Living Abroad... No Turning Back..

lock_code2004 · December 2013

http://thoughtcatalog.com/rachel-rae/2013/11/10-things-about-living-abroad-no-turning-back/

10 Things About Living Abroad: No Turning Back
NOV. 26, 2013 By RACHEL RAE

Moving around the world teaches you many things. It isn’t for everyone. It takes a special type of person to be able to do what we do. Packing up all your things into two carry-on bags and two checked pieces of luggage is struggles in itself, and to generalize imagine being a woman! I could only bring 10 pairs of shoes! Your mother will go through that luggage and make you narrow it down to seven cardigans instead of 17 and she will remind you that those shorts still don’t fit and haven’t fit for 3 years, you should probably just let them go. Along with letting those shorts go you are also letting go of friendships, relationships, comfort.

A wise man told me that the reason we move to new countries is because we are either running from or running to something. I laughed and thought he was crazy. I just wanted a change; there was no rationale to my choice. The more I thought about it, the more I realized he was right. I wasn’t just running from something, I was sprinting as far as I could. What I didn’t realize was that this choice has now started the foundation of my future. Just like a tattoo, that first little taste and you want more and more. No turning back.

1. Freedom. A new sense of freedom. Freedom to do and go as I please. Freedom to travel. Freedom to make choices without a safety net. Freedom to be yourself.

2. Watching your life at home pass by. Birthdays come and go. Marriages. Deaths. Life doesn’t stop and wait for you.

3. Math skills strengthen as you are always trying to convert your local currency to your home country. You know it is even better when you convert your new currency to your previous country. Everything is still in pesos for me.

4. Communication. Responding to someone in any language but the language they are speaking.

5. Stories. The stories you will have to tell for the rest of your life are so unbelievable most people will think you are exaggerating. Hospitals. Airports. Dentists. You try getting your point across in any means possible. And do I mean ANY means possible.

6. You realize little holidays and moments you didn’t think mattered are the ones that make you the most homesick.

7. Growth. As much as you hate to admit it with each move you grow. You learn the best ways to pack, meet new friends, get around, and survive.

8. Adrenaline. Those thrill seekers jumping off canyons and out of airplanes have nothing compared to boarding a plane and traveling to an unknown place. Not knowing anyone. Not knowing your surroundings. Not knowing the language. Now that is a real adrenaline rush.

9. Patience. Realizing no one understands you. No one cares. Ordering food, getting in a taxi and normal every day tasks take patience. Nothing is ever easy. A 10-minute task at home will take you 60 minutes. Accept it.

10. Having to say hello for the first time and having to say goodbye for the final time. Not many people get to experience this, but I have perfected it. This could quite possibly be the hardest and most dreaded part of my life.

Start slow, go to a new place.
Alone. Go to a city by yourself.
Go on a vacation, alone.
Throw yourself out there. Your own sink or swim.
When you begin to panic and want to go home that is when your fight or flight will kick in.
That true inner strength will shine through.
You will fight it out and you will thank yourself later.
I know I did.

KurikongSaTumbong · December 2013

Huhuhu!

GoodLuckAU · December 2013

Actually, after sometime, I didn't wanna turn back.

Pinas became foreign to me - a familiar place with familiar faces but I feel so disconnected. Parang bumibisita na lang ako - ganun ang feeling.

It was a gradual transition but I didnt see it coming - dati tuwing umuuwi ako parang miss na miss ko lang lahat, maluha-luha tuwing babalik ng SG. Hanggang sa ma-realize ko na lang na ang term na "uwi" already means going back to SG.

Another transition na naman pagdating sa AU. Ilang taon ba bibilangin ko ulit bago maging "home" ang AU? We'll see - I hope di kasing hirap nung nag-a-adjust ako sa Singapore.

peach17 · December 2013

thanks for sharing this @lock_code2004

such a good read

JCsantos · December 2013

I said this in the other thread... if somebody wants to go back to PH then a BIG BIG GOODLUCK to them

)

KurikongSaTumbong · December 2013

I said this in the other thread... if somebody wants to go back to PH then a BIG BIG GOODLUCK to them ) ) )

Hindi lang good luck - malaking huhuhuhu pa! huhuhuhu! nakikiramay po ako sa inyo huhuhuhu! kahit tutukan mo pa ako ng kanyon at missile at bigyan ng 1 billion dollars eh di ako babalik doon - dibaleng middle class lifestyle na lang ako dito kesa maging bilyonaryo dun na puro pagdurusa, lokohan at suffering lang nakikita sa paligid huhuhu! tsaka nakakainis mga kamag-anak ko kaya dito na lang ako. mas masaya akong kasama asawa't anak ko dito masaya at simple!

rara_avis · December 2013

Actually, after sometime, I didn't wanna turn back.

