The Place Where My Heart Is

[Gener]

I was browsing the internet and by chance came across a social networking group of mostly Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). The thread which attracted my attention is the forum discussing about worst places to work for it somehow connects the real life Diaspora in me. As I go along with the discussion, I found myself immersed to the thread’s main point; what pushes people like me to leave our country to work despite the imminent danger awaits for us in a far away land?

Despite everyday news headline that tells all kind of abuses and discrimination hounding Filipino workers abroad, seeing hopeful job applicants queuing for a possible job abroad is an ordinary fare in most job placement agencies. There are those who had gone abroad and once fell victims of abuses await their fate that someday, to return again and try their luck anew.  Perhaps no amount of danger and setback can prevent Filipino’s resiliency or maybe, it’s their empty stomach that forced them to be braved amidst adversities waiting abroad. While there are those happy and success stories shared by a handful of OFWs who had gone abroad, however unfortunate and sad experiences still painted the overall situation of Filipinos working in foreign soil. Domestic helper getting raped by their employer, unpaid salary, racial discrimination, breached of employment contract and occupational hazards seems like a recurring nightmare that haunts every Filipino desiring for work abroad.

I had the taste of my own medicine being an OFW myself for I used to condemn the pathetic situation in the Philippines on how a growing numbers of Filipinos are migrating abroad creating a vacuum of unfilled skills needed to run our country. Filipino professionals are almost gone owe it to lack of opportunity back home while those still studying are slowly focusing to their choice of job destinationâ€"abroad. Can you blame them for desiring a better future? I don’t think so.

I don’t want to sound unpatriotic. My desire of working in my own country remains the same only that the same opportunity remains elusive. Leaving ones family for abroad is a bitter pill to swallow. But as long as there are lives depending on you, hopes and dreams to fulfill, toiling away from home must continue, though remain hopeful that someday, better opportunity is within reach in a place where my heart is â€" home.

[hofelina]

Yes, you´re right Gener. OFW are super resilient. Having an extended famaily ties and our wishes that our family and kids gets the best, this keeps them strong and hopeful inspite of their loneliness, exposure to danger, racism and ill-treatment.

[glacier_71]

i love being home. i miss it.

[Gener]

there's no better place like home

[glacier_71]

i'm so far from home
far from my parents
they are far to reach

[Gener]

i understand your predicament for we are standing on the same shoe. But i tell you, our loved ones know how much we loved them despite our physical absence for we can touch their lives with love direct from the heart more than just our physical touch.

love doesn't always be looking at each other but both should be looking on the same direction.

[glacier_71]

i am lonely
and i am angry
i will not cry
until i die

[Bad Godesberg]

Greeting:
Knowing I can love  with the distance between  hearts makes my love  stronger.
Love can be expressed in a myriad of different methods, but the most timeless and most treasured will always remain the classic love . Either way, we're sure we´ll treasure these words as much as the person to whom we are LOVE.
LONG DISTANCE LOVE ... doesn´t matter at all.

Dala dala mo ang puso mo. kung saan ka nandiyan din ang puso mo !!!



+JLY

[hofelina]

Gener, malapit ka ng umuwi, happy days are here again!

[Gener]

oo nga eh, next  month na and im too excited of it. i hope i will not feel despair when my vacation time is over, that's the hardest part kasi.

"Absence makes the heart grows ponder"

[hofelina]

Wag mong isipin yun! We have to live from day to day, ma igi na nga at may internet, may kontakt anytime, diba? wala nga lang himas.

[Gener]

Wag mong sisipin yun! We have to live from day to day, ma igi na nga at may internet, may kontakt anytime, diba? wala nga lang himas.

hahahha

[glacier_71]

i left my heart in San Francisco...dudududu

[Gener]

i left my heart in San Francisco...dudududu

hahaha, paramg pamilyar sa akin ang lyrics, wait, nasaan na ba ang microphone at makapag sing-a-long na, hehehe

[glacier_71]

there should be a Videoke thread here at TB...for Virtual Tagay and Virtual Sing-a-along. hehe

[Gener]

that's a good idea. well, basta wala lang kakanta ng  "My Way", dami na kasing namatay dahil sa kanta na yan e

[glacier_71]

that's a good idea. well, basta wala lang kakanta ng  "My Way", dami na kasing namatay dahil sa kanta na yan e

what? how come?

[Gener]

what? how come?

ITs true and normally, killing incident happens in some local videoke house. kapag may kumanta ng "My Way" lalo na pag mga hubog na bitaw, pupintasan ang naunang kumanta at siya naman ang kakanta, kadalasan nauuwi sa saksakan at away

[glacier_71]

very ironic...it's MY WAY, anyway. lol.

[Gener]

hahaha, hindi nila alam ng mga hubog kaya nga "My Way" e, kanya-kanyang version ng My Way

[glacier_71]

kaya, sa pagkanta ng "the end is near...and so i face the final curtain" sak-sakan na. hehehe

[Gener]

I don't like to sing "My Way" anymore, baka ako makita ng mga lasing ::)mahirap na

Excerpt from the lyrics of "LIGHTS" By our very own Arnel Pineda of the American Rock band JOURNEY

When the lights go down in the city
And the sun shines on the bay
I wanna get back in my city by the bay
ohh, ohhh, ohhhh

So you think you're lonely
Well my friend I'm lonely too
I wanne get back in my city
ohhh, ohhh, ohhh

[bugsay]

this thread reminded me of how weak our government is in uplifting filipino lives.
makes me missed my family back home......hay kinabuhi

[AsPo]

bugs....HAY KINABUHI WAY LAMI OG WALAY SAPI.

[Lorenzo]

The place where my heart is?
Home.

Wherever my mother, father, and siblings are.
That is where my heart is.
Home.