Newcomers take Battlefords deep freeze in stride

“He literally said, ‘I cannot do it anymore,’” McGovern said. “He just can’t handle the cold.”

He did manage to return to work however, after taking a couple days off.

McGovern said newcomers also have had to learn to dress in layers to stay warm, a new concept to many when they are coming from very warm countries.

“The big thing is to educate them on how to dress for the cold,” she said, adding they also need to focus on eating foods that are nutritious to stay healthy.

Staff at BIRC have gone to people’s homes to help them shop and/or bring them warm outerwear, such as toques and mitts for their families.

Some of the newcomers from particularly warm countries such as Nigeria or India have not even heard of toques, mitts or scarves until now. McGovern added they have also had to buy proper winter boots and coats to stay warm since coming here.

“They can’t believe the length of our winters; that’s one thing that has really shocked them,” she said. “Most of their winters are six weeks or two months, and here it’s pretty much five to six months.”

Also because many don’t have vehicles they can end up being shut ins since it’s often too cold to walk, and public transit or taking a taxi is not always the best option, especially for newcomers who have large families with young children.

McGovern hasn’t heard of anyone wanting to leave because of the cold however, saying “they are still quite happy and say they can get through it.”

For Annie Pacapac, who has just been here for five months, the cold is not a problem.

“I don’t feel cold; I like it here,” she said while visiting BIRC, Thursday. “It’s ok for me; it makes me feel cool and relaxed.”

Pacapac said her husband recently passed away so when she sees all the snow here she feels as though she is walking in the clouds in a way, and maybe a little bit closer to her husband.

“(It’s) all white – I feel I’m near (him) in heaven,” she added.

From the Philippines, Pacapac is in North Battleford visiting her daughter, and hopes to have her daughter sponsor her so she can stay in Canada where she finds people friendly and the surroundings safe and especially clean.

She said she recently went tobogganing at Blue Mountain Adventure Park which lifted her spirits. Pacapac also appreciates seeing such a strong Filipino community here for support.

Pacapac said while the weather is cold, she finds the people here very warm.

Settlement Advisor Gerard Legaspi said he is already helping Pacapac get in touch with a grief support group in the Battlefords to help her dealing with the loss of her husband.

Gerard Legaspi, settlement advisor, left, with newcomers Annie Pacapac, centre, and Milagros Alcober, at the BIRC, Thursday. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Milagros Alcober, also from the Philippines, is now a permanent resident after visiting here since 2011. She also came to the Battlefords to be with her daughter, and is also a widow.

While Alcober isn’t a fan of the cold, she said at least the homes here are properly heated as one consolation. She has found the amount of snow this year a little baffling though.

“It’s the first winter I encountered so much snow, “ she said, while stopping in at the BIRC, Thursday. “This is the worst.”

Language is not a barrier for either Alcober or Pacapac. Both said they learned English in school when they were growing up so they are managing well here.

Alcober, who lives in Battleford, mentioned she appreciates how safe it is here compared to the Philippines, where she says there is a high degree of violent crime combined with a drug problem and political unrest.

“It’s rampant there, the killings,” she said.

Alcober said the Battlefords has been a positive change for her since leaving her home country.

“The place is so peaceful in terms of criminality,” she said. “We can tell the place is more peaceful than the Philippines.”

While people may complain about the crime in the local area, Alcober hasn’t noticed anything to worry about, from her perspective.

She added conditions here are far superior compared to the Philippines, and offer a much better lifestyle for newcomers.

Employment here is also good, Alcober added, saying she has been able to find work in the home-care field.

She noted that she has basically become quite content overall with her new home in the Battlefords, despite the chilly climates.

–

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow

by Angela Brown

Newcomers take Battlefords deep freeze in stride

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