A Filipino in Canada... Major Rant
Let me start by telling you how my day passes so you can have perspective on what my life is like right now.
I work as a customer service representative for a reputable multinational company. Basically, what I do is to answer member inquiries may it be on the phones or through email. It is quite easy. I say anyone would be able to do my job. In one day, I would talk to about 40-50 different people on the phone trying to help them out, or explain something, or in some cases be at the receiving end of an angry rant. Pretty easy I say because everything you need to answer their inquiries are pretty much on the website already. And most of the scenarios have already been played before by other customers. So it is repetitive. Very much so.
After work, I go straight home. I change clothes, proceed to the kitchen to get a bite, or more often than not, a plate stacked with food. I bring the food in front of the TV where I have two small tables, side by side. One table is set for my food of course, chips, chocolates, crackers, wafers, and whatever I bring from the kitchen. The other is home to my laptop and everything electronic. It is also where I lay my book down. Yes, I am studying to get a real estate license. I'm almost done with that.
So I eat. I switch the computer on. If no one else is around, the TV stays switched off. Maybe not. I switch the TV on too. Then I start reading my book, while eating. Usually I say hi to some friends online and chat with them for a few minutes. I then excuse myself so I can get back to my book. At times they would steal a quick few minutes if they needed help, or just wanted to tell me something. That's what I do until I get sleepy. When the yawns start coming, I stop reading my book, and then I do my night rituals, and then go to sleep.
Every working day, I do those. Every day off that I get, I only do the part where I stay home with my book. That's pretty much what my life is like right now. Boring. Repetitive. No challenge at all.
I crave for the life I had before I came to Canada. I used to live an active lifestyle. I did work too, but the work didn't feel like work at all. I loved my job and I loved the people I work with. The job allowed me to use my brain juices. The people made sure I had fun doing my job. It was challenging and I felt fulfilled while carrying out my duties.
My free time is almost always spent with some friends. We would go get coffee, or a few drinks. We would try out restaurants. We would go to concerts. We would go to bars. We would go to different places in the weekends. We would go to the mall, or play billiards or bowling or table tennis or some other sport. There was so much to do.
At times, I would feel like spending time by myself. I would go to my favorite coffee shop, buy my favorite drink and some pastries, take a table in one corner and start reading my book or just watch the people passing by while listening to some music. Or I would go to the mall by myself and window shop or have a movie marathon. Sometimes I would go pig out. I had so much fun, even when I was alone.
Can you see the big difference? Family and relatives tell me life is good in Canada. I admit, I have more money here. I have a complete entertainment system. I have my own apartment. I can buy stuff whenever I want if I wanted to. I guess they think that should make me happy.
That is so far from the truth. Yes these things give me temporary happiness. When I watch my DVDs, I'm fine. When I play on my Playstation, I'm good. When I go shopping for some gadget or whatever, I'm okay. But all that happiness is temporary. When I'm not doing these things, I feel the emptiness inside me. When I go to work, I go with heavy feet. And if I have a good enough excuse not to go, I will take it. When I study, I do it because I just have to finish it. I am not really doing it to excel at it. When I eat, the food fills me up. I crave for so many other tastes though. When I'm with my parents, I'm okay. But to tell you the truth, I still want the company of my friends.
I find that many people who did not experience the life they wanted in the Philippines would settle for a life like what I have right now. Of course, it is much better than what they had back there. But to someone like me, who was able to do what I want when I want to where I want to, it is not. It's a step down. It doesn't measure up to the quality of life I had.
I miss my old life. I miss going to the different beaches and islands of the Philippines. I miss going out to get the food that I want whenever I want to. I miss going to the mall and just walking in and out of shops. I miss having movie marathons in the theaters. I miss going out anytime of the day or night to get my coffee or a couple of beers. I miss going to concerts and rocking to the music or just falling in love with some love song. I miss my old job. I miss my former coworkers, who have become my friends. I miss my "barkadas". I miss my breakfast buddy. I miss my apartment, my home. I miss my best friends most of all, who are always there for me whenever I need them, or vice versa. I miss the laughter and the tears that life in the Philippines gives me.
