Living Abroad... No Turning Back..

bookworm · August 2014

At ang walang kuwentang PDOS hahaha
pero oo, agree ako. Nakikita ko ang tatay ko, napakaliit ng pension, mahal ang health system natin. Kahit may ipon cya, unti unting nauubos kaya ayaw na nya magpa gamot, mahal daw. Ayaw kong mangyari sa akin yun kaya naghanap ako ng bansang may maayos na health system at pension, especially since wala akong asawa at anak.
Nakakalungkot lang na ganyan ang nangyayari sa bansa natin.

dhey_almighty · August 2014

@bookworm blame it all sa napakarami nating congressman...in such a small country of ours...tsk! pero take note ha, mahal ko pa rin ang pinas! :-)

johnvangie · August 2014

Kasama sa things to do list ko ang mag aral ng driving dito para at least I have basic knowledge or makapag drive ako prior to big move. 3x na ako nag leave para kumuha ng Student License, and it so depressing, disappointing na "OFFLiNE" or "Sira ang Printer" ang ibungad ng LTO. 3 different branch ng LTO yan ha. As on literal na walang gagawin maghapon ang LTO employee kasi offline. Kinausap ko ang Chief Officer, bandang 830am pa lang kasi nasa LTO na ako, wala daw talaga magagawa kasi server, connection problem daw... Wala silang alternative... Kasi baka pwedeng i queue or manual encode na nila ang application then pag nag OK ang system, tsaka nila tawagan or pabalikin ng specific time and date. Ibang klase ang gobyerno ng Pinas, wala na ako masabi! Nasa sariling bansa ako pero ni hindi ka matulungan or pansinin man lang ng gobyerno, ang susungit pa! Ang kunswelo ko na lang para makalma pa ako sa LTO is hawak na namin ang Visa grant letter. Andun na àng pag asa na makakaiwas na din ako sa ibang sistema ng Pinas. Nakakalungkot mang isipin, nawalan na ako ng pag asa na magbago pa ang mahal kong Pilipinas.

Captain_A · July 2016

makikishare lng din ng opinion...

i still see myself retiring sa Pinas, i have never been to Oz before but will be there next yr and stay a while.

I'm hopeful s changes na nagaganap s Pinas ngayon.

Maybe after a year in Oz, mag share uli ako dito

Let's see if magbago ang perception ko for Oz and Pinas..

thegreatiam15 · July 2016

Captain_A said:
makikishare lng din ng opinion...

i still see myself retiring sa Pinas, i have never been to Oz before but will be there next yr and stay a while.

I'm hopeful s changes na nagaganap s Pinas ngayon.

Maybe after a year in Oz, mag share uli ako dito Let's see if magbago ang perception ko for Oz and Pinas..

sinabi ko to sa sarili ko pero nung manirahan ako sa canberra

may lupa ako sapinas di ko ibebenta pero mukhang malabo ko na masabi to sa sarili ko dami pa plano e hehe

TasBurrfoot · July 2016

The Philippines has improved the past year two years I suppose...

And with the new government in, it promises an even massive change for the better - will I go home? No thanks, I am already happy here.

batman · July 2016

my thoughts as well.

Stability of the so called positive change in the Philippines has not been proven and tested.

Captain_A · July 2016

@thegreatiam15 kamusta na ang lupa mo sa pinas? sino dito ang citizens na?

grant512 · July 2016

Nakakalungkot naman ang mga comment sa bansang sinilangan natin. Can't blame them, I also experienced hell of a traffic and sobra bagal ng sistema. I still consider PH as my home since my beloved family are staying there. I find it weird when some of my friends visit PH and tell me they got bored and can't wait to go back in SG ( take note their family are staying in PH )...I will be bias coz my family stays in PH and every day I do feel homesick here in SG, almost 5 years nako and can't wait to go back in PH and face the traffic, dirt, pollution and corruption. Why am I migrating to OZ? I just want to have a simple life with a nice salary, better future for my kids, I want my kids to experience what a first world country can offer and teach them to be independent without yaya. Hard to decide right now kung saan magreretire, I don't think I am making sense right now

Captain_A · July 2016

@grant512 i have the same thoughts with you..

vamdcpa · July 2016

Pinas is not as bad as it seems sa mga newspapers... There's traffic, flood, crime, corruption, etc. but having left only two months ago, I can say that it's still a liveable city (though not ideal) as long as you have a stable and rewarding job. But I can't blame others who've already worked abroad kasi syempre tumaas na rin yung standard of living nila.

