Aida Komparas

My name is Jennifer and my hero is my Auntie Aida. I picked her because she left her very good job in the Philippines to come to Canada to make a better life for her family. Since the immigration law was that she had to be a nanny for a few years, she came to work for us. She was trying to bring her family here in Canada. It took her 10 years to get everybody here, including her kids and their children.

I was inspired by my Auntie in many different ways. She is a very brave and determined woman. She taught me about the importance of family. She also taught me that you can get what you want if you try really hard and stay focused, even though you may have many challenges.

the tropical philippines (www.google.ca)

Auntie Aida was born in the Philippines on August 6th, 1949. She went to school in the Philippines and then worked in a bank. She was married at a young age and had four children. Life for her was very hard in the Philippines, especially after her husband left her to raise her four children. She dreamed of a better life for her children, and so applied to be a nanny in Canada.

I remember my Auntie telling me a story about how she felt during her first job when she came to Canada. She was sitting in the bathroom cleaning the toilet. She started to cry and thought to herself “I worked in a bank and wore nice clothes and here I am cleaning some other women’s toilet.” But then she stopped and told herself, “you’re making a better life for your family." Family is very important to my Auntie Aida.

As I said before I am inspired by my Auntie because she taught me the importance of family. This is because she never gave up hope on getting her family to Canada. I think that is something special. My Auntie also, as you know, inspired me by showing me you can get what you want if you try really hard. She wanted her family here. So she brought her family here even though she had many challenges along the way.

My Auntie is my hero and I love her very much. She has inspired me in so many different ways and I hope my Auntie has inspired you the same way she has inspired me.