Tahanan Magazine

TAHANAN FILIPINO - CANADIAN FAMILY & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

5

S P R I N G 2 0 11

Ways to Strengthen Family Ties

Mark L. Santiago Ordinary Person, Extraordinary Life

The Creation Story A Philippine Legend

A Secret Recipe Revealed Meet the Grelo Family $4.99 TAKE ME

Melissa Grelo CP24 Breakfast Co-Host

Takes pride in her heritage TAHANAN 1

Filipino- Canadian Family & Lifest yle Magazine

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TAHANAN 3

TAHANAN

C O N T

Publisher/Marketing Director

Ronnie Dela Gana Creative Director

Calixto Quiachon Editorial Director

Claire Dela Gana Circulation & Operations Director

Marlyn Quiachon Managing Editor

Joi Lardizabal Marketing Manager

Clarisse Rajappan Staff Writers:

Anne Simon Kate Garbino Veronica Javier Chris Catral

20

Chief Photographer

Romeo Yuayan Contributing writers: Dr. Frank Keogh, Ariel Santos

Circulations Assistants: Jimmy Carillo, Edgar Arenajo, Joel Cleofe

Cover Story Melissa Grelo Taking Pride in Her Heritage

Area Advertising/Circulation: Durham Region: Chat Magpayo-289.240.1502 Windsor: Milette Navarro (Suki Market)-519.915.9254 Barrie/Newmarket: Jonathan Savella-416.939.5648 Kitchener/Waterloo: Haidee Nefulda-519.954.3099 Hamilton/Guelph/Cambridge: Gerardo Dela Torre-519.767.1055 TAHANAN Magazine is published quarterly (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter)

by TAHANAN Media Publication Inc. The publisher accepts no responsibility for advertisers’ claims, unsolicited articles, transparencies and other materials. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without written permission of the publisher.

Copyright Š 2011 TAHANAN Media Publication Inc. ISSN 1925-2781. Proudly printed in Canada.

Tahanan Media Publication Inc. 85 Ellesmere Rd. P.O. Box 62502 Scarborough, ON M1R 5G8 Tel: 647-427-8771 Email: info@tahananmagazine.com

www.tahananmagazine.com

Cover Photo by Romeo Yuayan Hair & make-up by Ivy Lam

The TAHANAN Team 4 TAHANAN

Ronnie Dela Gana

Calixto Quiachon

Claire Dela Gana

Marlyn Quiachon

Joi Lardizabal

E N T S

Community Life Family Life

Pinoy Life

8 10 14

The History of Filipino Migration to Canada The Culture Within and Around Us Mark Lawrence Santiago: FilipinoCanadian Trudeau Scholar for Migrant Workers

16

Other Notable FilipinoCanadians

18

Morning Heel Pain– Heel Spur Syndrome

24 30

Meet the Grelo Family

33 34 36 38 40 42

Homebuying Step-by-step

Ways to Strengthen the Family During Tough Times

Quikiam: Secret Recipe Revealed Follow My Tweets The Creation Story

44

Community Corkboard

In Every Issue • Over a Cup of Tea • Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives • My Play Area • My Kitchen • My Library • Here at the Spot

Product Review: XBOX Kinect

• Views from My Window

Share a Laugh

• Community Corkboard

ARTICLE PROPOSALS and unsolicited articles can be emailed to editor@tahananmagazine.com or mailed to EDITOR, TAHANAN Magazine, 80 Ellesemere Road, PO Box 62502, Scarborough, ON M1R 5G8. TERMS OF SUBMISSION: By submitting anything to TAHANAN Magazine in any format, written or otherwise, you agree that (1) Your submission and their contents will automatically become the property of TAHANAN Media Publication Inc., without any compensation to you. (2) TAHANAN Media Publication Inc. may use or redistribute the submissions and their contents for any purpose and in any way; and (3) there is no obligation to keep any submissions confidential.

Clarisse Rajappan

Anne Simon

Kate Garbino

Veronica Javier

Chris Catral

Romeo Yuayan

TAHANAN 5

From the Publisher’s Desk What was once a dream is now a reality. A burning passion is now put into action.

Now comes the birth of a new magazine. It is with great pride and joy that we bring you the first Filipino-Canadian family and lifestyle magazine – TAHANAN Magazine.

TAHANAN is the first of its kind in Filipino-Canadian journalism. We bring you fresh layout and brightly-colored graphic designs crafted by a well-respected Filipino artist, Calixto “Toots” Quiachon. We will deliver you quarterly a masterpiece filled with intelligent and entertaining articles done by the youngest and brightest pool of writers. There will always be something for just about everyone in the family. We will ensure that TAHANAN magazine will become a mainstay in your own tahanan.

Bukas ang pinto ng aming TAHANAN! Our doors are open to those who have great and inspiring stories to tell, to new businesses that need a medium to promote their new products and services, to people who want to share their knowledge and wisdom, and, to parents who just simply want to showcase their children’s talents. We will encourage collaboration among our kababayans. We will build bridges to bring us all together and uplift the growing and thriving Filipino-Canadian community here in Canada.

Ronnie Dela Gana Publisher

We at TAHANAN have been blessed and this is our way of sharing our blessings to everyone.

Our appreciation goes to the Grelo Family for allowing us to take a peek into their lives and for sharing their life’s blessings to our readers. For all the hard work and sleepless nights, finally, we present to you the maiden issue of TAHANAN. So come on in! Tuloy po kayo sa aming TAHANAN!

From the Editor’s Desk In the midst of the arduous barrage of news about the Middle East civilian awakening, the skyrocketing gas prices, the “winning” murmurings of Charlie Sheen and the unveiling of misused provincial government funds, it is time to respond to the dire need for good, inspiring and noble news for the family.

So here we are, offering you the maiden issue of TAHANAN magazine, your second home, your adopted family, your trusted friends. As managing editor, I keep reminding our staff that TAHANAN is not about us -- it’s about our readers, our Canadian life, our Filipino communities.

We will present to you inspiring life stories of Filipinos, young and old, ordinary and famous, rich and poor. We will open doors for uniquely Filipino talents, big and small achievements, and honest expressions of Life from a diverse mix of people. We will share with you amazing accounts about trailblazing Pinoys in Canada. In addition, we have our regular columns which I assure you that you will enjoy to the fullest – delicious recipes, amusing anecdotes, fascinating Filipino culture, and many more!

My heart is beaming with both honour and humility because I am so privileged to be a part of this historic launch of a magazine that promotes integrity, optimism and unity.

Joi Lardizabal Managing Editor

6 TAHANAN

It is going to be an exciting journey, which will only be possible if you join us.

Tara na!

Tuloy po kayo.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Ephesians 6:1

Malate Church “Your family and your love must be cultivated like a garden. Time, effort, and imagination must be summoned constantly to keep it flourishing and growing.” – Jim Rohn

“As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.”

“To foretell the destiny of a nation, it is necessary to open the book that tells of her past.”

– Pope John Paul II

– José Rizal (quote inscribed in Fort Santiago)

TAHANAN 7

Pinoy Life The History of Filipino Migration to Canada:

Pushing Filipinos out of the Philippines & Pulling Filipinos to Canada

By Veronica Javier

E

very time I watch an Ancestry.com commercial I think, “that commercial is only for white people.” Let me explain.

I call myself a one-and-a-half generation Filipina-Canadian because I was born Lipa, Batangas City, Philippines but came to Canada when I was five years old with my family of six. However, I have spent the majority of my life growing up in Canada. Therefore, if I went on Ancestry.com, I would make myself the second entry next to my mom and dad. This is because unlike the white people seen in the commercials (otherwise known as Canadians of European decent) the migration of our people to Canada is quite recent.

The first Filipinos in Canada can be traced as far back as 1931. By the 1950s, ten Filipinos made up of educators, nurses and medical technologists arrived in Manitoba.

Since then, the bulk of Filipino migrants to Canada has been said to be the result of the Labour Export Policy (LEP). The LEP was initiated by President Ferdinand Marcos upon

88 TAHANAN TAHANAN

his declaration of Martial Law in 1972. The LEP had initially been a temporary response to the Philippines’ longstanding issues of poverty and unemployment as well the Philippines’ international debt to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Coupled with the liberalization of the Canadian immigration policy through the Immigration Act of 1962, Filipinos and, “any unsponsored immigrant that had the required education skill or other quality was able to enter Canada if suitable, irrespective of colour, race, or national origin.”

“There are approximately 417,700 individuals who reported themselves as belonging to the Filipino category in the 2006 Statistics Canadian Census.”

Critical immigration scholars argue however that the institution of the nondiscriminatory act of 1962, followed by the

point system in 1967 was mostly meant to fill the shortage of skilled workers for the growing expansion of the urban/industrial-based economy, versus recognizing the breadth and depth of the skills and talents of the immigrants coming to Canada. As a result, not only did the percentage of skilled and educated immigrants originating from non-European source areas increase, but the experiences of oppression and discrimination by those arriving from the “global south” increased as well. Nonetheless, since the liberalization of Canada’s immigration policy, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has estimated that as of 2006, there were over 400,000 Canadians of Filipino origin. As of December 2008, Filipinos overtook China as Canada’s leading source of immigrants.

Many Filipino-Canadians can trace their migration back to the first major wave of Filipinos who arrived in the 1960s. These Filipinos were predominantly medical professionals, commercial graduates, doctors,

teachers

the “feminization and dramatic deskilling of

The Filipino population in Canada is

and engineering professionals. Unlike later

Filipino migrants to Canada”. Most Filipino

steadily growing. The migration of our people

Filipino migration waves arriving after them,

migrants at this time, and to date, are women.

will likely continue as a result of Canada

these Filipino migrants were granted landed

These women had entered the country through

and the Philippines’ continued reliance and

immigrant status upon arrival.

what was then called, the Foreign Domestic

need for temporary foreign workers. In the

Movement program until it was reconstituted

midst of ongoing Filipino migration, Filipinos,

as the Live-In-Caregiver Program (LCP).

their children, and their families continue to

Currently, the LCP is the program through

contribute to the cultural mosaic in Canada.

which thousands of Filipinas enter the country

Although

every year.

challenges ahead as individuals and as a

nurses,

laboratory

technicians,

The second wave began in the 1970s.

Although

closing

its

doors

to

Filipino

professionals, Immigration Canada opened its doors to a greater number of “clerical, manufacturing, and service workers”. This wave also included the family reunification category to the Canadian immigration policy in 1978. This provision prompted the firstwave of Filipino immigrants to sponsor family members thereby significantly increasing the percentages of overall Filipino settlement in Canada.

