Lessons from Mar

Lahat ng tao may kwento. At lahat ng kwento may mga magandang aral na mapupulot. Katulad ng love story ni Mar at Len sa nakaraan kong post.

Sa kwento ni Mar, lalong tumatag ang aking pananampalataya na may tumitingin sa ating lahat. What would have happened had Mar approached the four cannabis smoking men? I’m sure, hindi niya makikilala si Ken at hindi rin niya makikilala si Mr.C at siguradong maiiba ang takbo ng buhay niya ngayon. At worse, baka nga napahamak pa siya. Some will call it luck, but I believe Someone up above actually manufactured the luck that helped Mar make the right decisions. Ang kailangan lang ay matuto tayong magdasal at tulungan ang ating sarili. Di ba kasabihan nga na “God helps those who help themselves”.

Ano kaya ang nangyari kung naging masyadong ma-pride si Mar at hindi siya humingi ng tulong kay Ken at kay Mr.C? Di ba, sabi nga na: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find...”. A lesson in being humble. Dapat tanggapin natin ang ating weaknesses. Huwag tayong maging hambog. Huwag nating isipin na kaya natin ang lahat, na hindi natin kailangan ang tulong ng iba.

Another lesson I learned is about trusting other people. Totoong maraming masasama at mapagsamantalang tao sa mundo. Subalit hindi tayo dapat mawalan ng tiwala sa lahat ng tao. What would have happened had Mar not trusted Ken? A Taoist saying goes:

"If while building a house, a carpenter strikes a nail and it proves faulty by bending, does the carpenter lose faith in all nails and stop building his house?"

Obstacles can be blessings in disguise. The fact that Mar knew no one in NZ, that he had only $500 in his pocket and that he was initially given only one month to stay in NZ, all added up to the gravity of the situation and the urgency for him to find a source of income. I thought those circumstances were actually blessings in disguise because they forced Mar to take positive steps towards his goals by first finding the strength within himself.

Kung minsan kasi kapag may kakilala ka dito disadvantage pa. Kung minsan yung kakilala or host mo nagiging masyadong hospitable. Kung saan-saan ka ipapasyal for sight-seeing. Nakakaligtaan tuloy yung immediate goal mo, which is to find work. Then you tend to rely on them for transport. Kapag di ka nila pwedeng ipag-drive, di ka rin gumagalaw. Nasa bahay ka lang. Tapos dahil libre ka sa accommodation and food, o kaya naman kung marami kang baong dolyares, you don’t feel any urgency to find a job. When your host is over-hospitable to a fault, it is your responsibility to set things straight. Because If things don’t turn well blaming others later won’t help. In the end it is still you that suffers.

On the practical side, kung may pupunahin lang ako sa mga naging desisyon ni Mar, ang mapupuna ko lang ay ang pagpunta niya sa NZ with a Visitor’s Visa. Maraming bagay sana ang naging madali at ibang gastos ang naiwasan kung sa Pilipinas pa lang Student Visa na kaagad ang kinuha niya. Dapat sana sa Pinas pa lang nag-inquire na siya at nag-enrol na sa school sa NZ nang sa ganon, Student Visa kaagad ang nakuha niya.

Lastly, from Mar we learn about the virtues of commitment, dedication and hard-work. No matter what kind of task we undertake, if we put our hearts and minds to it, the rewards will surely follow. Kayo, anong aral ang napulot niyo?

Is this going to be a fairy tale ending?

We often read news articles of our countrymen who’ve been successful locally and internationally. Most often their achievements came about despite overwhelming difficulties and obstacles. Their stories inspire us and make us proud of being a Filipino.

Last week, I had the fortune to meet a fellow Pinoy. His story will probably not see the pages of any newspaper but his story is just as remarkable nonetheless. So let me pay tribute to him by relating his story as best and as accurate as I could recall. Kung may mali man sa detalye or ommissions hindi ito intensyonal. Talagang nagiging malilimutin na lang ako lately.

Meet Mar and Lenlen...
Isa lamang si Mar (di tunay na pangalan) sa mga libo-libo nating mga kababayan na nagnanais makapag-abroad. Tatlong taon na silang kasal ni Lenlen (di tunay na pangalan) subalit halos isang taon lang silang nagkasama bilang mag-asawa. Katulad ng karamihan ng ating mga Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), kinailangan silang magkahiwalay ng landas, dalawang taon na ang nakalipas, nang matanggap si Lenlen na mamasukan sa isang bansa sa Europa. Si Mar naman ay naiwan sa Pilipinas upang ipagpatuloy ang sariling negosyo habang naghahanap ng paraan upang makasunod kay Lenlen sa Europa.

The journey begins...
Talaga sigurong wala sa guhit nga palad ni Mar at Lenlen ang magkasama sa Europa, sapagkat imbes na sa Europa makakuha ng visa si Mar, dito sa maliit na bansa ng NZ siya pinalad na makakuha ng unrestricted visitor’s visa. Dalawang klase ng visitor’s visa ang pwedeng ibigay ng NZ Embassy. Pwedeng limited or unrestricted visa. Yung limited, hindi pwedeng i-extend o kaya pa-convert ng ibang visa. Obligado kang umuwi, bago mag-expire ang visa. Mas maganda yung unrestricted, kasi pwede mong ipa-extend hanggang 9 months ang stay mo sa NZ. Pwede mo rin papalit ng Student visa kung gusto mong mag-aral dito o kaya work visa kung makahanap ka ng job offer.

Pebrero 2005 nung dumating si Mar sa Auckland, NZ. Kung iisipin mo nga masasabi mong “suicidal” itong si Mar. Lumipad siyang papunta ng NZ, na walang kakilala ni isa dito sa Auckland. Wala rin siyang prior-bookings sa kahit anong hotel na matutuluyan. Nag-iisa siya at ang tanging baon niya papunta rito ay ang kanyang lakas ng loob, determinasyon at maliit na halaga na US$500.

First night ...
Alas nuwebe y media na ng gabi nang makalabas siya sa Auckland International Airport. Nakahanap siya ng matutuluyang murang hotel sa telephone directory at pagkatapos ay tumawag siya ng taxi upang dalhin siya sa hotel na ito sa Auckland City. Sa kasamaang palad, fully booked ang hotel. Naglakad-lakad siya para makahanap ng ibang matutuluyan. Bitbit-bitbit ang mabigat na bag. Gutom na gutom na rin siya at hindi pa siya nakakapag-hapunan. Kasi ba naman 8 oras din nag-stop over ang eroplanong sinasakyan niya sa Sydney bago tumungo ng Auckland.

Kinakabahan na siya at panay ang dasal niya na tulungan at bigyan siya ng panibagong lakas. Naghanap siya ng mapagtatanungan. Unang nakita niya ay apat na lalaki. Lalapitan sana niya ngunit napa-atras siya. Amoy marijuana. Delikado kaya hanap siya ng iba. May nakita siyang puti na nagyoyosi. Nilapitan niya ang puti at nakisindi siya ng yosi. Ken ang pangalan ng puti at baguhan din pala sa NZ. American siya galing ng Texas, USA. Nung malaunan tinanong niya si Ken. “Can you help me? I need a place to stay for the night.” sabi ni Mar.

Mabait naman si Ken at sinamahan siyang maglakad lakad at puntahan ang iba pang hotel sa city. In-offer pa nga ni Ken na bitbitin ang bag ni Mar. Nung una ayaw pa ni Mar. Kasi nga naman baka mandurugas ito at itakbo ang bag niya. Pero mabigat talaga at hinang hina na rin siya sa gutom kaya binigay na niya kay Ken ang bag niya. Naglakad-lakad sila hanggang sa maswertihan nilang masalubong ang isang kakilala ni Ken, si Mr.C na may-ari ng isang hostel. Good timing, may bakante sa hostel. Tapos hindi pa pinabayad ang una niyang gabi. $20 per night ang bayad sa hostel.


