Kapag mahal mo ang trabaho mo, madali itong gawin; ngunit para kay Joey Espino at Jao Jundam, upang makuha ang mga buhay na gusto nila, kailangan nilang mag-settle sila para sa kung anumang trabahong kanilang makukuha.
Walang local experience
"My family had a hard time absorbing what we were going through in Australia. At one point, my brother said to us 'Why make life difficult? You can just go back home.'"
Sa Pilipinas, nagtrabaho bilang university professor at legal editor si Joey Espino, habang ang asawa niyang si Kris ay medical technologist.
"I was also already in my third year as a law student in the Philippines when we decided to move to Australia so I could continue my law studies here. It was a big gamble because we already had good careers in the Philippines. Here, it was a different story."
Joey and her husband, Kris Source: Joey Espino
Nagsimula ang kwento ng mag-asawa sa Australya sa pagkaramdam ng lungkot sa pangangailangang ibaba ang kanilang mga natamo na sa kanilang mga karera.
"We tried looking for work in our respective fields, but we would always get rejected. Employers would say that either we didn't have local experience or our experience in the Philippines didn't have weight. But we thought 'How can we get local experience if no one gives us a shot?'"
Para mabigyan ng pagkakataon, binago ng mag-asawa ang kanilang mga CV upang hindi sila magmukhang 'over-qualified' at makakuha sila ng kahit anumang trabaho na maibibigay sa kanila.
Joey worked as a professor and legal editor in the Philippines. Source: Joey Espino
Nagtrabaho ang dalawa bilang cleaners, café all-rounders, bread-cutters, disability support workers, door-to-door salespeople at pet sitters.
"I had 11 different odd jobs in four months. To be honest, it was devastating. Every night, we would cry and ask ourselves if we could still continue. Our tuition fees were too much and we were struggling to survive. But we would wake up the next day and tell ourselves that if others are able to make it, we can too."
Ang pananaw na ito ang nagbigay sa kanila ng lakas na magpatuloy.
"We feel lucky that we're cleaners here in Australia instead of in the Philippines - we're earning in dollars and cleaning jobs here are less 'dirty' than back home. Our parents felt sad though that after sending us to good schools, we became cleaners; but we told them that this is how we survive. We have a lot of respect for people in this line of work."
Joey and Kris working as cleaners. Source: Joey Espino
Habang patuloy pa rin ang mag-asawa sa ganitong trabaho, nakahanap sila ng mas magandang mga trabaho dalawang taon ng nakakalipas sa isang warehouse malapit sa kung saan sila nakatira.
"Kris works as a forklift driver. I applied to be a packer but, I was offered a customer rep job in their office. We still struggle, but we can breathe a lot easier now. Now when people try to convince us to go home, we say no. This is for our future. It's hard, but we'll make it."
"It's hard, but we'll make it." Source: Joey Espino
Mula sa itaas, pababa, patungong itaas muli
"In 2015, I was top 7 out of 17,000+ in the nursing board. I wanted to study medicine - it's a family legacy. But after talking with my family, I decided to try nursing in Australia first."
Para kay Jao ang pag-aaral at pagiging nars sa Australya ang paraan niya upang masustentuhan niya ang medical studies niya pagdating ng panahon.
Jao Jundam as a nursing student in the Philippines Source: Jao Jundam
Napagdesisyunan niyang mag-Bachelor of Nursing sa University of Canberra.
"My aunt from Brisbane would help me financially, but I wanted to earn my own money as well. I applied for work in hospitals and aged care, but I kept on getting rejected. I kept on asking myself 'Is Australia really for me?'"
Habang hindi niya mahanap ang sagot sa kanyang sarili, ang mga tawag mula sa kanyang ina sa Pilipinas ang nagbigay ng lakas sa kanya.
"I went through a depression, realising that being a board topnotcher back home did not mean a lot here. Even if my mum was far away, she would encourage me. She was with me in my struggles and she would be with me in my successes. She was a major reason I survived."
Jao shares that his mum's reassurances helped him get through difficult times. Source: Jao Jundam
Upang mabuhay sa Australya, tinanggap ni Jao ang trabaho ng isang fish vendor sa palengke.
"I found work in the Sea Harvest market. I took it as a positive experience - now I know so much about fish! I remember my manager would give me the five-dollar bags of leftover fish that weren't sold. I was happy about that."
Pagkatapos maka-gradweyt, lumipat si Jao sa Brisbane upang tumira kasama ng kanyang tiya.
Jao worked as fish vendor in the Sea Harvest market in Canberra. Source: Sea Harvest Australia Facebook
"I was a registered nurse in Australia, but job-hunting was still difficult at first. I had 100 different folders for 100 applications. While I waited for a nursing job, I worked as a cleaner. I understood that being in a new country meant I had to start from scratch."
Dahil kinailangan niyang magsimula muli, natutong maging mapagkumbaba si Jao. Mula casual work para sa isang nursing agency, ngayo'y may permanenteng trabahao na si Jao sa Redcliff Hospital sa Moreton Bay.
"I'm in the medical assessment unit. It's a fast-paced ward. There are a lot of Filipinos in our ward and it feels like a family so I love it," aniya.
After working as a fish vendor and cleaner, Jao is now a nurse. Source: Jao Jundam
Mas pinapahalagahan pa niya ngayo ang buhay dahil sa lahat ng kanyang pinagdaanan.
"I'm now someone who’s stronger, smarter and a better fighter in life. It's hard; but at the end of the day, it will always be worth it."
BASAHIN / PAKINGGAN DIN