Pinas became foreign to me - a familiar place with familiar faces but I feel so disconnected. Parang bumibisita na lang ako - ganun ang feeling.

It was a gradual transition but I didnt see it coming - dati tuwing umuuwi ako parang miss na miss ko lang lahat, maluha-luha tuwing babalik ng SG. Hanggang sa ma-realize ko na lang na ang term na "uwi" already means going back to SG.

Another transition na naman pagdating sa AU. Ilang taon ba bibilangin ko ulit bago maging "home" ang AU? We'll see - I hope di kasing hirap nung nag-a-adjust ako sa Singapore.

I feel the same way pag umuuwi ako sa pinas lalo na when I meet my best friends from high school, I do not connect with them anymore like I used to. When they throw in a "Vice Ganda" joke, ang reaction ko was like "Uhmmm, why is that funny?". And when I complain about the traffic or the frustratingly slow internet, may mga comment na "Uy, di na sanay agad?" Sagot ko na lang eh... try nyo kaya tumira sa ibang bansa para ma-gets nyo why it is not fun in the Philippines! Haha!

Eto pa pala isang list na nakaka-relate ako. Mostly applicable to sa mga pinoy sa SG: http://www.buzzfeed.com/jeremybender/life-struggles-all-expats-will-understand

loudandclear · December 2013

share ko lang...

i know somebody who used to work in AU as marketing executive. She's single in her 30s, very successful career person. Her parents provided her a good education. After 3-4 years, she came back in the Phils and never returned to Au. I dont know her personally kaya di ko matanong why, classmate sya ng friend ko. Her family here in Phils is middle-class. Siguro, kanya kanyang happiness lang. Kung saan sya masaya.

KurikongSaTumbong · December 2013

share ko lang...

i know somebody who used to work in AU as marketing executive. She's single in her 30s, very successful career person. Her parents provided her a good education. After 3-4 years, she came back in the Phils and never returned to Au. I dont know her personally kaya di ko matanong why, classmate sya ng friend ko. Her family here in Phils is middle-class. Siguro, kanya kanyang happiness lang. Kung saan sya masaya.

Na miss nya kasi si Dodong, ang boypren nyang hardinero sa kapitbahay huhuhu!

lock_code2004 · December 2013

@loudandclear - baka may pinag-daanan..

vhoythoy · December 2013

Baka nagka lovelyf sa pinas hehehe. Actually you can be happy kahit nasan ka man panig ng mundo

JCsantos · December 2013

baka naman na kidnap huhuhuhuhu buhay pa ba? :P

KurikongSaTumbong · December 2013

baka naman na kidnap huhuhuhuhu buhay pa ba? :P

O baka na deport baka boat people pala huhuhu

wizz · December 2013

Actually, after sometime, I didn't wanna turn back.

Pinas became foreign to me - a familiar place with familiar faces but I feel so disconnected. Parang bumibisita na lang ako - ganun ang feeling.

It was a gradual transition but I didnt see it coming - dati tuwing umuuwi ako parang miss na miss ko lang lahat, maluha-luha tuwing babalik ng SG. Hanggang sa ma-realize ko na lang na ang term na "uwi" already means going back to SG.

Another transition na naman pagdating sa AU. Ilang taon ba bibilangin ko ulit bago maging "home" ang AU? We'll see - I hope di kasing hirap nung nag-a-adjust ako sa Singapore.