Job hunting...
Isang buwan lang ang binigay sa kanya ng NZ Immigration para mag-stay sa NZ at $500 nga lang ang laman ng bulsa niya, na ngayo’y unti-unti nang nauubos sa pamasahe, bayad sa hostel at sa pagkain. Ang $100 per week pinagkakasya niya para sa kanyang pagkain. Nagpalipat siya sa mas murang kwarto kay Mr.C, na naawa naman sa kanya at binigyan pa nga siya ng magandang diskwento.

Ganun pa man kailangan niyang makahanap ng trabaho. Kahit anong trabaho. Tamang-tama naman at may ginagawang pagkumpuni at pagpipintura sa hostel ni Mr.C. Kinausap niya si Mr.C kung pwede siyang tumulong kapalit ng libreng pag-tira sa hostel. Pinagbigyan naman siya ni Mr.C kaya kahit papaano naka-libre siya ng tirahan ng isang linggo.

Pagkatapos noon, nagtanong-tanong uli siya kung paano ang paghahanap ng trabaho sa NZ. Meron naman nagmagandang loob at tinuro sa kanya ang mga pasikot-sikot kasama na dito ang pagkuha ng IRD Number (parang tax account number sa atin) at ang pag-open ng bank account. Pumunta siya sa tanggapan ng Inland Revenue Dept (IRD) at nag-apply siya ng IRD Number. Nung makakuha ng number nagpunta siya sa isang bangko at nag-open ng bank account. Una ang sabi sa kanya ng teller na kailangan $300 para mag-open ng account. Nakiusap siya, sabi niya wala siyang ganon halaga at ang makakaya lang niya ay $50 para i-deposit. (Nasabi ko nga sa kanya, “Langya, ok ka talaga pati sa bangko nakipagtawaran ka”). Mabait naman yung teller at pinayagan siyang mag-open ng bank account.

Dahil meron na siyang IRD number at bank account, pwede na siyang maghanap ng mapapasukan. Unang nakita niya yung Allied Manpower. Labor hire agency ito na nagsu-supply ng mga trabahador sa iba-ibang mga kumpanya. Dito sa Allied, nakapagtrabaho siya bilang cleaner at laborer/helper sa iba’t ibang construction. Kaya lang talo sa sweldo, kasi bukod sa income tax na kinakaltas may cut pa ang Allied kaya halos 50% lang ang nabubulsa niya.

Student by day, worker by night...
One time may nakita siyang computer school sa city. Pinasyalan niya at nag-inquire siya. $7000 ang tuition for a 3 month short course. Malaking halaga. Pero inisip niya yon ang paraan para makahanap siya ng mas magandang trabaho in the future at para na rin ma-extend ang pananatili niya sa NZ. Kasi kung mapapapalitan niya into Student Visa ang visitor’s visa niya pwede niyang ipa-extend ang stay sa NZ. Sa tulong ng perang padala ni Lenlen, nakapag-enrol si Mar at naipa-convert ang visa niya into Student visa.

Dahil sa malaking gastusin, naghanap siya ng ibang mapapasukan na mas mataas ang sweldo, na pwede siyang mag-aral sa umaga at mag-trabaho naman sa gabi. Nag-apply siya bilang kitchen hand sa ilang mga restaurant. Maganda naman ang feedback at marami nga ang interesadong kumuha sa kanya. Bandang huli pinili niya yung T’s Steak House restaurant dahil nasa parehong building ng hostel na kanyang tinutuluyan.

Halos tatlong buwan na siya ngayon nagtratrabaho sa T’s, 4 days a week mula alas dos ng hapon hanggang alas onse ng gabi. Binibigyan siya ng $9.50 per hour before tax tama lang na pambayad niya sa hostel at sa gastos sa school.

Dahil sa likas siyang masipag, maayos at mabilis kumilos sa trabaho, na-impress ang may ari ng T’s. Balak nga siyang bigyan ng job offer pagkatapos ng schooling niya para makakuha siya ng work visa..

Where to now?
Sa katapusan ng Hunyo matatapos na ang computer course na kinukuha ni Mar. Sa August naman mag-e-expire ang student visa niya. Ang dalangin niya ngayon ay ang makakuha sana siya ng work permit bago mag-expire ang kanyang student visa, nang sa gayon ay magkaroon ng stability ang pananatili niya dito sa NZ. Ito rin ang magiging daan para magkasama silang muli ni Lenlen, to start a new life, a new beginning together.

Idadalangin ko rin na sana nga parang fairy tale ang ending, "and they live happily ever after".

Online Chatting

Chatting - On the Internet, chatting is talking to other people who are using the Internet at the same time you are. Usually, this "talking" is the exchange of typed-in messages requiring one site as the repository for the messages (or "chat site") and a group of users who take part from anywhere on the Internet.
(from searchWebServices.com)

Using Yahoo Messenger, I’ve been chatting with a lot of people lately. Most of them I’ve only recently met online through this blog. Most of them young couples with future plans of starting a new life overseas.

It’s quite refreshing to be able to talk to them. You get to learn about their dreams, their plans, at maging mga hinaing nila sa buhay. And because they're young, para akong nare-rejuvenate. Very infectious ang enthusiasm nila. Nahihirapan man sila sa kalagayan nila ngayon pero di sila sumusuko and they don’t just leave things to chance or luck. Gumagawa sila ng paraan para sa ikabubuti ng kanilang future. Saludo ako sa inyo mga tols.

But much that I’ld like to chat with more people, I’m afraid I’ld have to limit my time engaging in this activity. At the rate this is going I might not have time anymore to practice my Ironman skills. One time I was chatting with 3 different people all at the same time and we chatted until past midnight. Groggy na ako kinabukasan. So apologies to those who I might not be able to entertain in the future.

But you know what? I found a very important lesson in life about chatting. It’s a lesson in communication. You know how sometimes we talk to people who like to monopolize and hi-jack conversations? Gusto mong magsalita pero hindi ka makasingit, di ba? At least sa chatting, you learn to take turns talking. Now, if only people converse the same way they chat online... Maybe, that would make us understand each other more, and the world will be a better place because of that. I also wonder if you have a nagging wife or husband, ano kaya kung sabihin mo sa kanya, “honey, buksan mo na lang ang Yahoo Messenger mo, mag-chat na lang tayo!”.

Controls of my Right Hand Drive Car

Sometimes you keep wondering how something works until you've seen an actual picture of it. Kapag naman nakita mo na, mapapa-"ganoon lang pala" ikaw. Tulad ng control ng isang right hand car. It's a mystery until you've seen one.

Kaya eto ang pektyur ng controls ng aking 1993 Honda. Automatic ang transmission kaya walang clutch instead meron lang foot rest para sa kaliwang paa. Kung manual ang transmission, palitan mo lang yung foot rest ng clutch. Kaliwang paa pa rin ang gamit para sa clutch at nasa gitna ang brakes, sa kanan ang gas. Walang pagkakaiba sa left hand drive.



Kung kukumpara mo sa left hand drive halos pareho lang. Ang notable difference lang maliban sa position ng kambyo (which is on the driver's left) ay ang positions ng wiper at indicator controls. Sa left hand drive nasa left din ang indicator control. Kaya ang pinaka-common na mistake kapag bago-bago ka pang nagdra-drive ng sasakyan dito ay ang gamitin ang wiper kapag lumiliko ka. When that happens, patay-mali ka na lang na kunwari naglilinis ng windscreen para naman di ka mapahiya.

Yun nga palang hand brake nasa tabi rin ng kambyo on the driver's left malapit sa mapuputing legs ni... sino pa, e di si wisheart ko!

Migrant Rules get Scrutiny

This was the headline in the New Zealand Herald today (25 May 2005).

