India Calling (or How I Look at This in My Case....)

read more | digg story Please read first the link to this posting from New York Times.

I've wondered once what would have happened to our family's fortunes if my Mother pursued her application to immigrate here in the USA. She worked here as a nurse somewhere in the Midwest in the mid 1970's (she was even here during the US Bicentennial, I recall). She was told to go back to the Philippines and wait for a work visa for herself and her family, which took her forever. When the notice from the US embassy came, she was in KSA working, and opted to just stay as she considered working in the Middle East to be better in terms of real income, i.e. there's much more in terms of cash savings as there is not much of a lifestyle anyway in KSA, compared with the consumerist lifestyle here in the USA.

Now, we move to my own case, when I decided to pursue my dreams here in the USA in 2006 (I was here in 2003, which trip gave me wide ranging opportunities to have a look at what the US can offer me). Since my arrival, I've decided to pursue the life and options available to that of a "Freelancer." Being an entrepreneur back in the Philippines, and also someone who has led a corporate life (I was a Manager in my area of expertise back in Makati, the Philippines' business center, that is actually in Metro Manila, the national capital region that looks like most of, or even better than the metropolitan cities in SouthEast Asia, with this city having 12 million in population density), I've seen early enough that at my age (being in my 40s), there would be no serious corporate employer who would be hiring me in my own terms, at least part of my terms, even if I got an MBA, I could write, I could speak better English in my own accent than most immigrants here in the US, among other advantages. I actually gave it a try, to get myself hired, but the jobs were just so ridiculously insulting. I've always had to struggle it out against "ethnic stereotyping," (a term I've read in one of my favorite blogsites, whose author gave a perfect term to what I was experiencing) as employers and their representatives are basically disrespectful and doubtful of a foreign looking applicant's background and experience (particularly for someone who's not from here, even if the Philippines used to be a colony of the US, and even if this English language heritage has been brought about by having been colonized by the US in early part of the 20th century-----as if this historical observation has bearing whatsoever on the fate of the citizens of a former colony). Employers here, with certain exceptions with those I've known personally, basically behave harshly and rather mean, it seems to me, to newcomers, to say the least, and they won't even admit that, even if pointed out to them. Just like in most places, they'd always look at you most conveniently according to how you are stereotypically categorized in the back of their minds (this is basically a normal business reaction, would you believe?). I remember, however, a friend's reaction to "stereotyping." You're sure you would have company, as there would be many who would fit the notions found in a stereotype ("at least you have company"). But still, being stereotyped in doing one particular line of work could be a curse at worst cases; it even perpetuates and strengthens existing power and authority structures (that goes against the very grain of experiencing further growth and development especially for those who have special skills and talents very valuable in today's ever changing economy).

But I've continued to learn my lessons, to become better prepared in accomplishing my intentions.

I'd do gigs, for every opportunity that I'd be on the lookout, where I can use my skills, and in activities that would bring out my passions and interests. When one is in his 40s, there is basically no time to spend on doing intrinsically "boring" jobs that are really not meaningful, purposeful to one's existence. This applies as well to jobs that are just being done, but won't get the worker any respect from his / her countrymen. Among other set of attitudes, this particular attitude has carried me through hardships and struggles that continue up to this day, as I have to constantly find meaning and purpose why these events have been happening, why I meet these people here, and why I'm here in NYC. Of course, these are all my decisions, and I'm being responsible for myself.

Just tonight, I've been to my second time of having to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with a group of people who happened to share the lovingly and anxiously prepared dinner with me because I was doing a gig as a caregiver. Last year, I was with my patient and his family to one of his son's friends (I'm unsure of this though), but this year, we were in the house of one of my patient's sons. I've grown to really appreciate and like having this opportunity, among many opportunities, as I've got to observe first hand how Americans ( those who belong to the 2nd, 3rd or higher level of generations of the original immigrants ) celebrate Thanksgiving, with myself being the only foreign born. This is one holiday that reminds me of Christmas season back in the Philippines, as this somehow approximates the collective anxieties of the general population in how to best make use of these precious moments shared with family, loved ones and guests.

Prior to this year's Thanksgiving, I was asked by a visitor of my patient, one Sunday, why there are just about so many people from the Philippines who are dominating this industry of "caregiving" or doing healthcare jobs, i.e. mostly as nurses here in the US. I answered "I don't know." The guest said, who didn't really mean anything malicious by asking me these questions, even expressed her surprised at finding the most capable persons doing "caregiving" jobs, who were lawyers, teachers, and other professionals back in the Philippines. She even asked me, and then guessed nearly correctly what was I doing back in the Philippines prior to settling for good here in the US. But of course, I'm glad that now I'm reading this article about some people here in the USA, whose families were originally from India, are going back and starting to make a life again, a better life in India [despite fresh news lately]. Indians, I've observed, just like other nationalities, here in the US "suffer" ethnic stereotyping themselves. For example, the 2 taxi drivers [who could be doing a gig like myself, with them doing a different nature of work as cab drivers], who brought us to and fro the house where we had Thanksgiving dinner, were themselves Indians [How do I know? I have first hand knowledge about things Indian as I got several relatives married to Indians back in the Philippines]. But Indians, just like in their home country, have got quite a huge number of presence here in the US. Unlike the country where I originally come from.

However, I personally doubt if I'd like to go back soon. Back in the Philippines, when I was still doing HR work that called for me to do recruitment work, I would encounter a lot of applicants who have decided to go back and stay for good in the Philippines after they have spent several years here in the US. I did HR work for over 20 years, and I've seen a lot of these cases. That somehow pointed out the pointlessness of pursuing a life in the US, as these applicants are actually proofs that the US is far from being the land of milk and honey (so to say).

But I still believe, and have found out to myself that indeed, the US is the "land of the free, home of the brave," despite really rough problems cropping out lately. I've seen strong evidences, despite contradictions. One development was the recent election of Obama, being African-American, as President. I'd certainly won't see this happening in most countries, that have mixed make up of population. My attendance to Thanksgiving dinners among regular Americans, who are actually not among regular types, as most of them are based in NYC (which many consider to be the most diverse city in the US), has shown me, and afforded me to consider my faith in pursuing my notions on egalitarianism. I've seen this in Japan as well, but Japan is really a homogenous society, unlike the US which behaves more like heterogenous in its societal makeup. This makes people believe that good and services have to be made available at affordable prices or costs to the majority of the people, and not only to those who have access to money and power. I've yet to say this to the Philippines. I've yet to see this happening as well to most countries in the world.