Nakarelate ako dito. Not for anything else ha I really miss my family and friends in Manila pero pag medyo matagal na ako sa Pinas meron akong feeling na "uwi nako" meaning uwi na ng Singapore lalo na pag may mga lakad ng gabi with friends tapos uuwi ako mag-isa jusko takot na takot lang ako. Samantalang dito sa SG kakatakot lang yung surcharge ng cab pag midnight pero safe ka naman. hehehehe

wizz · December 2013

share ko lang...

i know somebody who used to work in AU as marketing executive. She's single in her 30s, very successful career person. Her parents provided her a good education. After 3-4 years, she came back in the Phils and never returned to Au. I dont know her personally kaya di ko matanong why, classmate sya ng friend ko. Her family here in Phils is middle-class. Siguro, kanya kanyang happiness lang. Kung saan sya masaya.

baka end of contract or hindi na narenew work visa. Ewan ko pero yung mga kaibigan ko pati mga friends na Singaporean na nag-aral sa Au sabi nila they want to stay in AU for good.

GoodLuckAU · December 2013

@wizz dami ko rin kakilala na gusto mag-migrate na locals. sa kin pa nagtatanong paano ang process.

loudandclear · December 2013

hahaha...madami na pala dumugtong sa kwento ng kakilala ko. ako naman, ang tingin ko ayaw nya sa company nya at sa mga bosses nya. she's the type kase na di kailangan ng madaming pera, dito pa lang sa Phils. 6 digits na daw sweldo nya according to my friend.

TasBurrfoot · December 2013

Share ko lang...

When I moved to Singapore for work in Nov 2008, it was just a perfect marriage; I adopted easily kahit na shoebox lang ang room namin ng ex-GF ko (now my wife) just outside Chinatown. Apart from pressure sa work (as it was the great financial crisis during that time), everything went smoothly... I enjoyed the food, the accessibility, the travel opportunities, etc. I also like the low tax regime which enabled us to save a good amount monthly (including the expense for our wedding in Boracay in 2011).

I was neutral when I first went back to the Philippines in early 2009; it was just a quick hi/hello to relatives as I was there for the weekend to be a best man in my cousins wedding but I could not compare how BLESSED I was to live in Singapore and away from the chaos in Manila.

Later on in 2009, I got to spend Christmas for 10 days in the Philippines... Whilst it was fun to be with my mom and siblings, I also got frustrated of the small things like traffic and the internet speed. At the end of the Christmas break, I was very glad to finally be going back to Singapore...

Because of this PR thing in Australia, we finally say goodbye to Singapore in Dec 2012. We spent 3 months mostly in the Philippines to be with our loved ones. Again it was very frustrating and a very slow 3 months. Even though you are at home, the connection is no longer there and you cannot help but compare the infrastructure to that of Singapore.

We arrived in Australia in April 2013; it was totally different from Singapore... Weather, cost, accessibility, etc! In the first few months, I had a hard time and was very homesick and was always thinking about Singapore... Pero little by little, - nagka trabaho kami, nakabili ng mga gamit, nakapag kape sa mga hot cafes in Melbourne, nakabili ng lumang sasakyan, etc - I was able to adopt and adjust to life in Melby. Now I am more or less at home... I like the chill and laid back after work lifestyle here...

Going back to Pinas? Never... Nothing to go back to except our family and probably some very small inheritance from ancestors.

thegreatiam15 · January 2014

Share ko lang...

When I moved to Singapore for work in Nov 2008, it just a perfect marriage; I adopted easily kahit na shoebox lang ang room namin ng ex-GF ko (now my wife) just outside Chinatown. Apart from pressure sa work, as it was the great financial crisis during that time, everything went smoothly... I enjoyed the food, the accessibility, the travel opportunities, etc. I also like the low tax regime which enabled us to save a good amount monthly (including the expense for our wedding in Boracay in 2011).

I was neutral when I first went back to the Philippines in early 2009; it was just a quick hi/hello to relatives as I was there for the weekend to be a best man in my cousins wedding but I could not compare how BLESSED I was to live in Singapore and away from the chaos in Manila.

Later on in 2009, I got to spend Christmas for 10 days in the Philippines... Whilst it was fun to be with my mom and siblings, I also got frustrated of the small things like traffic and the internet speed. At the end of the Christmas break, I was very glad to finally be going home to the Philippines...

Because of this PR thing in Australia, we finally say goodbye to Singapore in Dec 2012. We spent 3 months mostly in the Philippines to be with our loved ones. Again it was very frustrating and a very slow 3 months. Even though you are at home, the connection is no longer there and you cannot help but compare the infrastructure to that of Singapore.

