The pioneering e-zine by Pinoy expats is now running a previously-published article of mine entitled Notes from a Homesick Croupier in Europe.
It’s a must-read for my friends who want to know about that part of my past and who would like to have an idea about how it is to be alone in a foreign land.. for the first time.
I was 24 and I remember clearly that my sister in the States was flabbergasted. “How could you be there? You don’t know anybody there!!!” Presumably, she had heard too much about the abuses and dangers facing Pinoy OCWs.
But it turned out to be the best two years of my life. The best part was seeing all the picturesque sights in England, Holland, Belgium, Spain and France. We also had a blast meeting other Pinays who were nicely settled in the continent and never failed to serve us sumptuous Pinoy food, watching Miss Saigon,window-shopping in Harrod’s, gaping at the very stately Buckingham Palace, sitting beside Elvis in Madam Tussaud’s Amsterdam etcetera. My perky boss Debbie wanted me to marry a Brit so we can be neighbors in her house near Humber Bridge but of course I was too independent for that. Unlike my colleagues, I went home and faced my destiny.
It was a dream seeing Europe and now it is just a dream. I could not anymore think of all my hardships and homesickness, just the nice memories.
Been there. Done that.
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