Last week, I shared here about my experience with First World and Third World, and what makes one better than the other.
I discussed about some of the pros of living in Australia: independence, salary, multi-cultural aspect, business ethics, food grade, strict laws, and my own salvation.
Then I also shared about the downside: expenses, mental health issues, loneliness, and some others below:
Fast pace lifestyle. Can we just chill for a bit? Nope. In a First World country, one rarely gets a day off. Almost everyone is just bent on working all the time for the money. Because you need it; your family needs it.
Day-offs are for laundry and doing the grocery.
“Can’t I have a break? Kapoy na kaayo!”Nope, you need to get up every single day because we need the money.
One gets to see one’s self switch from being a laidback person back home in the Philippines to a hustle and bustle individual in Australia.
Sure, you see on IG Stories your OFW friends shopping and having get-togethers, and having fun. That’s like once every two months. But while they’re shopping and attending parties, could you guess what they’re actually talking about? Their work! And how everyone’s just tired of work.
Pictures can be deceiving. Looks can be deceiving.
Physical health. Working hard abroad will make your backs hurt; your knees will ache; and you can get overweight because you may not be looking after yourself anymore.
I guess what’s good about the Philippines is our well-meaning relatives’ reminders: “Uy, ni tambok lage ka!?” “Uy, exercise na kay dako na kaayo ka!”
In First World countries, you can get charged for fat-shaming or any form of shaming; maybe that’s why there’s usually some sugar- coating included: “OMG, you look younger!” (Maybe dako na kaayo ang eyebags.) “Wow, did you not eat during the holidays?” (Even as I actually gained two kilos.)
Culture shift. One is not supposed to leave leftover food on the table (like Pinoys normally do). Put them in the fridge! You suddenly prefer croissants for breakfast, instead of tapsilog. Your accent seems to have changed! Your beliefs on certain matters have also changed. You have changed.
But is it really for the better? Who knows. You slowly see yourself change as a human being. You are now different. You talk differently. You act differently. Although sometimes it can be negative because you could entirely forget your roots. Kinalimutan mo na kung saan ka nanggaling.
Reverse culture shock. The part I hate most: Naka abroad ra gani, mura na’g si kinsa.
When I returned to the Philippines in 2020, all I had to keep on repeating was how Melbourne was better at everything: “Hala, ngano naa sa dalan ang baligyaanan manok?” “How come it’s so cheap?” “How come it doesn’t taste good?”“The hospital system is so bad here!”
It came to a point wherein I couldn’t seem to speak clear and fluent Bisaya anymore because maybe I was thinking I was already an Aussie.
Avoid reverse culture shock. Keep it to yourself, and analyze it for a bit. Afterall, you may have actually lived longer in the Philippines.
Just embrace the Filipino way of life, and enjoy! Stop comparing anymore. Just appreciate that most everyone may be trying their darn best. (Despite the fact that there are so many corrupt politicians all around us.)
Balikbayan hustle. It’s doing every side hustle abroad just to bring home pasalubong for the entire barangay.
To this day, I hate this culture of bringing home pasalubong. Do people even realize it’s really expensive for the OFW?
Maybe people don’t realize that our OFWs may have been eating canned goods for a month, instead of home-cooked meals, just to be able to save up to buy pasalubong.
I mean, if it makes one happy to give, then by all means, give away pasalubong.But recipients should not pressure our OFWs about bringin home pasalubong or demand anything from our balikbayans. They, too, have a hard life abroad, maybe even a harder life than you.
The seemingly-harmless: “Oi, chocolates nako unya!” “Oi, size 6 ko ha?!”“Lotion ra unya ako ha?!” “Si Inday mu graduate na baya…”can all lead to anxiety for the balikbayan that they would need to comply, no matter what. It would add stress on their hardworking lives.
My choice
Overall, where would you rather be?
I would still choose the Philippines. Specifically, Dumaguete. Not Cebu. Not Manila or BGC.
I don’t think I have to explain my choice but lahi ra jud ang Dumaguete.
To all working students, OFW’s, Permanent Residency holders, etc who are in First World countries, I can imagine you’ve been pining to come home but sometimes you have no choice but stay there for meantime. Continue to work hard, and continue on building up yourself. You will never regret doing what you do now.
But also, you will never regret coming home. Hard-earned money may come and go but remember, our parents are getting old, we are getting old as well; maybe your children are getting old/ It wouldn’t hurt to spend some quality time with them even if it means sacrificing financially.
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Author’s email: samuellebawasanta@gmail.com
