Last Wednesday, while walking around in Megamall, nagkainisan kami ni Biboy. He has been telling me about what Gapuz, their board exam reviewer, had been saying to them. According to him, he described how good life as a nurse in the U.S. is. Huge salaries, easy car loans, etc. which they (the students) couldn't get if they would work here in the Philippines. Then, I told Biboy that service and dedication is more important than salary. I also added that their teacher had been brain washing them with those ideas that life is better in the U.S. Biboy said that they were not being brain washed but just being practical for thinking that way, too. Wala raw silang mapapala dito sa 'Pinas. I got so annoyed about that statement that I said, "You could choose to have a better life in other countries na hindi mo minamaliit ang Pilipinas!" We were in the escalator then at napalakas talaga ang boses ko.
"Kailan ka pa naging nationalistic," Biboy asked again.
"Matagal na kong ganito! Naiinis lang ako sa mga taong nakatikim lang ng magandang buhay sa States, kung anu-ano na ang sinasabi tungkol sa Pilipinas," I answered.
Then, we stopped talking. I was really pissed off. Life may be tough here but it is not bad. It is not being nationalistic. I'm just being thankful with the life I have. However, mas lalong inis ako sa Gapuz na 'yun. Instead of telling his students the choices they have in life, he has been telling them that there's no other choice for a better life than leave the country. Life isn't all about money. I'd like to think that there are still nurses who pursue the carreer because they want to serve the people. Mali ba 'ko run? How could he call himself a good teacher kung ganun ang mga sinsabi niya? He better stay out of the country for good kung wala naman siyang ibang gagawin kundi siraan ang bansang sinilangan niya!
