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165 Jenna’s Story My name is Jenna, and I am from the Philippines. I have nine brothers and sisters and I am the eldest. My parents are very loving parents. My father is a farmer, and they also do buy and sell. He grows rice, corn, and vegetables. Being the eldest you get all the attention at first, but then you have to be independent and do your best. I have happy memories of my childhood. Our family is very united—we have 100 on my grandmother’s side. When my grandmother died, they said we were 100 grandchildren. We were a happy family; we struggled, but we were happy. There were some financial struggles, but there was enough food. Being the eldest, I had to work really hard to get an education. I went to the city when I finished elementary school at 13 and stayed with my aunt. I went there to help them with their restaurant for two years. Then I went back to study to become a medical secretary. I did well in school. I had all A-pluses when I was in high school. My parents wanted me to have an education, so I went to study with my aunt’s help. I supported myself by working in a factory on the weekends. My brothers and sisters are all back home still. We are all close. I was the one that supported them. Even now, if I have extra money I help them, especially mom, who is really sick. My parents are still alive, but I haven’t seen them for about 15 years now. I have worked so hard all my life. I started to work when I was 13. In 1980, I went abroad to work as a caregiver. I was 21. I had one year of medical secretary school, but I went to Hong King to help support my family. My family was still young, so I was the one that supported them. The couple I worked for treated me like a daughter. I worked for them for eight years. They even took me to their home country—they introduced me as a daughter when somebody came over. They were so nice to me and I was happy. Canada, they said, was a good opportunity. I was told that it was a good place to live as long as you worked hard, so I decided at the age of 30 to come to Canada for a better life and more opportunity. The couple I worked for was so sad when I told them I was leaving. When I came over, I had just arrived at the airport, and as I got out of the car I fell down on the ice. My new employer picked me up and said, “Don’t break a leg.” They were nice. I worked for them for eight years and even to this day, they are still helping me in many ways, including financially. They are good with my son. They take him to Raptors games. I was lucky to a have a good employer when I arrived in Canada—they really treated me like family. 166 Individual Stories While I was working for this family I studied part-time at night, and through hardship and perseverance I earned certification in hospitality management. That’s why I left my country—to have a better place and a better job as well. I worked with the family for eight years, and then with my newly earned certification I got work in a nursing home as a cook. I worked there for eight years. I love cooking. My employer loved my pasta. I love to cook anything, but I am not good at baking. When I was in high school I took two years in home economics and I always won first place in cooking. It is a hard job but if you love it, it is fun. Life was good at first, working in the nursing home. However, I had to wake up at 5 a.m. and by the time I got home to my son I was really tired. I am a very hard-working person, and I worked very hard until 2006—the day that changed my life. There was a gas leak in my workplace. Since I was standing in front of the stove, I was the one who was most affected by it. I collapsed and was unconscious for seven hours in...

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