About Me — Noah Q
Still writing my own book and enjoying every minute of it…
Hello everyone! I will admit that I have always struggled with introducing and describing myself to new people. But I will do my best.
Brief Introduction
My name is Noah and I am in my mid 20’s. I was born and raised in Greater Toronto, Canada to Filipino immigrant parents.
My father was a former sailor and merchant marine from Bayambang, Pangasinan, while my Ilocana mother is from Piddig, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. I also have one younger sister who is currently in Nursing school.
My parents were the first people in their families to move abroad, and they did so for the same reason: to break the cycle of poverty that has existed in their families for generations.
Upbringing and Family Values
My mother and father immigrated to Canada in 1988 and 1995 respectively. They arrived with little to nothing. They worked long hours and I quickly realized how exhausted they were after shifts.
In 2002, we relocated to a city called “Vaughan” — north of Toronto — after my parents bought a house there. Vaughan is a quiet, peaceful city that I have long considered my home. My fondest memories here include: going to Canada’s Wonderland, biking at nearby parks with my sister and attending Filipino festivals.
From an early age, my mother taught me to always be respectful and kind. Above all, she stressed the importance of saving and investing. She encouraged me to cut frivolous purchases, to always stick to a budget and to live below my means. “If you don’t need it, don’t buy it”, she’d say.
Education and Work
In 2016, I received my B.A from the University of Toronto. I worked as an Admin Assistant for a non-profit organization for a year before finding work in a Newcomer Center for recent immigrants. In the evenings, I worked as a produce clerk at a grocery store. Working in retail has helped me gain several skills that I often use in my daily life such as: active listening, empathy and patience. Lots of patience.
At the age of 24, I reached a significant financial milestone: $100k in savings and no debt. While I did feel proud of myself, I also felt empty. Working in an office often left me mentally exhausted. I decided to pursue other opportunities despite not really knowing what I wanted to do in life.
During the pandemic, I struggled to find work so I took whatever job I could. I worked 101, 84 and 49 consecutive days at a large distribution center and at a store. I quit both jobs on January 2021 as a result of exhaustion. I realized that my physical, emotional and mental well being should always be prioritized over money.
Since February 2021, I have been working as an inventory associate and contractor for a tiling and matting installation company. Installs are often done in: building lobby’s, train stations, nursing homes, hospitals, malls etc. My love language is definitely “words of affirmation”. Nothing makes me happier than hearing customers compliment our work.
Hobbies and Interest
During the pandemic, I decided to partake in various hobbies in order to break my “doomscrolling” addiction.
I started studying Japanese for fun and I also began teaching myself new recipes (Spicy Mongolian chicken is my favourite).
Furthermore, I began to live a more active lifestyle. I regularly go on walks, do High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts, as well as at-home exercises. I am currently in the best shape of my life.
I enjoy listening to Rock and Rap. My favourite band is Alice in Chains. I am a huge sports fan as well, having been a fan of the San Antonio Spurs for nearly 20 years. MMA is my favourite sport and my favourite fighters are Jose Aldo and Georges St-Pierre. I consider Rory MacDonald vs Robbie Lawler at UFC 189 to be the greatest fight of all time.
Lastly, I enjoy spending quality time with my family and partner. My girlfriend is a Dental Hygienist from Calamba, Laguna, Philippines. We enjoy hiking, watching movies and going on food trips together.
Travel
During the pandemic, I fell into a silent state of depression. I was overworked, exhausted and mentally drained. I decided that I wanted to travel, like my father used to do when he was a sailor. I first went to Banff and Jasper, Alberta with family in July 2022. The following week, I took a solo trip to Peru, and I had the time of my life.
Solo travel was a journey of self-discovery for me. It forced me to get out of my comfort zone, to embrace the unfamiliar, and to make my own decisions. In 2023, I went solo backpacking in Japan, visiting nine cities along the way. And despite being alone, not once did I ever feel lonely, bored or scared. I felt confident and free. For 2024, I will be visiting Portugal and Spain.
That is pretty much the gist of my life. Feel free to connect with me. I would love to talk to you.
Find me on Instagram @ibrown 46 and Twitter @nquinsayas28
