My name is Abigail, I am thirty-four years old and was born on 1987. I was born and raised in Davao City, Philippines. I am an only child; thought I didn’t had siblings yet I am close with my extended family and treat my cousins as my brother and sister. My parents are both in their late 50’s and as of the moment are doing baking for made to order cakes (simple ones) as means of earning, though my husband and I support them because we all live together in one roof. I got married with my loving husband, Filzon last 2015 in Saudi Arabia (where we both met each other) and currently raising our 4-year-old daughter, who is indeed loving and smart.

I graduated the Nursing Degree on March 2007 and passed my licensure exam on early 2008. My first job was as a Medical Representative before I became a Nurse Trainee in June 2008 which lasted 5 months in Davao Medical Center now Southern Philippines Medical Center. It wasn’t easy to find a fixed job after my training due to overflow of nurses during those times. So, I became an English Tutor for the succeeding months. Then on September 2009, I landed my first nursing job in Al Hassa, Saudi Arabia. I worked in an Out-patient Department which deals mainly with Ophthalmology, Dental and Internal Medicine speciality. We have different age ranges of patients for each of these departments. From young ones till elderly with eye conditions and usual hypertension issues. It was on December 2012 when I finished my first contract and went back to the Philippines to look for a new job and then on September 2013, I was luckily hired as a Dermatology Nurse in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. I usually deal with laser treatments and I also assist in the Operating Room for dermatology Minor and Major Cases. 

On October of 2015, I went back home to the Philippines after my contract and my husband and I didn’t know I was pregnant, because we were planning to go back to Saudi to work again, yet life indeed has its own ways. So, I was jobless for the following months and finding job in my condition was quite a liability for any company. I bore my child on June 2016; it was and is up to date the most miraculous day of my life. Since I wanted to be able to help my husband financially and take good care of my daughter (at the same time I was also breastfeeding), so I worked as an English Tutor for Koreans as a part time job from August until January 2017. Then on February 2017, I started studying the German Language as I was planning to pursue a nursing career on the said country. Yet again life unfolds other plans and instead of going to Germany I became an online Tutor of the German language and taught from January 2018 up to date. 

My job for the past 5 years might not be quite related to my profession nor my course. But my life has been overall an example of how I became a mother, a home maker and a caregiver. My husband and I lived with my Grandmother who is as to date 81 years old.  It was only before the COVID pandemic that we live with my parents because they are aging as well and my aunt and uncle looks after my Grandmother since I have my hands full.

As a caregiver of the family, I usually take their blood pressure, make sure that they are able to have their yearly laboratory examinations and take them to the doctor for any check-up. By family it means my grandmother (81), my father (59), my mother (57), and my aunt (56). Most of them might not be over 60 years old but they already have underlying health conditions such as hypertension and kidney stones to name a few. It really takes a lot of patience to convince them on taking their diets seriously and do walking or jogging just to make sure that they are having healthy conditions. Before my grandfather died last 2006, when I was still a student of nursing, I also took care of him. Being the oldest grandchild, I usually accompany him because he already has difficulty in walking and had 2 mild strokes and even when he was at the hospital, before he died, other nurses would trust me in doing the suctioning and blood collecting. I really do have a soft spot for the elderly because I lived with my grandparents since I was 12, because my mother worked overseas and my father was busy. I was close with my grandfather and still close with my grandmother because as a child I always spend my weekends at their residence. Taking good care of them now that they are older can be hard but fulfilling. And taking care of other elderly is like taking care of family as well. We don’t choose who we extend compassion because we will also reach the same age and would hope that the same good quality of care would be given to us.

I also have a 4-year-old daughter who is so mischievous and smart. I love kids even before I bore my own. With all honestly kids are not easy to deal with and it depends on age. It takes one mother to know other children and their behavior. They might all be unique yet techniques are experiences that we learn while taking care of them. From breastfeeding, to bottle feeding, to sleep patterns and terrible twos. The journey is endless yet fulfilling. Filipinos are known to care well even to kids who are not their own. That has been proven. Maybe because we have been given the motherly instinct as we ourselves grew taking care of our cousins, or nieces or nephews. Regardless children are children and we love them no matter what.

Therefore, I am quite confident on being a caregiver or nanny. I believe that experience is the best teacher and nothing beats an everyday dealing with life and its day to day demands. I have always thought that working as a nurse or having a job was hard. But being at home, having a child, caring for your family specially with an elderly, was and is but challenging. That is why I can confidently say that I will be able to perform my duty well if given a chance.

Lastly, why Canada, why not Germany or Arab countries? I guess it has been a long overdue for me. I have always wanted to work in Canada even before I became a nurse. My aunt was already in Canada and she has told be beautiful things about the country and its people. But there were easier doors that opened before that, and I wanted to be ready when I have the opportunity for my dream country. I have always been intrigued by the picturesque of the country and how conservative yet straight forward its people were. Hopefully I would be given a chance this time. As I have waited long for this dream. May it be now or later if it is meant for me, then it shall be.