The third wave of Filipinos arrived in the 1980s and onwards. The third wave marked

As a result and according to the 2006 Statistics Canadian Census, Filipinos are the fourth largest visible minority group in Canada

Filipino-Canadians

face

many

community, we are anything but history and will continue to make a lasting impression for many more years to come. T

after Black Canadians. Filipino Canadians make up 1.3% of the Canadian population, meaning that there are approximately 417,700 individuals who reported themselves as belonging to the Filipino category in the 2006 Statistics Canadian Census.

Veronica Javier is a full-time student from the School of Life and an advocate for laughter and love.

TAHANAN 9

Pinoy Life

Over a Cup of Tea

By Anne Simon

A

section that initiates conversations by heightening our naturally curious minds.

Let’s dedicate a part of our time, away

from our busy activities, to thoughts that transfer into words. Let’s make use of our essential social trait by sitting down “over a cup of tea” and have a conversation.

If you prefer coffee, there’s no need to fret. From the expression “over a cup of tea” I am referring to the interaction associated with the history of consuming tea. Significantly consumed for medicinal purposes during the early years of Chinese dynasties, drinking tea turned from being an exclusive beverage (only for royalty and the wealthy) to being an integral part of the Chinese and Japanese social culture. Teahouses, tea gardens, teaware, and techniques to brewing tea quickly evolved. By the beginning of the 17th century, the Portuguese and the Dutch pioneered the European tea trade business. Tea regained its exclusivity (this time in Europe) when London coffee houses served tea only to men who could afford it. The 18th century marks the beginning of tea parties at home, in England, when loose tea became available to women who hosted tea parties; this started from high society gatherings to being available in all classes of society.

Today, tea is available in all parts of the world and is enjoyed in many ways—may it be a drink to start the morning, a part of an intricate ceremony, or a beverage to enjoy during a social gathering with family and friends. I believe the latter is what makes the expression “over a cup of tea” inviting as we engage in conversations on topics that stimulate our minds.

10 TAHANAN

Today’s conversation…

The culture within and around us As a Filipina living in the multicultural city of Toronto, I feel fortunate to have witnessed different cultural practices and values that shaped the lives of many of my friends. For the past couple of years I have been invited to various weddings (currently in my mid-twenties, this is the time of wedding and baby shower invites) where I experienced the culture that my friends still follow amidst the influence of Western culture— much of what I have witnessed reminds me of the practices and learned values of the Filipino culture.

The picture that lingers in my mind after attending pre-wedding and wedding ceremonies (particularly of Bengali and Indian weddings) is the vision of a family as a strong support system.

They are present during the times the bride and groom need to hear encouraging words of wisdom and they are involved in the preparation, execution, and the aftermath of each ceremony.

Each ceremony calls for the involvement of family members and this is what makes the culture respectful and loyal to the system of a family.

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I belong to a lively and very supportive family who continuously share their insights in life. I believe one of the most influential ways to adapt in life (and its constant changes) is to hear, understand, and learn from the experiences of others, especially our elders; this is one of the many Filipino values we’ve been taught to follow.

Sometimes, the environment and people surrounding us may have us believe in opinions that counteracts to our values. Whatever direction we take, we know that we can always fall back on our Filipino values—they are instilled in us so we always have a guide to follow in times when we search for a direction in life. It is helpful to explore these learned values and other aspects of our roots that have shaped us and continued to define us as Filipinos.

I asked a number of young Filipino adults, born in or grew up in Canada, to share their opinions on what makes them proud to be Filipino. The feedback was informative and certainly self-reflective.

I found that regardless of their upbringing, their responses were similar in many ways.

Here are the top three reasons of why these young adults are proud to be Filipino: #3 Reason: We are resilient.

Our coping strategies in fighting stressors that come our way guide us in dealing with constant changes in life. We are all dealt with unpleasant cards in our lives, but somehow we manage to play them with a positive attitude. Whether we are moving to a country that is foreign to us, accepting challenges at work, or encountering negative situations, we recover and can easily start anew.

Krissy (age 26) says, “our ‘never give up’ attitude which is proven through our country’s history of wars and struggles against both foreign and local forces” makes her proud to be Filipino.

11 TAHANAN

Melvin (age 30) says it is comforting to know that, as Filipinos, “we are a resilient people who can definitely bounce back after facing life’s trials. We find ways of making ourselves happy even if we are in midst of difficulties.”

#2 Reason: We take care of our family and relatives.

No matter where we are in the world, we carry in our minds and in our hearts the value and respect for our families. We send well wishes, financial support, boxes of food and clothing to our family in the Philippines. We welcome them to our homes as they settle in or visit Canada. As well, we value education and hard work as we acknowledge and support our loved ones’ successes in life.

Significantly, we maintain our togetherness within the family by taking on our roles and responsibilities with the support of our strong faith.

Katrina (22) says “the top quality” that makes her proud to be a Filipino is “our sense of close family ties and our willingness to sacrifice for them. Most emigrate from the Philippines to find jobs elsewhere in order to provide a better future and richer opportunities for their children. Also, even after one has married and created a family of their own, they still continue to help provide for their parents and siblings.” Katrina goes on to say that she admires “the selflessness of those who leave their children in the Philippines to go work in foreign countries” and she expresses her admiration for her parents’ decisions to immigrate to North America with their futures in mind.

#1 Reason: We have a colourful and inviting Filipino culture.

Our culture is a mix of Spanish, American and other Asian cultures, which is why aspects of our culture such as our dialects, pop-culture, recreation, and religion are inspiring and influential.

We are constantly reminded of our rich culture especially during celebrations. We show our cultural pride through our traditional 12 TAHANAN

festivities (e.g. “parada nang lechon”, “ati-atihan festival”, “santacruzan”, “flower festival” and so on). We always find a way to get together and bask on life’s milestones, such as birthdays, weddings, baptisms and debutante’s parties (the coming of age birthday celebration of an eighteen-year-old Filipina). A few highlights of our celebrations and festivities are our vast selection of local food, showcasing of our talents and creativity, and the enjoyment with family and friends.

A 22-year-old Nursing student explains that regardless of being born and raised in Canada, she still feels very much a part of the Filipino culture. She believes that “being proud to be Filipino means knowing who Jose Rizal is, knowing the lyrics to ‘Lupang Hinirang’ or at least knowing the melody—and who could forget knowing the face of Manny Pacquiao.” She adds that “being proud of [our] culture isn’t about just knowing, it is about living it day to day.”

A 27-year-old Psychology student shares the cherished advice from her grandmother as she quotes, “a person who won’t look back at where he came from, can never fully reach his destination”.

She continues on to say that she takes “pride in [knowing] that no matter one’s country of birth or where they were raised, they still consider the Philippines their ‘motherland’. The fact that we still continue to practice Philippine traditions and cultures, albeit with a Western twist, attests to our love and pride to being a Filipino.”

Our culture is familiar to us. It is a way to explore and showcase our identity. No matter where we are, we can always relate to a fellow Filipino, through our culture. So the next time you decide to attend yet another Filipino gathering, have a conversation with family and friends and do share your thoughts on what makes you proud to be Filipino. Who knows, you may even start something unforgettable “over a cup of tea”. T For comments and topic suggestions, please email me at anne@tahananmagazine.com.

Anne Simon values the power of knowledge and believes ignorance is bliss, she is simple yet known to be complicated, and she is proactive but often procrastinates.

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TAHANAN 13

Pinoy Life

Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives Featuring the astonishing and inspiring stories of everyday heroes

Introducing Mark Lawrence Santiago:

Filipino-Canadian Trudeau Scholar for Migrant Workers

By Veronica Javier

I

f you listen carefully you will be able to hear

large scale migration of Philippine health care

his mother’s income based on selling lugaw

what you are called to do in this life. For

workers migrating abroad in order to gain better

(rice porridge), his mother was able to not only

those who are open to the message, they will

employment opportunities.

keep the family together but also provided the

take hold of it and tell the whole world. Mark Lawrence Santiago is one of these people who paid attention.

Born in Balagtas, Bulacan, Santiago did not just stumble into his calling of working towards the ethical and sustainable recruitment of health workers. Rather, Santiago’s passion for his research was drawn from his livedexperiences. It all began by recalling the only physician in his small barrio (village), who retrained to become a nurse only to migrate and work in San Francisco. During his return to the

tuition needed for Santiago and his sister’s More personally, Santiago’s connection to

costly education.

his research comes from his father’s occupation as a migrant construction worker for 20 years

“My mom is my model. She is a very

in the Middle East and Singapore. As a result,

resilient person and I’ve watched her survive

Santiago not only considers himself a child and

life’s hardships,” says Santiago. “She allowed

a student of global migration but also intimately

me to become whoever I want to become. I

linked to the struggles endured by families torn

continuously draw my strength from her in

apart through forced migration. Such family

everything I do”. Santiago also witnessed what

struggles included the hardships his family

it meant to be truly creative and hardworking

endured and persevered after his father’s death.

through his mother.

Despite providing for his family through his

In consequence, Santiago was able to

villagers that the nurses and midwives had

overseas occupation, Santiago’s father passed

achieve the Magna Cum Laude distinction and

begun to take the place of doctors who migrated

away with no health insurance in 2001. As

the Departmental award. He also became the

abroad to become nurses. For Santiago, this

a result, his mother felt the financial strain to

Class Valedictorian when he graduated with a

negative effect meant that there would “be a lot

provide for Santiago and his sister. In addition,

Bachelor in Philosophy from Ateneo de Manila

more deaths in the town because there is simply

Santiago learned how to be independent at a

University in the Philippines. Santiago went on

no single doctor attending to the townsfolk.” For

very young age when he moved out of the house

to also receive a Master in Philosophy from the

Santiago, he realized he was witnessing the

at age 11 to go to a residential school. Through

National University of Singapore.

Philippines in 2008, Santiago learned from the

14 TAHANAN

For Santiago the challenges that he and his

and their natural environment. Santiago was

family have faced have not only strengthened

also selected because he is seen as a highly

him, but it also motivated him to continue to

gifted individual who is actively engaged in his

pursue further education that would allow him

research project, and is expected to become a

to give back to the Filipino community.

leading national and international figure.

Mark Lawrence Santiago: In My Own Words...

What is your dream for the Filipinos in the Philippines?

I dream of the day when Filipino children

“My mom is my model.

