Manina

I grew up in Taiwan. I moved there from China when I was five years old. I have two brothers, one older and one younger. We started school, and then my father passed away. My mother took care of us and worked in a library to support us. We didn’t have to pay school fees or for college and university because my father had worked for the government.

I worked at a military bank with my husband, who had a trading company. My hobbies included painting, making paper flowers, and singing.

I came to Canada in 1991 with my son, before the rest of my family immigrated. In Taiwan, they have a policy for the military so you cannot leave after age 16. We had traveled to Canada once or twice, and my son made friends in Toronto. He said he wanted to leave Taiwan and move to Canada, so I came here with him while my husband and daughter stayed in Taiwan until we had the immigration papers.

Until 2019, I lived in my own house, but one day I fell down the stairs and got very hurt. My son had to take me to emergency. After that, I stayed in the hospital for almost two months to recover. My son and daughter talked to me about selling the house and moving to an assisted living community. Of course, I didn’t want to, because there was a mall just three minutes away from my home, making it very convenient. But eventually, I moved. 

I’m happy. My children are great and have good families. My daughter has two sons and my son also has a son. My son and his family come to see me almost every week to have dinner or lunch. My daughter’s kids play hockey, so they have practice and games most nights and weekends, but she still calls me or sometimes takes me out. So yes, everything is very good. They are all very nice to me and the kids like me. Family is important. I am lucky.