REGINA - Becoming a Canadian citizen is a big milestone for many people, which includes Regina resident Stella Perena.
Born and raised in the Philippines, Perena came to Canada when she was around a 20-year-old from her dad getting a work visa in Canada.
At the time she moved, Perena had just recently finished her education in her home country and now was embarking on a new journey. She had a mixed feeling of being excited and nervous at the same time.
Perena mentioned how she only had her family with her in Canada. So, for her, Perena was not sure about how she would handle living in an entirely different area.
Perena recalled hearing from others about Canada having a cold winter with snow. In her home country, the Philippines, the climate was too warm to ever have a winter.
One adjustment Perena dealt with while living in Canada was the cultural difference between Canada and the Philippines. In her home country, Perena is used to approaching people more easily and joking around, but in Canada, she felt the need to watch her language or what she told people.
She recalled a time when, in front of a group of people, someone asked if she knew an artist. When Perena told them she didn’t, the person questioned how she didn’t know about them despite wanting to learn more about the country.
Despite having to adjust to her new home at first, after around two years, Perena fell in love with Canada and wanted to live here for her foreseeable future.
Compared to the Philippines, Perena raved about Canada’s free healthcare, which costs money in the Philippines. She also feels the wage here is alot better and more competitive compared to the Philippines.
Perena noted the average Fillipinio makes around $15 CAD a day, while most Canadians make that amount in an hour.
So, once Perena was able to apply for her citizenship last July, she started preparing for the citizenship test.
The test has 20 questions about the history of Canada, through various true or false or multiple choice questions. For Perena, she had around a month to study everything about the country.
She prepared by reading it "before I [Perena] went to bed. My weekends are packed because I'm just busy studying. It was just nerve-wracking to have to memorize. Like everything [was about key events like] World War II, [you know], everything that happened in Canada's history, even politics [as well]. And to memorize them in two [to] three weeks, it's just a lot to take [in]."
When the day finally came for Perena to take the test, she was feeling nervous. During the test, Perena ran into an issue where her computer shut off for a few minutes. Hoping things would work out, her laptop started back up a few minutes later as Perena managed to finish the test.
People who take the test will be emailed their scores right away, knowing whether they passed or not. To pass the citizenship test, a person needs to get a 15/20 or 75 per cent. Even though a person passes a test, that does not guarantee they'll become a citizen. Each individual has to record themselves during the test to ensure they were not cheating. So, an official review of the test can take a few months.
Having no further issues, Perena officially became a citizen on Jan. 8, 2025, along with over 100 people on Zoom.
When asked about her emotions, Perena said, "I was proud of myself. Finally, I made it because I've been planning [to take the test] and doing [all the work to apply for] that since 2023. And last year, I got the motivation and will to do so. And then I passed." In response to asking if she was proud to become a citizen of Canada, Perena said, "Yes."
As for what Perena wants to accomplish as a Canadian, she is debating whether or not she wants to get her diploma to become a nurse.
At first, Perena didn’t want to work in healthcare because she hated looking at wounds or blood. Her original plan was to become a teacher, which is the education she took back in the Philippines. However, once she started working in a medical store, Perena realized she loves helping people, describing it as "fulfilling for me."
Even though Perena is on the fence about getting her education, she would call it a big milestone if she became a nurse in her new home.
Perena also wants to look into getting a dual citizenship so she can potentially spend more time back in her home country.
In terms of exploring Canada, Perena wants to travel a little more, particularly to Vancouver and Niagara Falls. As for her residence, Perena likes living in Regina and has no plans to move out of the city.