She is a very resilient person and I’ve watched her survive life’s hardships”

Santiago is certainly a trailblazer and emerging leader within the Filipino-Canadian

can say that it is possible to dream of a better life at home (in the Philippines).

community. As a result of his ability to tune in to his calling, Santiago’s doctoral project in consequence aims to challenge policy makers,

What is your dream for the Filipinos in the Diaspora?

Santiago received that opportunity when

scholars and the individual’s understanding of

Simple: that Filipinos realize their

he arrived on his own in Canada in 2007 as

the ethical and political implications of health

potential here in Canada. There are so

worker migrations from the developing to the

many opportunities here in Canada. Filipino-

a PhD student at the University of British Columbia (UBC). As a doctoral candidate in the Department of Geography, Santiago was awarded the Trudeau Scholarship in 2009. The scholarship enabled him to pursue his doctoral research entitled, Made for Canada, Product of the Philippines: Global Nurse Migrations and the Geopolitics of Global Justice.

developing world. The project will be a response to a basic ethical question: how do we justly distribute health human resources across state borders through ethically sound policies?

“At a fundamental level, my research wants to push policymakers in countries such as Canada to think of creative strategies on how to deal with the current nurse shortage crisis,” says Santiago. “In the Philippines, young children are growing up with the idea that the ‘better life’ can only be experienced abroad.

This is not good.”

Canadians just have to open their eyes and learn how to navigate this place with optimism and resilience.

What advice would you give to aspiring young leaders in the Filipino community?

That they start acknowledging each other’s strengths and stop being divisive among each other. They should also look beyond the Filipino-Canadian community for mentorship and support. They should not let their ethnic backgrounds define them and their vision of leadership; instead, they should use their intimate knowledge of being Filipino

Ultimately, Santiago hopes that his research

Canadian and the Philippines as a starting

can contribute to the formulation of improved

point to develop a wider vision for Canada

education, health, labour and migration policies

and other Canadians, for the Philippines

both in Canada and in the Philippines. Lastly,

and other Filipinos, and the world at large.

Santiago hopes to incite the two countries

I find it myopic when Filipino Canadians

to become global models for the ethical and

just want to speak with and associate

sustainable recruitment of health workers.

themselves with other Filipino Canadians; or only care about issues affecting us. We live in Canada, and the person next to us in the

Santiago is not only one of only fifteen

Santiago’s experiences and the values

recipients selected for the national award, but

taught to him by his family enabled him to realize

he is also the first Filipino-Canadian to receive

the work he has been called to do for the Filipino

such recognition. Santiago’s research was

community. History will remember him as a

to have cosmopolitan visions - being stuck

selected because of its emphasis on one or

Filipino-Canadian Trudeau scholar for migrant

with ‘ethnic identity issues’, low morale and

more of the four areas of the Foundation, such

workers, but to the Filipino community Santiago

self- pity will not make them reach their full

as human rights and social justice; responsible

will also be remembered as an advocate for

potential not just as community leaders but

citizenship; Canada and the world; and humans

migrant healthcare workers.

as human beings.

bus or in line at Tim Hortons is as valuable a resource/important a person in our lives here. They do have all the resources here

15 TAHANAN15 TAHANAN

Other Notable Filipino-Canadians What advice would you give to Filipino families who migrate to Canada and who want to succeed as a family?

Be clear why you are moving to Canada.

Make sure you’ve done all your homework before

Flor Marcelino is the first Filipino woman elected MLA

in Manitoba. She was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in the 2007 provincial election. Marcelino is a member of the National Democratic Party. She was the first woman of colour to be elected as an MLA in the province.

She is also the 1st Filipino Canadian who is appointed as the Minister for Heritage and Culture and Multiculturalism.

arriving here. For parents, be sure to explain to their children why they’re moving, and make sure that they know where to go in terms of the children’s educational integration into Canada.

Also, plan their finances and housing ahead of time and expect delays in their workplace integration.

Don’t allow all these stressful aspects of migration affect the kids - although be sure to communicate to them what exactly is going on. For the kids, ask their parents to give them space to follow their

Dr. Rey Pagtakhan is a Canadian physician, professor and politician. Taking his seat in the House of Commons in Ottawa in December 1988, he became the first Filipino Canadian to become an MP (Member of Parliament) and the first Filipino to be an elected member of a federal or national legislature in the whole of North America and the world. He also served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin.

curiosities and interests (academic or otherwise) and to allow them to mingle with Canadians of various ethnic backgrounds. I envy second generation Filipino Canadians for having access to a plethora of opportunities to interact with people from very different backgrounds; so kids should be thrown out there to appreciate the variety of cultures/languages that they can acquire through just being here.

Did you know?

Mark Lawrence also enjoys: Watching TV shows - especially The Agenda with Steve Paikin; and a lot of comedy/drama series; working out; eating out; travelling; reading

And if you’re in British Columbia you will find Mark Lawrence: Hiking, running, eating Japanese food, eating Vietnamese food, hanging out at the beach

*Author’s note: The first Trudeau Scholar of Filipino descent is 2003 recipient Jay Batongbacal. To learn more about Batongbacal see the Trudeau Schollar website at http://www.trudeaufoundation. ca/ for his current profile.

16 TAHANAN TAHANAN 16

Lilac Cana is classical singer, writer and producer who

performed for Pope John Paul II during the World Youth Day celebration in Toronto on 2002. In October 2009, Ms. Cana received the NEPMCC (National Ethnic Press & Media Council of Canada) Performing Arts-Humanities award, presented by the Hon. Lt. Governor of Ontario John Onley, in recognition of her contributions to the arts and service to the community as a musician in Canada. She was recently selected by President Benigno S. Aquino III as one of the recipients of the Year 2010 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas.

Jonathan Alexander de Guzman is a Canadian-

born footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder and is currently playing for RCD Mallorca. De Guzman was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada and is of Jamaican and Filipino descent. He has been capped four times for the Netherlands U21, scoring three goals and was active on the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. De Guzman progressed through the Feyenoord Academy, making his first team debut in 2005 and has played over 100 matches for the club from Rotterdam. In the summer of 2010 De Guzman signed a three-year contract with Real Mallorca following a free transfer.

Eduardo Dizon Sr., great-grandnephew of the first President of the Philippines, General Emilio Aguinaldo, is the first Filipino police officer in Toronto, Canada. As a child, he dreamt about becoming a police officer. “I never thought I was making history,” said Dizon Sr., who joined the job in Canada in 1973. “I wanted to help people, and the Toronto Police Service gave me a chance to do that.”

u,

The real taste of Filipino cuisine .

n me r life ou r d o e i f tr n a v e ll b e a f a h u wi yo you

On ce

Romi C. Mananquil - professional artist and founder of the Philippine Artists Group. His art work was used in the 1 and 2 peso coins in the Philippines and his 5 peso vignette called “Declaration of Philippine Independence” was also used in the 100,000 peso centennial note.

Alex “the Lion” Pagulayan

is a Filipino-Canadian professional pool player who migrated to Canada along with his parents when he was 13 years old. Alex’s father worked in a pool hall where the young Pagulayan honed his pool skills and talent.

Since 2002, Alex has won at least 12 major championship awards including a US 9- ball championship in 2005. His last major award was the 2008 World Pool Masters.

Alicia Natividad is the first Filipino woman admitted to the Ontario Bar, and founder of Canada Philippines Business Council.

dine-in-take-out catering

ic ent h t u A g in d. n i foo iz al ino lip

Sp ec i Fi

©2011 TAHANAN GRPCS 2011-03

Tobias Enverga Jr. is the first Filipino to win in an election in Toronto. He is also the first and only elected visible minority in the Toronto Catholic District School Board (Scarborough, Ward 8).

Continental Cuisine

455 Midwest Road, Unit 38 Scarborough, Ontario M1P 4Y9 Store tel: 647-352-6565 Delivery contact Rolly: 4168212312 TAHANAN 17

From the Expert

Morning Heel Pain– Heel Spur Syndrome

H

ave you ever woken up, placed your feet on the ground and then BANG! you felt like something was torn off your heel? After about twenty painful steps, the arch seemed to relax and stretched out and then it began to feel a little better after a while? If you have, then you more than likely had a foot condition called, “Plantar Fasciitis” or what most commonly referred to as a “Heel Spur”.

What is “Plantar Fasciitis”? Plantar means “bottom of the foot” and fasciitis means the tissue that surrounds the muscle or the arch ligament on the bottom of the foot that is irritated and inflamed.

What is happening is the “bone lining” of the heel is being ripped or pulled away by the overstretched arch ligament. The most common foot types that are susceptible to this excruciating heel pain are highly arched rigid feet or very flat feet which place tremendous pulling stresses on that arch ligament or fascia. An actual heel spur does not give you pain as it is only bone (that has no nerve endings) that may or may not be seen on x-ray results.

Most people describe the pain as “burning” or “knife-stabbing” or a “stiffness” in the heel and sometimes arch area. The arch ligament or plantar fascia, like a beam which supports the roof of a building, aids the arch of the foot by connecting the heel bone to the balls of the feet and toes. This arch ligament takes on tremendous stress (3 times you body weight) and the tension is increased when there is also a stiff calf muscle. The pain is found in the front and bottom of the heel but can also extend further up the ligament.

Normally, when we rest, the arch ligament shortens, tightens, and begins to heal itself. But sometimes, when we stand up, the tight arch ligament suddenly tears away from the heel bone lining in one sudden step. The fault usually could also lie in an “inherited” foot fault that runs in our family genes. Sports that are “ballistic” or involve strenuous jumping, stops, and starts worsen it. Jobs that require long periods of standing or walking on hard surfaces are also culprits of this heel pain.

Although our weight could be a factor, it is more likely that the uneven weight distribution that affects it more. In other words, losing 10 or 20 pounds won’t give you moderate relief, but correcting how the surface area of our feet touch the ground is more crucial. The spur itself forms over time and the process begins as a new bone lining is pulled away day by day from the heel (by the untreated flat or highly arched foot) over several months or years. Ironically, the longer the heel spurs, the better, because this shortens the pull on the arch ligament from the heel to the toes of the feet.

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How do we treat this?

Short-term: R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation), physiotherapy, night splints, home stretching exercises, footwear changes, or resting our feet for a day.

Helpful Tips: 1) Morning stretches: Before getting out of bed, point the toes of your feet towards your head and hold that position for ten seconds and try and do ten times (you should feel a pull on the calf). Have a shoe or sandal beside the bed so it supports the arches while you walk around the house. If possible, avoid walking barefoot on hard floors.

