Si Joey Yadao ay isang first year student na kumukuha ng Masters of International Accounting sa Deakin University. Nang matapos ang dalawang acccounting degrees sa Pilipinas, lumipat siya sa Australyau upang muling mag-aral.
Unang Pasko ni Joey na malayo sa kanyang siyudad na Davao City at naniniwala siyang kumpara sa karaniwang masayang selebrasyon, ngayon, magiging iba ang kanyang Pasko.
"I think its gonna be a little different compared sa Pilipinas kasi back sa atin you can really feel the Christmas maybe in the months of September. Dito kasi konti lang nakikita kong decoration. A lot of people are not really into the spirit of Christmas. You can really tell that they're so busy, everybody is working and everything is moving fast that we can't really feel the spirit of Christmas."
Dagdag ni Joey, ang kanyang unang Pasko sa Australya ay hindi ang kanyang orihinal na inaasahan.
"I imagined Christmas here to be very cold and it's summer time here, I can't really feel the Christmas spirit kasi mainit po. We tend to have white Christmas and then it's really hot here po hindi siya Christmasy feeling."
Bagaman nangarap na tumira sa isang mabilis na lungsod, napagtanto niyang ito ay nakakalungkot din.
Source: Supplied- Joey Yadao
"At first I think ito yung gusto kong lifestyle. It's really fast and I feel like everything can happen. But now that I see it, kind of feel like really sad coz everything is so fast na hindi na natin na-apreciate yung mga little things around us and I thinks that's what's important."
Habang hindi siya abala sa pera dahil buo siyang sinusuportahan ng kanyang mga magulang mula sa Pilipinas, sinabi niyang naging pangunahing hamon ang kalungkutan para sa kanya.
"I think one that I struggled with really is loneliness. I think lahat naman po tayo na hindi from here struggle with loneliness kasi there's always gonna be a barrier sa ating language kasi English is not our first language. We can't really express ourselves to others. Sometimes, you could be funny in our language and it doesn't translate really good when you try to tell it to other nationalities."
Naniniwala din siyang ang pagtira kasama ang isang kaibigan ay nakatulong sa kanyang malabanan ang mga pagsubok sa unang taon.
"It's a good thing that I'm living with a friend that I know back in the Philippines. She taught me everything and helped me with my transition. And I think you have to set your mind na you have to leave those lifestyle back in the Philippines. Pagdating mo palang sa Australia dapat alam mo na ano pinasok mo. So you have to mentally prepare yourself."
Walang karanasan sa napiling larangan, umaasa si Joey na matatapos niya ang kanyang internship sa lalong madaling panahon upang makahanap ng magandang trabaho at makakuha ng karanasan sa bansa.
Source: Supplied- Joey Yadao
" I'm trying to do my internship as early as now so I can land a job that would get me somewhere. I don't have any experience even in the Philippines. I wan to be exposed a little bit more sa industry na I'm in. If opportunity reveals itself po then I will definitely take it."
Hiling at dasal niya ngayong Pasko ay ang magtagumpay sa pag-aaral, mamuhay ng malusog at kaligtasan para sa pamilya niya sa Pilipinas.
Bagaman ang unang Pasko niya sa Australya ay hindi ang kanyang inaasahan- nakamamanghang ilaw, marangyang mga dekorasyon, malamig at sariwang hangin, positibo pa rin siyang magiging masaya ito dahil sa presensya ng mga kaibigan.