We arrived in Australia in April 2013; it was totally different from Singapore... Weather, cost, accessibility, etc! In the first few months, I had a hard time and was very homesick and was always thinking about Singapore... Pero little by little, - nagka trabaho kami, nakabili ng mga gamit, nakapag kape sa mga hot cafes in Melbourne, nakabili ng lumang sasakyan, etc - I was able to adopt and adjust to life in Melby. Now I am more or less at home... I like the chill and laid back after work lifestyle here...

Going back to Pinas? Never... Nothing to go back to except our family and probably some very small inheritance from ancestors.

boss TASSBURRFOOT sorry po namisunderstood ko yung nakaraang statement ninyo nakakarelate ako sa inyo haha parehas pala tayo SG...wahhhh

etong eto mentallity ko...ayoko na bumalik sa atin...except for my littleboy's lolo and lola...apart from it...mas gusto ko mamuhay nang d ko kelangan magpauto at magpaloko sa iba or manguto or mangloko nang iba...or yung standard nang living di na ako babalik...

SG palang matindi na...ano pa kaya AUS grabe...

cholle · February 2014

Awww ang ganda ng thread na 'to

It takes guts but you really need to adhere to the "no turning back" philosophy with every move.

I can definitely relate to the statement na pag sinabing "uwi na" it means going back to Sg (for now). It took me a while to refer to Sg as home; between the time I moved here in 2011 and when I started calling it "home" last year, I just felt I really didn't know where home was. Mahal natin ang Pilipinas, pero kapag matagal ka nang wala, nawawala na yung koneksyon mo sa lugar, kahit sa ibang mga tao.

My fiance is different. He's moved 4 times already, 3 different continents, and he says he doesn't get too emotional anymore with every move. There are things you'd love and miss about the places you lived in, but the sooner you establish yourself at your new destination, the less melancholic you get.

vhoythoy · February 2014

Ako naman, for almost 5 years na rin in Singapore i still dont find any personal attachment in this Country. Maybe because my family is still in pinas and im living alone here in SG. Home for me is still going back to pinas and be with my family. In our place in makati and when visiting my late grandmother in Laguna.

Although I have met and go along with a lot of good peoples here not only pinoy but for other nationalities as well. in general, I still find Singapore a stranger place for me. I still find peoples around, in mrt, in malls, in kopitiams, etc. with less emotions and very serious. Laging naguunahan, makasakay ng mrt, hindi malate sa office, makahanap ng upuan sa hawker, makasakay ulit pabalik sa bahay, unahan sa pila sa sale sa malls, etc . Like a never ending routine. But ofcourse medyo nagamay ko na buhay dito dahil na rin sa paglipas ng panahon. Sabi nga ni Red (Morgan Freeman) sa pelikulang Shawnshank Redemption, medyo na "institutionalized" na yata ako.

There are lots of food choices here in Singapore. But food choices in pinas, for me is walang katulad. From mami pares sa may washington makati, banana q sa tabing daan, magtataho na may matamis na arnibal, gotong batangas, lutong bahay sa karenderia, andoks, maxx fried chicken, razons halo-halo puto and dinuguan, tsitsaron baboy ng dumagete, ambers pichi pichi and pancit luglog, panutsa at peanut brittle ng mamang naglalako, etc.

The things na ma miss ko talaga or maalala sa SG is the people that i've met here, salary, shopping, and yung mga memorable and crazy things na nagawa namin ng mga nakasama ko dito. Well maybe the "convenience" and orderliness ng bansang to.

Im still proud in our country and being pinoy, kahit na mukhang hopeless romantic na talaga na umangat sya at magbago ang pamumuhay or mabawasan ang corruptions sa govt in our lifetime. Kahit na siguro babalik nlang ako sa pinas, exclusively for vacations. Yung pagmamahalan sa pamilya, respeto sa matatanda at pagiging madiskarte at mapagpunyagi ay isang kulturang pinoy na sana mamana ng anak ko. Sabi nga ni Jose rizal, ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinang galingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan

. I still don't know what the future may bring. But pinas gave me lots of memories na nakatatak na sa puso at hindi ko makakalimutan in my lifetime.

theused_15 · February 2014

comment lang po...

