JOSHUA MAYO SWEDEN
In my life of 14 (and a half) years, I have been to many
countries and lived in at least three foreign cities. I
have had so many experiences, some good, and
some bad. When you are the child of a diplomat, that
is what happens.
You move. You move away from your country, your
friends and your home. But traveling is not all about
loss.
Far from it, you gain. You meet new friends, build a
new life and learn a new culture.
There are ups and downs to living around the world. I
hope to give an inkling of what these are to a 14-year
year-old boy like me.
When I left the Philippines for the first time, I was
merely a baby of a few weeks. My very first plane ride
took me to Greece.
Then it was time to go home with my parents and six
years of memories and a new addition to our small
family.
Now, of course, I was too young to really remember
Greece, or to really value the time I had there. I left
Greece, not sad but wondering about the family I had
not met or the country I had never lived in.
When I turned nine, and my family was moving to
another country once more, I knew that I would leave
in tears.
I can’t begin to tell you how hard it is. Leaving a life
that you have gotten used to for years. It is like leaving
your mother’s womb. You come out crying.
However, I do not feel that leaving is the hardest part.
I think it is changing, adapting to your new situation.
The language is new, the food different and the
people seemingly unusual.
This process takes a long time, but in the end, new
friends are gained and this country is made your new
home. It is now familiar; you know it like the back of
your hand (or, if you prefer, the front). And when it is
finally time to leave again, it’s like leaving your
second home and, in my case, I was crying. Again.
But there is an upside to living abroad. Residing in a
foreign land is an experience like no other. Imagine
the number of people in the world who have not seen
places beyond the borders of their own village. To
see these sights, to learn these languages, it is a
wonderful gift.
What I miss most though is my family. I just miss that
warm feeling of having my grandparents, titos, titas
and cousins close to me.
Soon, I will be going home yet again. As much as I
miss the Philippines, which I’ve known for five years, I
have mixed feelings about leaving Sweden, my
second home for the past four years.
The most important lesson I’ve learned is not to
forget that I am a Filipino. If you lose your identity,
forget where you are from, then you become a
foreigner in the one place you truly belong.
In my life of 14 (and a half) years, I have been to many
countries and lived in at least three foreign cities. I
have had so many experiences, some good, and
some bad. When you are the child of a diplomat, that
is what happens.
You move. You move away from your country, your
friends and your home. But traveling is not all about
loss.
Far from it, you gain. You meet new friends, build a
new life and learn a new culture.
There are ups and downs to living around the world. I
hope to give an inkling of what these are to a 14-year
year-old boy like me.
When I left the Philippines for the first time, I was
merely a baby of a few weeks. My very first plane ride
took me to Greece.
Then it was time to go home with my parents and six
years of memories and a new addition to our small
family.
Now, of course, I was too young to really remember
Greece, or to really value the time I had there. I left
Greece, not sad but wondering about the family I had
not met or the country I had never lived in.
When I turned nine, and my family was moving to
another country once more, I knew that I would leave
in tears.
I can’t begin to tell you how hard it is. Leaving a life
that you have gotten used to for years. It is like leaving
your mother’s womb. You come out crying.
However, I do not feel that leaving is the hardest part.
I think it is changing, adapting to your new situation.
The language is new, the food different and the
people seemingly unusual.
This process takes a long time, but in the end, new
friends are gained and this country is made your new
home. It is now familiar; you know it like the back of
your hand (or, if you prefer, the front). And when it is
finally time to leave again, it’s like leaving your
second home and, in my case, I was crying. Again.
But there is an upside to living abroad. Residing in a
foreign land is an experience like no other. Imagine
the number of people in the world who have not seen
places beyond the borders of their own village. To
see these sights, to learn these languages, it is a
wonderful gift.
What I miss most though is my family. I just miss that
warm feeling of having my grandparents, titos, titas
and cousins close to me.
Soon, I will be going home yet again. As much as I
miss the Philippines, which I’ve known for five years, I
have mixed feelings about leaving Sweden, my
second home for the past four years.
The most important lesson I’ve learned is not to
forget that I am a Filipino. If you lose your identity,
forget where you are from, then you become a
foreigner in the one place you truly belong.
| All rights reserved. Filipino Globe |
| ||||||||
The most important
lesson I’ve learned
is not to forget that I
am a Filipino. If you
lose your identity,
forget where you
are from, then you
become a foreigner
in the one place you
truly belong
lesson I’ve learned
is not to forget that I
am a Filipino. If you
lose your identity,
forget where you
are from, then you
become a foreigner
in the one place you
truly belong
A home beyond borders, across oceans
search this site
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| y o u n g g l o b e |
filipino globe online edition
|
MAIN NEWS PHILIPPINES
|
| COMMUNITIES |
|
|
| HEALTH TALK |
Jun Cañete is a
man of many
talents
man of many
talents
HK-based artist
Ferraris breaks
into art scene
in Pennsylvania
Ferraris breaks
into art scene
in Pennsylvania
|
|
|
|
|
| ADLINKS |
BPI Remittance
Center Ltd
Hong Kong
Center Ltd
Hong Kong
AFreight
Door-to-door
Hong Kong
Door-to-door
Hong Kong