The Government wants more control over immigration decisions on who can live in New Zealand and may even disband agencies such as the one that declared Ahmed Zaoui a refugee.

Immigration Minister Paul Swain signalled the Government’s intention yesterday when announcing terms of reference for a "fundamental" review of the Immigration Act.

He said there was a feeling the balance had shifted away from "New Zealand’s right as a sovereign state to determine who comes or goes".

He wanted "firm, fast and fair immigration processes". The multi-layered appeal regime for some overstayers and spontaneous refugees - who, like Mr Zaoui, seek refugee status at borders - should be much simpler and faster.

I’ve quoted just the first few paragraphs of the news article because it was mainly about the policy on refugees and overstayers, which are not really relevant to Pinoys. Having said that, it is likely that all immigration rules will be reviewed. This year being election year in NZ, expect more news like this to come at increasing regularity. This might mean a slight delay in the processing of all visas. Expect things to pick up and go back to normal after the elections which is in about 4 to 6 months time.

Have I made the right choice?

Question from Lyn: What would be the best answer to the question "Why NZ?"?. Dami po kasing nagtatanong sa akin bakit sa NZ ko gusto magmigrate and though I’m answering them, I think my answer is still not as convincing to them and somewhat to myself.

It is a nagging question in the minds of all would be migrants – “Have I made the right choice?”. But before you can answer that, you have to first resolve the question “Why leave?”. If you can't come up with an answer to this that convinces yourself, then there's no point finding an answer to "Why NZ?".

An Indian migrant said in an interview with Migrant News:

When we leave our country we have to understand why we leave that country. There was something we didn't like there. In a mathematical sense it is good, but in an emotional sense it's not. Everyone misses his or her own country. I'm no different. We all miss our families, friends and those familiar roads. But we just have to adapt. Life here is good.

Once it is clear to you the reasons why you want to leave, then you examine each of the possible countries you can go to. I can suggest a logical approach for making your choice. Decide on a list of criteria such as employment, education, suitability to your lifestyle, peace and order, housing, relocation, migrant support (could come from friends or institutions), healthcare, and the chance of successfully acquiring a visa among others. Score each country against each of these criteria from 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest. Sum up all the scores for each country. The country that gets the highest score is logically your best option.

Then when you’re asked why you chose NZ, you can say that after comparing a number of countries you've come to the conclusion that NZ could provide you and your family the best possible future.

Or you can come up with standard responses such as “NZ is perfect for raising a family”, “NZ provides a laid back lifestyle”, etc. etc. (If you want to suck up to the visa officer (VO), you might add: "I'm confident I have something positive to contribute to NZ", or something to that effect). If you want to know my reasons, you can extract them from some of my previous posts, such as “My Filipino Dream”.

What you should bear in mind is that there is no single best answer to your question “Why NZ?” that will apply to everyone.The best answer is the one that suits your situation but most importantly the one you are convinced of. If someone said, “I’m allergic to smog, so I want to move to NZ because air there is fresher”, as long as he/she is convinced with that answer, who could contest his/her decision?

The main thing is, before you can convince others (your VO will be one of those), you first have to convince yourself. For what is the good of convincing everyone else if you can’t convince yourself?

"Recognize that all words are part false and part true, limited by our imperfect understanding. But strive always for honesty within yourself." - Master Kan

Lost in Translation (Naligaw sa Pagsalin)

Got this from my friend Nandy via email. It’s a list of job positions in English and their translations in Tagalog. I’m only listing a few.

President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Auditor Business Manager Public Relations Officer Observer Advocate Spokesman Moderator Enforcer Assistant Adviser Consultant Contractor Technical Writer Headhunter Chief Accountant Purchaser Receptionist Watchman Doorman Comedian Entertainer

Pasimuno Kunsintidor Palsipikador Kubrador Kasabwat Gastador Tsismoso Usisero Taga-batikos Bolero Taga-bulabog Tirador Galamay Sulsol Manggagancho Estapador Manlilinlang Taga-silat Punong-Gahaman Palengkera Palikera Istambay Nagpapalusot Alaskador Kerengkeng

We Pinoys are really a fun and unique people. Lahat ng bagay nabibigyan natin ng katatawanan. I was beginning to wonder if it is only us Pinoys who are able to use our language to such humorous effect. I mean, I couldn’t imagine the above translations being done in Japanese, Chinese, German, or any other language.

Remember our jokes that start with “Ano sa Hapon (or Intsik, German, bahala ka nang mamili) ang (kung anuman yon)?”, I have yet to hear a version of it in English. If ever there is one, still, I can’t imagine it being as funny as our Pinoy version.

Actually, marami talagang unique sa ating kultura. Our brand of humor, isa lang yon. When we live in another country we need to assimilate with their culture, and yet we should not forget ours. We need to adopt the best from both cultures, but discard what's bad. Retaining our own style of humor?...I find nothing wrong with that.

Tanong: Ano sa NZ ang "goodbye" o "see you"? Sagot: "Ka kite". Totoo yan, hindi joke. :)

Pssst, I have a secret

Blogging can be liberating. Kapag nasa harap ako ng computer at nagta-type o kaya naman ay nagbabasa ng blog ng iba, pakiramdam ko biglang nagbabago ang aking pagkatao. Feeling ko parang super-hero sa comics. Parang si Clark Kent na biglang nagiging Superman. Nawawala ang pagiging mahiyain at mahina, ngayo’y bihasa at may kakaibang lakas. Pakiramdam ko kaya kong harapin at lutasin ang lahat ng problema. Ang anumang kakulangan sa pagkatao, naglalahong bigla.

Palagay ko ito ang rason kung bakit may mga alias ang mga bloggers. Subconsciously we all want to be someone different and better than our real selves. So we hide our complete identity, hide our faults and for fleeting moments in a virtual world, play the role of a person our subsconscious wants us to be. Whether we’re aware of it or not, we only project a side of us in our writings. More often it is the better side that we expose.

Now it’s time for me to reveal a secret. Hindi ako si Ka Uro. Ka Uro is only one side of me. It is not the complete me. The complete me can be quite different. In person, I am not as fun and entertaining. Sabi nga ng misis at anak ko, masungit daw ako. Some may even find me unsociable and boring.

I hope you keep this in mind, because in the future if ever I turn down any invitation to meet with anyone, please don’t be offended nor think of me as snub. Hindi kasi talaga ako mahilig sa mga sosyalan. Sa mga party, di mo ako mapapakanta ng My Way, o bumangka sa kwentuhan. Sa kainan na lang pwede pa.

In the meantime, in this virtual world we interact, Ka Uro can be confident, funny, sociable and entertaining. That’s the beauty of it. Anonymity allows us to be anyone we want to be. Liberating it is. So those of you who are thinking of going into blogging, what are you waiting for? Join in. Unshackle your inner self.

Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free. - CHUANG-TZU

Ano ang Peborit Past Taym Namin?

Tanong ito ni Odette. I pressume past time after work hours ang tinutukoy niya. Maaga nga naman kasing nagsasara ang mga mall. 5:30 pm most days. Pero tuwing Thursday at Friday yung iba medyo late 8:30 or 9:30 pm.

Siguro kung si Batjay ang tatanungin malamang sasabihin niya, mangulangot, or something more irreverent. Kwela talaga yang si Batjay e.

But on a more serious note, the above question is a very valid one and rightly deserves a serious answer. Nararamdaman kong may feeling of apprehension sa tanong, lalo na sa mga nagnanais mag-migrate dito. Ano nga naman ang gagawin after 6PM? Tutunganga na lang ba?

Naikwento ko nga rin ang buhay namin dito sa isang pinsan ko. Sabi ko mabuti pa sa Pilipinas maraming pwedeng puntahan after work. Kasi sa NZ, after 6 PM mostly close na lahat. “Ay boring naman, nakakabato”, ang kanyang reaksyon.

