A proud OFW shares her take on the reactions that she gets when she tells people that she is a maid or Domestic Helper (DH) in Taiwan and a nurse in the Philippines. She is frustrated with how people perceive her to be and tells her “DH ka lang pala” (Oh, you are only a maid.) but she defends her job and says that it is noble and honest and should not be looked down upon.
‘‘ KATULONG LANG DAW AKO”
Nurse midwife sa Pilipinas. Katulong lang sa TAIWAN eh di wow. yan ang laging sambit ng aking mga kakilala at mga kababayan. Lalo na sa aking mga kapitbahay,classmate ko noon.sabi nila Hindi raw ako magaling kasi mas pinili ko maging isang katulong sa Ibang bansa.Ilang beses man nila ako husgahan at libakin,wala akong PAKIALAM atleast marangal na trabaho naman aking pinasukan,Di kagaya ng iba jan.Madaming nagtatanong kung FACTORY ba daw ako,at hindi ko ikinahiya silang sagutin,isa lang akong KATULONG,pag bakit kaya marinig nila yun,Titingnan ka nila mula ulo hanggang paa na kunwari pasimple lang,sabay sabi ah ..DH kalang pala .WHO CARES!Atleast di ako nagnakaw diba atleast lahat ng gusto mo nabibili ko ng di na nanghihingi sa magulang ko.Atleast madami akong natulungang tao kahit katulong lang trabaho ko.
Hindi man ako nakaupo sa maganda opisina pero proud ako sa sarili ko dahil lahat ng hirap dito sa abroad nalampasan ko,na ni kahit minsan diko naranasan nung nasa Pilipinas pa ako..Dito sa abroad madami akong natutunan,lalo na sa gawaing bahay na diko naranasan noon.Natuto ako maging Independent sa sarili na noon naka depend lang ako palagi sa magulang ko..HAPPY 10YRS DITO SA AMO KO..2yrs nalang graduate na ako..HELLO SA LAHAT NG KATULONG JAN NA KAGAYA KO KAWAY KAWAY NAMAN KAYO JAN..MABUHAY TAYONG LAHAT NA OFW.
Rough translation:
They say I am only a maid.
Nurse in the Philippines, maid in Taiwan. That is what people I know and other Filipinos always say. Especially my neighbors and classmates before. They said that I am not good because I chose to be a maid in a different country. No matter how many times they judge me, I don’t care. At least, my job is a noble one. Unlike other people. Many asked if I was factory and I was not embarrassed to say that I am a maid. Everytime I say that, I wonder why they look at me from head to foot then they will say “Ahh, you’re just a maid.” Who cares? At least I’m not stealing. At least I can buy anything that I want without asking my parents for money. At least there are a lot of people I help with my job being a maid.
I may not sit in a nice office but I am very proud because every hardship working in a foreign land, I have overcome. Those hardships that I did not face when I was in the Philippines. Here, I learned a lot especially with household chores that I didn’t do at home. I learned to be independent. Before I used to only rely on my parents. Happy 10 years to my “Amo” just 2 more years and I will graduate already! Hello to all the maids that are like me!
Long life all the OFWs!
We believe that all noble and honest jobs are to be applauded! Cheers to you Iriesh!Â
