Kuliling

I have to admit that we never wanted to stay in Singapore for a long time.  It's a good place to be in for now...definitely more lucrative than back in Manila, but probably not my ideal place to stay for good.  Singapore has been good to us as far as our own respective careers are concerned.  However in the long run we find that raising the family is difficult because of the limited mobility (too expensive to own a car).  Education and health care is not exactly free...and, pardon me but I'm not so fond of the accent (I think this is my number one concern. hahaha).  It's not something we wanted my daughter to adopt even if she blends well (physically) with the locals. 

The goal was really to stay here for around 3-4 years, but eventually transfer to a more western culture --North America or Australia, just as we have originally planned.  Singapore, for us, was just a means to an end.  That is because nowadays for us to be able to come up with show money for immigration, we need to rob a bank or something.   We are ready for the difficulty of migration.  Start up is not a walk in the park.  I have heard first hand of stories where some of the highest of education sometimes settle for a menial job just to get by.  We were ready for it, but like anybody, we would like to avoid that as much as possible. 

Little did we know that our 4-yr plan would come our way earlier than what we expected.  For some reason, someone in our US counterpart team left, management thought I was the most reasonable replacement.  In other words, we're going on another transfer -- not on the next 4 years but next month!  

It is a blessing we always dreamed of, but we didn’t think we’ll have it this easy.  It was practically served to us on a silver platter with almost no effort at all (except of course by merely slaving my ass off my current job, something I have been used to doing ever since I could remember).  I believe that it’s not necessarily by chance that we are in this scenario.  God has placed in front of us opportunities that we either choose to take or not.  Right now, we’re seeing this opportunity as the best way to go to give a better future for our family. 

Likewise with all the blessings we have, we in return wanted to become a blessing to other people.  That is the only way we know how to give back to God all the Glory He has given.

One of my Chinese friends in the office just resigned. For me it was a major blow. She was my first (probably only) local Chinese friend and she's not the typical materialistic local that I'm beginning to set a stereotype on. She has a good heart and thinks well of everybody...never the judgemental type (so unlike me! hahaha).

I just feel so bad that she had to go because she's one of the few reliable people to have around. I can sense our boss felt the same loss as I feel. And so he asked somebody (another manager) to talk to her about staying.

another manager (AM): so why are you leaving?

my friend (MF): There are better opportunities outside.

another manager (AM): is it because of the work, or the people?

my friend (MF): It's really more on my career path I'm concerned about.

another manager (AM): Is it because of the people in your group? who are you with most of the time?

my friend (MF): Normally I'm with G (a Filipina), V (a Filipino) and A (that's me).

another manager (AM): Why are you going with Filipinos?

my friend (MF): Why not???


What the?????


What's worse...some stupid person forwards this thing to me. This illustration is just not funny at all.

I am a perennial victim of serial liars. I don't know how every holly sob story gets to me. Maybe I have a big sign on my forehead (or my friendster profile) that says, "I'm gullible. I want to be your victim".

But I think I've had the last of it...it chased me after 15 years just in time when I started working out of the country. I guess that happens when people know that you're working abroad...maybe they thought that we're a cash cow...like money grows on trees in Singapore and that we have a bottomless pocket. For everybody's information it's equally as hard to maintain such a reputation. That's why sometimes I hate to go back home.

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I did say sometimes. But most of the time, I'm just way too excited to come home. Of course I'm excited to see my friends and family again. But I have to mention my special excitement when I think about having a bite out of every single food I crave for...like Max's fried chicken and pansit canton, Don Henricos pasta and buffalo wings, Buttered Shrimp in Dampa, and Mati's tapsilog. Haay, there's no place like home. What's even more exciting is the fact that we're going to spend Christmas in the Philippines. Although I don't have the typical corporate Christmas party that I have always enjoyed, but it is true that Christmas in the Philippines is something that every single Filipino in every part of the world will always want.
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We will have to cherish this Christmas though...as this may be the last we will have back home for a long time. (??!!)