2) Runner’s stretch: Place both hands on the wall and extend the affected heel back for about two feet from the wall and keep that heel on the ground while keeping the leg straight. Now slowly and

slightly, bend the other leg forward and toward the wall until you feel a pull on the back calf and hold for ten seconds if possible.

Repeat ten times. If you cannot do this comfortably then skip this step and simply try rolling a tennis ball or golf ball in the arch of the affected foot for three minutes three times a week. Discontinue if the pain is unbearable and see your foot specialist immediately.

3) Night Iicing: Before going to bed, roll your affected heel (with a sock on) on a plastic bottle that is 3⁄4 full of frozen or ice water for ten minutes, then take it off and rest for ten minutes. Repeat the process. Try and do this every night before going to bed, for at least two weeks or until the pain settles down.

Long-term: Orthotics. An orthotic is a custom-made plastic device in patient’s shoes. It not only supports the arch but it also realigns the feet so they are balanced. Without the orthotic, the heel pain will not go away and will get worse over time. This could possibly lead to more chronic, drastic measures such as cortisone, possibly surgery, etc. if left untreated over time.

Helpful Tips: Seek out a “Foot Specialist” such as a Chiropodist or Podiatrist who a foot computer for scanning the feet. The previous method of “casting” is fine, but limits the abilities to only capturing the “shape” of the feet in the ideal neutral position. Over the last 25 years of my practice, I have seen phenomenal advances in foot assessment and orthotic technology. We have to remember that a step is fluid and not stationary and that the foot changes with each step. We never take the same step twice; thus, it is not the “shape of the foot” or “height of the arches” that gives you pain but how you stand and walk and the “timing” of those pressures of the feet on the ground within the “stance” phase of the walking cycle that gives you pain.

Written by Frank Keogh, D.CH Chiropodist-Foot Specialist Frank Keogh is a Chiropodist with over 25 years of experience. He serves the GTA area such as Scarborough, Markham, Mississauga and Brampton. Any e-mails for further information can be directed to info@westendfootcarecentre.ca

COVER STORY Cover Story

Melissa Grelo

Taking pride in her heritage

T

urn on your television to CP24 and your morning will be greeted by one of the freshest faces on Canadian broadcasting today – Melissa Grelo. If you don’t normally get up at 6am to tune in to this show, then you probably will not have the slightest clue that Melissa Grelo is a Filipina.

By Claire Dela Gana and Kate Garbino

20 TAHANAN

Melissa is of Portuguese and Filipino descent, born in Toronto but grew up in Nobleton, Ontario. She graduated at York University with degrees in Bachelors of Arts (Psychology) and Bachelor of Education (English and French). Prior to her career in broadcasting, she was a Grade 7 and 8 teacher at Montessori Country School in Nobleton. After earning her diploma in Broadcast Journalism at Seneca College, her broadcasting career took off by becoming a commuter specialist and general assignment reporter for Breakfast Television and CHUM Television’s A-Channel Barrie/Toronto. She later became a writer, remote host and anchor for both then City-owned CP24 and CityNews.

Country or City Girl?

Television broadcasting is a very glamorous career – being on the air almost every day with make-up, coiffure long tresses, and donning designer clothing.

“I get to play dress-up every day in my job but that is not who I really am.” People laugh when she tells them that she’s a farm girl. “I was born and raised on a horse farm.

Everything you see on TV is just smoke and mirrors. This (face) goes away very easily. I pull my hair extensions out, remove my makeup, I put my ball cap on and I am down mucking horses and getting sneezed at. It is not glamorous.

I was born and raised with these (horses) with hard work and sweat. That is very much who I really am.”

Perhaps you will never believe, or even imagine, that Melissa can lift a bale of hay with one hand!

One tough cookie or just a pretty face? Both. Melissa attributes her toughness to her parents. “Not only did we have good role models in both of them but certainly my dad set a very good example – ‘this is the way it is’ he would say. So when it comes to work and life you can push someone really tough in my way and I know that that person will never be as tough as my dad.” Melissa is very close to her parents and treats them with much respect and love. She recalls one experience during dinner time, “My dad would put a clock in front of us and would say, ‘If you don’t finish your dinner when the big hand reaches this line—‘, and of course, you knew you have to finish it because Pai (Portuguese for Father) had that look on his face. He’s definitely a disciplinarian, but we both knew it’s for our own sake.”

Being raised in a horse farm, there is no boy or girl when it comes to chores. Melissa and her sister, Rosanna, were not treated as princesses. There is work to be done and they are expected to get busy.

“That is a good equalizer because I don’t come into things thinking I have a handicap because I am a girl.”

Asian or European?

As a mixed-race child, Melissa had her share of challenges growing up in a very small and very Caucasian town. It became more apparent during her adolescent years when the identity crisis started creeping in. She recalls, “So that time in my life when I was trying to figure out who I am, there was an identity crisis that lasted for a long time because I did not actually fit in one group.”

People would ask her if she is a Chinese. Filipino cousins dubbed her “white girl”. She was either too Asian for the Europeans at her school or too pale for her Filipino peers. She would not fit the Portuguese looks either.

“At first it was funny but after a while it’s not because you don’t feel you really belong. You look like a lot of things. People have a hard time classifying you and then you have a hard time classifying yourself because you do not know where you want to belong.

And when you’re a teenager, sometimes you do not want to stick out. You just want to be like everybody else. So identity was always a big question that I grappled with all the time because I did not fit into any category.” That eventually resolved itself sometime in her 20’s. “More people knew what Filipino was.” she quips. She started to embrace her identity when she realized it was “pretty cool” to be different. She no longer had to play down her Asian-ness when she’s around Europeans or her European-ness when she’s around Filipinos.

“Being where I stand today led me to being proud of all the parts of me – a strong Filipino culture and an equally strong Portuguese culture. That’s why I’m proud of all parts of me. We recently learned that my dad is part Brazilian, and we want to explore that side of us too.”

TAHANAN 21

Canadian, eh, but very Filipino & Portuguese You will often hear Melissa talk of her Filipino heritage on TV because Filipino traditions are no stranger to Melissa.

The traditional “mano”, which is taking the hand of an elder and putting it on your forehead as a sign of respect, is still practiced. The “tabo”, pronounced as ‘tah-bow’, is visible in their home. This water dipper is equivalent to a manual bidet. She vividly recalls her childhood memories of calling out to her grandmother to clean her up, “Lola, tapos na!”. Her Lola would not let them do it by herself or even let her out of the washroom without washing using the ‘tabo’. She could be sitting in the washroom for hours if Lola did not hear her especially if Lola was watching her favorite soap opera.

As growing children, they had their share of ‘palo’, using flimsy Chinese slippers, which they just laugh off because it does nothing but dust off the dirt on their pants.

Christian holidays and family events are celebrated the traditional Filipino way – big family gathering with lots of food. At Melissa’s wedding (married to Ryan Gaggi, a famous Italian model and now a businessman), they brought a lot of the Filipino wedding traditions – coins, veil, cord and the unity candle. On the other hand, learning about horses is where they get the Portuguese culture. She has traveled to Portugal and fit right in because of her knowledge of horses.

Off Camera Melissa is involved in charity work that includes raising funds for the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) and the Canadian Association of Riding for the Disabled (CARD) through her family’s horseback riding demonstrations. At times, she speaks to youth encouraging them to contribute to their communities and be involved in charitable work.

In her spare time, Melissa takes pleasure in horseback riding.

From Melissa, To our Readers Being born and raised with the marriage of two different cultures, Melissa has learned to embrace her individuality in this multicultural and diverse country we all live in. To our readers, here are some words she would like to impart: 22 TAHANAN

“What I would like to share to all the readers is the opportunity that comes with not only being children of immigrants but the Canadian experience as a whole. It’s very unique that you can fully express and enjoy your culture in a country that embraces that and still be open to the rest of the cultures, the rest that Canada has to offer. And I think that’s the reason why we as children of immigrants have been able to be successful here in Canada. Obviously our lives would have been very different. The meeting of a Portuguese and a Filipino has never been looked at as ‘how did that happen?’.

This success story of being able to live a good life, born and raised in this country, is because we have parents who fully embraced and used the Canadian experience to the fullest of what Canada exactly means to an immigrant.” Asked what legacy she would bring in her family, “that would be acceptance. My parents never deprived anybody with this. It doesn’t matter if you have a penny or if you’re a billionaire,” she continues on talking about her work as a news anchor, “It’s interesting being in this business because you get to meet and talk people in different walks of life with different

socio-economic backgrounds. In the same way, my dad looks at the horses as the ‘Great Equalizer’ because it doesn’t matter how much or how little you have once you’re on the horse’s back -- you’re all the same level.

What’s great about that it’s a metaphor in your life in this business, especially in this business.”

“Everybody has a story to tell’, she continues, “and you have to listen to every bit of it because you know that it’s going to be a great story. Even if the person looks like he’s grumpy, if you’d just listen—you know there’s a story behind that grumpiness. This family taught me—and with so many people that we met through our lives—that acceptance is definitely the key.”

Canada is a very colorful tight knit of heritage and culture from the different countries of the world. We, as citizens of this great nation, are an integral part of its development and greatness. Not just the intelligence and skills we bring but also the richness of culture that we share to one and all. Stand tall and be proud that you are a Filipino-Canadian! T TAHANAN 23

Family Life

Meet t

By Claire Dela Gana

Embracing Cultural Diff

When we, the editorial team of TAHANAN Magazine, decided to feature a personality who is proud of her Filipino heritage, Melissa Grelo was the first one that came to our minds.

TAHANAN is just amazed at her boldness in sharing bits and pieces of her roots on national television. But we believe that there is more to Melissa than meets the eye. TAHANAN met with her family to have a better understanding of what makes her proud to be a Filipino-Canadian.

L

et us meet the parents.

”I did not have to go around the world to find one”, quips Frank, referring to Ferdinand Magellan’s discovery of the Philippines. A metaphoric statement he made when asked how she met Claire.

Trying to remember that memorable night almost 40 years ago seems difficult to Frank. “So long ago that it’s hard to remember.” he says. But Claire remembered it all too well.

It all started in a Spanish club in the Portuguese area of Toronto in a street called Don Quixote in 1971.

Clarita was with her girlfriends watching a pair of Flamenco dancers dancing to the sounds of a Spanish guitar when this good-looking guy in grey suit came through the door. She just threw a quick glance at the stranger and then she continued watching the dance.

