My husband and I were born, raised, grew up and started growing old(er) in the Philippines. For the twentysomething years we’ve been together, the thought of ever leaving the only home we’ve ever known never entered our consciousness. We planted roots, made investments, and built a life together.
But things happen, and plans change. As mid-life started setting in, we were forced to reevaluate our future prospects. In a country where a single critical illness in the family can wipe out everything you worked decades to build (as Covid-19 further brought home this reality), the prospect of moving to a country where healthcare for all was a guarantee, the siren call of Canada was indeed loud and powerful.