From a young age, Maricris Tamula had big dreams of moving to Canada. Growing up in Tarlac, a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines, times were not always easy for her family and the thought of a life in Canada was very appealing.
Now married and with a family of her own, Maricris was able to make her dream a reality this fall when she moved to Moncton to attend NBCC. Husband Mark and daughter Mia are by her side as she studies Business Administration: Management.
“I’m enjoying my classes and my instructors are all really helpful,” she said. “Everyone is very welcoming at NBCC, it is like my second home.”
Maricris has come a long way from Tarlac. She has many fond memories of her childhood in the Philippines, but tragedy marked her family at a young age. After the loss of her mother when she was just six years old, Maricris’ father had to leave the family to work in Manila so he could support his three children. Maricris’ brother moved in with her grandparents, while she and her sister stayed with their aunt.
“Parents are the foundation of the family, so without our parents beside us, it was difficult,” she said. “I was so thankful that my sister was with me during that time and I’m also grateful to my aunt and her family that, despite all the things that we have encountered, they are always there to support us. That is my motivation; I want to do good and work hard to become a better person.”
Work hard she did. Maricris completed a Computer Science degree and attended a Caregiver school in the Philippines, but ultimately, she chose to pursue a career in business. She started in customer service answering phones and quickly rose through the ranks, being promoted to leadership positions at several different companies while always keeping the dream of going to Canada in the back of her mind.
Then Maricris got married, and she and Mark started a family. As her priorities shifted, moving to Canada began to seem less feasible, but she never fully let go of the dream.
“During that time, I wasn’t thinking about my Canadian dream at all. I had my own family and was already settled in the Philippines, but there was still a part deep inside my heart that I really wanted to go to Canada. Now it’s not only for myself but for my child. I want her to have a better future and I know that the opportunities that I would be giving her would be great.”
In August 2021, Maricris fulfilled her lifelong dream of moving to Canada with Mark and Mia. The family of three loves their life in Canada and Maricris enjoys her Business Administration: Management program. She hopes that by sharing her story, she can inspire other International students to believe in themselves and never give up on their dreams.