24 TAHANAN

He danced with her friends and saved her for last.

Claire tried to dissuade him, “I do not know how to dance.” “I’m a teacher and I will teach you how to dance.” And that is how it all started.

Did Frank ask her hand in marriage the traditional Filipino way? Well, no. “There was no one to ask because her family was not here yet.” But did he get down on one knee? Not exactly. It was not the typical romantic way of asking. No beating around the bush.

“Girl, do you want to go to City Hall? You know, where you get the license.” That’s when Claire realized that Frank was asking her to marry him. Both coming from Catholic families, they were constantly bugged by parents and siblings to get married in the church.

They persisted until Frank and Claire finally gave in to their demands and got married in the church. “It was the smallest Filipino wedding reception. It was

the Grelo Family

erences and Taking Pride of your Heritage

in an apartment, friends cooked for dinner, someone played the guitar and relatives came from Chicago.

Unfortunately no one from Portugal came.” Claire recalls. Both agree that an extravagant wedding was unnecessary. That it was love that has kept them together all these years.

A clash of cultural differences is to be expected in mixed-race marriages. However, that was not the case for Frank and Claire. According to Claire, “There was not much difference in our traditions and way of living.” They have the same religious Catholic background. Both believe in the core family value of having close family ties. Frank and Claire also share the same appetite for food. “Frank eats everything except the blood pudding.” Of course, that is understandable. Not too many nonFilipinos will dare take a mouthful of this exotic

dish unless he or she is unaware of its ingredients.

Language barrier was never an issue either. Claire attended a Portuguese school to learn the language.

But that did not go too well because she had no one to talk to when she gets home. Frank spoke French when he came to Canada. So he was learning English that time. But did he learn Tagalog? He only remembers and understands a few. They were words he would hear from the kids with their grandmother. Imitating them, “Lola, tapos na!” with just the right accent.

Frank came here to Canada to live in the country and pursue his passion - horses. “I did not come here to work and build automobiles or to work in construction.” says Frank. Claire came here to have a better life for herself and to provide the same for her brothers and sisters. All were achieved through hard work and a lot of sacrifices.

25 TAHANAN

Frank worked for American Motors while she was with the Ontario Housing Corporation. He went into business with a couple of friends. He worked in construction building houses. He also became one of the country’s leading salesman selling vacuums to the Portuguese community. But he has always been known as the “horse guy”. He eventually bought a farm in Caledon and founded his own riding school.

Raising princesses in a horse farm.

Melissa and Rosanna are no spoiled brats. Although Claire claims she is the disciplinarian, the two girls think otherwise. He disciplines with a ‘look’ and nobody dares let it progress beyond the ‘look’.

Rosanna shares that the very early use of the Encyclopedia Britannica was for push ups. It has to lay flat on your back. If you drop one, you get two more.

The girls attribute that to Frank’s military background.

As girls, they were not spared from farm chores – slugging, mucking and sweeping. They had to work because there is work to be done. But there was also lots of play time. One of the benefits of living in a farm is that you have a huge playground.

26 TAHANAN

Getting in trouble? Certainly they did. From dismembering Barbie dolls to pulling knobs off cabinets, TVs and stereo. But they had kept the big one a secret until they were grown-ups. A simple fun game of jumping off the loft that turned into a (notso) bloody incident. Naughtiness will not escape the punishment of a palo or kurot.

When they turned into teenagers, different rules were set. If a guy came over, the bedroom door should be kept open. Driving with teenagers was never allowed. It would have to be with a parent. Not even an older brother or sister was acceptable. When they went somewhere else, they were expected to provide contact details before leaving.

According to Claire, “Frank and I do not get involved in their relationships. You choose who you choose.”

With Frank, he wants to see the guy holding a wheel barrow. Be prepared to give a firm handshake and while looking at him straight in the eye. Be prepared to be interrogated when you call on the phone. “It is intimidating but that was him asserting his position.” says Rosanna.

Family traditions are very Filipino.

Claire’s entire family migrated to Canada and none from Frank’s side. Catholic holidays are very catered to Filipino traditions – gift giving, the “mano” which the uncles still insist, and the food. They take road trips with a rice cooker. Melissa’s and Rosanna’s friends get to taste Filipino hospitality. “Everyone is so nice and so warm and shoves food in your face.” as friends would say when they attend family gatherings.

They know all too well the first thing everyone will say, that is, “Come and eat!”.

The Grelos keep family traditions unique to their family which does not go unnoticed by family friends.

Every time they come through the door, they greet each other. Every time they go to bed, they greet each other. Claire recalls “We never let a night pass without kissing them.” If there were busy nights, they make sure that they go and kiss the sleeping Melissa and Rosanna before they retire to bed. As much as possible, meals are shared together. Regular family meetings are held to share problems and achievements. At Christmas when they get together with Claire’s family, each family lights a candle and says a prayer-- a family tradition that has stayed with them over the years.

Proud of their heritage.

“As a parent, you have to set the example. And as a Filipina, I never stopped talking about how beautiful our country is,” shares Claire. She often talks about how holidays are spent back home. She keeps on reminding them the value of education. Not coming from a well-to-do family, she always reminds her children that ‘education is wealth’, a lesson of life that Claire inherited from her parents.

However, Frank offers a different perspective on education. “Well, you do not need a diploma to be a brick layer. And they make very good money.” He continues to say that to be a brick layer or a truck driver you do not have to break your head. According to his observation, there are so many educated and skilled people from other countries but are out of job.

“Today lots of people go to school, many many years, lots of diplomas, lots of paperwork, to do what? They cannot even be brick layers because they do not want to lay down the bricks.”

Now, both are happy and contented to see their children achieve success in their chosen endeavors.

The legacy of life.

“There is no university like life,” as Frank would say to their children. Coming from different corners of the world and working their fingers to the bone to be where they are now, their children are so blessed to be the recipients of invaluable lessons of life. These they will unselfishly share with their future families.

Whether they have a penny or a billion dollars, their parents will treat them the same way. This has taught Melissa to accept people from all walks of life. “Being in this business it’s been interesting because you get people from all cultures, from all socio-economic backgrounds. In many ways, my dad looks at the horses the great equalizer because it does not matter how much or how little you have once you’re on a horse’s back and you’re in a lesson with him, you are all the same level. And what’s great about that is it’s a metaphor for life here and that’s what this business and my family has thought me. So many people have come to our lives – from dignitaries, politicians, and celebrities like Christopher Reeves to nobody who just wants to be with a horse. And there is no difference. But it’s only the passion that they have in common. And that is where we start. And I hope I have done that already very much in my life.”

TAHANAN 27

Rosanna just wishes her parents get to live forever.

She has learned so much from them but the most important life lesson she will carry with her for the rest of her life is their work attitude. “My father has this saying, ‘Somebody who knows how to work with his hands will never be out of work.’

She also would like to carry on the family values.

“Seeing my parents with their respective families, it’s awesome. I love both sides of my family and it’s given me a lot of opportunity to travel. There’s speediness in the Filipino culture. If you want to get something done right away, ask a Filipino. In the Portuguese culture, there’s laidbackness. Enjoy your life. It’s not all about the work. It’s not all about the money. Enjoy your life, have a glass of wine, sit down, relax, it is not a race. Have an outlook on life not just about now but into the years to come and to what to pass on.”

Melissa, who spends most of her time in the city because of work, will never raise a child in the city.

“The saddest thing for me is when I’m walking in the city and I see there’s a little fenced-in yard and there’s a kid kicking a ball by himself. We were born and raised in the country with fresh air and lots of land.

We would disappear for hours with our friends, with the horses. We just had an amazing day out playing making mud pies in the pond, jumping off stuff, catching frogs. I think that is how kids should be raised. That is the only way I know how actually.”

To fellow immigrants.

Claire shares “It is easy to say ‘I’m a Filipino and I really love the Philippines but I am just here to earn some money and go back home.’ No, we should be very thankful that we were accepted in Canada and we have received all the benefits the country can offer. We should be very proud of our background but we have to embrace all the cultures available here in Canada and be friendly to one another.”

From Frank, “Throughout history, there have been great empires but they all fell. Those empires were not built by local people. People came from all over the world. They mingled, take part, took into that the experience of what the country has to offer.

Observe, partake of what is in here and, above all, contribute so that the country will keep flourishing not only for your own life but for the next generation to come.”

Melissa and Rosanna encourage all to see the beauty of being able to cultivate your culture in another place. “I think it’ll be really sad to have all these immigrants who don’t do that. To explore it and to really look at embracing your culture as part of who you are, your heritage because one of the most awesome things about Toronto is the people who embrace their culture and put it forward to share it.

People need to do that. It’s not always easy and not always fun but the benefit that that gives to you and the people at large does something bigger than you.

I think that is important.” T

Francis Berroya Team Sales Representatives

Realty One, Inc., Brokerage

Bus: 905-277-0771 RealEstateInGTA.net BankOwnedWestGTA.com Facebook.com/FrancisBerroyaTeam ©2011 TAHANAN GRPCS 2011-03

28 TAHANAN

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For the best deal, please don’t call us first... call us last at...

416-850-5568 4400 Sheppard Ave., East, Unit 16 Scarborough, ON M1S 1T8 ©2011 TAHANAN GRPCS 2011-14

TAHANAN 29

Family Life

Ways to Strengthen the Family

By Claire Dela Gana

n i r Du

I

f your definition of cold is when you open the freezer, then winter is definitely harsh for you.

Adults and children alike have to deal with cold snaps, wind chills, snow storms, freezing rain, just to name a few. So if you think winter is harsh, so is life. These are tough times. The world financial crisis in the last few years has contributed to the failure of big and small businesses, decline in economic activity and increase in unemployment.

Economists and financial analysts are keeping their eyes on flashing red numbers on the stock market boards. But what eludes these people is its effect on the very basic component of society – the family. They could not care less where it hits the hardest.

According to experts, financial stress can negatively affect marriages and children. As a parent, it is only logical to ask, “How do we get through this?” “How can doing with less strengthen our family?”

Your bank account is not proportionate to your family’s happiness and stability. It is these hard times that can make or break relationships. The good news is you have a choice. Choosing the latter is a no-brainer and very expensive. You might end up doing it alone. Worst, you might end up all alone. If you choose the former, it will not cost you much but everyone in the family has to work hard for it. Here are a few inexpensive things to do to strengthen family ties, not just in bad times but also in good times.

