Thursday, September 20, 2007

Domesticate Myself

No, I didn't get married as the word domestic is often attached to married life when one is female. And no, I'm not going to be a domestic helper like our many admirable OFW Pinay sisters. Last week I simply resigned from work and most of the work I do these past few days are domestic chores. I'm leaving the country, you see. I am going abroad to be with family.

I used to say that I will not leave the Philippines. That I will help lift this country from the poverty that it seems she can't escape. That I will stick it out here with the my heart bursting with hope that someday, somehow my country will prosper and make its mark in the world.

But now I want to leave. I have to.

My leaving does not mean I love my country less and that I lost hope of it her recovering from where she is now. Never! I will always love the Philippines even if I'm half-way around the world. I once read in a forwarded email that nationalism is borderless and I couldn't agree more.

I chatted with a former officemate, a Christian, and told him about my plans. He didn't verbalize it but I felt he was conveying that my leaving this country is against God's will. At least that's the vibe I'm getting. He declared that this is where he was born and this is where he would live his life. Whew! Thank God that wasn't Abraham's principle or he wouldn't have left Ur to go to Canaan where he was destined to start the nation of Israel.

God has a different plan for each of us. I will not put Him in a box.

Now lets go back to the subject of Domestication. As I wait for my papers which takes forever to be processed, I plan to spend my time reading about advancements in web design. Surprisingly I often find myself doing housework and more housework. Its a change that I welcome as I need to take a break from all this computer work. I wash clothes, cook, pack, clean, etc. And my favorite housework ever? Scrubbing the floor while singing "Someday my Prince will Come."

8 comments:

Ronnie said...

i use to think the same way as your former officemate. but now i had a change of perspective.

i agree with you in saying that nationalism is boundless. in fact, like our ofws, people sometimes need to leave their loved ones in order to provide a better life.

god bless on processing your papers! ;)

Pinoy Pan de Sal said...

Hi Ronnie! Ang bilis ah, ine-edit ko pa nga ung intro hehe.

Thanks for agreeing with me. I appreciate it. I sometimes get guilt shots pa every now and then. But I've dealt with my issues and I've reconciled with myself.

God bless din, kapatid.

forevermonk said...

hey gigi,

its been quite awhile hah...musta ka na? wow..sige- punta ka na pala sa abroad...magbaitaan tayu ha?.... i have been trying to comment doon sa litratista site mo pero disabled ang comments options..i love the pics you have been posting there--lalo na yung suman sa ibos- naglaway ako sa kakatingin ko lang nyahahahaha--
okay kapatid, keep in touch ka lang lagi ha? saan ka ba sa abroad? ah sana dito na sa merika para malapit ka na sa mundo ko--at ng makadalaw ka naman dito....
ey magkakilala pala kayu ni ronnie? weel--its just a small world kapatid-- he is one of my most favorite and loved frends in real life (now)....

Anonymous said...

Ow hey! Mr. Monk!!!
Sorry pero I disabled the comments function of Litratista. Ang dami kasing spam comments.
Anyways, I know lagi ka dun dumadalaw. Ingat lagi. Don't loose your coolness! :-)

Gigi

forevermonk said...

ey gigi,

ah okay..- i got it right... so keep in touch na lang gi,,,,- you know where to find me--- in my homeblog hehehehe...

Anonymous said...

Srubbing the floor??? Naku, that's the least favorite housework of mine! Punta ka dito at tulungan mo ako, Ghie. LOL. (Tama ba naman ang tono ng "Someday my Prince will Come"? Mala Cinderella a, LOL.)

*****

Seriously now....

Yes, we Christians should not put God in a box, as some believers are wont to do (naku, ang dami kong narinig na comments about my marriage and move to Switzerland...although well-intentioned, taliwas sa nudging ng HS). It's a matter between you and God, di ba. Teka, sino ba yung officemate na yun? Ma-rebuke nga, haha.

O basta, pag nag abroad ka, wag ka punta sa Marrakech ha. LOL.

*****

Glad to see some updates here. For a while there, kala ko the dancing prisoners will be a year-long feature. LOL

Anonymous said...

ate gi! natatawa ako kapag bigla kang bumabanat sa last part! ang kulit nung song na yun a. Di ko alam yun pero ang cool ng title. mahanap nga. :)

Pinoy Pan de Sal said...

Pol, matagal ko na dapat sinagot ang comment mo.

Song iyan sa Snow White (Walt Disney) medyo operatic pa ang banat. Matagal na kasi.