Life abroad is not all roses
Sometime in the recent past may nakilala kaming isang Pinoy family, who recently migrated to NZ. May dalawa silang anak one girl and one boy, both in their teens. Yung lalaki about 13 years old if I’m not mistaken, and he was the most obnoxious person I’ve ever met. Talagang kaiinisan mo.
Ang bansag nga namin sa kanya "Bulok", kasi wala kang maririnig sa kanya kundi ang salitang "bulok". "Bulok naman dito sa New Zealand, malungkot. Sa amin marami kang mahihiraman ng VCD, DVD, video games. Dito walang Jollibee, walang MegaMall, etc. etc. ... bulok ang New Zealand." Ganyang klaseng pananalita ang maririnig mo sa batang ito. Sarap ngang batukan, e. At very impolite sa magulang. Kung makahingi ng tubig sa ina daig pa ang utusan ang sampung alipin.
After na ma-meet ko itong pamilyang ito, na-realize ko na meron din palang mga Pinoy migrants ang nahihirapang mag-adjust sa buhay dito. Hindi pala lahat katulad namin na nag-enjoy kaagad sa buhay dito. Inisip ko kung ano-anong mga katangian meron itong pamilyang ito at very negative ang reaksyon ng kanilang anak.
Una sa lahat napag-alaman ko na may-kaya sila sa Pilipinas. May malaking bahay. Magandang paaralan (La Salle) ang pinapasukan at katangi-tangi sa lahat ang pagkakaroon nila ng maraming yaya at mga maid sa Pilipinas.
Based on this family's profile, I've concluded that Pinoys coming from well-to-do to very rich families, are more likely to find it difficult to adjust to life in New Zealand, or any life abroad for that matter. If you are used to having servants do all your everyday house work, life abroad can be traumatizing and humiliating. Wala kang mauutusang maid o yaya dito. So you have to learn to cook, to do the laundry, clean the house, take care of your kids. I've not experienced it because I have a really good wife who takes care of us, but I know some, mostly women ang napapaiyak kapag kanilang ginagawa ang everyday housework. Imagine nga naman kung sa atin Senor o Senorita ka at lahat ng bagay pwede mo iutos sa maid, tapos dito naghuhugas ka ng pinag-kainan, naglilinis ng toilet, etc. Hay, naku, mapapa-iyak ka na nga lang di ba? Sabay buntong-hininga: "Eto ba ang pinangarap kong buhay...buhay ng isang domisticated?"
The moral lesson -- life abroad may not be suited to everyone. Life abroad is not all roses. There are sacrifices and difficulties too. Nasa sa iyo na lang kung paano ka mag-aadjust sa bagong environment mo because you can't expect it to adjust for you. Pero gaano man kahirap ang maranasan mo, if you think positive, ma-o-overcome mo lahat yan.
Ang bansag nga namin sa kanya "Bulok", kasi wala kang maririnig sa kanya kundi ang salitang "bulok". "Bulok naman dito sa New Zealand, malungkot. Sa amin marami kang mahihiraman ng VCD, DVD, video games. Dito walang Jollibee, walang MegaMall, etc. etc. ... bulok ang New Zealand." Ganyang klaseng pananalita ang maririnig mo sa batang ito. Sarap ngang batukan, e. At very impolite sa magulang. Kung makahingi ng tubig sa ina daig pa ang utusan ang sampung alipin.
After na ma-meet ko itong pamilyang ito, na-realize ko na meron din palang mga Pinoy migrants ang nahihirapang mag-adjust sa buhay dito. Hindi pala lahat katulad namin na nag-enjoy kaagad sa buhay dito. Inisip ko kung ano-anong mga katangian meron itong pamilyang ito at very negative ang reaksyon ng kanilang anak.
Una sa lahat napag-alaman ko na may-kaya sila sa Pilipinas. May malaking bahay. Magandang paaralan (La Salle) ang pinapasukan at katangi-tangi sa lahat ang pagkakaroon nila ng maraming yaya at mga maid sa Pilipinas.
Based on this family's profile, I've concluded that Pinoys coming from well-to-do to very rich families, are more likely to find it difficult to adjust to life in New Zealand, or any life abroad for that matter. If you are used to having servants do all your everyday house work, life abroad can be traumatizing and humiliating. Wala kang mauutusang maid o yaya dito. So you have to learn to cook, to do the laundry, clean the house, take care of your kids. I've not experienced it because I have a really good wife who takes care of us, but I know some, mostly women ang napapaiyak kapag kanilang ginagawa ang everyday housework. Imagine nga naman kung sa atin Senor o Senorita ka at lahat ng bagay pwede mo iutos sa maid, tapos dito naghuhugas ka ng pinag-kainan, naglilinis ng toilet, etc. Hay, naku, mapapa-iyak ka na nga lang di ba? Sabay buntong-hininga: "Eto ba ang pinangarap kong buhay...buhay ng isang domisticated?"
Coping up with the domestic chores can be a huge challenge to some new migrants.
The moral lesson -- life abroad may not be suited to everyone. Life abroad is not all roses. There are sacrifices and difficulties too. Nasa sa iyo na lang kung paano ka mag-aadjust sa bagong environment mo because you can't expect it to adjust for you. Pero gaano man kahirap ang maranasan mo, if you think positive, ma-o-overcome mo lahat yan.
posted by Ka Uro at
10:04 PM
9 Comments:
Hmm... naalala ko tuloy yung experience ko nung tumira ako sa Canberra at wala talagang nandoon. Iba-blog ko na lang ito later sa blog ko. ;)
But yeah, although I did come from a semi-well-to-do family and was schooled at DLSU, I still dreamt of migrating abroad ever since I was young.
