it's been almost 3 years and i still do stand by the fact that I am going home after my US "stint"... or so I thought. Last night, I sorta gave in to the social elements and asked for Green Card information from my company. HR has been sending me mails on the topic since managers and eligible for the benefit (plus the fact that a GC application can tie you down for another 2 years... ugh) so I thought, what the heck. It's not that I'm serious about it, but things have somehow pushed me to do so. Here's my list:
1. career advancement - I became a project manager at age 27 on a company with 80,000 employees across the globe. Unless the CEO's my dad, it would have been improbable in Manila. Imagine what I can achieve in another 10 years.
2. family; both immediate and nuclear - obvious reasons, 'nuff said.
3. it's free - i think it's about 7000 USD for the entire process but the company's paying for it.
4. NFA rice - wow. i never thought i'd see the day when the Philippines will scrape for rice. what's next? water?
... and here's my list for not getting a GC before:
1. I don't want to.
2. Family and friends
3. I think there's hope for the Philippines (sans GMA)
Everytime I think of the options I have for permanent residency, it reminds me of my friends Shai and Olan. Last time I was in Manila, I think Olan was getting frustrated trying to understand why I don't want to stay in the US; i don't blame him, as I don't have a straight answer myself.
To be honest, everything just fell into place when I got here ---great apartment, nice job for me and the wife and we even had my yaya's visa approved... but somehow it just doesn't feel right.
The Green card question
being true
I was going through this blog for the Nth time and realized that there are a million reasons why people write their own. I for one would like to record bits of my life and stuff it in my own internet time capsule... and that someday my kid(s) or my kids' kids will read on and think that i'm not really that much of a psychopath. Facing facts, I guess i'm partly hoping that someone would read through this and think that there's more to the black background and white fonts but then again, I never gave my blog enough justice and for people to check back and see something new and interesting.
I'm not saying that I'm turning over a new leaf. I'll be what I'll be and probably think of a new direction; like of fatherhood, of hoping for the best for the Philippines and generally of ideas that I've always wanted to share. I commend Cynch, a very, very good friend of mine, for her blog which always spills out what's in her head. It's always a treat to read through it (even though I only know a handful of her friends) as it is very human... and very real for that matter. I'd describe it in a 500-word essay but on top of my head, I'd say it has "dimensions". So kudos to you Cynch and I hope to find the same purpose in writing.
