The financial crisis that the world is now suffering is not really something new. But I know a lot of friends who are working or living overseas; I get the impression that they don't have any problems with their current jobs. I got three friends who quit their jobs last September, sold their cars, bought a plane ticket, rented a place in Singapore and bought computers to apply to jobs online at their place. In just a month, they were able to find their brand new jobs in manufacturing companies in Singapore! These guys happen to be professionals - you know, the ones who earned those degrees in school.
photo credits: Today is a Good Day (Flickr)
I think the national media is featuring more on the plight of those OFWs who work as skilled workers or domestic helpers. It doesn't seem to put the right picture whether most OFWs are affected or not.
Another neighbor, a male nurse who was struggling to pass the board examination, took a flight a few weeks ago to New Zealand to live a new life and enjoy the fruits of his income. He's another addition to the growing number of neighbors who are proud to have their own sons and daughters living the good life overseas.
My own US-citizen relatives don't seem to be hit by that financial crisis. But I think they can put up with the reason that they won't be sending out cash and goodies to us poor Filipino relatives.
My Friendster account is full of friends whose profiles point to a location other than any province, municipality or city in the Philippines. My guess is that 75% of my friends in that long abandoned Friendster profile are composed of their overseas adventures. My Facebook profile is also slowly having a mind on its own and is starting to find my own lost classmates. Look at their albums and you'd see those seemingly happy shots at their new life and job outside the country.
Even Baguio bloggers are not in Baguio anymore. I occasionally run into bloggers who had spent a part of their lives here. Most of them are not living here - many of them had gone abroad!
At home my parents wanted to see my ass out of the house and out of the country.When I meet those neighbors, they had always suggested me websites and places to go to find for a job outside the country - without asking me whether I am interested to work overseas or not.
Only my daughter wants me to stay here.
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Hi Gem! My boss today is the only one in their family that has not migrated to the US. He reasoned that his family had a more stressful life in the States. Here, he is a señorito. Somebody takes care of his errands at home. While in the States, his brothers can not afford to have that despite the fact that they have more than 1 job.
Maybe people have different situations. I chose to stay here too. My daughter cries when I go to the office. What more if I'll be gone for a long time?
You can listen to your daughter too.
tama si edwin, baka hindi mo maalagaan maigi anak mo if you work abroad. besides, wait till the financial crisis is over. hirap na raw maghanap ng work abroad and some of those working in Singapore hindi na narerenew yung contracts.
Gem,
As they say, "the grass looks greener on the other side".
But is it greener?
Here in Malaysia there are lots of "immigrant" workers; from the Philippines, Myanmar, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Nepal,etc., etc.,
It is not as it is rosily related back to their families and friends in their homeland. I could write a lot on this matter.
Home is STILL Sweet Home!
Well, all the above comment's were true especially the last statement "Home Sweet Home". There's no comparison to the place where you have grown up.
Opportunities maybe less in Philippines, but you have all the support of your family & friends.
Don't miss the golden opportunity to share "good times" with your daughter.
it all depends on you, gem. but your decisions should never be influenced by other people's opinions.
if youre daughter wants you to stay, maybe that's the best thing to do right now. :)
HI Gem, I think it would all depend on what your heart tells you, especially you have a daughter now. I must agree with Windmill, it always look greener on the other side, but is it greener? I know several friends who shifted careers just to be able to go here in US, abandoning what they love to do for the love of 'green', but is it really green? I must say with the way they cry as they say each day everytime they go to work, how they dread to wake up to face their work and their work is an agony, I must say it is not always greener. Only that a lot think life is easy here with all the pictures and all the materials being shown, but it is actually for a price, some, are still paying for it and actually have no choice but to work til the end of their lifetime probably just to give a picture of a good life that they are paying for a price (loans, loans, loans). But life in US is not always stressful, I guess it all depends on one's choices and priorities in life. Again, I wish you well Gem, whatever it is that you will decide later. God bless.
I would like to see a presidential candidate who would have for his primary election platform something like this: "I will bring home my fellow Filipinos."
Of course that would mean the economic situation here would be better for Pinoys to go back home.
I believe that what they call 'greener pasture' can be found wherever you might be. I don't have any plans of working abroad. I love it here and besides, I don't think I can manage being far away from my family.
Don't go abroad to work, go there to have fun, pasyal, tour, pasyal, tour. Tama si Papa Ces, yung greener pasture ala sa Saudi (alang damo doon, puro buhangin) or US, nasa kinaroroonan mo yun, saan ka man naroroon basta may diskarte ka.
I don't have any plans of working abroad, I love the Philippines even if i hate its government.
It is getting hit in the US as well. Depends on the industry. I work for a software company So far everything is good. But my wife works in advertising and they are struggling. So, it really depends on the industry. Best of luck. The economy will pick up.
Hi Gem, I've experienced that indecision just recently and still, i've stayed here in the Phils. Life is less stressful here even if we have bad government. The only plus there is you have better opportunity to move up which is now being overtaken by their recession and more opportunities to be had in the global information highway. My take? It really depends on your priorities: your family or your quest for success.