i am a young Malaysian working in London. i left my job in Malaysia because i could not endure the long hours we work in Malaysia and the Malaysian work culture. in London, i found a sustainable career but a lonely city.
this chinese new year's eve. i spent my day in my room alone, wishing i could teleport myself home to be with my family. i have a very close knit loving family. grandparents who love me to death, wonderful cousins, supportive aunts and uncles, a very forgiving mum, an amazing sister and two brothers whom i love very much.
i could not even call my family even though i missed them, because i know hearing their voices would make me cry more and i didn't want my tears to spoil the joyful new year mood at home...
i dream of a Malaysia, where i can build a career and a future.
so that i can have a job, earning power and still stay close to my family.
that one day, reunion dinner with my family, my family's love and laughter and a happy chinese new year every year is just a short drive away....
homesick, 26 years old, London
Dear homesick,
ReplyDeleteTo pursue a "better life and future", I left my dear family to work in a big city. I'm 43 this year, married and have 2 teenage children; have career and wealth envied by many. I can't say I'm not happy with my life because I truly enjoy everything here. But deep down in my heart, "home" is the place where my parents, my siblings, my childhood friends, my mountains, my streams and my small town with roads full of pot holes are. While typing this, I have tears in my eyes.
Trust me, whatever amount of wealth you accumulate can never replace the most important people and things in your heart.
Still homesick, 43
I do not want to be mean when I say this but you do put yourself above your family.. it's all the choices that we make..
ReplyDeleteyou're missing the point by pointing it towards the choices that we make.
ReplyDeletewhy did i even have to make the choice in the 1st place?
if there was adequate opportunities in Malaysia, no one would be forced to leave
if there was work life balance in Malaysia, people can stay and have a life
if we weren't subjected to poor work culture and inadequate remuneration, we would still be in the country...
to dream of change is to fix the roots of the brain drain!