Secondly, I never said things are all rosy over on grassy lands. You will certainly have to struggle to survive. But rest assured, you will be on level playing field and no favours will be given. Even if there is some bias treatment… you’re a migrant after all. It’s much easier to stomach compared to being born in a land that blatantly treats you otherwise. I need to say further…Anyway… amidst the struggle and the near-regrets feeling of moving overseas, I have observed one trend nonetheless. Please correct me if I am wrong but… all those who have migrated… they complain… they struggle… they wish they didn’t make that bold move… but… but… do they make an effort to return? Or do they choose to bite the bullet and soldier on, knowing that it is still better to struggle there, than to live comfortably here? Of course, living comfortably is defined differently.
So, is migrating really that tough and scary and many people actually regret doing it? Or… is it just our natural human tendency to complain about almost anything. I have thought about this… and I have asked around… Yes, I have heard a few who thought they made a mistake. However, most if not all of them decide to live with that mistake, than to make a return ‘home’. Perhaps they realise that making a trip home will really be … a mistake…
Think about it.
And I leave you with another video from the infamous composer…
I have also put up the video of the terrorist-wannabe in my previous entry since many said they are lazy to go youtube to view it. You can now view the video in my previous entry.
P/S: Have you all voted at the poll yet? I am closing it this week.
53 comments:
Pssttt... u try first la... then come back tell us, can? :p
So sad the song... heh...
One man's meat is another bla bla bla... that, I believe :)
Vote liaoooo!
Seriously, besides that i'm missing local food, have to learn a new language and learn to drive at the other side, i couldn't fine other things that i can complain..
Actually, what are the people complaining about?
For me, i like the life here in Germany..
All I've got to say is, "I'm happier that I've ever been".
so , leaving ?
Those people who immigrate are doing it for the country. We're doing the government and the country a service because from the way Malaysia is governed and some of the leaders' antics, it's no secret that they don't want non-bumis around.
We should really get a tax deduction for it while we're at it.
You ask an average Joe Malaysian who has immigrated what they miss about Malaysia and 10/10 will say the food and/or family and friends but if you ask your other average immigrant who is back in Malaysia to work for the long-haul what they miss about the country they immigrated to, it's usually things like healthcare, education for the kids, equality in opportunities, lifestyle, etc.
It's logical why the choice is made but sometimes, finding happiness requires is irrational. That is why we see people giving up their residency status overseas to go back to Malaysia. Everybody is different. Nobody can tell you how to feel because everybody's circumstance is different.
As for me, it may be barren desert here but nonetheless, it is still worth hoping for change. I will give it a good 3 years before deciding otherwise.
Who knows, the wind of change may be a breeze today but it will be a mighty roaring tornado tomorrow.
We life in interesting times...
oops... i meant live not life... typo... sorry....
as much courage as it takes to go, it takes even more courage to admit that you are wrong, to throw away all those years of effort, suffering and sacrifices and come back. they say a good horse will not turn back to eat grass....so hence most stay. it's not a matter of which is preferable or better condition but the very idea of turning back seem cowardice. many hong kong ppl who migrated, regreted, came back and have never left again. perhaps it's wise to talk to a few more ppl who have migrated so that you can benefit from their hindsight?
Depend on where is that grassland. If u go to a developed grassland then u suffer as there r already a lof of cows before u!As for me I will like to go to a less developed grass land I think at least better then this barren bolehland!There I will 'developed' as new with local help of cause.So what do u think???
there are good and bad to both sides of the arguement, u just need to weigh out which side will favor u more...as for me, i do have some regrets but i dun brood over them so i get on with my life!
ermmmm... I don't regret moving to Sydney, heheh! I just miss the people back home very dearly. always pros and cons. it's how you make your pros count a little more.
so many posts, so little time! hahahahahaha. well, i guess it's hard to give a reason when there are plenty of other reasons to consider. as for me, i'd rather go home if i cannot find anything here in australia that's worth staying for. :D
If u survived malaysia,u survive anywhere else in this world.
Once they decided to migrate,means they are hardheaded,bold and brave...
Its not a mistake.Its life.
