rain...ulan

it is still the rainy season. no, it's not over yet. it will probably go on forever. hope not. the kablogs journal has just released its double issue (sept-oct 2011) with the theme 'rain/ulan' plus the peba special. come and visit the page to read about special and inspiring articles.

The Rain as a Diversion

Ang Dala ng Ulan

PEBA 2011 - No Return, No Change?

It's been a while since I have blogged here. I have been so busy with work and travels. No matter what, as they say, if you love something you will return to it. In the same way, there is a saying which goes like this: If you love someone, set him/her free. If he/she comes back to you, then you are really meant for each other. We always go back to where our hearts lead us, and that is the place where we desire to be. Even for just a while, when time permits, when circumstances allow. There is hardly anyone on earth who will not go back to the one place he really loves if he has the chance. Same with a person. We will always go back to the loving arms of the ones who can make us feel loved, special, accepted, at ease...

This year's theme of the Pinoy Expats/Bloggers Award is "Ako'y Magbabalik, Hatid Ko'y Pagbabago" (I will return, I will bring change). We always long to go back to our beloved country, and long for changes to happen there. We always want to change something that we think is not right, or does not make us comfortable. We hope that the change we introduce is for the better. Not only for the perspective of the visiting one but also for the whole populace. Too idealistic? Nope. It can be done.

When we go home, whether short-term (for holiday, meetings, visits) or for good, let us hope to impact something in our homes, neighborhood, community ... and hopefully the little changes that occur in our own niche will blossom and impact the whole country!

Instead of grumbling that our system at home is so backward despite all the brouhaha (this is especially common when we have to queue for documents and such in offices, banks, etc), and that it is much better in this country or that, let us think how we can change it (or can we at all?). It is good there are venues such as PEBA and our own blogs, where we can bring out some situations and make suggestions to make them better.

For me, Thailand has been my second home for 20 years now. But I know that the Philippines is my first home. Even if sometimes I experience culture shock at the start. My hope is that even if I do not stay long every time I visit, the brief period I am there can make an impact on the lives of people I meet and interact with - my loved ones and friends, and especially the younger generation who will be future decision makers and movers.

2010 PEBA Awards Night experience

16 Dec 2010. Most awaited by those who know about PEBA in many different ways - as organizers, sponsors, finalists, supporters, families, friends. On the night itself, it was a long wait as it did not start at 6pm as announced. It started maybe more than an hour later? Could not really be sure now. We arrived before time (as announced to come before time for freebies?), but we had to wait for the reception desk to open. We were sweating because we walked from the Greenhills Elan Hotel which was just behind the venue.

Coming from Tandang Sora, it took us about an hour to get to Greenhills, passing through East Ave., EDSA and turning right into Annapolis St. Not bad considering the time, weather and the distance. It took us nearly the same time (or more) earlier in the day queueing for a taxi at Trinoma and going home to T. Sora. It was when we were in Annapolis St. that we really got stuck. Traffic was at a standstill and we were there just sitting in the taxi for nearly 30 minutes. And the taxi could not go straight to the hotel because from the area of the Promenade part, it is a one way street. So we had to get off farther than expected. I was with my Mom and a sister. After checking in at the hotel, we quickly walked across the road to get into the venue.

Finally we got to the venue but since we had to wait, we found some seats nearby, outside Starbucks. There we were exposed to so much smoke. Could not do anything about it. It's good we did not have to wait that long and finally we could register and go inside the theatre. The other members of my family (4 of them) came after a few minutes. We went inside the theatre and found our seats, and waited. Waited for a long time. My Mom was so sleepy, and hungry by that time. Some others also were hungry. If we knew it would not start yet, we could have gone out to eat. Also we could have used that time to bond and interact with other bloggers. But we were just stuck to our seats.

Well, sorry for rambling, but it could not be denied that there was excitement in the air. Especially with the organizers who were flitting here and there, looking so great in their suits and gowns ... Finally, the waiting was over. And PEBA Awards Night was ready to roll ... with live video streaming so it could be watched from all corners of the world where there are OFWs.

Finalists did not really have an idea what kind of award they would receive. We were requested to prepare a video or acceptance speech and send by email to the organizers. Nevertheless I had mine printed out minutes before we left home just in case. But I am also glad I did not have to use it...

My blog did not win any of the major blog awards, which I knew I wouldn't anyway, because my entry was not really 'makabagbag damdamin' or dramatic. However, I did receive one of the special awards, the Smart Pinoy Blog Award which was announced during the first part of the programme. So happy and thankful to Smart Pinoy and Nokia for this award. I think it is for the blog post I have written entitled How can Smart Pinoy keep your relationship with your loved ones more exciting.

All in all it's been a wonderful time joining this contest and hope to participate in other PEBA activities in the future, such as those advocacy and social action programmes they are organizing . It was also great to see most of the people whom we only interacted through the net; however, there was really not enough time to interact face to face. Some moments during the programme were so touching, and I am pretty sure a few, if not most, were teary eyed, from the time the National Anthem was played, the PEBA videos were shown  until the Mom of Animus (Top OFW Blogger) gave a brief speech.  Wish I could have stayed longer to chit chat but I was with my family so I had to be with them as we were all so hungry and thirsty so we rushed to go find some food.