Well, hindi naman talaga lahat sarado ano? Most supermarkets are open until 10PM. Yung iba 24 oras pa. Cinema houses and most video shops are open up until midnight. Most restaurants are also open for late dinner. Casinos don’t close. There are pubs, bars, strip clubs to go to. (Pero di na yata pam-pamilya yon). Marami ring mga cultural events, concerts, at sports events sa gabi. Kung katulad kayo nung isang kaibigan namin na may boat at mahilig sa fishing, pwede rin mangisda sa gabi. Siguraduhin mo lang na may isdang iuuwi at baka pagdudahan ka ni misis lalo na kung amoy powder ka o lotion.

Kami, personally, ano ang peborit past taym namin? Pagdating sa bahay galing sa trabaho, maghahanda ng hapunan si Misis. Siyempre medyo tutulong-tulong ako ng kaunti. Yung anak namin gagawin ang mga assignment from school. Kung wala naman homework at may araw pa, pupunta sa playground at makipaglaro at kwentuhan sa mga kaibigan. Ako naman maaring mag-mow ng lawn kung mahaba na ang damo, o kaya magbasketball sa park sa may tapat namin. Kung minsan nag-iinvite kami ng mga kaibigan para mag-barbecue. O kaya naman kami ang ini-invite. Pagkatapos kumain, maghuhugas ng pinagkainan. Si Misis naman magwawalis o kaya magtutupi ng mga damit. Later sa gabi, manonood kami ng TV o DVD, mag-internet, magbasa ng mga blogs.

You can call it boring. But for me i call it uncomplicated, quality time with my family. Time, it's the best gift you can give to one another.

It’s the time that you spent on your rose that makes your rose so important - (from the The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

Maraming Kabaligtaran sa New Zealand

Ang pinaka obvious (but maybe not to some Northerners) yung seasons. Dahil nasa ilalim ng mundo ang NZ, when it's snowing in December sa parteng America at Europa, summer naman dito. Kaya iba talaga ang feeling ng pasko dito. Ma-miss mo ang malamig na simoy ng hangin sa simbang gabi.

Sa driving baligtad din. Nasa right ang manibela kaya keep left ka sa daan. As my friend J will say, "In the US, Canada, Phil. we drive on the right side of the road, pero sa UK, Australia, NZ on the wrong side of the road".

Yung mga lumang light switches nila dito baligtad din. Pababa para i-on at pataas naman para i-off.

Ang akala ng iba ang ikot daw ng tubig dito kapag ni-flush mo sa toilet bowl ay counter clockwise imbes na clockwise. I think this is a myth. I have yet to see a toilet bowl here that does that. When I flush the water in our toilet, the water just goes straight down. Hindi na umiikot-ikot pa.

Marami pa nga palang baligtad dito (I'm sure maging sa ibang bansa) sa mga asal natin mga Pinoy na nasa overseas tulad ng mga tinutukoy sa tulang ito na hinango ko sa Diaryo Filipino. Nakakatuwa kasi totoong-totoo.

Kabaligtaran
ni Rod Alcoriza

Pagmumuni-muni aking binalikan
Ang takbo ng buhay sa sariling bayan
Nagdaang kahapon ay kabaligtaran
Nitong naging buhay dito sa New Zealand

Bayang Pilipinas pansilid sa tiyan
Ang daing at tuyo ay pangkaraniwan
Talbos ng kamote karaniwang gulay
Ang dahon ng kangkong sahog sa sinigang

Dahil araw-araw ganito ang ulam
Ang kabag ng tiyan ay panay ang hataw
Hangin sa pang-upo ay panay ang singaw
Amoy ng paligid nakakahimatay

Ang isdang galunggong pangsalit sa gulay
Kahit na tinapa o maging paksiw man
Ito’y walang paltos maging sino ka man
Bahagi ng menu pagkain ng bayan

Manok, baka’t baboy, pagkaing espesyal
Mamahaling karne pagkaing mayaman
‘Pag mayroong handaan iyong matitikman
Kaya kung laklakin ay bundat ang tiyan

Ngayong nandirito sa ibayong bayan
Iba’t ibang karne ay pangkaraniwan
Nakakasuya na halos ay maduwal
Pagkain ng karne ay parusang mortal

O daing at tuyo kayo ay nasaan
Kami ay natiis buhay ay nilisan
Sa ami’y ihasik ang inyong linamnam
Ang pangungulila huwag nang dagdagan

Kay hirap hanapin pagkain sa bayan
Kung matagpuan ma’y saksakan nang mahal
Pagkaing mahirap ngayo’y pangmayaman
Dating hinahamak ngayo’y dinadasal

At kapag pinalad ito’t natagpuan
Niluluto pa lang tulo na ang laway
Kahit na mabantot walang pakialam
Parang nasa langit sa kaligayahan

Kahit magreklamo puting kapitbahay
Sa sangsang ng amoy ay halos mamatay
Ang mabunying Pinoy walang pakiramdam
Basta’t mairaos hinaing ng tiyan

At para bang kulang dapat na dagdagan
Puting reklamadaor dapat parusahan
Ginisang bagoong biglang isinalang
Langhapin mo lahat simoy na masangsang

Mapulang mansanas, orange na makatas
Itim, berde’t pula, makulay na ubas
Hirap na matikman noong nasa ‘Pinas
Ngayo’y hindi pansin hanap ay bayabas

Mabango’t matamis na manggang kalabaw
Makatas na atis at mabahong duryan
Tsiko at lansones at langkang madilaw
Ngayon ay pangarap mahirap matikman

Doon sa tanggapan English ang usapan
American accent at conscious sa grammar
Sagana sa porma’t panay ang pasosyal
Ang sariling wika ay halos iwasan

Ngayong nasa banyang English ang salita
Hanap ay kausap sa sariling wika
Pati mga puti kapag nabibigla
Ay tina-tagalog hindi nahihiya

Itong mga anak sa sarilng bansa
Ang turo ay English sa pagsasalita
Ngayong nandirito sa Ingles na bansa
Dapat kausapin sa sariling wika

Itong ating buhay sadyang balintuna
Ating hinahanap ay ang mga wala
Sa lamig at init tayo’y sadyang sala
O buhay, o buhay alin ba ang tama

Ngunit mayrong bagay na hindi nagbago
Pangit na ugaling tsismosa’t tsismoso
Saan man mapunta saan man tumungo
Laging lumulutang ang ugaling ito

Kahit na magsimba’t dasal ay usalin
Kahit paikutin bali-baligtarin
Hindi nabawasan nadagdagan mandin
Ang taong tsismoso ay tsismoso pa rin

Hataw sa tsismisan itong kayabangan
Hindi nabawasan bagkus naragdagan
Kahit na tumuwad kahit hubaran
Talagang mayabang, mayabang, mayaabaaang!

Aking paumanhin kung nasagasaan
Ang balat sibuyas na mga kabayan
Ito’y isang biro na katotohanan
Huwag nang magalit magbago ka na lang

My Filipino Dream

Simpleng buhay lang naman talaga ang hinahanap ko. Ayoko ng complicated. Ang gusto ko lang kasama ko pamilya ko, magkaroon ng sasakyan, ng sariling bahay, stable income, mapag-aral ang anak sa magandang paaralan, paminsan-minsan makapamasyal, mag-dine out, maglakad-lakad sa mall, sa park o sa beach, kumain ng tamang diet, at tumanda nang hindi nangangamba sa kinabukasan ng aming anak, sa sariling kapakanan at kalusugan.