I would rather have the experience of searching for grass than stay here in the mud. :o)
like u said..as long as there's grass..here is loaded with shit..full of shit!!!!!
Either way, it's an experience, as they say. There's no wrong or right, just what's right for you at that one point in time.
I had enjoyed my time living abroad and I'm enjoying my time back here now. Who knows? I might just move again... or not.
Strangely what's more in my mind is the thought of long-distance relationships --- what if you were in one place and your better half is in another? :(
its a huge effort to get me out of my comfort zone, im so used to these rough terrains and scarce grass around..
but if you realy ask me, i prefer carrots to grass :P
grass is grass wherever you go.
life is about struggles just that when you go to a different playing field, you'll find that it's more level, giving you more opportunities if you take it.
somehow, i've got a friend who told me that my working experience here counts for zilch and its sad because they seem to be giving more opportunities to people from a particular country just because they're from that country.
hmmmm...
爱之深，责之切?! What he said about the government is good. I respect him. But he should have not criticize another religion and race! Anyway, I think the main purpose of him singing negarakuku is to get famous rather than doing the country any favour.
I don't think there's anything worth missing in malaysia other than the food and family, friends & relatives.
Oh... and maybe the weather when we're freezing cold here during winter.
angel - i will definitely try lor. give up on this country already ... sigh...
seok thong - i think i should do interview with malaysians who has move abroad.
white_daisies - there you go.
freethinker - working on it.
flaminglambo - i guess one must have the foresight to see beyond our regular food craving and the need to stay comfortable in order to make a life overseas. long term wise, it is better not to be in this country based on the current trend. hey bro... maybe you're a nice candidate for interview...
anon @ 7.55am - indeed... but it is also terrifying to know that if things dont change in 3 years time... the roaring tornado might just head our way... know what i mean? it all depends whether we wanna take that risk.
me - indeed... i plan to do some interview. maybe publish it here.
hor ny - well.... i think this is personal preference. for me, i want a place where the govt is accountable.
wuching - well.... sometimes, we need to live with regrets... dont u think?
may - it's how much pros outweigh cons that count too... right? :)
ehon - maybe not yet. but i think a lot of ppl have a different approach. for me... it's a matter of not being able to find something here worth staying for.
jorji - hahaha... so malaysia is a good training ground to build character eh? kinda agree.
rinnah - and of cos... when u finally be on grass, the feeling must be incredible.
Huei - hahaha... not mud but shit? damn!
kenny mah - oh yeah.... that will be tough. but for those who are moving together... that will be an additional incentive... right?
sunshine - and where can carrots be found?
Angie Tan - and what country is this. experience counts for zilch? what do u work as?
jam - hey there... welcome to AZAIG. yeah, i agree with u. he went a bit over-board there. as for whether he is doing it for fame... remains to be seen. though it is heading towards what you mentioned. hope to see ya around.
purple mushroom - hahaha... but when we're here, we complain about i being too hot. it's our human nature to complain for that one.
I am planning to migrate soon myself.. well.. let's say in 2-3 years time at least...
I just can't stand life in my country anymore... the narrowmindedness of the most people around is almost killing me.. seriously!
And the fact that opportunities are so scarce make it even worse job-wise..
I just hope that in a decade or so.. I won't be among those thinking back and say I made a mistake!
Bring it on! :D
lets do the government a favour and immigrate.
"you should be lucky to be able to get msian citizenship, so dont interfere with out hak istimewa"
okay! lets get out of here then. plus, im sure the rempits will be happier too. "kurang cina yang kaya"
I would say its "pride" that is preventing people from returning. When you leave, you pride at the fact dat you're moving to a better place. You are proud of that PR and you are proud that people deem you to be the lucky one. Once you find that, that destination isn't what its all cracked up to be, its not so easy to swallow your pride and return.
I do think it is human nature to complain. Nobody can truly be satisfied. Trust me, the most blessed people will find stuff to complain if they look hard enough. lol
The most important thing is to ask oneself before making the move. "is it worth it?" If it is, you can rest in the satisfaction you made the right move for that right moment. THere's no reason to regret afterwards. You did make the best choice given the circumstances at the time. :-)
I think it's better to go to another grassland where there are equal opportunity... or reachable/achievable opportunity.