30 TAHANAN

gh u o T g

s e Ti m

1. Hold Regular Family Meetings Communication is a key component to a healthy relationship between parents and children. Turn to one another instead of away from each another when there is a problem. Good news and joys are meant to be shared with one another. Holding family meetings promotes healthy and open family communication. It gives the family an opportunity to come together to share and discuss joys and achievements. It provides family members a platform to raise issues, present opinions and views, and to work out agreeable solutions and decisions together.

To start, propose a regular, weekly meeting time when all can attend. Agree on what day of the week to hold it. Hold meetings when the family is relaxed and no one is too tired. It can either be structured and formal, or, it can also be relaxed and informal. It all depends on the personality and communication patterns of the family. Everyone in the family, from the youngest to the oldest, has a voice. Give everyone a chance to speak. Do not forget to show appreciation for each family member so children learn the value of making others feel good with compliments. Instill cooperation and collaboration as children watch the family working together to solve a problem or come up with a plan. If family meetings are sporadic, they are less likely to be effective. To hold an effective family meeting, it should be a regularly scheduled event for the family. If your family is extremely busy, or have erratic schedules, then the more you need to make family meetings a priority.

2. Create Family Rituals or Traditions When you think of family rituals or traditions, the first thing that will probably come into your mind are big family events such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, weddings or anniversaries. Apart from celebrating these big momentous occasions in ways unique to your own families, everyday rituals are just as important dynamics that bind families together such as reading stories before bedtime, saying grace before meals, kids kissing and hugging parents before they leave or when they get home from school.

Rituals are repeated and shared activities. What makes it very worthy is not the act itself but the positive emotions it yields - a sense of togetherness that grows out of the shared experience, the feeling of rightness that comes from its repetition, the indelible imprints that it leaves on children’s minds, and the treasured memories formed ready to be passed on from generation to generation.

If your family does not have one, start creating one.

Here are a few ideas to start with. Create a bedtime ritual such as reading a story, praying together as a family or humming a lullaby until your child falls asleep. Plan and serve breakfast in bed on Mother’s Day. Select one night in a week as ‘Family Night’.

Celebrate a child’s achievement in academics or extra-curricular activity. This list can go on and on and you will find one that will suit your taste or your budget. The key is to find enjoyment in the small things in life with the family.

3. Build Emotional Bank Account Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, coined the word Emotional Bank Account as a metaphor for describing the amount of trust that has been built up in a relationship. All family members have an emotional bank account with each member of the family. Similar to a bank account, you can make deposits or withdrawals from each of your family relationships. However, it deals with emotional units not monetary values.

So how do you make deposits? Show affection with simple word of kindness, a compliment, attend to little things and keep commitments. Let go of resentments. Apologize sincerely. Shower each other with praises (and mean it). Little things that you do to show your love and commitment are ways to bank those emotional units.

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How about withdrawals? Do the opposite – being unkind, disrespectful, mean and uncaring - you draw from their bank accounts. Avert withdrawals as much as possible. Look at it this way – when your chequing account is overdrawn, then it is hard for you to give away money. Overdrawn emotional bank accounts bring conflicts and mistrust.

Make every effort to have a positive reserve by making regular deposits. There will be greater tolerance for mistakes and an open communication is enjoyed almost every time. You cannot afford emotional bankruptcy when it comes to your family!

4. Write a family mission statement You have probably read and heard a lot of corporate mission statements. The Fortune 500 companies, even small businesses and non-profit organizations, have it. They are a set of words that tell their employees and customers who they are and where they are going. Similarly, a family mission statement defines the identity of a family. It states what they do and the direction where they should go as a family.

TAHANAN 31

Writing one for the family can help your family focus on your values. It will be a reminder of what your priorities are. Having one will bring unity to your family because you are all working towards a common goal.

Here are examples to give you some ideas:

Gather all the family members including children.

Explain that you will be creating your family’s vision and mission statement. Explain that it is a roadmap versus a new set of rules. Define your family by asking everyone to suggest adjectives that describe your family. Brainstorm ideas for your mission statement and put several of those ideas in sentence form. If you have young children, let them express it in colorful drawings. Ensure that everyone in the family is in agreement with the words. Print your vision and mission statement and post it somewhere where all can see to remind everyone of the family’s goals on a daily basis. If you are a creative family, you can express it as a painting or a collage of drawings and pictures then hang it on a wall. It will be a good conversation piece when guests come over and it may even encourage them to do one for their families.

“The mission of our family is to create a nurturing place of order, truth, love, happiness, and relaxation; and to provide opportunities for each person to become responsibly independent and effectively interdependent, in order to achieve worthwhile purposes.”

“We devote our family to creating a safe, nurturing environment where all our family members are respected and encouraged to develop the talents God gave them.”

Memorize it and take it by heart. Apply it to your everyday life. When conflicts arise, refer back to it to guide you in your struggles and decisions.

The world around us is waking up from its sweet winter slumber. As springtime brings about renewal and re-growth, let us all take a moment to sow good seeds within our family for a lifetime of lovely blooms and bountiful harvests. All ready to weather the next winter storm. T Marie Claire is my real name. A modern version of Maria Clara.

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32 TAHANAN

Financial Advice

Homebuying step-by-step Buying a home is one of the most important financial and lifestyle decisions you will ever make. To ensure you make smart homebuying decisions from start to finish, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation offers step-by-step tips.

Step 1 — Make Sure You’re Ready Before you start your search, make sure homeownership is right for you.

Ask yourself some fundamental questions. Are you planning on relocating soon? Can you manage home repairs?

Step 2 — Know Your Financial Situation Evaluate your current financial situation by calculating your net worth and reviewing your monthly expenses and debt payments. Ask a mortgage professional how much mortgage you can afford and the maximum house price that you should be considering.

Step 8 — Close the Deal Closing day is the day you finally achieve your goal — you get to call your new house your own. Quite a few things get done on closing day, and you may also require the services of a mover.

Step 9 — Budget, Budget, Budget The financial responsibilities of homeownership begin when you take possession of your home. You need to budget for mortgage payments, ongoing operating costs and an emergency fund.

Step 10 — Home Maintenance Keep it up. Maintenance, repair and renovations are a normal part of homeownership. Regular maintenance will help you keep your home in top condition and protect your investment.

Contributed by: Ariel Santos Mortgage Agent email: ariel@arielsantos.ca

Obtain mortgage pre-approval to make buying a home less timeconsuming.

Step 3 — Calculate Costs

CERTIFIED HOME INSPECTOR

Make a list and calculate the upfront costs and other expenses associated with buying and owning a home to make sure you’re financially prepared.

Step 4 — Determine Your Needs Before you start searching for a home, think about your current and future housing needs, which location is right for you, and what features are important to you in a home.

“Professional Inspections, Affordable Prices”

Step 5 — Find the Right Professionals Buying a home requires the services of real estate professionals, lawyers, mortgage professionals, home inspectors and so on. It will give you peace of mind to have experts on your team to answer your many questions along the way.

Step 6 — Start the Search Now it’s time to start your home search. Don’t forget to consider the wide array of search options you have at your disposal, including friends and family.

Step 7 — Make an Offer Once you’ve found the home you want to buy, you will need to present the vendor with an Offer to Purchase or Agreement of Purchase and Sale.

Your real estate agent and/or your lawyer/notary can help you to prepare your offer.

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TAHANAN 33

Family Life

My Kitchen Amazing stories behind delicious recipes

T Quikiam: Secret Recipe Revealed

by Clarisse Rajappan

34 TAHANAN

his section really suits me because the kusina (kitchen) is my favourite spot at home. Friends tell me that I had “let myself go” in the kitchen, and I would respond “I used to weigh 110 pounds... when I was in grade 3”.

Being the youngest in the family, I would make myself useful for my mom in the kitchen by being the “taste test person”. Later on, my mom taught me how to prepare the ingredients of different dishes, until the day came I found myself holding the sandok (ladle). I started with simple stir fry dishes, then graduated to more complicated cuisine. My specialty is the Filipino style spaghetti.

and my aunt would have their never-ending chats from lunch time to dinner time. The kusina was where my brother and I would do our assignments with our usual midnight snack of Chippy, hopia, and Coke.

And since I shared room with my elder sister, I normally did my schoolwork in our kusina as well. It is the place where I could find silence when I needed to study and prepare for school competitions, the same place where I would practice playing my banduria, and a perfect place to stay when composing letters and poems.

Aside from the busy cooking, my family treats our kitchen our most intimate place where we gather memories of life.

If Jose Rizal wrote some of his novel inside the jail, it was in our kusina that I wrote ``I will study harder.`` on 10 pages of paper back-to-back for days as punishment for getting lower grades on what was expected.

Every Sunday night, my dad and I would sit together, planning the work assignments of his team. I would take the dictation, and we would analyze the plan together. It was the place where my mom

There were thousands of meals that had been prepared in our kusina. Since this is our maiden issue, I am going to reveal the secret recipe of one of our most favourite and most requested dishes... Quikiam!

You will need the following ingredients: For Quikiam Mix 1 kilo ground pork 2 cups meat of deboned dalagang bukid (yellow tail fusilier), 1 cup carrots sliced thinly like match sticks, 1 cup singkamas (Mexican turnip) cut as thin as match stick, 1⁄2 cup kintsay or Chinese celery finely chopped, 2 medium size onions finely chopped, 1 cup flour, 2 eggs sinsal (pork lard leaf), Salt as desired, Pepper as desired, Oil as desired

and onion. Mix these ingredients by hand.

4. Add in the 2 eggs. Add the flour slowly while continuously mixing.

5. Fry a small amount of the mixture, and taste if salt and pepper is just enough.

Adjust taste accordingly.

6. Spread the sinsal and put a small amount of the mixture. Wrap and form the mixture like a regular longganiza (Philippine chorizo or sausage).

For the batter

7. Cut the sinsal and seal it with flour.

1 cup flour, 1 cup corn starch, 2 eggs, Water as desired, Salt as desired

8. In a separate bowl, prepare the batter by mixing the egg, flour, and corn starch, water, and salt. Water amount depends on preferred consistency. The thicker, the better.

9. In a cooking pan, put a generous amount of oil, enough to deep fry the wrapped Quikiam mix.

Procedure 1. Mix the ground pork and fish in a big bowl.

2. Add in salt and pepper while mixing.

3. Mix in the carrots, singkamas, kintsay,

10. When the oil is ready, cover each wrapped Quikiam with flour, dip it in the batter, and drop into the pan. Keep the stove in a medium setting.

