Cherish Life's Simple Pleasures

Although email is just a click away, a lot of things still get in the way of constant communication with friends who have already migrated to other parts of the world. There's your full time job, kids, sidelines and other activities that occupies the day leaving no room to keep in touch with migrant friends. That's why it's a most welcome treat to hear from them and see how they are doing now.

Maria "Sweet" Corazon Reodique has been in the US for the past six years. A BS Accountancy graduate, she left the Philippines shortly after finishing her college degree. Lots of trials enveloped her first few years working abroad but this did not dampen her spirits. By sheer hard work and perseverance, Sweet, landed a good accounting job and now she's living independently in her own apartment with her own car. What a treat!

Sweet came home a few times in the 6-year duration, mostly during Christmas vacations. When asked what she misses most about the Philippines --- Sweet blatantly says it's the sense of humor Pinoys have. She said, "We Filipinos are not afraid to laugh at ourselves that's why we don't get depressed easily."

Quite true! Filipinos always find a reason to smile or joke around even in the most depressing situations. Sweet adds, "its not like that in the US. Life is serious here". Back here in the Philippines, Sweet loves to drop by friends' offices just to say hi and have a small chat.

Unfortunately, she can't do that in the US. She says, "Everything here is scheduled. I can't just pop in a friend's place or office without appointment; for sure they won't be able to see me even for a while."

In Philippines that is quite unimaginable. There's always a time to spare when a friend calls or drops by the office to say hi. It must be tough working there. "And here, everybody is in a hurry all the time", Sweet says of her lifestyle now. "I miss taking my sweet time and enjoying everything I do coz I don't get to do it here, she adds."

Apart from the usual family, food and bonding Filipino migrants miss most about the Philippines, this one is not so common. Everybody knows how fast paced America's lifestyle is but it's a huge difference when you have to live with it too. For many of us who has never experienced how to live in the super fast lane, we must be thinking it's the last thing we will miss given the chance to work in the US. After all, you can only appreciate something only after it's been taken away from you.

Sweet says, "I still want to cherish life's simple pleasures even while working here in the US, that's why I make it a point to get out of the city and take time out to relive the relaxed lifestyle I used to have back in the Philippines every time I can."

Missing the Philippines' Exciting Life

For Wesley Chua, the Philippines will always be a more exciting place than Canada. He migrated to that country in September 2005.

But life in Canada does have its benefits. He therefore harbors no plans to return to the Philippines permanently in the near future.

The 31-year-old Chinoy is a person through whose veins runs printer's ink. The craft of journalism is for him more than just a job.

It is for him a passion. Hence, this for him is his chosen career in Toronto as it was in Manila.

From 1996 to 2005 , he worked as a reporter for Manila's Chinese Commercial News and covered various beats. Today, he is news editor of Ming Pao Daily, a Mandarin language newspaper in his adopted land.

This job he landed only a month after migrating to Canada. His very first and only job there since then, his love of the journalistic craft has made him stick to newspapering. This even if he admits he could find better paying jobs in his new country.

He says life in Canada, when compared to the Philippines, is very quiet and even boring. People stick to their routines mostly. "They go to work in the mornings on weekdays; buy their groceries on weekends; and do their holiday shopping when the season is around," according to him.

This is so much unlike the Philippines where many go out on "gimiks" with their friends on Saturday nights. Metro Manila's malls -- such as Robinson's and SM -- are also bigger and offer more malling activities than Toronto's.

Alcohol sales in Canada are also strictly regulated. Wesley today misses the fact that in the Philippines, one can buy beer or liquor from any store with a government permit. "Here, only government stores can sell them," he says.

He also finds the Philippine press livelier than Canada's . What he misses are its coverages of scandals, the tsismis it carries, and the circus that is the ratings wars between ABS-CBN and GMA TV.

By comparison, the Canadian press is bland and boring.

But life in Canada does have its talking points. Chief among these are the country's welfare programs. They assure that all in that country -- immigrants included -- will never want for the basic needs in life.

"The basics -- food, clothing, and shelter -- are not a problem here," Wesley says. There is mandatory unemployment insurance that tides one over if one has been laid off from one's job. Mandatory pension plans are also administered more efficiently than in the Philippines.