And it's in our nature to b*tch about everything.. hahahaha
It depends on your expectations. If you expect it to be hard going then you won't be disappointed. There may also be the satisfaction of having done things on your own. People of all races have migrated, for differing reasons. Some have returned, others haven't.
If you look at the glass half empty in another way, we are luckier than the other half that have splashed onto the floor.
I was one of those, when asked if i'll migrate one day many years ago, to say i wont lar coz i'm so comfortable here!
Many years later, now that i'm married with a young baby, things started to change...Now i really look forward to leave this country when the right timing comes...
Ofcoz there will be struggles when we move to a foreign land, but again, it's how we live with it...
Haha..kurang cina yang kaya!!
haha....fucked-up country.......
One famous malay saying: benih yang baik, jatuh ke laut menjadi pulau or loosely translated as: a good seed will grow an island if it is dropped into the sea.
Funny though, to me, there is a place like my own personal haven and there is also another place where i feel like belong to. There's always adjusting time to any place and whenever one has the choice to go to another place with better living, social life, security and all, what else would be stopping u besides work permit, visa, high tax deduction and stuff like that? And have we thought of where we wanna die and be buried (or incremated)? if the world is your oyster, any peaceful, rich soil will do.
Besides an accountable govt, we dont wanna get some chinky, yellow-skinned or asian whispers behind or in our face, would ya? Racial divide is everywhere but if we r successful at what we do, all that dont matter anymore because we r our own empire.
Just saying based on my good (amazing actually) experience for almost a decade living and breathing in britannia.
hurm, good luck name wee. ;)
Hmm... if the place offers a better life... everything will fall in place... food .. weather.. language is something u can get used to.. but what about your identity??
Ex: A typical malaysian dude migrates to Aussie. Marries a white chick.. his kids marry white/latino/watver...
I think the bigger picture is losing ur culture and identity.. food..weather... language is something that you could afford to compromise...
MOdern times makes native food available even in some timbakktu..
I'm just afraid that one day wen i come back 2 Malaysia i find oni Indonesians and Bangla's...
There is no where on earth can be considered as the perfect place to live. The most important is to give in, compromise and respect other's culture. I do complain about life in NZ once in a while, but that's just pure frustrations sometimes. Human nature. I luv it here, thus the decision to stay...and so far, so good. I am happy!
i can't wait to work abroad! D-day is coming.. real soon! so long suckers!
...lots of serious thoughts/views commented in this post. Ironically,my friend was just telling me abt sending back her 2 school-going kids(secondary)to further their studies in Aust,to enjoy the subsidized education since they were born there.Yes,hers the case where they hv been living n working abroad for many many years in NZ & Aust, but came back for good years ago.And how she's going to stay there 'temporary'now for the children's education, and DEFINITELY coming back home for retirement.BTW, her hubby is not giving up his good position here while she commutes between the 2 countries.There u go,lots of consideration for weighing the pros n cons while taking advantage of the pros.Umm...i find this is an appropriate story to share with you.
hey :)
yeah i always hold the point that it's not becos the grass is greener on the other side, but that there's GRASS.
wat bout urself? thinking of working (not necessarily migrating) overseas?
I think it's a good idea to interview the people who migrated..:)
No right nor wrong. Same with all migrations in mankind history. Some returned, some never.
One thing you'll miss for sure is the opportunity to help the country to pay debts. Your children will miss that too...haha
Lash - well, all the best to you... to us! bring it on!
tingtitlei - yeah... let's think of it as doing them a favour. it will be a good approach.
shireen loh - not really... i have been to china before for a very lucrative job offer and i return. maybe it does play a role... but at least it's a motivation.
Helen - indeed... we have to constantly remind ourself of the worth that we are carrying. amidst all the complaints, i am sure we all know it's worth it. particularly when we put our children in the picture.
landed angel - reachable / achievable opportunity... well said indeed.
Tunky Halim - well, i see no harm trying out luck then. you also have to remember that circumstances change constantly... thus limiting the chances of returning.
cirnelle - and if we are honest to ourselves... most of such speech is just to console ourselves.
sharlydia - yeah... when u think of how things would be when your child grows up... it's scary isnt it?
pookyma - hahaha... calm down la.
