Alma Quetua has called Pictou County home since moving here in September 2010. Now it’s official. Last week she finished the process of becoming a Canadian citizen.
With her were her husband Rain and her two children who are Canadians by birth.
Alma was born in the Philippines but left there to work in Taiwan for six years before finally immigrating to Canada.
What drove her was one word: opportunity.
In the Philippines she said there is little chance to succeed, which is why so many look for better job and salary opportunities abroad.
She has been an employee at Subway restaurants in Pictou County since she came here and has advanced to more senior positions within the franchise.
Alma is quick to admit there are challenges to leaving one’s country of birth.
“It’s really hard to be far from the family,” she said.
While she was in Taiwan, for instance, her father suffered a stroke and then shortly after coming to Canada he passed away.
“I didn’t get a chance to see him,” she said.
But what she found in Pictou County wasn’t just a job, but a new life.
It was while here that she met another Filipino immigrant, Rain, who worked for The Dock for eight years and now works at Sam’s. They now have two children, ages 4 and 2, and have purchased a home on a quiet street near a school.
There are times that friends in Halifax will try to convince them to move there, but the Quetua family isn’t interested.
“I found this place so quiet,” she said. “That’s why we decided to buy a house here because we’re planning to settle down in this place.”
From the start, she said people have been friendly to her here, often saying “hello” even when they didn’t know her and taking the time to talk with her at Subway.
While she’s had her permanent residency status for a while, she said it took some time before she decided to take the final step and become a citizen.
Initially she thought it would be really hard to get it, but after applying she found that it was a lot easier than she expected and within about six months she was able to complete an exam and an interview necessary before being able to take the oath.
It happened last Friday, April 20, and the whole family went down for the 9 a.m. appointment.
There were 54 people taking the oath that day from 26 countries.
“I can’t explain the happiness and the fulfilment,” she said of taking the oath.
Now, she like her children are officially Canadians.
She hopes that through her experience, she can help other Filipino people who have been working in the area to become Canadians as well.
Whenever she talks to family and friends in the Philippines, she encourages them to come to Pictou County.
“It’s really nice to live and work here in Pictou County,” she said.
