Remembering the Past
We met with the hubz' cousin on Sunday at Gerry's Grill in Union City. It was funny to see the two of them bonding as if they've only seen each other recently when truth of the matter is, they haven't seen each other for the past 20 years or so!
The conversation drifted to our first few years in the US. To most people back home, they think that life overseas is heaven when in fact, it isn't. This is why a lot of people would give anything to be able to get that seemingly elusive tourist visa.
Life in the US hadn't been easy for an immigrant like me. I left my comfort zone in exchange for a life of uncertainty here - all because I wanted to give my future children better lives. I was hired directly from Manila. I was one of those Y2K programmers they brought over to help with the conversion. I had no relatives close by - I relied heavily on my friends' kindness. My first apartment didn't have a decent furniture, everything was bought from the thrift store. I was sleeping in a sleeping bag. I walked a lot (because I didn't have a car) and took public transportation. On days when I had to work late, I would sleep on my cubicle. I worked long hours even on weekends. It was tough being the "kid" in your group (I was only 24 then) and I felt that I had to prove myself so they would take me seriously.
I wasn't born with a golden (even silver) spoon in my mouth so everything I have now, I worked hard and prayed harder for. My perseverance and hardwork did pay off, and thankfully, my husband and children wouldn't experience walking home uphill (I used to live in Daly City) on a cold and rainy winter night. They wouldn't have to sleep in a sleeping bag, and sit on the floor. They wouldn't have to run after a bus because they were at the stop a few seconds late. They wouldn't have to slave away because their greencards are in progress and one bad move and they'll be shipped home. They wouldn't have to go to a laundromat to get their laundry done because the washer and drier in the apartment complex is broken.
Ah, the things you endure for the people you love! I hope that someday my kids will realize how blessed they are. I hope that they would learn to appreciate and value all that they have because behind every penny is someone's blood, sweat, and tears.
6 comments:
I truly believe that everything you have now, which includes your growing family, your lovely home and your friends are all yours because you have been great and you have worked hard to get to where you are. Some may have it easy and get everything they want on a whim, but everything you have, and will acquire in the future, be it material or not, are all fruits of your hard labor and definitely well-deserved!!
I haven't seen you in a while :(
you continue to inspire me mickee, that's why you were the very 1st few people ive spoken about our big move because i know you won't sugarcoat anything. and yes people back home think that life here is easy, they're completely wrong! i miss you sis!e
Hi Mickee! You've worked hard, you've been tremendously good so you have been blessed!! It's a lot different from our life in Pinas with the Yaya/Maid and family support we had before. God is always good and He knows what you did for family that's why He's giving you wonderful blessings!
Cheers!:)
hi mickee! trulyly lahat ng sinabi mo, as in! kahit kaming magkakaofficemates dito yan ang mga pinaguusapan. ksi di naman talaga madali diba?! ang dami pang utang :)
gosh, buti pa dyan may gerry's grill! miss ko na ahuhuhu
correct ka sis. life here is not easy, kahit sabihin nilang maraming opportunities, meron pa rin ka-partner yan na struggles na kung hindi ka matibay, talo ka. i guess, yung mga tao sa atin will believe anything just to escape the worse conditions they are in sa atin. so in a way, lucky pa rin tayo (esp our kids).
anyway, like i said, kung ano ang meron ka ngayon, you truly deserve it and truly deserve to enjoy it. :) more power to you sis, and continue keeping the faith. :)
i totally can relate with this post. i think highly of all immigrants who did the hard work to get to where they are now. kudos to you, mickee. i'm sure kail will appreciate all the things that you have done for him and his siblings to have a better life.
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