very very different from what I was used to but hopefully, I can adjust well.

The first few days was overwhelming with the orientation to the community and the processing of some papers for our work. Not to mention still adjusting to the time difference and the place. And the sad part was I lost 2 of my luggages when I arrived!

The first one was returned to me a day after. The second one got reunited with me on my 4th day here! Damn connecting flights!

Oh well, welcome to Canada as they say. Hoping that I will enjoy my stay here.

” all my bags are packed, I’m ready to go. I’m standing here outside your door. I hate to wake you up and say goodbye…”

Waaaahhhhh…. I’m leaving again tomorrow! After a year here in the Philippines, I’m packing all my stuff again for another destination.

Surely, it’ll be a sad departure for me. More so because I’ll be leaving my husband behind…

I’m praying that he’ll be able to follow me sooner that expected.

I’ll update you all on my journey to the Canadian land… Wish me luck!

In less than 2 weeks, I’ll be off to another foreign land.

Until now, I have not started packing anything. Have not bought anything that I need to bring. I don’t know why I keep delaying my to do list. I guess it’s because I feel that I’m not yet ready.

I just resigned from my post as a company nurse last week. It was a terrible feeling leaving my friends behind. They were really good to me.

Now, I feel like I don’t have much time to be with my husband and family. Time is slipping away so fast that in about a weeks time, I’ll be missing them every single day.

What awaits me in Canada? Well, God only knows. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that this new adventure will be a much better one.

It’s been a while since I’ve updated this site. I apologize for not being a diligent blogger for so long…

Anyways, I want to post the timeline for my application to Canada. I hope with this, it will help those people who wants to have an idea on how it is to apply as a nurse in Canada.

2008:

Nov. 3 – Application to Staffhouse agency

Nov. 12 – Final interview with Employer

Nov. 24 – IQAS application sent

Nov. 26 – IQAS received documents

Dec. 3 – CRNM application sent

Dec. 5 – CRNM receives application and documents

Dec. 12 – Visa requirements and application submitted to Staffhouse

Dec. 19 – IELTS application

2009:

Jan. 17 – IELTS exam

Jan. 30 – IELTS exam result ; IQAS completed assessment

Feb. 3 – submitted NSO marriage certificate and IELTS result to Staffhouse

Feb. 5 – Staffhouse filed temp. work permit application to Embassy

Feb. 6 – IDP sent IELTS result to CRNM

Feb. 20 – CRNM receives IELTS result

Feb. 21 – CRNM sent e-mail of CRNE eligibility ; LMO (Labor Market Opinion) receives

Mar. 24 – Medical referral

Mar. 27 – Medical exam at Nationwide

Mar. 28 – 1st stool culture

Apr. 4 – 2nd stool culture ; repeat Chest x-ray

Apr. 21 – saw specialist at Makati Med due to problems with stool culture result (Salmonella!). Had to undergo antibiotic treatment.

May 5 – repeat stool exam

May 14 – clearance from Makati Med given

Jun 4 – medical exam result submitted to Embassy

Jun 18 – Passport renewed

Jun 29 – VISA STAMPED!

Note: the timeline written depends per person. Some were able to receive their visas 4 months after the submission of their application due to valid IELTS upon submission of requirements and completion of their medical exam without problems