Uncertainty and Celebration

I am supposed to do the US and Canada blogs' round up but what happened to me these past few days are overwhelming in a good way or not, I guess in either way. After reading Janelle’s email about this new endeavor for us Filipino bloggers around the globe, I started to peek on the who’s who of Filipino blogging in Canada and the US, but I have seen only one. I have to stop after I realized I have some personal stuff to get done first.

My blog Manilenya was the biggest witness of my journey from Singapore to Canada. With powerful letters, I spun words to create a lingering story of me; the blog became the omnipotent spirit that tells me that I am not ethereal.

My story of coming to Canada was written with certainty, which I thought already ended when I flew to Canada.

I was wrong. There were more un-blogged stories. There were more pain and confusion, whether I want to stay or want to go back to my native soil. But at the end of the day, I have to stick on processing my papers to stay, realizing that my journey is not a cul-de-sac course.

I have been in Canada for exactly two years, eight months, twenty four days, and seventeen hours (as I am writing this post) and that alone is sweeping me away from where I am sitting right now.

Within five months, I have been unemployed. I was staying here without holding a legal paper for staying and working. I had to pay for the restoration of my status though, so they won’t kick me out of the country, but still I cannot work.

With no money to send to my family in the Philippines and with a huge debt in my credit card, which I used to pay my Open Permit and Permanent Residence Application, I thought I am the bravest person living on the earth. Why not? I have nothing but I am still persevering.

Thank GOD my document has finally arrived, and I am on my way to having my Permanent Residence document, if GOD permits (I know HE WILL!)

And the blessing doesn’t stop there also; I received a wonderful invitation letter from the editorial staff to become a part of the KABLOGS JOURNAL (which you are reading right now) as a country editor for the US and Canada bloggers.

This task is leading me to become active again in the blogosphere, visit old friends blogs, and what’s exciting is I‘ll get to have even more friends to stay in touch with.

I am very eager to be in contact with all of them (or you) in the coming days.

If you, too, are as excited as me, and if you are currently blogging, whether in Canada and the US, feel free to send me an email at manilenya@gmail.com and send me your blog link and a little more about you and what's happening around you.

When I last checked Kablog’s website, there are 42 bloggers, which includes me, around the USA and Canada. So 42 of us or more will be going to party before the first or second week of the month, in time with the KABLOGS JOURNAL first issue's launch.

Thanks and keep on blogging.