My husband and I decided to migrate to Australia because of the better quality of life, financial support to our families, and we want to grow old and have kids here, but we are not closing our doors to Pinas. Not yet.

jedh_g · July 2016

@grant512 I had the same thoughts as well. While Philippines is on transition to our new government leadership reign, I would still say that I wanted to retire back to homeland. My parents are still here and wanted to settle our own house back as an investment as well. I'm from Laguna and I wanted to stay here as developed na rin naman at accessible ang amenities like school, hospital and recreation.

I had chosen AU to live and work and yes a taste of their form of government in a first world country with less or little corruption. I may love this country long term as I may compare it to our motherland. I highly consider my children going to school for free and the leniency of time that I or their mother can fetch them on and off a decent australian international education - which Philippines can't. I may love how people treat respect in AU and their way of discipline - which Philippines is seldom evident

But at the end of the day, I come to think of it. I took my australian dream more of my family than my personal reasons. Mas ok na masabi ko when a point in my life comes na "I TRIED" than saying "WHAT IF". ~O)

grant512 · July 2016

jedh_g said:

But at the end of the day, I come to think of it. I took my australian dream more of my family than my personal reasons. Mas ok na masabi ko when a point in my life comes na "I TRIED" than saying "WHAT IF". ~O)

Wow I like this post @jedh_g gve me goosebumps

Love for both PH & OZ we still don't have clues on what will be our future in OZ but I am positive that PH will always welcome us with open arms.

jedh_g · July 2016

@grant512 alam mo habang lumalapit ang visa grant release, parang feeling ko mami-miss ko ng sobra ang pinas. We were an active church servants ng wife ko in our chosen community here and had chosen to serve one last time as I want to exhaust everything in my capacity to help fellow filipino colleagues (search BCBP in website to have an idea for professional people and businessmen). In fact, we had chosen to lead this weekend a retreat for business people and we are tasked ng wife ko to lead the program as course leaders. I said YES despite the hectic schedule. I told myself, this is my last straw to serve and do good deeds. Siguro, dahil bihira itong opportunity ni Lord sa atin in pursuing our family VISA in Australia, ito ang way namin to give back or pay it forward. Mas nabe-bless kaya dapat share it to others. Wedding anniversary nga namin on Saturday, but we decided to serve. It feels good to serve.

Parang malungkot if iisipin na start from scratch ako sa Australia. Imagine, I have left with no job, not with my family for several months, no good friends around, not enough money to show off, no entertainment galore like watching movies with my wife and kids, no malls after work, nothing only myself - yan ang naiisip ko in my first landing at Perth, WA
Sabi nga ng wife ko, 'di daw sya sanay pag wala ako. I always drive her home after my work. Sabay kami umuuwi late night with her at when we started pursuing our visa application for almost one year na, our life had become so fast paced.

Then there comes a jolt of innerself saying: "this too shall pass". I am a man of prayer and faith. What keeps me going despite all of these uncertainties were an opportunity instead. When my vision sees a successful sons and daughters in australian exclusive school and earn faster in AU than what I am earning here in the Philippines makes me smile plus driving my dream SUV in Australian outback. I believe everything happens and permitted by God for a reason. I rest my case with much uncertainty but surely I have more hopes than worries. GO, MOVE FORWARD...

grant512 · July 2016

@jedh_g Thank you for the inspiring words. I myself sacrificed 5 years of my life in SG without the warm hugs of my wife and kids. Imagine my worries everyday when my wife goes to office alone and my kids in school not to mention the bad news in PH media!

Why don't you bring your family with you in Perth? experience the struggle together (sorry for the word) and then later on achieve the OZ life we've been dreaming about.

For us, we decided to go ALL together and see what OZ can offer. Through thick and thin with family on our side we can always achieve our goals.

jedh_g · July 2016

@grant512 actually kasama naman entire family at perth as plan, it's just for practical reason and other important financial matters to settle, I had to go first then they will follow me. The struggle of finding a home we could call our own and landing a permanent job are things I carry with me in this Australian journey, moving forward.

I thought of our entire family flight at first but considering we are huge in numbers, we decided ni misis to have a staggered flight to OZ. I admired your courage, you're the MAN!