Food, Rain, and Good Conversation

Today was fun. Although it rained most of the day, I still got the chance to go out and meet new people here in Canada.

I honestly did not expect much about today's escapade, but it went just the way I wanted it to be. I started my day by meeting new friends. We went to Kings Bridge Park located in Chippawa, ate Filipino dishes, and talked almost the entire day while it was raining.

The park offers picnic tables, clean washrooms, parking space, a lot of shade, and good scenery. It was my first time in the park.

There were not many people in the park today. I'm guessing maybe because of the weather. But some came to celebrate birthdays, get together, or stop for a walk.

But let's talk about the food. Imagine eating your favourite dish while sitting under the tent, which was sheltering you from the rain. It was a simple sight from afar, but it made me feel settled.

My favourites were the porksisig, buttered shrimp with corn, pork kaldereta, and pork dinakdakan, which are famous in my home country. There was also rice, the star of the day, and cassava cake.

What I love about today is the conversation I had with my newfound friends. The discussions were mostly about our Canada journey, life during the pandemic, and looking ahead when this is over.

We came from different parts of Toronto, but we all have one thing in common: a dream of a better life in Canada.

Coming together as a community to achieve one goal is really a known trait of every Filipino. We call it the bayanihan, which means we work together as a community.

When the rain stopped, we headed home. I don't know if I will see them again sooner, but I know that one day I will.

What about you? How did you spend your day? Let me know in the comments section below.

Talk to you soon.

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P.S.

This post is part of my 30-day diary, an assignment for my Journalism in Public Life subject. All the embedded links and visuals are attributed. Feel free to leave your comment below or send me a private message if you have questions or clarifications. Thanks for dropping by.