Yan ang aking Filipino Dream. Opo meron palang tinatawag na Filipino dream. Actually first time kong nabasa ito sa blog ni TeacherSol. Ang alam ko lang dati yung American Dream -- tumira sa Tate, makapagtrabaho, umasenso at yumaman. In America, if you have the skills, guts and determination and with hardwork you can become rich, multi-millionaire pa kung gusto mo. The nice thing about the American dream is that everyone who dreams it has the chance to realize it.

Lately, nauuso na rin ang NZ dream. Marami sa atin mga kababayan ang nagnanais mag-migrate dito sa New Zealand. Hawig din ito sa American dream, ang nakikita ko lang na pagkakaiba yung salitang “yumaman”. Opo, this might come as a surprise to some, but becoming rich here in the Land of the Long White Cloud, although not impossible is more difficult compared to the USA. Hence I’ve never equated the NZ dream with becoming rich. Kasabihan nga namin mga Pinoy dito: “Sa NZ, hindi ka yayaman, pero hindi ka rin maghihirap.”

What NZ dream offers is modern living just like in America, comfortable, but not extravagant. A stress free, simple and more laid-back lifestyle. Uncomplicated. Para ka lang nagbabakasyon. Exactly, the way I described my Filipino dream above.

Masaya ako na malungkot.

Happy ako because the way things are progressing in my life, I’m close to seeing my dream to fulfillment. Ilang taon na lang, mortgage free na kami (sana nga). Three years, matatapos na sa secondary school ang anak namin. Then while waiting for retirement, I can dream of some luxuries, such as a house by the beach, or a boat maybe. It is a good feeling to dream. And an even better feeling to wake up knowing your dream is within your grasp.

Pero malungkot din ako. I’m saddened because I know people back home, close friends even, driven by despair and mounting difficuties in life have given up hope and stopped dreaming. They used to be dreamers like me, but slowly their Filipino dream evaporated to become just that, a dream, an impossible dream.

I want to scream at them and tell them not to lose hope. To do something rather than just blaming others or the country for lost opportunities. To tell them not to stop dreaming. A bright future, starts with a dream, a vision of tomorrow. Then one has to work on it...TODAY.

Iron Man

The IronMan competition is a tough endurance race. Participants go through a triathlon of swmming, biking and running. Matindi talaga itong race na ito. Kailangan fit na fit ka para makasali sa IronMan competition.

Katulad ko, ever since na tumira kami sa abroad, IronMan na ang role ko. Ako ang taga-iron ng mga damit namin every week. “Tigas” tayo e. Tiga-sampay ng nilabhan kada Sabado. Linggo ng gabi, ironing naman. Kaya eto, tone na tone ang mga biceps ko. Macho talaga.

Mabuti nga ngayon at malamig-lamig na ang panahon dito. Which means okay na'ng magsuot ng sweater o jacket. Kasi kapag naka-sweater ka, kahit hindi plantsado ang panloob na polo shirt mo, okay lang. Ang kailangan mo na lang plantsahin ay yung kwelhiyo. Huwag lang sanang mangyari ang tulad ng nangyari sa isang kumpare ko. Nagtataka yung mga opismeyts niya, pinagpapawisan na siya bakit naka-merkana pa, e gayung sira ang aircon. Hindi nila alam, hindi niya mahubad ang merkana niya kasi di plantsado ang panloob niya.

Sa abroad, kailangan may alam ka sa mga gawaing bahay. Dapat multi-skilled ka, flexible at handa kang magpakumbaba. Tulad ni Pareng J ko na taga Canada. Unang naging trabaho daw niya sa Toronto ay “Stock Analyst”. Sabi ko, galing naman parang yung sa Wall Street. Hindi sabi niya. Nasa supermarket daw siya, nare-refill ng stocks tuwing gabi. Si E naman unang work niya dito sa Auckland, may kataasan din. “Floor Manager” siya sa Sky City Casino. Floor manager as in managing the floor. Sige na nga, janitor.

O well, ganyan talaga siguro ang buhay abroad. Kailangan pinapatawa mo ang sarili mo. Learn to accept things good and bad with humility, grace and humour.

Gutom na Gutom

Wala lang. Nakuha ko ito galing sa Diaryo Filipino dito sa Auckland. Nakakatawa, kasi pwedeng mangyari, lalo na't perstaym mo pa lang sumakay ng eroplano.

May isang Pilipino ang sumakay ng PAL papuntang San Francisco. Pagdating niya sa San Francisco International Airport, nakita niya ang kanyang kapatid na susundo sa kanya.
"Kuya kumusta?"
"Mabuti naman", ang sagot.
"Kuya parang namumutla ka at nanghihina? May sakit ka ba?"
"Wala naman, gutom na gutom lang ako, pwede bang pakainin mo muna ako bago tayo magusap."
"O sige ba, bakit kuya hindi ka ba nila pinakain sa eroplano?"
"Marami nga silang binibigay pero tuwing dumadaan sila sa akin nagtulog-tulugan ako baka kasi sisingilin nila ako, eh wala akong pambayad."

Naalala ko tuloy yun namang kumare ko nung bagong dating dito sa NZ. Sa McDo siya nagtrabaho. Tuwing nag-riring ang telepono, nagkukunwari siyang busy para hindi siya ang sumagot ng phone. Eventually, nakahalata ang boss niyang kiwi at tinanong siya kung bakit hindi siya sumasagot ng phone. Inamin na niya, na hindi niya alam kung paano makipagusap ng Ingles sa phone. Understanding naman yung boss niya. Tinuruan siya at pinagaral pa siya ng courses sa customer relations at pagkatapos ng ilan taon na promote pa siya bilang Manager nung branch.

It's one trait I like with most of the kiwis I've known. If you're honest with them and you tell them you need help, they won't hesitate in giving you the help you need. And they never look down at you.

My Driving Record

In my 10 years of driving in Auckland, I’ve been involved in less than 5 incidences of altercations with other drivers. Kung minsan, partly kasalanan ko rin. Most NZ drivers are polite, and are quite patient and understanding. Kapag nagkamali ka, pagbibigyan ka nila. At kapag pinagbigyan mo naman sila, they’re quick to show their appreciation by raising one hand. Of course, hindi pa rin maiiwasan na paminsan-minsan meron pa rin mga bastos na drivers na makakatalo mo.

Two times na rin akong na-involve sa banggaan. Minor lang naman. Both times may bumangga sa likuran ng sasakyan ko. Both times kasalanan nila for following too closely. The remarkable thing about those 2 accidents was that when both drivers approached me, the first thing they said was: “Are you alright?”. Tapos walang pagtatalo kung sinong may kasalanan o singong mali. Nagpalitan lang kami ng pangalan, phone, registration at insurance details at naghiwalay na kami. Nasingil naman sila ng insurance ko kaya wala akong binayaran sa pagpapaayos ng kotche.

Two times na rin akong nahuli ng speed camera. Dito kasi meron mga cameras na nasa mga strategic locations ng ilang streets. Kapag lumampas ka ng 10kph sa speed limit, kokodakin ka. Tapos may matatanggap ka na lang na sulat after a few days, nakasulat kung magkano ang fine mo usually around $100, but could be more depende sa over mo sa speed limit. Pwede ka pang mag-request ng picture mo, kaya walang lusot.

Sa Pilipinas, nahuli ako minsan ng hagad. Reckless driving daw pagkatapos kong umoberteyk ng isang bus. Sige okay lang sabi ko bigyan mo ako ng ticket. Basta ayokong maglagay. Pagkaraan ng isang linggo, nagpunta ako sa Crame para magbayad ng fine at kunin ang lisensiya ko. Hiningi nung pulis na nasa front desk ang ticket at sinabi sa akin ang dapat kong bayaran at ibigay ko raw sa kanya. Nagbigay naman ako. Bumalik siya with my license. Okay na raw pero walang resibo. Ibig sabihin sa kanya rin (at mga kasabwat niya) napunta yung perang binayad ko, di ba? So I thought what’s the point in being honest and not bribing the highway patrol? Ganon din, ibang pulis lang ang nakinabang. In the end wala pa rin pumasok na income sa gobyerno. No wonder, bankrupt tayo, maraming nangungupit. Pero di pa rin ako maglalagay. Yan ang stand ko.

