Life abroad is not paradise.

[EZRA]

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CHAD, actually bai - I started out sa Clearwater FL ... a short stint sa Houston, TX - then ended up staying with my mom sa SEBRING, FL for a long time... kanang Sebring gamay na siya nga City. Lately ra ko diri sa NYC - mga 4 yrs ago.

[chad_tukes]

CHAD, actually bai - I started out sa Clearwater FL ... a short stint sa Houston, TX - then ended up staying with my mom sa SEBRING, FL for a long time... kanang Sebring gamay na siya nga City. Lately ra ko diri sa NYC - mga 4 yrs ago.

then you're lucky... you didn't have any difficulty adjusting to the new environment.

some people i know, get depressed for months... i had one female friend, pag bag-o niya abot diri, sige lang daw siya hilak while facing out the window tungod sa kamingaw sa lugar and kamingaw sa pamilya. luoy sad. luckily i never had to go through that. pareha ta ako mama naa pud diri.

[diatabz]

^^ Depende ra jud bitaw. I was in grade school when we moved to the States. Lisod adjust kay ang neighborhood kay mingaw man. But when we moved to Toronto, man, I thought it was heaven. Lol..

[EZRA]

then you're lucky... you didn't have any difficulty adjusting to the new environment.

some people i know, get depressed for months... i had one female friend, pag bag-o niya abot diri, sige lang daw siya hilak while facing out the window tungod sa kamingaw sa lugar and kamingaw sa pamilya. luoy sad. luckily i never had to go through that. pareha ta ako mama naa pud diri.

It's not about luck... but it's about people's personality. If they're outgoing - then they won't have any problems embracing the new environment. Pero ug introvert ka and you'd rather be depressed than to go outside - find new friends - etc.. then it would take you months `til you realize that you're just wasting your time and tears bawling in your bedroom.

The thing is - bisag asa pa ka ibutang, basta naa kay will to overcome boredom and depression, it won't take you long to adapt. SEBRING, FL is in Central Florida.. a big REDNECK COUNTRY - and in turn, I got myself a bunch of really good redneck friends. Instead of being wary about the Redneck's reputation (for those who are not aware - rednecks are known for being close-minded and prejudiced against anything foreign - asians, blacks, etc..) I befriended them and got along with them to the point na sila na gyud mismo akong mga barkada.

Another example - si WIGGY, drummer sa una sa Johnny and the Walkers. I think ni abot siya diri just over a year ago tingali - in a few months naa na siyay banda. Now he gigs almost every weekend. Not bad for someone who just got here.
Akong migo nga naa sa Clearwater, FL. Ako siyang gi introduce sa akong mga barkada sa Clearwater. From then and there sila sila na gyud naka barkada. Most of them nahimong ninong sa iyang anak. Kato hinuong bataa, barkadista gyud kaayo.

To be perfectly honest - naa gyuy span of time na after arrival nimo sa laing lugar, you'd get bored and lonely.. THAT'S A FACT! It's really up to you on how you handle and overcome the loneliness and the boredom.

[chad_tukes]

@EZRA: i agree. well said. with the exceptions of mothers with little chikitings to take care of. lol

[EZRA]

Mao gyud na... ang mga naay anak/asawa nga gi bilin sa Pilipinas maoy lisod. Kana gyud hinuon dili sayon mga ma-remedy ang ka mingaw.

[LytSlpr]

if gimingaw mo diri, daghan lonely nurses nangita pud. naa ra na sa imong pag networking ug tap sa imong resources. hehe!!

lingaw diri sa chicago except for the snow, local taxes and gas prices which is so damn high. if i am not mistaken, highest in the entire U.S. even higher than NY.

filipino ratio is okay ra sad and good mix between, bisaya, tagalog, ilonggo, etc. dali ra sad mag tapok kay big city man, so everybody is very accessible even for folks living in the 'burbs.

after the america amazement and all the sight-seeing, the reality of a spiritless country will set in. then that is when the challenge of adaptation and coping up with your head straight and your feet on the ground will come into play.

[EZRA]

LYTSLPR: Mao gyud bai - may sound funny pero tinuod!

[LytSlpr]

So... for someone who says life abroad is not paradise... his heart is really different from those who say they CAN make abroad a paradise kay naa man gyuy mga taw nga happy gyud abroad... lay regrets... even some never miss home at all.

in my opinion, i really don't understand these people. believe me, i have already consumed countless bottles of whiskey trying to analyze, realize and reflect and how to make my life worthwhile and meaningful here.

the only reason i moved here is for my kids to have a different perspective, a choice and an american education and i take satisfaction, solace and strength in that but i am definitely going to retire in cebu.

tinuod, maka adjust ang tawo pero lahi ra gyud. everything in america is so phoney.

usually, people who were born and raised in the philippines and doesn't look back are people who are very poor or have bad experiences there and want to forget something. naa ra gyud anang duha aside from that, what's not to like there? it is paradise and some people who are very engrossed in their material ambition tends to be blinded and forget, worst, deny who they really are, the kangkong, alugbati, monggos eating people.

no offense meant but kasagaran (not all) dagko ug ulo diri, are the people nga ultimo ra intawon sa atoa, the deprived ones. mao na kanang mga mag hilas2x diri ako dayon ingnong, mura sad ka'g di mo kaon ug buwad ug dukot da! buwad lagi pero danggit man sad, hehe!!

[EZRA]

if gimingaw mo diri, daghan lonely nurses nangita pud. naa ra na sa imong pag networking ug tap sa imong resources. hehe!!

lingaw diri sa chicago except for the snow, local taxes and gas prices which is so damn high. if i am not mistaken, highest in the entire U.S. even higher than NY.

filipino ratio is okay ra sad and good mix between, bisaya, tagalog, ilonggo, etc. dali ra sad mag tapok kay big city man, so everybody is very accessible even for folks living in the 'burbs.

after the america amazement and all the sight-seeing, the reality of a spiritless country will set in. then that is when the challenge of adaptation and coping up with your head straight and your feet on the ground will come into play.

Maka lingaw man sab ang snow bai.. again, you have to adapt. Look for things to do during the winter season. I'm a big-time snowboard enthusiast and I actually look forward for the cold season. I suggest nga mangita kag kalingawan kay makatambok nang winter bai ug pirme ra kas balay.

I've been to Chicago a few times.. I actually went snowboarding around there although their ski resorts aren't that great (nearby WISCONSIN). Naa koy amigo diha bai sige'g duwa ug airsoft even sa winter. Dunno ug hilig ka ana - if you are, hatagan tikag number niya.
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It's really up to the person on how they see things here and how they adapt to it. Of course, in the real world - we all try to take our piece of a huge pie... we work our butt off, pay taxes, and enjoy the fruits of our labor during the weekends. Pero to most people sa Pilipinas, kuwang ra na. They work - pay taxes (only to find it's way to the pocket of a crooked politician) and then they hardly have enough money left to at least enjoy a 12 pack of beer on one Saturday night.