11. Remove from fire when becomes golden brown.

12. Serve with rice, and soup. You may use ketchup or vinegar with garlic as dipping.

Prepare and try this recipe then share with me your thoughts and taste. If you have a delicious food recipe to share that comes with an inspirational story, I encourage you to come and visit our Kusina. I will be delighted to chat and cook with you! Email me at cigy1213@tahananmagazine.com.

Clarisse Rajappan is a systems analyst and a computer book author by profession. Clarisse aims to be a stand-up comedienne and be one of the best chefs in Toronto.

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TAHANAN 35

Family Life

Here at the Spot Hanging out has never been this cool

Dito sa Tambayan:

Follow My Tweets

by Kate Garbino

Here at the spot, I’d like you to think hard.

Isn’t it interesting that our world today is already rich in gadgets? If you have seen the likes of Star Wars or Star Trek, you would think that we’re not that far from having a smartphone to a sunglass-phone.

Communication before was limited with telegraphs, snail mails and payphones, but because of the fast growing technology we have today, we could actually know the person without talking to them through Facebook’s profile, Twitter and Tumblr. These “tools” are even helpful to us because we use them to vent out our frustrations, ask people the best place to eat at a certain area, or tell the whole world we have black underwear.

Wait. Black underwear?

Because we have easy access to our status profiles, we sometimes make these knee-jerk reactions. We would post anything we want without thinking, to a point where we put ridiculous things in our statuses. We forget that our Facebook profile is us and just like a mirror, it is our reflection.

How do we use them properly, you ask? Simple.

By inspiring others.

Filipinos are known to be jolly all the time. We crack jokes at our misgivings, even see the beauty in our failings. So yes, we do have the genes to be optimistic. Instead of typing, “I’ve been dumped,” you can put, “There’s someone out there who would love me for me.” A longer sentence, I know, but it’s a whole lot better than the former.

There are different ways on being inspiring as well. You can post motivational quotes from a book, a memorable verse you heard from your MP3 player, or phrases you got from researching the Internet.

36 TAHANAN

I have a list of several sites you can follow to help you in being that inspiration:

TWITTER: @DoSomething – an organization that helps the youth to do something for their cause. They also tackle issues such as bullying, racism, and obesity.

It’s a place where you can actually help the youth all over the world. @GreatestQuotes – based in Ireland, this is a wide collection of quotes from different famous people. @BestFilmQuotes – if you’re a film buff, you’d definitely want to follow this page. It features several film and TV quotes (and even Spongebob’s). @LoveinFilipino – a site where you can get translated English quotes in Filipino

There are so many sites out there to check out, but always remember, you have what it takes to be an inspiration.

Follow Ate Kate on twitter: @kategarbino; and on tumblr: kategarbino.tumblr.com

TUMBLR: tgifilipino.tumblr.com– you can use this site to reblog several interesting stuff about Filipinos. It also has some motivational quotes and even Filipino jokes that would make your blog a little bit more fun!

Kate Garbino is an active member of a Catholic family renewal community who aspires to be an inspiration.

creativeinspiration.tumblr.com – if you are more of a visual person who appreciates pictures or videos rather than texts, or if you just need that little creative boost to your imagination (to keep those hands going), this blog will surely help you find that niche. Then you can post your work on your blog to inspire other youth as well. givesmehope.tumblr.com – from the site GivesMeHope.com, comes the Tumblr version. These are stories that would motivate you to see the beauty in the smallest of things.

Alam Mo Ba?

Did You Know?

That the very first internet connection in the Philippines was through Sprint in the US? The very first connection was on March 1994 through Philippine Network Foundation in a 64 kbps link.

kuyamac.tumblr.com – whether you’re a Christian or not, Kuya Mac delivers not only quotes but also challenges to help us reflect on what life is all about.

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TAHANAN 37

Family Life

My Library Philippine Culture (Legends, Literature and Life)

The Creation Story

By Joi Lardizabal

“Where did I come from” This is a typical question inquisitive children ask of their parents.

In most cultures and religions,

there is always a definite response to that earnest query, which is passed through “stories” by oral tradition or written records.

Our Philippine legends have their own version of how people were created. As you read the story below, one can’t help but smile and be amused, especially the last part of the Creation story where skin colour

Acrylic on canvas painting by: Calixto Quiachon

was “practically” explained.

It’s best to drink barako coffee and eat suman while reading this narrative, so you would feel the total intended setting of this interesting tale.

W

hen the world first began, there was no land. Only the deep Sea and the blue Sky existed, and between them was a lone crow. One day, this solitary bird, which had nowhere to land, grew weary of flying around.

So, she vigorously stirred up the quiet Sea until it threw its waters against the Sky. The Sky, in order to restrain the Sea, showered upon it many islands until it could no longer rise but instead flow back and forth, producing a huge tide. Then, the Sky ordered the crow to land on one of the islands to build her nest and to leave the Sea and the Sky in peace.

38 TAHANAN

Now at this time the Land Breeze and the Sea Breeze were married, and they had a child-- a bamboo. One day, when this bamboo was randomly floating about onthe water, it accidentally struck the feet of the crow who was on the beach. The bird, furious that anything should strike it, angrily pecked at the poor bamboo, and out of one crack came a man and from the other, a woman!

Then the Earthquake called on all the birds and fish to see what should be done with these two, and it was unanimously decided that they should marry. Many children were born to the couple, and from them came all the different races of people.

Time passed and the parents grew very tired of having so many idle, useless children around. They wished to be rid of

them, but they knew of no place to send them to. Later on, the children became so numerous that the parents enjoyed no peace. One day, in desperation, the father suddenly seized a stick and began beating them. This so frightened the children that they fled in different directions, frantically seeking hidden rooms in the house.

Some concealed themselves in the walls, some ran outside, others hid in the earthen stove, and several fled to the sea.

Now it happened that those who went into the hidden rooms of the house later became the chiefs of the islands. Those who concealed themselves in the walls became slaves, while those who ran outside evolved into free men.

Those who hid in the stove became darkskinned people. Those who fled to the sea were gone many years, and when their children came back, they returned as white people.

Mga Pamahiin (Folk Beliefs or Supestitions)

magngangalaga ng pagkakaisa at katahimikan

dapat pareho sa loob ng siyam na araw. Kung

sa loob ng bahay. (When building a house,

hindi, may mamamatay sa bahay na iyon. (The

always remember to place certain things under

number of people sleeping in a new house

Aside from legends, we have our own pamahiin

each structural post like old coins, musical

the first night should be the same for nine

which our grandparents swear their lives by.

score sheets, and religious medals. These will

consecutive days. Otherwise, death will occur

Some of them may seem ludicrous but some

drive away evil spirits and ensure prosperity.)

in that house.) Now that’s a good plot for the

of them are actually very practical. Here are

next scream movie.

some of pamahiin about constructing a tahanan

• Ang bilang ng mga hakbang sa hagdanan ay

(house):

hindi dapat napapangkat ng tatluhan. Bilangin ang mga hakbang mg oro (ginto), plata (pilak),

Mga Palatandaan at Pahiwatig (Signs and Omens)

• Kung magpapatayo ng bahay, laging

at mata (kamatayan). Ang huling hakbang ay

magsimula sa kabilugan ng buwan. (If you plan

hindi dapat magtapos sa mata. (The number of

to build a house, always begin on the day of full

steps on a staircase should not be in multiples

moon.)

• Kapag nakakita ng mga bubuyog sa loob ng

of three. Count off the steps as oro (gold), plata

bahay, ito ay maghahatid ng kayamanan at

(silver), and mata (death). The last step must

swerte sa mga naninirahan. (Bees found inside

not fall on mata.)

the house will bring fortune and good luck to its

•

Ang

pinakamainam

na

panahon

sa

pagpapatayo ng bahay ay sa mga buwan ng

occupants.) Let’s not forget they sting too.

Marso, Hunyo, Hulyo, Agosto, Septyembre,

• Laging lumipat sa bagong bahay sa araw

at Nobyembre. (The best months to build a

ng Miyerkules o Sabado. (Always move into a

house is during the months of March, June,

new house on a Wednesday or Saturday.) As

July, August, September, and November.)

Garfield would say, Mondays suck.

pagkakaisa at harmonya doon, dahil ang mga

• Kapag ikaw ay lumipat sa bagong bahay isang

doves and pigeons leave a house, it is a sign that

I

guess because it’s too cold from December to February.

araw bago sumapit ang kadiliman ng buwan,

• Kapag ang mga kalapati ay lumisan mula sa isang bahay, ito ay tanda ng kawalan ng nakatira doon ay laging nag-aaway.

(When

there is no harmony there, because its owners quarrel all the time.) In the first place, why

• Huwag na huwag magpapatayo ng bahay

ikaw ay hindi magugutom.

sa pinakadulo ng kalsadang walang lagusan.

new home one day before the new moon, you

would there be fowl in the house? Hmmm...

(Never build your house at the end of a cul de

will never go hungry.) Especially if it’s payday.

On our next issue, we will learn about the

(If you move to a

sac, or “dead end” road.) So, sorry, no Knots Landing scenario.

legends why the sky is curved and why it is • Ang unang mga bagay na dapat ipasok sa loob

high.

ng bagong bahay sa araw ng paglipat ay bigas • Malas ang bahay na may labing-tatlong poste.

pamahiin, particularly signs and premonitions,

at asin. (The first things one should carry into a

(It is bad luck for a house to have thirteen

Feel free to share interesting, funny or strange

new home on moving day are rice and salt. ) Not

posts.) Paraskevidekatriaphobia even in the

pamahiin beliefs or legends your parents or

the plastic-covered sofa.

grandparents shared with you. E-mail them to

Philippines.

We will also tackle more interesting

editor@tahananmagazine.com.

• Sa paglipat sa bagong bahay, isabog ang mga

• Kapag magpapatayo ng bahay, laging isipin

barya sa sala upang ang prosperidad ay maghari.

na maglagay ng ilang bagay sa ilalim ng bawat

(When moving into a new home, scatter coins

haligi o poste ng bahay, gaya ng mga lumang

in the living room so prosperity will reign.) But

barya at mga medalyang pangrelihiyoso. Ito

don’t tell that to the akyat-bahay gang.

ay magpapa-alis ng mga masasamang espiritu

Legends and beliefs taken from (with permission ): http://www.seasite.niu.edu / tagalog /Tagalog_mainpage.htm

at mangangalaga ng prosperidad. Ang mga

• Ang bilang ng mga taong natutulog sa loob ng

Joi Lardizabal is a mother of two children who would absolutely identify themselves as the chiefs

piyesa ng musika, medalya, at mga barya ay

bagong bahay sa unang araw ng pagkalipat ay

of the islands in the Creation story.

