I saw a photo of a female kababayan with her American husband, I suddenly remembered Ofelia, the Filipina whom I met last July at the BART station in Hayward. She visited her best friend who helped her start a new life in the US.
Ofie was born in Iloilo City, she tried her luck in Manila and landed a nice job in a big department/supermart chain. She worked there for several years as a cashier until she earned the owners’ trusts.
The Chinese couple liked her a lot and matched her with their own son.
They got married and had several children. The probinsyana girl started living the life of a princess. She said everything was at their disposal. When they needed something, they would just get from the company. They had a beautiful house, cars, drivers and maids.
She said the business suffered losses and eventually closed some of the branches. There’s still one store left but the income is no longer that big. The salary of her husband was reduced and Ofie said she had so much difficulty coping with this financial stress. She said she got used to a life of luxury that she couldn’t adjust anymore to living in a tight budget.
She could no longer stand the situation so she left for the US two years ago leaving her husband and children to seek for a better life. She couldn’t find a permanent job because she was only holding a tourist visa.
There’s no way she would come back to the Philippines. She’s determined to stay in the US. Her friend who’s married to a white American introduced Ofie to another white American. Lucky for her, this guy liked her. Ofie divorced her husband in the Philippines and married the American guy.
He’s 52 years old, came from a landed family. According to Ofie, his family recently sold their house and lot in Pebble Beach! Oh wow!
Her new husband gives her $2,000 a month allowance with the condition that she could only spend the money to buy things for herself. Except for $300 a month allotment to send to her mother in Iloilo, she is not allowed to send any money or anything to her husband or to her children in the Philippines.
Ofie said she’s happy with her life in the Bay Area and she’s no longer going back to live in the Philippines because there’s nothing there for her. She’s planning however to have a short vacation in Boracay this year with her American husband and to visit her children.
Her story was cut short because she had to get off the train at the Walnut Creek Station.
(sorry blurred)
She invited me to go to San Franciso the next day to meet her friend but I politely said no.
Bye, Ofie, may you live happily ever after.
When Ofie got off, I took out the Growers from my bag and started munching. After I’ve finished, I placed the wrappers back in my bag.
Then I noticed the warning sign….. Oh no!
