Cry Of A Filipino Nurse

Dear Bing,

Work here is very hard, but dont worry if I can go to United States, it won’t be that hard. Its not good in here, because the money is from hand to mouth only. It’s so difficult. The pounds is very low. I really wanted to cry because it is hard work, very dead-tiring!

And you know what? Our employer is a racist and I hate it. It’s just that I can’t say anything. During our meeting, she tried to point out that the foreigner girls, the new girls (I am included) are the ones who caused the home to be so filthy. Oh my! We really wanted to scream. She kept on telling us in front of all the staff, “Do you understand what I am saying? You are nodding your heads as if you understand but then you don’t!”. We all wanted to walk out but we just can’t.

The following day, our nurse manager called me up and asked how I felt about the meeting. I told her I was very much disgusted and disappointed. I told her, this home is promoting anti-racist campaign but then, she (the owner) is talking other wise. I’m not happy after all with that meeting. We felt so dumb, moron and humiliated. I stressed to the manager that if she wanted to blame everything on us, why can’t she call us, Filipinos together, not humiliating us infront of other staff. We felt so stupid. I reiterated that we came here on student visa and we won’t be admitted to college if we didn’t pass the IELTS. With that alone proves that we are good in English.

I don’t know what kind of management this organization has. I don’t understand what labor policies this nation has. I don’t have a pinch of idea if foreigners in this country could cry out for our rights.

That’s the bad thing here. America after all is the best place to go.

Ate

Filipinos are going abroad to seek for greener pastures, to have a better future. But how better it is, if the future awaiting them is like this?

This is a letter from my cousin who is working as a nurse in Ireland. Now, you tell me… Is she going to have a better future? Are the pastures in Ireland really green?

You judge.

A Thought About U.S. RECESSION

I found this piece of writing in my old notebook. I couldn’t even remember why I reached to the point of having a thought about US Recession.

There is no exact medication or solution for the upcoming US Recession. Though US Recession is not yet certain, the Arroyo Administration is already preparing some stimulus funds to serve as cushion for such impact. They provide tax breaks to impel on investments – and that increases public spending, right? They provide subsidies and discounts – and that means savings for consumers. At times like these, politicians will come into the picture for popularity’s sake. These are what we call short-term solutions. However, such solutions will result to an overstuffed budget deficit which is the negative consequence.

Well, the issue here is we may have these short-term gains but these will lead us to long-term pains.

I've Never Been To Me

I really don't know what's with this song. It's just that, when it begins to play, it makes Nashville fall into deep slumber. I could remember somebody told me that my sisters Alfie Maria and Ana Marion used to sing this song when they were kids. They would use hairbrushes as microphones! How I wish I could go back to that scene and sing this song with them..

Hey lady, you lady, cursing at your life. You're a discontented mother and a regimented wife. I've no doubt you dream about the things you'll never do. But, I wish someone had talked to me Like I wanna talk to you. Oh, I've been to Georgia and California and anywhere I could run. I took the hand of a preacher man and we made love in the sun. But I ran out of places and friendly faces because I had to be free.

I've been to paradise
But I've never been to me..

Please lady, please lady, don't just walk away 'cause I have this need to tell you why I'm all alone today. I can see so much of me still living in your eyes. Won't you share a part of a weary heart that has lived million lies. Oh, I've been to Niece and the Isle of Greece while I've sipped champagne on a yacht. I've moved like Harlow in Monte Carlo and showed 'em what I've got. I've been undressed by kings and I've seen some things that a woman ain't supposed to see.

I've been to paradise,
but I've never been to me..

Hey, you know what paradise is?
It's a lie,
a fantasy we create about people and places
As we'd like them to be

But you know what truth is?
It's that little baby you're holding,
it's that man you fought with this morning
The same one you're going to make love with tonight

That's truth, that's love......

Sometimes I've been to crying for unborn children that might have made me complete. But I took the sweet life, I never knew I'd be bitter from the sweet. I've spent my life exploring the subtle whoring that costs too much to be free

Hey lady..
I've been to paradise,
But I've never been to me..

January 8

To my Nanay Fely and Ate Alfie
To Faith, AM, and JZ
To Nashville and Nil
To my relatives and friends

Tatay Quezon and Tatay
Thank you so much
On this day I'm not getting older
But I am growing up..

FACADE

Facade is a very intriguing word. This may mean an outer appearance of a building or structure. However, it also implies something different. According to Armida Rocha Sulit, facade is the front part of an edifice, thus metaphorically it is a mask. Yes, a personality to cover something bad or awful. In short – a FAKE.

It can be true as there are lots of facades in the world.

If someone is very good to you but when you turn back, he backbites you then he’s a facade. You are unaware that he’s thinking something ill about you. All the while you thought that you’re both good, yet such person is just using the outside personality. All the while you thought you’re both in common stance, yet actually he’s opposite. Meaning, he’s neither true to you nor to himself.

If he is only good to you when he needs help, he’s still a facade, right? He conceals what is really his negative personality. Like when he needs help or requests for something and that would be the time that he would be nice to you and would treat you like a king or a queen. What a technique!

Lots of facades are existing nowadays – maybe because of some reasons. To gain friends? Maybe. To be included in the elite clusters? Perhaps. Or just to take advantage of the people who are generous and ready to lend a hand or simply people who are nice. Possibly.

You really don’t know what kind of personality a person has. And you are dealing with them everyday. Well, it’s high time for you to assess your attitude because you might not know that you are the facade after all.

Think real hard.