Skip to main content

Diaries of a Migrant Worker I

April 10, 2009
9:59 PM
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

There has never been a day since I got here that I have never wished of being home. I guess the aloneness that I have always wanted hasn’t really been working out for me. Homesickness, whether I accept it or not, has crept up on me and the most important question that I have asked myself for at least a million times hasn’t been answered yet. I am still wondering why God has allowed me to be here.

Being here was my choice and I have to accept the consequences of my decision. But unlike most people have accused me of, I am not here for the money. NO, DEFINITELY NOT! I decided to come here to be alone… to run away… to move on… and to forget the memories that have haunted me for so long. I came here to forgive and be forgiven with the hope that when I go back everything would be alright; that I would be able to completely take away all the hatred that I have been hiding all these years; that I would be able to accept things as they are and have compassion for those that I have been feeling indifferent with.

But instead of finding the strength to do all the things that I came here to do, I discovered a ton of weaknesses that did not only confuse me but also overwhelmed me. It’s as if I am a dried river who has lost all its richness and all its beauty only to be remembered through the remnants of the fresh water that once flowed through it. I feel like a lamp which has lost its oil. My fire is about to die out.

It’s sad, really. It’s miserable not knowing what to do and where to go. It’s depressing to live a life without a purpose, without an inspiration. It’s cruel to subject yourself to interrogation and torture when you don’t even know the right questions to ask. But even so, I can’t make myself regret the decision to leap into a life full of promises. The only question left to ask is – “shall I hold on to those promises?”

Fight or Flight. Is there still a reason for me to fight? Do I have enough strength to defeat what has come and what is about to come? Or is it time for me to fly away and escape again? Does running away mean that I am defeated? Is flying away an act of cowardice in a sense that I refuse to face the challenges? Or is it a courageous act of accepting that I have lost the fight? Questions… questions… where will I find the answers?


-Yana-

Comments

  1. wow dai, this is very touching and enlightening. there's so much truth and honesty here. the beauty of writing your feelings and your thoughts out is that it helps you clear your mind about things. I hope you'll find the answers to your questions.

    ReplyDelete
  2. this is a very touching and enlightening piece. there's so much truth and honesty here. the beauty of writing is that it helps you clear your thoughts. i hope you'll find the answers to your questions.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous7:55 AM

    ang song ako madedicate nimo norin kay kanang naa bitaw line nga too many questions, but the answers are so few...:)

    bitaw, kaya ra na oi...lain2x man ta ug dagan sa life. lain imo, lain ako pero life gihapon silang duha, hehehe....sori2x...basta, payts ra na



    krishna

    ReplyDelete
  4. Vianney,

    bitaw vian.. bunga man ni sa sapot, frustrations, ug uban pa.. hehehe... yeah.. i hope i'll find the answers soon.. hehehe... and sakto ka vian.. writing it out really helps.. so murag makabasa pa ka ug daghang ingon ani.. hehehe.. amardz!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Krishna,

    baya! anonymous ka jan! hahaha.. bitaw woi.. k ra ni.. fight3x.. go3x.. hehehe...

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Prayer in the Desert

We had just finished our pictionary sessions for that day when Manang startled us with a shocking news. Immanuel, or Iman as what we usually call him, the only nephew we have, was rushed to the hospital earlier that day. We were kind of late for the news as my eldest sister, Grace, only left an offline message to my other sister's (Nanette) yahoo account.  It was not really a cause of alarm for me at first as I knew that Ate is some kind of paranoid sometimes. She worries a lot and I thought that she overestimated the gravity of the situation.  Manang decided to call Ate though it was already around 4am Philippine time. I was only listening, something that I usually do as I'm not good in communicating affection to family members, or to anyone if I may say (but it doesn't mean that I don't care. I do, I really do care.) She first told us about the situation, that Iman was suffering from a disease worse than pneumonia, that his lungs were dirty, and that air could...

What Happened to Tony Almeida?!

Tony Almeida's new look as a terrorist in season 7 “What happened to Tony Almeida???!” I posted that same message on my YM status about a week ago, describing the wonder that was lurking in my mind about what truly happened to Tony Almeida oblivious of the fact that aside from 24 addicts like me, no one really knows who Tony Almeida is. For that whole day, a number of my YM friends who saw that status message of mine asked mo who Tony Almeida was. I gave them the same answer. Tony Almeida is actually one of 24’s recurring characters. And guess what, they also gave me the same reply. They all thought that Tony Almeida was some filthy Filipino politician who is involved with corruption issues. I was obviously amused by their reactions but at the same time worried about how Tony Almeida’s character would end in 24. The night before, I watched the first two episodes of 24’s newest season. And for those who haven’t watched the new episodes yet, you better not read this post for be...

Everything is not What it Seems to Be

Everything is not what it seems to be. This phrase always come to mind whenever I read a thriller-suspense book or watch my favorite action series – 24. Heroes become villains and villains become heroes in no time in the world of fiction. And although sometimes the situations that stories present are unbelievable, they certainly support a not-so-bad idea that we probably could seriously take to heart. Do not judge the book by its cover, how ever a cliché it could be, is a more common way to put the statement we could probably only relate to fiction. Like onions have layers, the personality of man have complexities that certainly not all men have the ability to understand. Sometimes, we even have misconceptions about our own selves! And without doubt, each person has a different opinion about someone else. Perhaps because of the open-minded education that I was blessed to have, I was able to accept that each individual is uniquely made as early as when I was in high school. I underst...