TAHANAN 39

Family Life

KWARTO (BEDROOM)

Views from my window Gadget, Travel, Cars, and More

KINECT By: Chris Catral

The XBOX 360 has always been a hardcore gamers’ system. Most of the consoles sold since its inception in 2005 have been picked up by younger males who are into complex shooting games such as Call of Duty and of course the popular 2K sports series. Enter Kinect, big software machine Microsoft’s newest creation in controller-free and motion-activated entertainment experience which integrates voice, a camera and full body sensing.

So could this be Microsoft’s answer to broadening its audience from just the typical extreme gamer?

Let’s get to the technical aspects of this machine. Kinect is quite different from the Wii MotionPlus and PS3 Move because it is absolutely controller-free. I have to emphasize my point here because the previous mentioned consoles use a wand-shaped controller to activate movements in 3D space. Rather than limiting yourself to hand gestures using baton-like objects, the full movement of your body is recorded by Kinect’s sensor, which astoundingly tracks the movements of our body’s 48 joints, to determine the position our body is in.

So basically, your body is the controller, you’re in charge without pressing any buttons, just make gestures with your hands, legs, or even your head and you’re ready to go. Another neat feature is the built-in microphones used for the voice control option. It can recognize your voice anywhere in the room and is activated by using the word “XBOX”.

Once that magic word is said, a list of commands pops up on screen that is available for you to say. Of course you have the option of using the regular XBOX controller to navigate your way through menu screens if you don’t feel like talking or using hand gestures.

So, after hearing rave reviews from my co-worker, I visited my friend Brian who just bought a Kinect recently to see what the hype was about.

I can honestly tell you it was a genuinely new experience for me. The game I played was Dance Central, a dancing game (this is arguably the flagship game of Kinect). I’m not much of a dancer, but I really enjoyed

40 TAHANAN

playing this game. It made me actually pull off some dance moves which I normally wouldn’t do and had a few laughs with my pals as well. So whether you want to learn a Lady Gaga dance or let your competitive juices flow by squaring off against a friend in a dance competition, you will be impressed by its fun factor. This would be perfect for a party or bonding time with your family/friends.

People that are accustomed to the Wii’s game play should make an easy transition into playing Kinect. Also, casual video game fans can benefit from Kinect’s controller-free play. That means if you’re not great at the complex side of winding, scrolling video games, this console is for you.

Hardcore gamers alike should put down their game controllers, get off the couch and try something new, and have little bit of exercise.

Of course, there are some problems that need to be pointed out. The playing area is quite small, which means you are limited to a certain point where you have to stand. When there are two people participating in a game it might be a challenging task, as the viewing angle will cut out one of the two players. You’ll need a bit of space in front of the Kinect for you to operate, leading to a little bit of furniture shuffling. I’ve noticed also that there are lag/delay issues. In some games there is a split second delay of the Kinect sensor recognizing your motion. Also when using the voice command I had to speak up twice or three times before it recognized the action.

Testimonials: Brian, 28 “I like Kinect’s uniqueness. It forced me to get off the couch and try something new aside from pressing buttons while playing video games. I like playing Dance Central because of the wide array of dance moves you can learn, plus you can download new songs from the Internet.”

Paolo, 10 “I like it because I can play with my brother and sister. We have fun while spending time together.”

Overall, Kinect is one unique and creative machine. It can generally expand Microsoft’s appeal to the WII crowd or the demographic of casual gamers alike. This would be an excellent choice for party entertainment or simply a way to relax by yourself on a Sunday afternoon when the weather is bad outside and you are limited to indoor activities. It’s still in its early stages but this machine has a lot of potential and can truly revolutionize the way we play video games in the future.

Specs: Platform: XBOX 360 Connectivity: USB 2.0 Where to Buy: Best Buy, Game Stop

Honda

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Chris is a mild mannered banker but has a superman attitude towards life and what it has to offer

Advertise with us at: ads@tahananmagazine.com 647-427-8771

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TAHANAN 41

Family Life

KWARTO (BEDROOM)

Canada, eh?

After a very busy and long day on my first day of work at Home Depot, I joined my coworkers during break to get to know them better. After a few minutes of chatting, one of them stood up, making his way to the vending machine. He asked me “you want some pop?” I immediately thought of Pop Cola in the Philippines, which I didn’t like.

So I shook my head. “Okay”, he said. Then I said “Just Coke, please.”

R. Cortez Brampton “I just learned how to say basic things about myself in English, from my ESL class. Only a few weeks in Canada, I braved to explore the bus system in Oakville. As I stood next to a bus stop, a Caucasian guy joined me and smiled. “So,” he said, “how long have you been here?” I was happy he asked me that question because we had learned how to respond to that in class. So, I confidently replied “Five weeks.” He looked at me, confused. Then he explained, “I mean, here, at the bus stop.”

T. Bautista Oakville Coming home from her first day of work in Canada, my friend had a worried look on her face.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“What do you mean by ‘garret’?” she asked frustratingly.

“Garret?” I wondered. “Maybe it’s a name of a co-worker. Or another supervisor.”

“No,” she sighed. “My boss keeps saying it to me.”

“Like how?”

“He says ‘So get these boxes and put them there, garret? Then bring this fax to the mail room, garret? Then, make photocopies of them, garret?”

M. Cruz Etobicoke 42 TAHANAN

SHARE A LAUGH

On our first day in Canada, from the airport, we went straight to the “bachelor’s apartment” someone arranged for us. When we got there, we were shocked. There was no bedroom. Just a room with four walls, with a kitchen in the corner and one washroom.

A wife excitedly told her husband, who just The first thing I did was to clean the washcame home from work, that she received a room. As I poured water on the washroom sales call. floor to begin soaping the floor, I realized “Honey, a Mr Smith is visiting us tomor- there was no drainage! The washroom row to show us some fancy gadgets for our instantly flooded and my family and I hyshouse.” terically took out from our suitcases whatThe man sat down. “Ano na naman yan?” ever we could use to wipe the floor. Then, (What is this about?) suddenly, we heard the fire alarm along She paused for dramatic purposes. “Iron the hallways on our floor. We panicked and and gold accessories for a fireplace.” hurriedly took all our suitcases, valuable beThe husband closed his eyes and in an longings, jewelry, passports, and ran down exasperated tone, said “We DON’T have a the stairs. When we got to the lobby, we fireplace.” were surprised we were the only ones there.

True story told to the editor (source un- Then someone sheepishly told us that the known) fire alarm always went off when someone was cooking with high heat.”

Weng Latosa This happened just after I got my driver’s Brampton license. I borrowed a car to test my driving skills here in Canada. I started off in Bramp- It was my first day of work in Canada. When ton and drove all the way to Ottawa with the I got to the bus stop, I missed my #28 bus at intention of driving back the same day. The Square One terminal. I remember my huscar I picked out was a compact car -- nice, band reminding me to take #19, so I quickly new and just right for the long drive. After boarded the bus that displayed “#19” in two hours of driving, I stopped at a gas sta- front. I didn’t bother to check if it was gotion to fill up. Not familiar with the car I bor- ing north or south or west or east. After a rowed, I searched for the gas tank for what half hour, I got worried because I knew that seemed like 10 minutes. When I found it, I Dundas was not too far from Square One, so didn’t know how to open it. I looked around, I asked the driver where the bus was going. waited for most of the cars to leave, and He said “Brampton, of course.” I hyperventhen I went into the store. I begged the at- tilated and screamed “Paraaaaa!” tendant “Could you please help me? I don’t Gee Enriquez know to fill up my car with petrol.” At first Mississauga he looked at me oddly when I used the word “petrol”. Then he smiled and helped me right away. I have never felt so intimidated and embarrassed, because I have never If you have any amusing true stories of your filled up gas tanks before. life here in Canada, feel free to share them Rosanna Bharucha by e-mailing editor@tahananmagazine.com.

Mississauga

PILINGLISH PLEASE! We Pinoys have our own kind of English.

Check out these literal translations: • I’ll be the one to pay for the cake. (Ako na ang bibili ng keyk.) Correct form: I’ll pay for the cake.

• For a while...(Sandali lang.)

Correct form: Just a minute...or Just a second.

• I don’t know to you. (Ewan ko sa yo.)

Correct form: Whatever!

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• By and by. (Mamaya.) Correct form: Later

And here are typical grammatical mistakes we make:

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• Do you LIKE to go to Square One now?

Correct form: Would you like to go to • In behalf of my family.... Correct form: On behalf...

• I thanks God... Correct form: I thank God...

• Did you wrote the letter?

Correct form: Did you write..?

More English tips next issue! If you have questions about English grammar or usage, we’d be happy to help!

E-mail editor@tahananmagazine.com.

The Perfect Opportunity Ardyss International offers the perfect opportunity for home-based business owners at the right time–now. Ardyss is unique in that its amazing products are like no other in the network.

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TAHANAN 43

Community Life

COMMUNITY CORKBOARD

KWARTO (BEDROOM)

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S, CLICK CLICKS and more CLICK S! Keep those cameras clicking and start collecting pictures of places and people.

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sponsored by Easter Around the World, April 17, Toronto City Hall, cil, Coun Arts Folk unity Comm Toronto Open to the public.

KID’S WALL: I wish that I shall never see A poem as lovely as a tree But if your child has one for me Send it to us and In TAHANAN it will be.

Send your poem to kidswall@tahananmagazine.com with your child’s name, age and city.

ART

Don’t throw away your child’s doodles! It may be a piece of artwork just waiting to be seen.

Send your art to kidswall@tahananmagazine.com with your child’s name, age and city.

COMING NEXT ISSUE: • Fun summer activities in and around Toronto • Ideas for Mother’s Day & Father’s Day • Field trips to fit your budget 44 TAHANAN

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For your advertising needs and inquiries, email us at ads@tahananmagazine.com For feedback, comments and suggestions, send your emails to feedback@tahananmagazine.com See yourself in print! If you have a note, photo or story to share, email us at editorial@tahananmagazine.com Tel. 647- 427-8771

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TAHANAN TAHANAN 45

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46 TAHANAN

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48 TAHANAN