Filipino News 147

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P a g e 0 8 w w w . m i g r a n t n e w s . n z I F A C E B O O K P A G E M i g r a n t N e w s N Z I email: migrantnews@xtra.co.nz I m o b : 0 2 7 4 9 5 8 4 7 7 By Queenie Lee Tanjay Whether you have been in New Zealand for months or years, your journey will always bring you back to your first moments here: from smelling the country breeze to strolling through the neighbourhood to visiting places you’ve never been to before. This article gives a slice of life of three migrants in their first days in the country. “Family is everything.” “I’m Jer Grace Geonanga, a graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Cruise Ship Management in the Philippines. I used to work on board a cruise ship and was a rooms division manager in one of the resort hotels in the Philippines. Having that degree and work experience qualified me to study for a Master of Management and to get a student visa where I can bring my family here to New Zealand. “I spent my first 2 days in Auckland bonding with our family friends where My first seven days in NZ .. we visited beautiful spots and enjoyed a sumptuous dinner together. I also got the chance to visit Hamilton Gardens and to tour around Lake Tarawera, Blue Lake and Red Woods within the next days. “On my 4th day I had my bank and IRD appointments and strolled around the centre in order to get familiar with the place. “I went to visit my school on the 5th day so that I didn't get lost at the coming orientation. I was so happy on my 6th day to have my first part-time job. “To complete my first week, I spent time walking around our street and enjoyed the fresh air. “I also spent my free time talking and video calling to my family to cope with the homesickness. Having good acquaintances also was a great help. During those days I envisioned myself having a good job and enjoying life here in New Zealand with my family. I can say today that nothing has changed with regards to my aspirations, despite the ongoing crisis. I do believe that this will end soon and that I will continue to strive to fulfil what I am aiming for and I still hope to be reunited with my family here in New Zealand.” “I can’t believe I’m actually here.” “I am Shiny Maquiling, a civil engineer in the Philippines, coming here through a tourist visa with 6 months validity. “My first seven days were allotted to visiting different places while enjoying the cold weather and the beautiful views here in New Zealand. “Even after 2 weeks here in NZ I still can't believe that I am actually here! Like when I wake up every morning I am always excited and flattered that I am here in such a beautiful country with the love of my life. “I can't deny the fact that I miss my home in the Philippines, especially when sometimes my partner goes to work and I have to stay home. Good thing I have dogs with me who I really love. “The best thing that helped me cope is volunteering and getting involved jn organisations such as the Multicultural Council, where I participated in the Women's Wellbeing Program and gained friendship with other migrants. I'm just keeping myself busy and I keep wandering in order to enjoy as much here as I can. “In 5 years time I want to complete training or courses which are related to my educational background.” “Rice and the budget is life.” “I’m Adelaide Leyson- Villegas and I took the student visa pathway to reach New Zealand. When I arrived last Feb 1, 2006, the first odd thing I noticed was that the sun was still up even by 8 pm, which is unlikely in the Philippines. “I bought a local sim card right away to help me direct myself to where I’m going. I was all alone when I was picked up by the shuttle and then reached the backpackers by 12 midnight. “The next day I went to my appointment in ANZ for my FTS and IRD processing. I remember relying heavily on Google Maps in order to not get lost within the city. “My first dine in was in Carl’s Jr and during the next days when I had enough of burgers, my body was already asking for my staple rice consumption. I noticed that people here are not avid fans of rice and choose potatoes instead. In those early days I figured out that I had to buy a rice cooker for my personal preference. “I spent the next days familiarizing myself with other places like the shopping mall, supermarket, museum, library, etc. Everywhere I go people are always greeting each other and feel so accommodating. “My first days also taught me a hard lesson on how to be frugal and be wise in spending money here. As a student I had to be conscious of carefully dividing my budget among rent, food, transportation, school and of course, leisure.” Everyone has their own story to tell about their first memories here in New Zealand. These may be the fondest or the most difficult for some, but one thing remains true: these are moments that are transforming for all. Cheers to a happy migrant life!