Lahat naman po siguro tayo eh maraming negative comments sa Pilipinas, kesyo ganito ganoon, at common kung naririnig sa mga nag aabroad eh icocompare mo kagad ang Pilipinas sa bansa kung nasaan ka man....and tama naman yun for sure, meron lang naman akong konting hindi pag sang ayon sa mga nabasa ko regarding sa pagtira at paglisan sa Pilipinas, and may kanya kanya naman tayong opinyon kung alin yung tama at mali..siguro katulad niyo rin ako na may pangarap na makapag ibang bansa.

Sa ngayon andito ako sa bayan ng mga Hapon sa loob ng 4 na taon, una mahirap kasi hindi sila marunong magsalita ng english ikaw talaga ang mag aadjust para matutuhan mo yung wika nila at yung environment nila..syempre for me ganon din ang unang naging reaksyon ko paginating dito kinumpara ko kagad ang Pilipinas at Japan. Habang tumatagal ang paglagi ko sa lugar na to maraming mga bagay na natutunan at napag isip isip. at share ko lang mga fellow abrodista..

Kasi asa ibang bansa tayo at napoprovide naten ang mga pangagailngan ng mga pamilya naten, at nabibili naten ano man ang nais nating mabili. I think don't say na ayaw munang bumalik sa pilipinas kasi kesyo ganito kesyo ganoon. siguro aminin naten sa hindi. hindi naten masasabing successful tayo sa ibang bansa kung hindi tayo marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan naten. isang naging factor nyan eh kung wala ang Pilipinas eh wala din tayo kung asan ka mang panig ng bansa ngyon. Lahat ng pangarap naten eh nagsimula sa Pilipinas masaya man o malungkot nagong parte ito ng ating buhay na maging matatag at matutong lumaban sa hamon ng buhay. kaya nga tayo nakatagal kasi parte ng pagiging pinoy eh yung pagiging matiyaga sa lahat ng bagay. siguro isa ring sakit na mag Pilipino eh yung pagiging mayabang. na nakapag abroad lang kala mo wala nang kilala. na ayaw nang bumalik sa pilipinas kasi kesyo ganito kesyo ganoon. ang masasabi ko lang naman diyan hindi mo maitatago sa kulay at balat mo ang lahing pilipino mo. I am Proud Filipino. sa puso't sa isip.

JCsantos · February 2014

Kung gusto nyong bumalik sa Pinas just check the news first, mga Politician na binubulsa ang Pondo ng bayan, mga abusadong mayors na akala mo diyos ang tingin sa sarili nila, traffic traffic at traffic ... sasakit ang ulo nyo,,,... walang sistema na pamamalakad ... at mga pulis or mmda na either nangongotong o mga nag papa pogi , mga walang disiplina na driver .. pag galing ka sa abroad ang tingn sa iyo e napaka yaman

thegreatiam15 · February 2014

Kung gusto nyong bumalik sa Pinas just check the news first, mga Politician na binubulsa ang Pondo ng bayan, mga abusadong mayors na akala mo diyos ang tingin sa sarili nila, traffic traffic at traffic ... sasakit ang ulo nyo,,,... walang sistema na pamamalakad ... at mga pulis or mmda na either nangongotong o mga nag papa pogi , mga walang disiplina na driver .. pag galing ka sa abroad ang tingn sa iyo e napaka yaman

agree...been living in SG for 3 years almost...ganitong ganito papi...paguwe ko minsan ayaw ko na bumalik papaano magulo matrapik parang di ka din lalabas nang bahay pag umuwe ka...eto rin one reason kaya pinili ko self preservation kesa bumalik ako magsuicide (not literally) pero pag bumalik ka para saken is suicide lol

parents ko nalang at family ko nalang dahilan bakit ako nabalik pero kung pwede pa sana dito SG magdependent matagal ko na ginawa...: )

StickyNote · February 2014

@vhoythoy, @theused_15 maganda ang mga sinabi nyo. Ano kaya kung isang tao ang Pilipinas at makakapagsalita.

Malamang ito ang sasabihin ng Pilipinas "Kayong mga Australian citizens, pwede nyo ng sabihin ang lahat ng masama tungkol sa akin, tutal Australian passport na hawak nyo."

