Two years ago, I dreamt of working outside my native land. I had my hopes, wishes, and dreams. I just wanted to experience how difficult it is to be away from my family for a few months ( don't call me a masochist) ,I wanted to be alone for quite sometime and of course, I wanted to earn extra money for my whims.
Few months after my probation ended, my co-staff asked me "Are you happy?". I noticed that she wanted to start a conversation regarding our point of view about working with the emirati people. I did'nt answer her question. I kept quiet for a moment. Suddenly I found myself asking her " Are you happy?" She chuckled and gave me a long sigh. We kept quiet for a moment then I started conveying my thoughts. I told her " No matter how much I earn, I will always stay in one place where I can feel the happiness that I am longing for". Yes , it's true that I am earning enough money to support my family, I can buy the bags and wallets that I wanted for myself, I can go to the other places that I dreamed of before BUT..... am I happy?............I am happy that I am a nurse... a pediatric nurse, I love kids, I love the nursing routine, I love my extra job as a quality improvement committee member, I like my scrub suits and my paraphernalias....I'm asking my inner self.... Am I happy? No, I'm not TOTALLY happy. I want to serve my own countrymen, I want to share my skills with my fellow kababayans, I want to fulfill my duty as a Filipina nurse .... but I have my own needs and problems. I have to struggle or else I will end up as a martyr.
Heat wave!!!!
6 hours ago
2 comments:
Kano ako.
However, I quickly gravitated to the Filipino Community around St. Mary's. I spent more time there than with my American & European colleagues from the U.
I saw a lot of the pathos you describe. Mothers, fathers, husbands, wifes, sons, daughters etc away from those they truly want to be with, but in a land far away working for people that at times seem unappreciative.
I find many of the Filipinos who have gone overseas pour much back into home. My wife and I are putting a nephew through school, another nephew who is a sailor built a school and you are supporting a family back home so in a very real sense you are serve[ing] my own countrymen.
marcus aurelius,
Thank you so much. You made me feel okay. I really hope that in the next 6 years I will be helping more of my relatives especially my cousins, I want to send them to a nice school.
Thank you for reading my posts.
Post a Comment