Thanks to all who supported me during this period of the competition, reading, commenting, liking ... Congratulations to all the winners! Keep writing! Thanks to PEBA and all sponsors.

More on the PEBA Awards night can be found at the PEBA website and PEBA Facebook Page.

How can Smart Pinoy keep your relationship w/ your loved ones more exciting?

The worst thing that could happen to a Pinoy abroad is to be cut off from communication with loved ones. It will be like you are in a cave and it is very dark and you have no way out and there is no one to hear you. Can you imagine how it was many years ago? If I remember right, even just 15-20 years ago, before the information age, when communicating with loved ones was not that easy? When we had to wait for a couple of weeks or even more (depending on the reliability of the post office system in our country) to hear from them, and vice-versa? When we had to go to a phone booth at the city center, through an operator, to connect to our loved ones back home? And they also had to go to the city center to receive our call? Oh the trouble we had to go through to get connected. Added to that the concern and the worries of a few days when we had to wait for news about something urgent that we needed to relay to them or hear from them.

Well, those agonizing days vis-à-vis communications are over. In fact, things are getting better. With all the progress in information technology and the like, there is no limit to how we can communicate with our loved ones back home.  The opportunities are endless. And with communication leaders such as Smart Communications (through Smart Pinoy and international roaming services) and Nokia (through their wonderful handsets), each day is an exciting day of connecting with loved ones, friends, colleagues, and others beyond this circle.

How can Smart Pinoy keep our relationship with our loved ones more exciting?

Here are some of my suggestions:

    

1.     Continue with the affordable and easy way to connect with loved ones. If they can make it cheaper and easier, then the better. Sometimes it is because of the cost that prevents people from intimately communicating. There are just feelings and thoughts that need time to be communicated. But if you are worried about how much a call would cost you, then there will just be so many things left unsaid.

2.     Expand loading centers/points in different countries so those abroad will not run around looking for load, especially during emergencies. Some people do not have access or means to buy phone load online. Or even if they can access the internet, they do not have a credit card to use.

3.     Expand promos to those abroad – that will be fun to have some games with real prizes such as more load or free text/call if one has used the service within a certain period or amount.

4.     Regularly featuring outstanding or exemplary overseas pinoys with their families, for e.g. during Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Christmas, birthdays, or some other special occasions.

5.     Encouraging children of OFWs to study harder by giving them scholarships, i.e. for every amount used, a certain amount is contributed to a scholarship fund.

6.     Photo contests based on themes and the winning entry can be featured in advertising or promoting better communication with loved ones or some other beneficial social values.

7.     Expand social networking (Like Smart Communications in Facebook) and provide some short inspirational messages so those reading will always remember to communicate with their loved ones.

These are just a few things that I think will help in making the relationship with our loved ones exciting through Smart Pinoy. I for one am using a Smart sim for roaming and it is working ok. My loved ones back home always send text to me as it just costs them 1 peso per text. It is very affordable. Except that now I only have one cell phone and I take turns to use it for my local sim and Smart sim. So I am looking for another one to be able to use my Smart sim all the time. Hope to get the Nokia 2220 so I can use it just for my Smart sim! 

It is also good to continue to support efforts of other organizations such as PEBA in strengthening families of Pinoy Expats/OFW so our society will become better and the quality of life of all Pinoys will be greatly improved.

Please read more about PEBA and like their facebook fanpage here - PEBA, Inc. then please Like my link over there. If you have already liked PEBA in FB, just click Like on my link. Just look for my posting on the PEBA wall. Thanks!!!!

PEBA Finalist: 2nd round of voting

Dear readers, friends, relatives ... thanks for all your support.

My entry to the Pinoy Expat/OFW Blog Awards entitled Going abroad: for better and for worse? is now a finalist. The 2nd round of voting has begun so please vote for me (#13: Carnation) again by going to this link. You may vote for 10 finalists. Thank you for your support and may we all be part in making the lives of Pinoys abroad and in the country better, in so many wonderful, creative, touching ways...

About PEBA

Something is astir in the blogosphere, at least among us Pinoys and our families & friends. Most of us know what that is. It is the Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards, now on its third year. From a small beginning among blog enthusiasts way back in 2008, it has grown phenomenally. It is a tribute to the Filipino talent that is recognized in many aspects, through the world of blogging. This year's theme is focusing on the family, the basic unit of society (watch video). This was taught to us way back in our Social Studies classes in school. I hope it is still taught now. But whether taught or not, the fact remains - the family is the basic unit of society. Thus, strong families make for a stronger community or society. That is why it is great for PEBA to focus on this theme, to bring the perspective back regarding the reasons for doing things as they are, especially the reasons for the "Pinoy diaspora". There is always a home for us among our families, wherever we may be. Even in the blogosphere, we can find it in so many of the Pinoy blogs scattered all over. And thanks to the many like PEBA and Kablogs for the effort in bringing them all together.

Know more about this event and the many sponsors and supporters by visiting the PEBA site. Join and have fun!