I guess the reason was that we found our good fortune when I was young with my father working abroad. Iniisip ko na kung makakapag-abroad ako, magagawa kong mabuhay nang maginhawa kahit ba walang katulong dito. At least may pera naman ako pambili ng washing machine at dishwasher, etc.
Namiss ko pa rin naman yung bustling city life sa atin. But after some time, I came to accept the serenity provided by Canberra. Kaso syempre ngayon nakatira na ako sa Melbourne so medyo bustling city life ulit. Kaso nami-miss ko naman ngayon yung pagiging tahimik ng Canberra. ;)
Mas madali rin siguro mag-adjust sa katahimikan ang mas matatanda kesa sa mga teenagers for example. Syempre naghahanap sila ng magigimikan. Ah well. Wala naman silang choice. Sa umpisa lang yan.
By
Gabeprime, at 1:57 PM, March 04, 2005
GJ, I had the chance to stay at Canberra for one month in 1986 to attend a computer course. It was my stay there that actually attracted me to apply for OZ residency then. Tahimik kasi and that was the life I want. But I heard Melbourne is nice too and is very much like Auckland. I visited Sydney and it was very busy.
By
Ka Uro, at 3:58 PM, March 04, 2005
Amen po!Migrating really is such a big leap of faith - you'll never know kung ano mangyayari sa iyo or how well (or not) you'll be able to cope.
By
Anonymous, at 8:32 PM, March 07, 2005
haaay yes i definitely agree...ilang beses na ako muntikang mag-stay sa merika.hinde lng matuloy tuloy,pano kasi kapag-may inaasahan ka nga sa pinas,magdadalawang isip ka.the first time was 1990,ayoko ko ng umuwi,first time ko sa tate.pero di ko magawa,bagong kasal kami nun at may bagong bahay.second chance was in 1994,we hired an immigration lawyer,paid a deposit but my byenan sweet talked us about his plans in pinas...balik uli...ahahaaay! now we have plans of migrating to nz but opted to have a vacation first in the states since most of my family members are there...and a graduation gift for our only son. i dont know what lies ahead...i have to make a decision...ang hirap!
By
Anonymous, at 10:11 PM, March 07, 2005
jolengs, payong kapatid lang, huwag mo sanang masamain. from what you've said tipong madali kang ma-sway ng ibang tao. alam mo naman ang dapat mong gawin, which is to make a decision. sabi mo nga mahirap. ganyan din ako noon. pero inisip ko naman, adult na ako, so dapat ako na ang mag-de-decide para sa akin kinabukasan.
don't worry about the future and what lies ahead. that's the fun part. "the journey, not the destination" sabi ko nga sa isang old posts ko. magiging masaya kayo lalo na kung ikaw at ang kahati mo sa buhay ang nag-decide ng inyong patutunguhan. whatever it is if you're together, i'm sure it will be worthwhile.
By
Ka Uro, at 10:28 PM, March 07, 2005
chrisman,
eto lang ang maipapayo ko. ituloy niyo ang pag-apply. once you have a PR visa, it doesn't mean you have to migrate right away. you have at least 12 months to decide. and if you are not sure yet you can come to NZ to visit just to renew your visa. the point is, you or your kids have an option in the future. sayang naman kung in the future gusto niyo nang mag-migrate tapos hindi na ganon ka-open ang NZ. i hate to say it but, i'm really pessimistic about our country. it will probably improve but i can't see that happening in my lifetime.
By
Ka Uro, at 10:23 AM, August 23, 2005
lyanngrace,
sori ngayon ko lang nabasa ulit itong comment mo. nasa pinas yata ako nung i-post mo ito kaya di ko nasagutan. to answer your question, pwede kang pumunta sa ibang country. you don't have to wait for the NZ decision. in fact, that's what i did. habang hinihintay namin ang decision ng nz, i went to the US. sa US na namin nakuha ang nz visa namin.
sweetmj,
tama ang consultant mo about the job offer, but they may not tell you that it's not easy. siguro only 1 out of 100 are able to get job offers even while they are in the phils. it's hard, but it's not impossible. i know a few who were able to get a job offer while still in the phil. kaya lang mostly sa IT. sa accounting field, i don't know anyone. pwera na lang siguro kung may kamag-anak dito na may sariling company. pwede yon.
By
Ka Uro, at 9:28 AM, December 06, 2005
ok. thank you very much ka uro.
is there anyone here who can help me get a job offer while im here in the phils?
im a cpa, been workin as an accountant since nov1996.
bat ganun? d ko n maopen acct ko?
tnk u vry mch!
sweetmj
By
Anonymous, at 10:53 PM, December 06, 2005
Hahaha! Tama talaga, hindi lahat kama ng rose petals.
Naku baka ako ay maisama rin sa tinatawag nyong 'Bulok,' medyo nami-miss ko kasi ang malling! Hahaha! At wala rin pong mahihiramamn ng mga DVD rito sa town namin. 91kms NW of Adelaide kasi kami.
Di naman ako nahirapan sa mga gawaing bahay kasi sanay akong walang katulong sa bahay namin sa Phils. Ang pinaka challenge sa akin ang nature of job! Whew! Hindi biro. Ibang-iba kaysa sa nakasanayan ko sa Phils. Sa March pa kasi ako eligible for P.R.
By
RJ, at 8:20 PM, October 27, 2008
Post a Comment
<< Home