Siguro pwedeng i-adopt sa atin ang katulad dito. When I got fined after being caught by a speed camera, I got a letter saying that if I pay the fine, the infringement will be wiped from my record. Kaya so far kahit twice na akong na-speed camera, technically, malinis pa rin ang record ko. Kaya lang kapag ginawa sa atin ito mababawasan ang delihensiya ng mga pulis. Then hindi lang mga motorista ang pagiinitan nila baka pati ang mga kawawang tumatawid ng kalye, for “jaywalking” kikikilan nila. Katulad nung mahuli akong nag-jaywalking sa harapan ng UST. But that’s another story.

My mind is in a quandary. Have I betrayed my country?

We’re all familiar with the cliché: “there’s no place like home”. And I mean home being our country the Philippines. Sabi nila kahit saan ka pang parte ng mundo magpunta, nanaisin mo pa rin ang bumalik sa atin. May mga former classmates nga ako na ngayon ay nasa overseas. Sabi nila, plano pa rin daw nila ang magretiro sa Pilipinas.

Eto ang bumabagabag sa akin. Bakit ako di ko nararamdaman ang nararamdaman nila -- the longing to come back to our country? If ever, ang gusto ko lang ay ang magbakasyon sa atin ng ilang linggo. Pero ang mag-retire doon? Takot na ako. I doubt if I’ld be able to cope up anymore.

Ayoko nang balikan pa ang mga walang katapusang problema sa atin. Ang corruption, pollution, kanya-kanyang racket, ekonomiyang bangkarote, walang asensong pamumuhay, ang kawalan ng pag-asa. Pakiramdam ko ngayon tinalikuran ko na ang ating bayan.

Para bang ang tingin ko sa Pilipinas ay isang malaking barko. Lahat ginagawa nito para manatiling nakalutang sa dagat. Pero dahil marami na itong butas at kalawang na nakakasira kaya unti-unti itong lumulubog. Kung hindi tatapalan ang mga butas at gagamutin ang kalawang, darating ang araw tuluyan na itong lulubog.

Pakiramdam ko isa ako sa mga nag-jump ship at ngayon ay nagpapakasasa na sa isang island paradise. At ngayon hindi ko lang hinihikayat na mag-jump ship ang iba, kung di tinutulungan ko pa.

Traydor ba ako sa ating bayan? Makasarili ba ako to think of my own welfare? Will going back on board the ship help in any way? What can people like me do to help keep this sinking ship afloat?

Bayan ko, naguguluhan ako. Kung luxury cruise liner ka lang hindi na ko magdadalawang isip pang balikan ka. But even an antiquated wooden ship pwede na sana. All I ask for are signs of stability that you’ll not gonna sink. Ayokong malunod, masakit yon.

Renting a Flat

Here are some of the things you may want to know about renting a flat or a house in NZ.

First of all, you need to decide which city and suburb you’ld want to live. You have to consider accessibility to shops, workplace, schools and public transport. Kailangan mo rin alamin ang peace and order situation ng area. Baka nga mura ang rent, pero, madalas naman ang mga nakawan at maraming graffiti. Magtanong-tanong ka. Alam ng karamihan ang mga streets/areas na notorious sa mga kabalbalan. The thing to remember, though, is that you won’t find a perfect place. You have to compromise and in the end it is only you who can make the final decision.

Once, you’ve decided on the suburb or suburbs, browse for rental properties in the classified ads. Go to the offices of real estate agencies. Meron silang section solely for rentals. If they have none available, you can leave your contact details with them and they'll find a property for you. Another source is the internet and below are some websites that you can visit.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
http://www.stuff.co.nz/
http://www.trademe.co.nz/
http://www.trade-exchange.co.nz/

Magkano naman ang rental ng mga flat o bahay? Ang magandang puntahang website para may idea ka kung magkano ang going rate sa isang lugar ay ang Tenancy Services.

May statistics sila ng market rent ng bawat lugar. You’ll see the minimum, maximum and the average rent for each area for each type of dwelling. The example below shows the information for Glenfield, Auckland. The prices given are weekly rent in NZ$.



In most cases you will be required to pay 2 weeks advance payment, 2 to 4 weeks bond and sometimes 1 week letting fee, before moving in. Yung bond, ide-deposit yon ng landlord sa Tenency Services. The bond is for the landlord’s protection. Kung may damage na mangyari sa property, ide-deduct sa bond. At the end of the tenancy, you can refund the full amount of the bond or a fraction of it, depende kung may damage ang property. Yun naman letting fee, usually sinisingil yan ng real-estate agency na nag-advertise ng property. Kung wala naman agency ang involved wala ka rin dapat bayaran na letting fee. The normal length of the tenancy agreement is 6 months, but automatically renewed after that.

What are your rights and obligations as a tenant? How about the landlord? Pwede ka ba niyang palayasin o taasan ng rent anytime? There are laws about renting that you might want to familiarize yourself with before signing any agreement. The best source for this is again the Tenancy Serrvices. They have online brochures like:

Renting and You - a guide to the law about renting
What to Do When You're Renting - a guide for tenants

In case na magkaroon ng hindi pagkakaunawaan between you and your landlord, there is also a process for sorting out disputes. The brochure “Sorting it out - all about disputes and mediation” outlines this process.

I’m not going to repeat here what’s contained in these brochures. I leave it up to you as homework. I’ll just list down some general tips and pointers:

1. Ask the landlord who pays for water and wastewater? (In Auckland, it used to be that the tenant pays for water while the landlord pays wastewater (wastewater is a separate charge for the disposal of used water). But now it is more common for the tenants to shoulder both).

2. If there’s a lawn or garden, clarify from the landlord who’s going to do the lawn mowing/gardening? There is no rule for this. It’s between the tenant and landlord to agree on.

3. Note down the water and electricity meter readings together with the landlord on the date of moving in.

4. Call the power company prior to moving in to arrange for electricity supply.

5. Call the phone company prior to moving in to arrange for a phone connection.

6. It pays to get a home contents insurance to protect you from lost of valuables against burglaries especially in areas where this is common. Burglars often target Asian migrants new to a place because they know they keep cash and jewelry in their homes. DON'T KEEP BIG AMOUNTS OF MONEY OR JEWELRIES AT HOME! May kaibigan kami, bagong dating dito, dala nila ang kanilang life savings in US$. Pinasok ang bahay nila. Ubos ang US$. The insurance can repay the lost of appliances, but it's difficult to claim for lost of cash and jewelries. Better be safe than sorry.

7. If you don't feel safe with the security of the house, try to negotiate the installation of a security system (burglar alarm) with the landlord, if there is none yet. The issue of security is more prevalent in some suburbs especially in some parts of Auckland. Sa ibang lugar, this may not even be an issue.

8. Check if the property has an external TV antenna. If there is none and the reception using an indoor antenna is weak, you may want to arrange with the landlord for an antenna to be installed. But it’s up to you to negotiate who pays for the installation.

9. This one is quite important. Be acquainted with your neighbors right away. Even before signing any rental agreement, talk to the next door neighbors. Kilatisin mo ang mga nakatira sa paligid. Kung mga mukhang gangster at addict, baka it’s not worth moving to the place. Importante ang may peace of mind ka sa lilipatan mo. I've heard horror stories before na kapitbahay pala ang siya pang nagnanakaw sa kanila. Make an effort to say "good morning" or "good day" when you see them. Such a simple thing, but goes a long way in making you feel at ease. If you're at least in talking terms with your neighbors, you’ll feel relaxed and at home with the place right away.