w w w . m i g r a n t n e w s . n z I F A C E B O O K P A G E M i g r a n t N e w s N Z I Job Board : www.asia2nz.com P a g e 0 9 By Queenie L. Tanjay Overseas outsourcing of engineers has become a mainstay in New Zealand due to the short supply of local professionals. Engineering skills are deemed essential to the country’s current investments in nation-building programs to which migrants deliver the right qualifications and experience to address the needs. Although relatively smaller in proportion than the hospitality, tourism and health sectors, Filipino engineers continue to provide essential skills in the workforce. This article will feature the different insights and aspirations of our kababayans working here in the engineering industry. “Working in New Zealand gains me a lot of experience; I get a chance to work with different nationalities (Kiwis, British, Australians, South Africans, Indians, etc.) and get better compensation and benefits,” Wisdom Errua, a senior software test engineer, said. “Working here means global recognition by other nationalities and international markets.” “I have been enjoying every single day of working Filipino Engineers on Building the NZ Life “There is no formula beyond hard work, constant improvement of your craft and perseverance. “Don’t ever let anyone tell you that your dream is far-fetched.” Photo: Models featured. here in New Zealand. I am amazed by how great Kiwis are when it comes to working ethics. My colleagues are really hard working and they work with a high regard for the equity, integrity, accountability, health and safety of workers,” Stephanie Echavez, a chemical engineering professional, told us. This divergence in experience from working in the Philippines rings especially true in more specialized fields. “The structural engineering practice in NZ is more stringent compared to in the PH. My motivation lies in the fact that NZ structural engineers are the world’s experts in structural seismic engineering,” Essem Solomon, a structural design engineer, said. “Working here forces me outside of my comfort zone, which contributes to my personal growth." Across these experiences, these professionals also relayed their share of adversities in this newfound home. "The greatest challenge was learning how to effectively communicate in a work environment using your second/third language," Essem admitted. "I am still getting used to the K i w i accent and their slang words, which are a lot different than the American English accent and terms I was used to. There's so much more to learn," Stephanie concurred. As for Wisdom. "Living abroad is challenging as it pushes me beyond my comfort zone. Loneliness is an understated feeling for an overseas worker like me. It is so hard to be far away from family and friends. The anxiety level goes high every time I miss out on a family milestone." In the context of the current global crisis, the engineering field is not exempted from the economic repercussions and uncertainties as well. "Some companies did not have business continuity management set before the pandemic; as a result engineers are being laid off, paycuts are enforced and onshore/offshore job offers are being rescinded or placed on hold," said Wisdom. "However, the long-term effect of this pandemic is that it will bolster the software engineering industry. As the world shifts to a remote-first philosophy, software engineering will play a critical role in business models." Meanwhile, with regards to Stephanie’s field of expertise. “Engineers in the oil and gas industry might have a tough time with lower demands and a high supply of petrol in the country, not to mention minimum demand for aviation fuels. But with the right skills and knowledge there are still a lot of industries that engineers can explore.” Filipinos have indeed come a long way in New Zealand in harnessing the potential to continuously excel in various career paths. Across all professional fields the Filipino service brand is never watered down, thanks to inherent hard work and resilience. “Filipinos have made a name in this country as hard working and as exemplars of the professional type of employee; thus employers prefer or are very keen to have Filipinos on board in their companies, giving us an edge over other applicants,” Stephanie agreed. Although the concept of the future may sound bleak now, these professionals are still optimistic about the industry’s critical role in rebuilding the economy. In parallel, aspirants should also remain steadfast regarding reaching the apex of their career growths in time. “There is no formula beyond hard work, constant improvement of your craft and perseverance. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that your dream is far-fetched. Your New Zealand dream is alive and well,” Wisdom said. “Be brave, be patient, work hard and have faith that everything will fall into place,” Stephanie ended.
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