November 20, 2021
This article was inspired by @FarmGirl's I Wanna Be Rich First. The story is about a lady who pursued her ambition to become rich and achieve the life she wanted, and jilted the man she loved. She worked overseas as she thought that the grass was greener on the other side of the fence. But she got a bitter twist of fate and ended up going back to the same place and did not achieve the life she dreamed of.
The reason why many Filipinos are working abroad, including me, is because we thought that foreign land has greener pastures. Well, it is true in many cases and many Filipinos have been lifted from being stuck in the mud of poverty through crossing the vast and lengthy oceans and sowing seeds in a foreign land. After grinding we'll have an abundant harvest and our families in our homeland would be so happy once they receive the harvested fruits of our labor.
Most of us thought that working abroad was like stepping into a fantasy land where we could meet our Prince Charming, build a castle in vast greenery, and harvest gold on foreign farms. Despite knowing the risks, we would fly miles away from home and would courageously step into a new world full of hope, ambition, and determination to get a better life.
But the reality started to unfold when I stepped foot into this foreign land and start thriving and striving for a living. The fairytale I once thought about where I was the princess had a different plot and the story I made didn't turn out to be the same as how I wanted it to be. Yes, I admit that I was able to achieve some of my goals and travel like Dora the Explorer. But my stall becomes empty as I always need to send the harvested fruits to the other side of the world, leaving no strand of grass inside my fence. The work I thought is the same as what I had in my homeland turned out to be more strenuous that sometimes makes me regret working abroad and just go back to where I started.
Unbeknownst to many, life abroad is not the same as how many thought it was. And only those who work and suffer a lot know the pain and hardships of living abroad. Not all days are diamonds because most days are stone. Not all days you're like a prince or princess because in many cases, they'll become paupers, and some even suffer hell and end up crossing the afterworld.
There are a lot of beautiful stories that are commendable and inspire others to pursue abroad despite having limited knowledge about real life abroad. And ignorant Filipinos are easily hooked by those kinds of stories and willing to risk their lives and traverse the thousands of miles distance to the foreign land with the hope of getting a better life like them.
But while interacting with the people here abroad, I am also learning different stories of different people who suffered the fate of Cinderella with no Prince Charming, only wicked bosses. Most especially my co-Filipinos who work as servants as that's the only position they could attain. Although there are only a few cases of maltreatment here in HK as the law is fair to everyone. But in other countries like in the Middle East, you will hear horror stories of how my co-Filipinos were maltreated by their bosses and suffered hunger and got bruises on their bodies. Some were even killed by their evil bosses.
Moreover, the pressure, burdens on their shoulders, and homesickness force some to end their own lives abroad as they felt like the world is against them and life for them is too dismal and too strenuous to continue. That's some of the reasons why many Filipinos go back to our country lying cold in a casket. And instead of having a life like in their fantasy stories, they end up sitting cold on their tombstones. Some homes even got wrecked and became houses. The love within the families got shattered into pieces and became unfixable. Either the partner working abroad runs away with a new one or the partner that was left at home went to another house. And who suffers the most? Of course, the children.
The same with other fairy tales stories, not all have a happy ending. Although I commend those who conquered life abroad and were able to paint their lives with vibrant colors, built their castles and put up their fences with greener grasses inside.
But I can attest, the same with other OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) that, the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence. Enjoying the greener grass abroad is only possible for those who don't have heavy burdens on their shoulders and their families in their homeland are grinding the same as them. But if a Filipino is truly a sole breadwinner, then the grass on the other side of the fence would be like in the Fall season, not green, but withered. And the harvested fruits and grasses will always fall on the hands of others, leaving a few cents or none on our own baskets.
Undeniably, the salary abroad is much higher compared to the minimum wage in our country. However, the expensive living abroad could easily slash your stash of cash. Even the thrifty one like me would scratch her head at the end of the month, thinking that the salary she will receive would gradually fade like bubbles in the air. Phew! What a life.
So before you look for greener pastures on the other fences. You better sow seeds in your own yard and persevere in taking care of them until you can harvest them already. That would be more worth it and fruitful.
That's a thought I would leave for you to ponder.
Thanks for reading.
©read.cash/@Jane (All Rights Reserved 2021)
Time of writing: 11/19/21 @1:30 pm
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Yung ibang mindset mga ate na kapag nasa abroad mayaman na kaso hindi eh kasi hindi naman nila pinupulot lang ang pera.