Why Stay?

We asked Constance Uy (National University of Singapore, Virginia Polytechnic Institute), Carmela Navarra (Manhattanville College, Georgetown University) and Paul Avinante (University of Wollongong, Sydney), why they decided to stay on in their host countries.

What were your considerations for staying on?
Paul Avinante: Opportunities, future.

Constance Uy: Would only stay on if I had an interesting/challenging job. Would have opted to go home if nothing good came up.

Carmela Navarra: Gaining good work experience in the US and taking advantage of the opportunities available to me. Earning in US dollars and hopefully being able to save a lot more money than if I were working in Manila.

What was your reason for staying?
PA: I didn't really stay I went back to the Philippines for a year and then realized that my lifestyle was better suited to that of Sydney.

CU: Found a great job that I liked in a location that I had friends and relatives around—both here in the US and Singapore. Partly economic too since working overseas allows one to save much more than working back home. Fear of going back where I am no longer used to the pace of life back home especially since I have not lived in the Philippines since I was 19.

CN: To be able to continue saving money for when I eventually return to the Philippines. In addition, my parents encouraged me to stay because of the current economic and political instability in the Philippines. I am still enjoying my work and have made friends both in and out of work.

What was the paperwork involved? Could you describe in detail how long it took you to get your work permit, coordinating with a lawyer, fees involved, etc.?
PA: Not much. Typical immigration papers, except that I now have bonus points for studying in Sydney.

CU: In the US, after graduating, I had one year of practical training which I used to take on whatever temporary jobs I could get while doing my job search. During my time [1994], it took about four weeks for the paperwork and employment authorization. I suggest one to work closely with your university's International Student's Office.

I then got a permanent job offer at one of the companies I worked for as a temp and started applying for the H-1B employment visa which at that time was about US$800 in lawyers fees. I paid 50 per cent for the lawyers to start the paperwork [Labor certification] but a few weeks later, I got another job offer from an international organization so I withdrew my application. My brother for instance had to wait a year before his visa came out because at that time, at the height of the economy boom, the quote for H1-B visas was already exhausted. So he went home and waited.

Not much hassle for me as I only had to leave the US and go to a US embassy to get my visa. In my case, I "had" to go to the Bahamas. Luckily, I did not hit any snags getting my visa unlike some of the people I met at the embassy who were sort of stuck in the Bahamas waiting for their papers.

CN: I started as a student with an F-1 visa and was able to get my job by taking advantage of the 12 months Practical Training allowed all foreign citizens who are graduates of US colleges/universities. My company was willing to sponsor me so was able to switch to a working visa (H1-B) when my Practical Training expired in Sept. 1998.

I got an immigration lawyer to help with the paperwork for switching my F1-B to an H1-B visa. The process was relatively painless; the lawyer took care of all the paperwork and dealt directly with my company's HR department. Even though my company sponsored me for the H1-B visa, I had to pay for my lawyer's fees which at the time cost a total of US$ 800 plus US$ 110 in application fees. It took approximately three to four months for my Labor Certification and H1-B visa application to be approved and then, I had to go back to Manila with all my paperwork to actually apply for the H1-B visa and get it stamped on my passport by the US Embassy in the Philippines.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of staying on?
PA: Advantages—better opportunities, I can be more independent, less pollution. Disadvantages—syempre miss ko Philippines although it's only a seven-hour flight, para ka lang nag punta sa Ilocos.

CU: Miss out being with one's family especially as one's parents get older and my nephews get bigger. I am closer with my brothers and parents because of being away from home. Being economically independent and am able to help out family financially; and at the same time can afford to travel to different places.

CN: Advantages: Being able to save money and earn a better living than if working in the Philippines, being exposed to a more diverse and multi-cultural environment, gaining more independence and learning to be more self-sufficient.

Disadvantages: Not having my immediate family and all of my close friends around; sometimes feel homesick and miss certain things about the Philippines like the food, events in my family and friends' lives that I cannot experience with them, etc. Sometimes have feelings of not quite fitting in because after all, the US is not really my own country and I am still a member of a minority group. When returning to the Philippines, I sometimes feel that I don't quite fit in either because I have been away for too long that I can't always relate to what people are talking about. Have to learn to fend for oneself because there is no one to help with household work, cooking, etc.

Do you ever get homesick? How do you deal with homesickness?
PA: Yes. party with other pinoys, or I go home to the Philippines

CU: Of course, especially after coming back from a trip from Manila. Regular phone calls and e-mails with family get together with barkada helps nowadays. I make it a point to go home on a more regular basis.

CN: Sometimes, I do feel homesick but it helps that I am regularly in touch with my family and friends (by phone or e-mail) and that I get to visit the Philippines almost every year and spend the Christmas holidays there. It also helps that I have my own set of friends here (Pinoy barkada) whom I hang out with and if we crave for Pinoy food, there are Pinoy restaurants and stores in the area that we can go to.