Going abroad: for better and for worse?

All my bags are packed?

Lots have been said and written and discussed about Pinoys going abroad. As OFWs and as immigrants, and many other categories. Why do I specifically mention OFWs and immigrants? I have become conscious when to use each word when one time I went to visit one province in the Philippines. It was my first time there and I met one of the VIPs of that province. She said that they have a lot of people from there who have gone abroad, and some of them have come back to invest in some businesses like hotels, restaurants and the like. So I replied that it is good that the OFWs think of investing their hard-earned money. And she corrected me. She adamantly said, “No! They are not OFWs. They are immigrants!” She said it in a way that you would think an OFW was inferior to an immigrant. I did not know how to respond to it so I just let it be, and stored the information for use later. Such as now.

So whether a Pinoy goes abroad as an OFW or as an immigrant, the fact remains that he/she has gone abroad, has left the country, for better or for worse. Well I hope that it will be for the better, for both the one who left and the ones left behind. But we also know that there are worse things that do happen, if not to the one going abroad, then to the ones left behind in the Philippines. Eventually some OFWs decide to migrate and stay permanently in another country, and bring their families to stay with them. But there are countries that do not allow this, so the OFW remains in that country as a mere working person, with a renewable work permit, and remains there until retirement, unless he/she migrates to another country or goes back to the Philippines for good.   

We all know about the better stuff. Like a higher salary, better standard of living, better transport system, better environment, higher quality goods, better lifestyle. It gets much better if one can bring his/her own family and there are schools for their children, and the spouse could also work. But what about the worse things that happen to us when we are abroad, or to our loved ones left behind?

There are just so many we can think of, but only a few that can be written here. Being away from family, missing the growing up years of the children, missing the growing old years of our parents, not being there when loved ones need us most, missing memorable moments such as birthdays, graduations, weddings, and many other milestones in their lives. Worst yet is for children to be a bit aloof to parents who are abroad. Or for a loved one especially a parent to pass away without you by his/her side. It just hurts not to be there. Just because we are far away and could not leave the workplace immediately, or could not leave at all due to other circumstances.

Am I ready to go?

The foreign workplace itself can also be hell for some OFWs.

Some worse things happening in the homefront could include a son or a daughter who grows up spoiled and expects to have everything, growing up without responsibility, squandering everything thinking that dad or mom will be sending money soon anyway, the remaining spouse giving in to temptation in the absence of his/her spouse, being cheated by others esp. those who know there is a regular allotment of dollars, being blamed when things at home are not going so well. These could be signs that there is a need to spend time with the family for a while to talk things out.

And yet many are still going abroad. The hopes and dreams of a better life, for the whole family, drive everybody to keep going, despite the worse things that could be experienced while abroad.

So what do we do then to avoid all these pitfalls? One of the most helpful things is to always keep communicating with each other. It is much better now with all the high technology available, so better invest in a good program or equipment which can help in making family members feel you are just close to them, just a click or phone call away. Frequent communication with real time video and voice is the best. But for those less tech savvy esp with older parents, regularly calling them brings happiness and a feeling of worth to them, knowing that their daughter or son, despite miles and miles away, still remembers and loves them, much more than just sending money and material things. And never mind that sometimes they complain about each other or about a sibling or something, they are just making “lambing”.

Sending greetings cards and letters is also good to keep the relationship warm among loved ones. Remembering birthdays and anniversaries is important to us Pinoys.

For families with growing children, the house should be filled with photos of the loved one who is abroad. The children should be constantly reminded of him/her so that when he/she comes home, the kids would not feel strange and be aloof towards the returning parent. The children would just feel they know him/her personally. This really works!

It is good that there are employers who provide paid vacations for their expat employees. But what about those who are not fortunate enough to have this kind of employer? Then you really have to seriously save for that much awaited vacation. Even if it is just for a couple of weeks, it is still worth it. Be updated of some promotional offers to reduce the cost of traveling. Or maybe if it is possible, let your loved ones come over to visit you abroad. That will be a treat but it would cost a lot of money. So you just have to consider and balance your options and costs.

Spiritually, praying for each other and together really helps in making things better. Praying gives one an inner peace, knowing that God has heard your prayers and this gives you the peace and assurance that He is in control. At the end of the day, there are things that are just beyond us, and we can only entrust them to Him who knows all things and can do all things.

These are just a few of the things to help in making things better, instead of worse, when one goes abroad, and leaves family behind. Whatever happens, it is important to remember the happy memories that have been created together, and to keep building up on them, so family ties will remain strong. At the same time not losing sight of the hopes and dreams that drove one to go to another country, so he/she can help in making life better today and in the future, for the family and the whole community.

Walking hand in hand - growing together!

"Strengthening the OFW Families: Stronger Homes for a Stronger Nation."

 "Pagtibayin ang Pamilyang OFW: Mas Matibay na Tahanan Para sa Mas Matibay na Bayan" 

If you like this blog entry, please vote for Nominee #13 at

http://www.pinoyblogawards.com/p/vote-here.html

Visit PEBA website to read more entries.