"Kayong mga PR, pwede nyo na simulan ang panlalait nyo sa akin, ilang taon na lang citizen na rin naman kayo ng Australia. Pero hinay-hinay lang. Para naman kung sakaling magkaproblema at di kayo natuloy maging citizen, malugod ko pa din kayo tatanggapin. Pero ok lang kung sa ibang bansa nyo naman gustong mag-PR."

"Kayong nagpa-plano pa lang mag-migrate, nasaang stage na ba kayo? Kailangan nyo ba ng school records? Meron kayo ng school records dahil siguro naisaayos ko naman ang educational system di ba? Siguro proud ka naman sa diplomang hawak mo. Kailangan nyo ba ng ITR? Kailangan nyo ba ng NSO copy ng birth certificate? At higit sa lahat, nabigyan ko ba kayo ng passport? Lahat naman siguro ng kailangan nyo, meron na kayo di ba? Pwede ko naman siguro sabihin na dahil sa mga institusyon na nandito kung kaya't meron kayo ng mga kailangan nyo. Ilang buwan na lang siguro may PR visa na kayo. Excited ako para sa inyo. Huwag naman sana sobra ang panlalait nyo sa akin. Alam ko hindi ako perpekto. Marami ka nakikitang mali sa akin. Kung pwede nga kitang pigilang umalis, pipigilan kita. Alam ko magaling ka. Magaling na magaling! Malaki ang tiwala ko na malaki ang maitutulong mo sa pagbabago ko. Pero hindi kita pipigilan. Alam ko may pangarap ka na hindi ko maibibigay. Good luck sa iyo!"

Heto ang huling bilin ng Pilipinas sa iyo PR visa applicant "Pwede mo na rin ako laitin at itakwil kung masama talaga ako sa paningin mo. Ok lang yun sa akin. Pero kung masama ako sa paningin mo, pwede din siguro maging masama ako sa iyo. Ngayong araw na ito, ika-Cancel ko ang passport mo, masama ako di ba? Ewan ko lang kung ma-approve visa mo kung wala kang passport. O kaya naman hintayin ko makalapag ka na sa Australia, saka ko i-cancel passport mo. Kung ayaw mo sa akin, lalo namang ayaw kitang makitang bumalik. Bwahahahaha!"

JCsantos · February 2014

I am saying this again if you would like to go back to PH then a BIG GOOD-LUCK!!

vhoythoy · February 2014

I think its more of how we appreciate the learnings from the blog of Rachel Rae (a girl from Iowa) and how to interpret the word "No Turning Back" whether literally (literal na kakalimutan mo na totally ang pinas, as in everything about the country) or figuratively (figure of speech lang, hindi nman sa ganon).

Sa atin kasing mga pinoy, in general we still have sense of patriotism or to some extent pinoy pride. Minsan nga yang pinoy pride na yan eh tampulan na ng tukso sa internet kasi lagi nlang may pinoy pride kakasawa na or naiirita na ung iba

.

In my case, iiwan ko ang pinas very soon, to migrate and look for greener pasture on the other side, because i have options and it my choice at this point of my life. And i believe that best thing to do. For the future of my family and para sa sarili ko na din. For me life is never ending journey, so i wouldn't say na last stop ko na ang Australia. But my pride and respect to our home country will still remain forever. I will look forward sa buhay ko sa Australia. Magbabanat ng buto, makikibagay, mamumuhay na pwedeng maging panghabang buhay na. Pero, hey! once in a while lilingon ako sa pinas at kukumustahin ko sya. Magbabakasyon kapag may pagkakataon at budget

. Muling kakain ng isaw at kwek kwek sa kanto, sasakay sa jeep na siksikan at mausok, etc.. Kasi i know everytime na tatapak ako sa pinas, muling babalik ang mga magagandang alala, kahit sama mo na ang mga pangit, For me, there's no perfect place nor perfect people. But i will always be grateful sa Pinas. Always remind me on my humble beginnings.

hard2handle · February 2014

Yes, unfortunately ibang-iba ang bansa natin. Madaming areas for improvement, very promising kung sana may follow through at ikaw mismo may tiwala sa mga taong nasa posisyon. Ang mahirap din kasi kahit sa Barangay Hall, di mo maasahan yung ibang tao. At yung iba, magaling lang magreklamo wala naman naitutulong talaga.

Panalo ang visa pero di ko kayang maatim na ikahiya or magyabang against Pinas kahit pa kaasar madalas ang nangyayari.