Good luck na lang sa bago ninyong tirahan! At sana yung next na lilipatan ninyo, sarili na ninyong bahay.

It's hard being a parent of a teenage girl

I have a small problem. Paano ko iko-convince ang aming dalaginding na anak na mga boys ang dapat gumagawa ng unang hakbang sa panliligaw? Yan ang ugaling Pinoy, di ba? Ang mga boys ang nagyayayang mag-date sa girls and not the other way round. The girls naman, dapat pakipot muna at playing hard-to-get.

Ewan ko kung ganyan pa rin ang ugali sa atin ng mga teenager. I’m sure nagbago na rin at di na tulad nung 10 to 20 years ago. Pero in general, mga boys pa rin ang expected na gumagawa ng unang moves.

Dito dahil kulturang kanluran, ang tinuturo sa school, girls and boys are equal, even in courtship. Kaya kapag sinasabihan namin itong anak namin na hindi magandang siya pa ang tumatawag sa phone sa mga lalaking kaibigan, nako-confuse siya. Sabi niya double standard daw na may pwedeng gawin ang boys na hindi pwede ang girls. Yung kasing iba niyang kaibigan na girls, sila pa ang nagbibigay ng mga sulat sa mga crushes nila at sila pa ang nagyayayang makipagkita sa labas.

Sometimes I find it difficult to reconcile our Pinoy ways with those of today’s generation. I’m liberal minded and I want to be reasonable. I want my daughter to be assertive and to stand for herself. Hindi ko pwedeng sabihin sa kanya na: "Basta, yan ang gusto ko kaya sundin mo yan, period." For that will only make her submissive later in life.

May katigasan ang ulo ko, lalo na nung bata pa ako. I always wanted valid reasons for anything my parents ask me to do or not to do. Langya, sa akin pa yata nag-mana itong batang ire. Am I being old-fashioned when it comes to my child? Overprotective or what? Wala na ba ako sa uso?

Pinoy Social Circles

I’ve seen how Pinoy families live in America and Pinoy families here in New Zealand. May isang very noticeable difference when I compare the two.

In the States, Pinoys are more clanish. Their social circle consists mostly of close relatives. Normal lang ito kasi marami na ang mga Pinoy sa States. Since, post WWII nagpuntahan na doon ang mga Pinoy. Siguradong may mga kapatid, in-laws, cousins, grand-parents, uncles at aunts ka within the city or State. Sa mga happenings, birthdays, Christmases, outings, mga kamag-anak ang mostly kasa-kasama mo.

Sa NZ, medyo iba. Dahil bago-bago pa lang nag-migrate ang mga Pinoy dito at hindi pa gaanong marami, karamihan sa mga Pinoy wala pang mga kamag-anakan dito. Hence, their social circle consist mostly of close friends and maybe few relatives.

Yung iba dito, nagkakilalanan lang kung saan-saan. May nagkasabay lang mag-apply ng visa sa Makati o nagkasabay lang sa flight naging close friends na. One of our close friends here, na-meet lang namin sa food court ng isang shopping center nung bagong dating kami. Ngayon magku-kumpare at kumare na kami. Then our friend T, nakasama lang ng isang kaibigan si J sa pagsundo sa mag-ina ko sa airport, ngayon, every Christmas, nagpa-party kami sa kanila.

One more thing that’s noticeable about our circle of Filipino friends here is that it consists of Pinoys from different regions. May Tagalog, Kapampangan, Bisaya, Cebuano, Ilocano, Bicolano. Natutuwa akong nakikita ang mga kababayan natin na nagsasama-sama kahit iba-iba ang kanilang dialect, social background at pinanggalingan. Somehow, it shows that Filipinos can be united and supportive of one another given the right social environment. Walang inggitan. Lahat (well, almost) handang magtulungan.

For the time being, this is how I see Pinoy families living here in NZ. How long is it going to stay this way? I don’t know. The sad reality is that as more and more Pinoys come here, the more they’ll become regionalistic, then clanish. Mag-gu-grupo-grupo ang mga Kapampangan, Ilocanos, Bisayans, etc. Then eventually, magka-kanya-kanya na lang ang bawat pamilya at mga kamag-anak na lang nila ang kasa-kasama.

Perhaps there’s nothing wrong with this. That it happens to all groups of people moving to another land. A natural evolution of social composition and decomposition. It’s just a pity that it becomes harder to sustain unity and cooperation when more and more of us live in the same place.

On love and being loved

"'But if I shall love others, how can I be sure that they in return will love me?' - Caine

'Do you seek love or barter?' - Master Po

'If I love others and they do not love me, I shall feel great pain.' - Caine

'That is what you risk. . . . Great pain or great joy.'" - Master Po

Calling the Philipines

Ipagpaumanhin sana ni Dusk at hindi ko pa nasusulat ang request niya. Malalim kasi ang tanong niya at English pa. What are the life lessons you know now that you wish you had known 15, 20 years ago? Masyadong makabagbag-damdaming tanong tulad nung mga nakaraan kong posts: “If you can change one thing about your life, what will it be?” at “How could God let this happen?”

So, uunahin ko na muna itong kay Anna at medyo madali-dali. Ano raw ang lowest rates to call the Philippines from NZ.

Maraming mga calling cards ang mabibili sa mga convenience stores. Usually may $10, $20 or $50. Madali naman gamitin ang mga cards na ito. Sa card nakasulat ang number na ida-dial mo at ang PIN number na dapat mong i-key in. Tapos pwede ka nang dumayal sa Pilipinas. You can call from any land line or any public phone.

Nag-search ako sa Google and I found www.callingcards.com where you can search and compare different pre-paid calling cards for the country you’re calling from and calling to. Unfortunately, tatlo lang ang lumitaw sa search. The cheapest one is Global Caller and has a rate of 21 cents per minute in 3 minute increments. Ibig sabihin nito calls less than 3 minutes kahit 10 seconds lang 63 cents (21 x 3) pa rin ang charge. Isa pa, the price is for calls to landline only. Calls to mobile phones are more expensive, pero hindi nakasabi kung by how much.

Kung ayaw mo naman bumili ng pre-paid cards, pwede kang mag sign-up with www.Ztalk.co.nz online. Libre naman ang mag-sign up. Kami, Ztalk ang gamit namin sa bahay to call the Philippines. Their rates are cheaper than Telecom's (PLDT ng NZ). The only thing is that they charge in 15 minute increments but with the first 30 seconds free. Calls to the Philippines cost $4.99 per 15 minutes. If you try to call someone and that person is not around to talk to you (o kaya wrong number), you can hang up within 30 seconds and you won’t be charged for the call. Otherwise, you pay a flat rate of $4.99 per 15 minutes. Para sa amin okay ito kasi conscious ka sa time. Kapag lumampas ka ng 15 minutes, paabutin mo na ng 30 minutes para sulit ang bayad. Mas okay kung may stop-watch ka para ma-monitor mo ang oras. Ang calls nga pala to a mobile phone in the Philippines with Ztalk is 45 cents per minute and does not follow the 15 minute increment rule.

Kung ikaw at ang tatawagan mo ay may PC na may speakers at microphone, at pareho kayong may internet access, i-install mo na lang ang Yahoo Messenger. With that pwede na kayong mag-usap, mag-chat, at pwede niyo pang makita ang isa’t isa using a webcam for free. Just be aware that the quality is not as good as regular phones especially if you’re only using a dial-up connection. (Napuputol paminsan-minsan). Also for those in NZ, depending on your ISP, internet access can be unlimited. You can be connected as long as you want with no extra charge. In the Philippines, however, it may be different where they may be charged on the length of the connection. So hindi pa rin libre para sa kanila. Better to check with them first, kawawa naman sila kung lumaki masyado ang bills nila.