Manal - hahahaha.... for someone who has spent so many years out of the country, i guess we should all listen to you eh? having said that... have to say things with u and me are probably quite different when it comes to this country... unfortunately.
alan zed - indeed...
MissShopaholic - i think chinese and indians in malaysia are already finding it difficult to have an identity, especially when you are overseas. as for coming back to a place filled with indons and banglas... it's just a matter of time.... i think.
doreen - well, it will be interesting to see what kinda things you complain about NZ...
SLACKER - hmmm... tell us all about it ok!
Shak-ee - i have heard of such stories too. but that is provided husband or wife has a superb job of business here. i got a story too... one of my best friend is here running his father business while his wife has been in aussie for almost 2 years already. looking at the way things go.... he aint giving up his empire... while she likes the life there... so... to each its own.
sheemi - hi there! welcome to AZAIG!
Jun - definitely!! you and i are on the same page... not greener grass.... just grass... it's all mud here. me... working on grass mission.
seok thong - yup... which is why... gonna do it.
whisperingshout - which country? hehehehe....
I think there are trade offs to be made anywhere we are. What kind of opprtunities is one looking for ? If one immigrate to a more advanced country, then you'd have to be doubly good just to be average. If you immigrate to a less advanced country, you are already top dog without even trying too hard. The one eyed man is king in a blind man's world. Look at the Chinese in Australia and Britain, they are confined to owning only mom and pop shops in Chinatown, nothing more. Middle managers at the most in corporations. But look at the Chinese here in Malaysia - look at the Bursa, look at retail outlets in the shopping complexes...Take a drive round the commercial zones in any housing estate in KL. Open your eyes. Who are the commercial Kings ? You have good subsidised education and healthcare in western countries because you've already paid for it dearly in taxes. And you cannot "curi -makan" there. ;)
Here, if you are "the boss", you can have plenty of wage slaves to exploit. My 2 cents.
zewt said...
anon @ 7.55am - indeed... but it is also terrifying to know that if things dont change in 3 years time... the roaring tornado might just head our way... know what i mean? it all depends whether we wanna take that risk.
September 4, 2007 11:13 AM
my reply:
hehe... nevermind, i need to build up my CV before i move on... that IS the only reason why i will be around for another 3 years if things don't change for the better...:P
Migrating? I've been trying hard yet hit nothing yet.. and still trying.. Can't just go to another country without a job right?
To be honest, who will not complain? I mean everyone will complain in anything.. There's nothing perfect in this world.. The moment they achieved something they wanted, they want more and complain what they have achieved not good enough..
I've given up hope on this country long time.. Just waiting for the right moment for it to happen.. haha..
the malaysian life - IF you are the boss... that's a very big IF... and how many bosses are there around here? and i dont think being exploited is a nice feeling... for the modern slave sake... if i am the boss... i will be a good boss. IF... anyway, malaysian professionals are highly sought after nowadays... no more take away store in britain.
anon @ 8.06am - well... i am sure many are secretly doing that too... hehe...
mcmercedez - like i said.. we need to know what we are running away from... besides running into. hmmm... perhaps i can blog about it.
I have been staying in the UK for a few years and now more than a year in Singapore. I am from PJ. From my experience......I think where ever u go...it is the same....no land is perfect...however we humans tend to look at the darker side of each land and hence we are never satisfied with any land. Malaysia is not a perfect place to live but it is a peaceful country if u compare it to other countries. I do agree we should strive more aggressively for improvements and equalities in our BolehLand but please dont forget our BolehLand has its own merits afterall. Where ever u are, it is the people around u tht makes the difference. :P..Raymond Y
anon aka raymond Y - indeed... i do agree. which is why... before we make a move... we should know well enough whether we should be running away from something or running towards something. why did u run to singapore?
Ran to UK work few years and now ran to Singapore work..to check out the grass is it greener or not.....need to experience it myself....I suggest we all should run to at least one place in our life to test the imagined 'greener' grass ourselves. Raymond Y.
anon aka raymond y - yeah, i get what u mean. was in china for a while and i tot malaysia was heaven. i guess we need to be sure of what we want.
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