Key Points
- Loneliness and homesickness are amplified during the holidays.
- Owen Alarcon shares that Christmas in Australia is different, but still happy.
- Family is the main thing international students think of.
From experiencing loneliness and homesickness, working on Christmas holidays to not being able to spend Christmas with loved ones for practicality reasons- these are just few of the stories that many Filipino international students go through in their early years in Australia.
Being distant from loved ones who is said to be the main source of love, affection and support and being uprooted from a familiar culture especially in the most wonderful time of the year is hard.
'A happy but different kind of Christmas' for Owen Alarcon
Owen Alarcon describes his Christmas in Australia as 'masaya although different'. He is spending his second Christmas in Australia- first was when he visited as tourist and now as a student.
Owen used to work as a front office manager for Crowne Plaza Hotel Manila Galleria. Not long ago, he decided to move to Australia to study diploma of leadership and management.
Owen Alarcon with the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria staff on his last day as Manager. Credit: Owen Alarcon
He admits to experiencing some sort of depression in his first few months in the country.
"Sa totoo lang during my second or third month, hindi naman homesick pero somehow na-depress ako kasi parang I don't know if I mentioned it but I'm already 39. I spent 39 years in the Philippines so yung adjustment medyo nahirapan ako although I had friends na here. Iba pa rin pala, kasi iba ang lifestyle ko sa Philippines pagdating ko I had to literally start over and nag adjust yung mga ginagawa ko," says Owen.
According to him, Christmas in the Philippines is much more festive while Christmas in Australia is stilly that's why he would rather choose the latter if given the opportunity to choose where to celebrate. However, he would love to experience Christmas in a new country such as Australia for him to appreciate precious moments in the Philippines.
"If I'm to compare it, doon parang pag-start ng BER month ramdam mo na, dito sa Australia parang busy talaga yung tao dito. Iba pa rin ang Pasko sa Pilipinas," adds Owen.
Christmas is indeed merry for Owen because unlike other students who will be celebrating the festive season without family, he will be celebrating a joyous Christmas in the presence of his immediate family who will be flying all the way from the Philippines.
"We will have a simple meal on Christmas eve but the plan is on December 25 and 26, madami kaming relatives dito and madami din ang magvi-visit from Adelaide, from the Philippines so it's gonna be a grand family reunion here in Melbourne. May naka-assign na na Filipino food we're actually planning to do a boodle fight and kris kringle so masaya its gonna be really really fun," says Owen.
Owen's family and relatives Credit: Owen Alarcon