*sigh* *bigger sigh*
I work as a customer service representative for a reputable multinational company. Basically, what I do is to answer member inquiries may it be on the phones or through email. It is quite easy. I say anyone would be able to do my job. In one day, I would talk to about 40-50 different people on the phone trying to help them out, or explain something, or in some cases be at the receiving end of an angry rant. Pretty easy I say because everything you need to answer their inquiries are pretty much on the website already. And most of the scenarios have already been played before by other customers. So it is repetitive. Very much so.
After work, I go straight home. I change clothes, proceed to the kitchen to get a bite, or more often than not, a plate stacked with food. I bring the food in front of the TV where I have two small tables, side by side. One table is set for my food of course, chips, chocolates, crackers, wafers, and whatever I bring from the kitchen. The other is home to my laptop and everything electronic. It is also where I lay my book down. Yes, I am studying to get a real estate license. I'm almost done with that.
So I eat. I switch the computer on. If no one else is around, the TV stays switched off. Maybe not. I switch the TV on too. Then I start reading my book, while eating. Usually I say hi to some friends online and chat with them for a few minutes. I then excuse myself so I can get back to my book. At times they would steal a quick few minutes if they needed help, or just wanted to tell me something. That's what I do until I get sleepy. When the yawns start coming, I stop reading my book, and then I do my night rituals, and then go to sleep.
Every working day, I do those. Every day off that I get, I only do the part where I stay home with my book. That's pretty much what my life is like right now. Boring. Repetitive. No challenge at all.
I crave for the life I had before I came to Canada. I used to live an active lifestyle. I did work too, but the work didn't feel like work at all. I loved my job and I loved the people I work with. The job allowed me to use my brain juices. The people made sure I had fun doing my job. It was challenging and I felt fulfilled while carrying out my duties.
My free time is almost always spent with some friends. We would go get coffee, or a few drinks. We would try out restaurants. We would go to concerts. We would go to bars. We would go to different places in the weekends. We would go to the mall, or play billiards or bowling or table tennis or some other sport. There was so much to do.
At times, I would feel like spending time by myself. I would go to my favorite coffee shop, buy my favorite drink and some pastries, take a table in one corner and start reading my book or just watch the people passing by while listening to some music. Or I would go to the mall by myself and window shop or have a movie marathon. Sometimes I would go pig out. I had so much fun, even when I was alone.
Can you see the big difference? Family and relatives tell me life is good in Canada. I admit, I have more money here. I have a complete entertainment system. I have my own apartment. I can buy stuff whenever I want if I wanted to. I guess they think that should make me happy.
That is so far from the truth. Yes these things give me temporary happiness. When I watch my DVDs, I'm fine. When I play on my Playstation, I'm good. When I go shopping for some gadget or whatever, I'm okay. But all that happiness is temporary. When I'm not doing these things, I feel the emptiness inside me. When I go to work, I go with heavy feet. And if I have a good enough excuse not to go, I will take it. When I study, I do it because I just have to finish it. I am not really doing it to excel at it. When I eat, the food fills me up. I crave for so many other tastes though. When I'm with my parents, I'm okay. But to tell you the truth, I still want the company of my friends.
I find that many people who did not experience the life they wanted in the Philippines would settle for a life like what I have right now. Of course, it is much better than what they had back there. But to someone like me, who was able to do what I want when I want to where I want to, it is not. It's a step down. It doesn't measure up to the quality of life I had.
I miss my old life. I miss going to the different beaches and islands of the Philippines. I miss going out to get the food that I want whenever I want to. I miss going to the mall and just walking in and out of shops. I miss having movie marathons in the theaters. I miss going out anytime of the day or night to get my coffee or a couple of beers. I miss going to concerts and rocking to the music or just falling in love with some love song. I miss my old job. I miss my former coworkers, who have become my friends. I miss my "barkadas". I miss my breakfast buddy. I miss my apartment, my home. I miss my best friends most of all, who are always there for me whenever I need them, or vice versa. I miss the laughter and the tears that life in the Philippines gives me.
*sigh* *bigger sigh*
posted by gentleman at 7:59 AM
1 comments