He likewise points out to Canada's health care system as another plus point for this country. Annual medical checkups and visits to the doctor for treatments are paid for by government.

"The only things you have to pay for are the medicines," Wesley says as he notes they cost more than they do in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Wesley has observed that the Canadian press is more responsible than the Philippine press. Journalists there always insist of getting both sides of a controversy.

He still keeps in touch with developments in the Philippines by way of the Internet. This he does by logging on regularly to the Websites of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, ABS-CBN, GMA TV, and the Chinese Commercial News. He also listens frequently to online audio streams from DWIZ and DZBB.

According to him, there are Pinoy stores and Asian supermarkets in Toronto where he can buy everyday Philippine items such as Mang Tomas sauce, Datu Puti vinegar, and Lucky Me Noodles. Every Christmas, he hangs a parol in his rented room bought from one of these stores.

Wesley has no plans of returning to the Philippines in the near future. Late this 2008 or early 2009, he shall be taking on Canadian citizenship.

Back to Old Roots

Sherille Pedron- Sevilla was barely eight years old when her entire family moved to the US. It all started when her father was offered a rare chance to work there as an engineer and bring his entire family to live there with visa provided. As expected, they flew to the US back in August 1986.

For 22 years, living in the United States and all, the family had been accustomed to the ways of westerners, adapting gradually to the changes and have maintained a vast circle of friends and acquaintances. Sherille, along with her siblings, have been very successful in finishing their studies and pursue respective careers, a thing that her parents are truly proud of. When asked what they truly miss in the Philippines, Sherille says, “Of course, my relatives. We don't have real family here, just adopted ones. ”

In the past, they managed to visit and come back. The last was in the 1990’s. There were other visits but neither are they complete or well-spent. “I would love to have to have a vacation there every year. But is is so hard to get away from our commitments here. It's also so expensive to go on vacation there. Everytime we go to the Philippines, we have to set aside 1 month off work. Being there for a couple of days is just not enough. So time and money are really the biggest factors that hinder me and Angel from visiting. ”

If there is one thing that makes this country truly worth- remembering for her, it was the way she had been with her relatives and the relationships they shared. For a long time, distance has never kept her mind off from a family they left behind decades ago and experiences appear to be distinct and clear as ever.

“I really wish that I had the luxury of growing up with cousins and my aunts. I really miss having a big family. During my wedding, I really wanted everyone to be there to share in my big day. Every holiday, I always think of them and how nice it would be if everyone was here.

I don't have too many many memories. Only of my cousin Jinky who would stay for 3 days to 1 week in Manila with me. We would play together and I thought it was like Christmas when she visited. She was my best friend when I was little and remember playing house with her a lot.”

And for someone who seems to have missed the Philippines this much, Sherille with her hubby Angel, who happens to be a lawyer and a true blooded Pinoy, is also receptive to the idea of acquiring a property here some time in the future. “Maybe, a vacation house will do.”

But she is quick to add that she’s having second thoughts more so valid reasons before considering such. Their present condition, and profession alongside her husbands’ plus the adjustments they need to address later on. She is quite honest to even say that she has no plans whatsoever to come and live here permanently.

“I don't see myself ever living in the Philippines simply because I am so accustomed to life here. Plus, being in the medical field, it would hard to adjust to the medical practices there. It truly is so different.

In addition, being that my husband is a lawyer, he would also have to adjust to different law practices. He and I would literally be starting over. Having gone to school for so long for our careers, starting over would be a really big decision and a highly unlikely one.”

With those being said, she is not closing her doors at all. She plans to go here whenever time permits to. In fact, there is one planned come June of 2009. Her fondness for nature brings her back to old roots, seeking to visit renowned places and tourist destinations, the Philippines have been famous for.

“Yes, in June 2009. I can't wait. Of course, I am looking forward to seeing family. I am also really excited to visit El Nido, Boracay, and other awesome sites in the Philippines!"

Sherille thinks of the US as her new found home but keeps in her heart the place, where she dealt with good old faces and heart-warming embraces. It could be true that life there is far better yet the memories are so precious for her to not even recall. It is good to find people thinking of us, the Philippines, the way they do. Who would have thought that there is a medical doctor in training, somewhere in Benicia, California traveling down memory lane as vivid as an eight-year old? For all we know, there are quite a number yearning for the Philippines too.