News from the Homefront

Jean has been confined in the hospital last Tuesday. She was throwing up, had very high fever and a really worst case of diarrhea, that we had to take her to an emergency clinic then later in the evening by ambulance to the Norhtshore Hospital.

Jean was having stomach cramps almost all day yesterday because of her frequent trips to the toilet (about once or twice every hour). Anything she eats, she was discharging almost instantly. Hinang-hina na nga siya. And yet, kahit hirap na siya ang tanong pa niya "Anong babaunin ninyo bukas, ubos na ang tinapay?"

She's feeling better today. Wala nang lagnat at dumalang na ang diarrhea. What exactly caused her condition wouldn't be known until all lab results are in, which might be in a few more days. So far, all they know is that she has puss in her stool, indicating an infection of some sort. We think it might have been caused by something she ate last Sunday or Monday. But we can't be certain.

In the meantime, the hospital said she can go home later today, continue her antibiotics, and just wait for more lab results.

The good thing was everything was free, except for:

Consultation at emergency clinic - $55
Parking fee at hospital - $6
Antibiotics, paracetamol, potassium tabs - $26.30
Seeing your loved one healthy, strong and happy - Priceless!

A Nation of Heroes

Below is a photo of Sir Edmund Hillary (1919 - ) in his youth as shown in every 5 dollar bill in NZ. Sir Edmund is NZ’s most accomplished explorer and is known worldwide as the first person to climb Mt. Everest in 1953. He is now in his mid 80’s still very alive and kicking.



Ano? Buhay pa pala si Sir Hillary. Ang akala ko noon mga patay na national heroes lang ang pwedeng i-picture sa pera. Sa atin kasi ganoon di ba? Rizal, Mabini, Ninoy. Sa US ganon din. Washington, Franklin, etc. It is very uncommon for a living person, especially someone not connected in government, to be immortalized in a country’s currency.

Six years ako sa previous job ko. During the time I was there marami-rami rin sa mga office mates ko ang naparanglan, nabigyan ng certificates of appreciation. “For working over and beyond the call of duty.” Kung baga, hero sila dahil sila yung mga naghirap, nag-overtime, pumasok maski holiday para lang matapos ang project on time and on budget. Nung una inggit ako sa kanila. Kasi yung iba mas junior pa sa akin, may award na. Ako sa anim na taon, minsan lang nakatanggap, hindi pa individual award, kung hindi, team award pa.

Pero in-analize ko kung bakit hindi ako nabibigyan ng individual recognition. Hindi naman sa nagyayabang pero masipag at magaling naman akong computer consultant. Then I came to realize that it was because I was in a team that was functioning very well. The team was fortunate to have had competent project managers who were very good in planning and project management so much so that it wasn’t necessary for anyone to be “heroic”. Hindi namin kinailangan mag-overtime kasi tama ang planning at scheduling ng mga tasks. Yung ibang group, may pagka bara-bara ang planning, palpak ang management at allocation ng resources. If their projects became a success later it was only because of the exceptional performance of individuals “beyond the call of duty”. So I concluded, kung maganda ang planning at palakad, there is a lesser need for heroes.

Which brings me back to Sir Edmund. Bakit nga ba siya nasa pera ng NZ? Not that he doesn’t deserve to. For me, it’s just unusual dahil buhay pa siya. The only explanation I could come up with is that maybe because NZ has very few national heroes. Kaya kahit buhay pa ginagawa ng bayani para lang madagdagan ang mga role-models ng bansa. Paano kasi ang history ng NZ hindi kasing makasaysayan tulad ng sa atin. Wala namang colonial power na sumakop dito e. Maayos din ang palakad ng gobyerno at maganda ang ekonomiya, hence, there is no need for anyone to be heroic.

Contrast this with our beloved country, where almost any act that requires a fair bit of sacrifice becomes a heroic act. If you’re an OFW, you’re a hero because you're sacrificing life with your loved ones. If you are professional, say a scientist working in the Philippines instead of overseas where the monetary rewards are greater, you’re also a hero. If you’re a social worker working in the slums of Manila, you’re definitely a hero. Natatandaan ko nung nagtrabaho ako sa Bureau of Immigration sa Intramuros, sa interview ko tinanong ako ng Commisioner, “handa ka bang maging bayani?” What? I’m just applying for a 9-5 job, magiging hero na ako? The fact is, every Filipino who’s working a decent, honest living is a hero. We’re a Nation of Heroes.

BUT we shouldn’t need heroes, if ONLY things in our country are moving smoothly. Hirap na hirap na ang kalooban ko para sa ating mga kababayan. At the same time, inis na inis na sa mga nagpapalakad ng ating pamahalaan. Kailan kaya aasenso ang bayan natin at gumanda-ganda naman ang buhay ng ating mga mamamayan? I dream of that day. Because when that time comes, hindi na natin kailangan magpakabayani pa; we need not become a nation of heroes anymore. Instead, to be successful, to be an achiever is enough. We can simply be a Nation of Achievers.

The Tale of the Missing Coffee Mugs

Pagkatapos kong mabasa and post ni Mr. Tanggero tungkol sa butiking nakiki-inom sa coffee cup niya, na-alala ko yung isang email na pinadala ko sa mga opismeyts ko tungkol sa mga nakikigamit at pagkatapos nawawalang coffee cups sa opis namin.

The email created such a fuss and generated varied reactions from my co-workers. Some took it as a joke. Others replied with their own suggestions. Yung iba, na masyadong seryoso sa buhay, got quite upset and angry with me for wasting their time and the company’s network resources dahil muntik daw ma-overload ang email server namin because of it. In any case, the email was effective. Dahil hindi na nawala uli ang mug ko.

Anyway, eto yung infamous email ko.

To: Everyone
Subject: Missing Coffee Mugs

I have had enough. It’s time someone speaks up and stops pretending everything’s fine. I’m referring to personal coffee mugs being lost or stolen from the kitchen. I’m sure I am not the only one who’s lost a mug in this office. If you borrow someone else’s coffee mug, please return it in the kitchen after use. Or even better would be to bring and use your own at least for hygienic reasons. In the span of 6 months, I’ve already lost 3. That’s one in every couple of months. I reckon, something has to be done, so I came up with the following suggestions that hopefully would discourage people from using/stealing other people's mug.

1. Break the handle. No one wants damaged goods.

2. Buy the ugliest mug that you can find. Assumption is that because it is ugly, no one wants it. (Not 100% effective I should add, because one of those I lost was quite horrible).

3. Using a permanent ink, write on it "owner of this mug has herpes, std, aids, sars" just anything contagious will do.

4. Lastly, you can try the following. Drill a small hole at the bottom of the mug in which only you have the plug for it. I'm about to get a patent for this idea as soon as I've made a working prototype.

From Mr. Tanggero’s experience, you could add one more suggestion. Write on the mug: “I'VE ALREADY KILLED A LIZARD WHO TRIED TO USE THIS. SO DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.”

Phil to NZ Cargo Movers

Here are a few cargo movers operating mainly for the Filipino community in NZ. Pauna lang po na wala po akong connection sa mga ito. I just got them from Diaryo Filipino here in Auckland.

They do door-to-door pick up and delivery of balikbayan boxes to and from the Philippines. Pwede rin container kung mga furnitures or bigger stuff.

L&L International
Auckland: L&Lservices@xtra.co.nz
Manila: Ph. 840 0964 email: goldie@pldtdsl.net

Philippine New Zealand Global Cargo
Auckland: PhilNZ@xtra.co.nz
Manila: Ph. 874 8302 or 0916 327 4073 email: PhilNZ@pacific.net.nph

Forex-Umac
Email: umacnz@xtra.co.nz

Aside from the above, you can search for more movers in the link below.
http://www.intlmovers.com/New_Zealand.html