if only they knew (something personal this time)

Electricity was out yesterday so I did my emails and blog at the nearby internet cafe. I was expecting the usual bunch of noisy (not to mention smelly) kids getting busy over some violent games that they do over the internet and the usual chatters who are into the webcams and stuff - something I never understood and won't be into, not for now anyway.

So, what about yesterday's visit to the internet cafe? Well, it was that scene wherein a family (I suppose) of five chatting (pix above. The kid in yellow is not a part of that famliy) with someone whom I figured was a daughter who is now abroad (after marrying a foreigner?) And lo and behold, voices were heard! They were arguing about a lot of things and the tsismoso in me (and the rest of the customers who were present, I suppose also got interested coz we were all smiling) can't help but eavesdrop (Ok, I know its not good) and sadly, I figured that they were arguing about money. It's not nice to be arguing about personal problems in public, certainly it's not good to discuss about domestic problems in "front" of a relative who is abroad (who I suppose is a source of fund for the relatives left at home).

I thought I was gonna post the picture just for fun. As I did this blog entry, I realized how some locales (or Calbayognons) can give kins abroad a hard time. If stories I heard are indeed true, many of them see their children or bros and sis abroad as constant sources of funds (easy, if i may add), ATMs kumbaga.

There was this story about an OFW opening up with her former teacher about how her family would ask this and that as if she picks money on the streets. At one point the father was asking for money because it was his birthday. Knowing the way her father is, that OFW who was caregiver confided to her teacher if only they knew what it was to care for old or sick people, and all that her relatives can think of is something for a goodtime. The teacher tried to something about it. What did he get? "Dire la ada siya tihatag, kadamo pa san iya satsat!" Of course not all Calbayognon OFWs have this sad story to tell, but then again it happens.

So, whoever that girl is on the webcam whom the family whose picture appears above was chatting with; and to all OFWs who have sad stories to tell, let's just wish them the best, or at least wish them well.