Agree with you @StickyNote. Hear, hear @vhoythoy! Thank you for a good read:)

hard2handle · February 2014

Yes, unfortunately ibang-iba ang bansa natin. Madaming areas for improvement, very promising kung sana may follow through at ikaw mismo may tiwala sa mga taong nasa posisyon. Ang mahirap din kasi kahit sa Barangay Hall, di mo maasahan yung ibang tao. At yung iba, magaling lang magreklamo wala naman naitutulong talaga.

Panalo ang visa pero di ko kayang maatim na ikahiya or magyabang against Pinas kahit pa kaasar madalas ang nangyayari.

Agree with you @StickyNote. Hear, hear @vhoythoy!

thegreatiam15 · February 2014

No turning back para saken hindi literal pero comparing both countries in a sense para saken malaki talaga diprensya...

agree ako minsan nakakaasar na yung "pinoy Pride" makakita nang celeb na half ...labasan lahat nang ganyang term, kahit minsan wala na sa lugar. sabay sa kabilang banda may mga sablay damay ka...lol

family pa rin natin iniisip natin kaya tayo nagapply for VISA...Pinas maganda para saken kung tamang bakasyon tamang unwind spend time sa parents ko at kumaen nang mga luto nila walang tatalo dito...pero di ko masabing sa pinas na ako magsettle kasi iba din yung pag tumira kana sa ibang lugar for a long time (SG) jumping to another one...medyo may clear vision kana what to expect...also yung premise nang mas maayos buhay ko malamang kesa magstay ako sa pinas.

pag nauwe nga ako walang katapusang comparison from infrastructures to standard nang living e, though may mga good points pa rin...di ko talaga makaila mas marami yung sablay...

yung iba kasi...sobrang patriotic pero nagapply nang visa...anlabo nun para saken...naiinis pero binibida sarili...bakit ba tayo nalipat nang bansa?syempre end of the day future nang families natin unless wala kang family to look forward to at journeyman ka lang waiting for something to happen sa buhay nila...eh ipokrito tawag sayo...pag tinatanung ako ano reason ko...di ako nagdadalawang isip sabihin kahit sa kaso ko malayo pa ako atleast may ambisyon ako tingin ko walang masama sa ginagawa ko...

walang kwenta patriotism pag mamamatay kana kakatrabaho lawit na dila mo tapos pinapanuod mo yung mga taong nagtatake advantage sayo sobrang rangya nang buhay wala ka namang ibang gusto kungdi mapabuti lang anak at asawa mo sa equal na paraan...Pinas bilang isang country maganda no doubt, Pinas being a nation is theoretically sablay...

interesting at the same time shameful yung minsang nakita ko na debate nang local dito at isang pinoy sa sobrang hambog nya nakipagaway sa local sinabihan siya nang local na "oo na magagaling kayo at matatalino, ayusin nyo muna bansa nyo" para saken isang malaking suntok sa buwan to, balewala credentials mo para ipagyabang kung andito ka naman sa lugar nila. para saken walang sense talaga

sa buhay kasi ngayon "survival of the fittest" pag di ka nagoverseas laglag ka sa poverty line sa atin unless anak ka nang congressman or mayaman angkan nyo during the ancestral days nyo pa eh wala nang dapat idiscuss dun. eto talaga pinaka hard truth satin.

ako aminin ko di ko kaya isustain yung anak ko kung nasa pinas ako at nagtiyaga ako sa 20k na sahod at si misis 15k na sahod sigurado malamang kapit parin ako sa magulang ko

cholle · February 2014

I will have to disagree slightly on the statement that unless you're overseas you'd be poor back home.

This is not to brag - I wouldn't say we were poor back home. More than one car, nakatira sa bahay na sa amin, and earning enough to afford certain luxuries. I know a lot of people who are in this situation as well.

The choice to move was simply a personal decision which was not entirely a financial issue.

Going back to the article posted by the OP, IMHO yung pinupunto niyan is if you've decided to move, dapat no turning back, no regrets, and enjoy both the good and the bad that comes with it.

Di ko alam kung saan nanggaling bigla yung diskusyon na porke't masaya kang nakaalis ka ng Pilipinas, hindi mo na mahal ang Pilipinas. Mukhang nasa ibang thread ata yung topic na yun hehe