Life abroad is not paradise.

[Streetcar]

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N'gel tinood sab na, kaning mga pinoys bisan dire sa America they have this feeling of belonging or competition that just because si kuan nipalit ug balay mopalit sab diay ka ug balay contest mo kinsay pinaka daku ug nice kaayo ang balay. But i always live by this principle. I work to support my family. I dont work to support my bills. I live a simple life. I dont have stress like most others do. Even some of my co-workers naa na sa retirement age puede na sila mo retire but they cannot do that. Why? they have a house to pay pa, they have this and that. I once attended a financial planning seminar and it taught me what values you learned in life when it comes to money. Its not about a big house, going on vacations anywhere in the world, having all the niceties but more on simple living. The things you can and cannot do without. Priorities in life, short vs. long term goals, and appreciating some of the free things in life that is still out there. One is nature walks. The beauty, contentment of enjoying the simple things in life.

Basta ako, when i hit 50 i'm out the door. they tell me wait till your 55 cause there is a 20% difference sa retirement income that i willl be getting monthly. Ang point ko, well if i stay in the States and rely on my retirement money, its not going to be enough or maybe just right and nothing extra pero kana nga money if i take it back to Pinas its a lot! And besides, i dont intend to stay here maybe come to the states once a year para lang matatakan akong visa for reentry as required if you are a u.s. ciitizen, you are only alllowed or limited sa imong stay sa Pinas you have to go outside of the country para matatakan imong documents for re-entry into the States and I can very well enter Guam to have my Visa documented and stamped for admission to U.S. then fly back to Pinas the next day. But my point is, life back home is still a lot better if you have money. Life there is not as stressful as life abroad wherein time is of the essence its a rat race here look at me busy pirmi walay time no siesta for me straight work from home to work pag abot sa balay work gihapon. My own social life is not even there anymore its gone for a long time because i am pressed for time and no time for it. So kita nia sa abroad ma appreciate nato just how laid back the life back home compared to ours.

[Ms.Beau]

i read every post in this thread. grateful for your honest thoughts, guys.

isa ko sa mga nahabilin sa pinas ug kung ngano dili kaayu masabtan. i finished occupational therapy many years ago and i guess 80% of my batchmates are already in different parts of the world outside pinas (maayu gani naay friendster i get to update myself). ug naa pa jud diay, naka-human pa jud ko ug 6-month caregiver course that was supposed to grant me a quick entry to canada.

my relatives are very abroad-minded, and when i was a recent grad (and board passer), i think i heard them nag me into leaving... hehe na unsa

ug sa ngano nga wa man jud ko ni abroad? i'm thinking out loud here and i guess i should answer this now kay murag kada kabalo sa tawo nga OT grad ko, mangutana man jud nganong la ko ni abroad.

So i guess my answer is that i already had this feeling that life abroad won't be paradise for me. not that i'm expecting paradise but it would be close to hell i guess? i'm the type of person who cannot tolerate meaningless jobs---meaningless FOR ME ha (proof: various 6-month stints). i'm so bad with this. pul-anon ba matud pa sa akong mama. i even decided not to pursue OT coz after much soul-searching, dili man jud nako ma imagine nga malipay ko in a rehab or hospital setting. another thing, i discovered an inclination--business! i thought, if i were to go abroad, maka set up kaha ko ug business? save up lang sa then uli sa pinas once naa nay capital. but how long would that take me? sa akong na obserbaran, dili man manguli ang mga nangabroad for good, bakasyon ra man. lisod man gud i adjust ug balik sa pinas lifestyle when you've gotten used to the lifestyle abroad.

long story short, i decided to take a risk on me. it may have disappointed my relatives, but heck, when they tell me, "dai, mo abroad pa lang ka" i answer them, "ug ikaw nalang diay mo abroad?" hehe..cruel? now they've learned to respect my decisions. i'm just also fortunate to have been raised by a mother nga wala nag pressure or expect nako nga mo support niya and my siblings after graduating. she is self-supporting and has this mindset nga her responsibility is raising us, then after wala na...kami na kuno bahala sa among kinabuhi hehe...and i respect her for that.

so, even if i haven't worked abroad, i just have this feeling that life there is not for me. i'm answering to an inner call or guidance. i can change my mind if that actually happens, but for now, pinas is where my heart is. but for those abroad, hats off sad ko ninyo. you are answering also to inner calls--ambition, altruism, passion, etc. not to mention you are helping the country jud with ur remittances.

i can summarize my thoughts this way: Bloom where you're planted or transplanted so life can be paradise!

[nocram]

sa tinuod lang when i reach 60 makuha na nako ang akong 401k im outta here,wait for another 7 yrs ill b qualified na sa ss.im not gonna wait till i reach 67,it might b too late for me,i have to enjoy life while i can still b able to walk on my own. sabi pa nila life is too short.ive been away from my home for too long,its time for me to enjoy my on backyard.sabi again nila nga wag maging dayuhan sa sariling bayan.i miss my cebu soooooooo bad.someday ill see u in cebu.goodluck sa inyo mga undong ug mga inday.

[vienzel]

oh...if only i have other ways not to wait that long. like even before 55? sau pa sa alas quatro, lupad na ko. m figuring out ways now how to attain early retirement. lols

[DEMONOCIETY]

1 ra akong ma say LIFE IS DIFFICULT ma abroad or ma dili naa ghapon ang DISADVANTAGES sad but true.

[-shinobi-]

sa ako lng part, dili jud ko nahan ma gawas kay mao gud ni ako yutang natawhan. pero unsaon man lang nato nga bisan unsaon paningkamot naot diri, dili man ta mo asenso. pirmi lang ta lisod ato life diri.
unya veru unsafe pa jud ato life diri. wala ta kahibaw when ta tulison, when ta snatchan. mga in.ana gud.
sus unsaon nlng. if ako kung dili ko ka abroad, dili jud ko mag ka anak, minyo2 lng pero way anakay kay wala jud tawn koy ikabuhi. plete pa lang gani nglisod nako, anak pa kaha?!

[matt hue]

yes it's true life abroad is not a paradise to adore...we have different perspectives in life...i have longed to work abroad as i have seen it as the solution to my problems...but now im still on my 2nd week here in Kuala Lumpur and i miss my family na bisag kada gabie mi mag istorya over skype with webcam but lahi ra jud...surely life is hard wherever you live...but i just think of the brighter side of it...it's not my plan to stay here long...after i have served my purpose here then im done...my ultimate dream is in the place where i enjoyed most of my life...in Cebu, Philippines...

[jdimpas]

I'm still battling with my sickness to go home..
no place like "cebu".. perhaps if i can save enough, then I will retire and live home..

[aldincio]

ang paglayo lang sa pamily ang numero unong sakit ug kapait sa magtrabahog abroad.... mao nay gitawag nga HOMESICK, dili jud matumaran ug tabletas...

aldincio
Doha, Qatar

[jdimpas]

ang paglayo lang sa pamily ang numero unong sakit ug kapait sa magtrabahog abroad.... mao nay gitawag nga HOMESICK, dili jud matumaran ug tabletas...

aldincio
Doha, Qatar

bisag unsa pa himo-on na diversion.. homesick gihapon!