As the food crisis and price hike of almost every service or commodity continues to affect the Philippines in a negative way, more and more Filipinos are thinking of working or emigrating to a foreign land to find the elusive “greener pasture”.
I think every corner of the world now is penetrated by my fellow Pinoys, both legally and otherwise. Filipinos have conquered the world! Athough some countries consider most my countrymen second-class citizens in their nations, and subject to their discrimination and racial prejudice I feel proud of them.
Why?
Because Filipinos are capable to doing anything imaginable just to be able to send money back home (that’s love, baby!) even if it meant they have to work as caregivers (very humble but honorable job), maids, fruit pickers, factory workers, entertainers, and sadly sometimes prostitutes. Although yes, Filipinos are able to excel in professional careers too, as doctors, engineers, teachers, nurses, as the list goes on.
It feels weird though that I am doing this now: pondering whether I too shall join the bandwagon and find better paying jobs overseas(if lucky enough, or rather blessed enough).
Yes, I’d like to go places. I want to go abroad, even as a child. My father used to work as a seaman and he had all his opportunities to go coast to coast around the globe. He gave me his collection of both coins and paper bills of each country he visited, (I doubt if they are still valid until now) and how I wished I could go to those places myself! But even then, all I ever wanted was to visit and stay for a while enough to appreciate what each place and their people have to offer. Even then, I’ve always thought of working in my country, as a way of service to my people (corny, ewww).
I’ve always been loyal. This is the single most important quality that I am proud of in my character. I can say that without batting an eyelash. (haha, crazy!)
However, lately I’ve had serious self talk (not the kind that psychotic people do, lol). I am considering leaving. In fact, next week I will be processing my passport and other documents. I’m not still convinced that leaving is the ultimate solution, but this has been the current trend, even among my family members. My sister, as well as her family is in Germany and she is pursuing her doctorate degree. They are planning to emigrate there. I think my other sister is going to do the same. And now, my soul twin is also considering working abroad because his salary is so meager to provide for his own family in the future as well as support his parents’ medication and other expenses.
I am quite contented with the way things are going in my life here. It’s not perfect, we are living comfortably although not well off in terms of material things. I am happy. My lifestyle is simple after all and I don’t have very lofty ambitions. I am happy for my sisters ‘cause they were given rare opportunities to study and stay for good in a foreign country but I am not envious. Some people are blessed in some ways and other people in some different ways. I’d love to go, and I will try saving money to be able to go places. I’m still young and maybe I’d be given my own chance, who knows?
But if I am going to leave, who’s going to take charge of the kids at church, who’s going to take my parents’ blood pressure and watch what they eat?
I’m stupid because I do care about the country. I’m afraid there will be nobody to care for the sick since the doctors and nurses are leaving; nobody to teach young children since teachers are going abroad; nobody to build houses because skilled workers are leaving also! Am I going to leave too?
EDIT: HAHAHA… I got confused with my story
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