Dreams do come true in California

Back in the days, visiting the US was just a dream. A dream that I did not actually work out because we were poor; we have no means to go there. My mom had a chance but his father was not able to petition her. And so we stayed together in Pangasinan, and never left. 

My mom’s sister and her family were there. Both husband and wife are self-made millionaires already. They worked so hard, played hard, and made a fortune. So they are living the real American dream. Even their kids too. 

All that you can ever wish for is in California. Disneyland, Googleplex, Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, Sonoma and Napa Valley (wine countries) Muir Woods, Yoshmite Park, Universal Studios, Hollywood, Las Vegas, Gaslamp District, shopping stores, the taste of America and more…All in Cali. 

California is for tourists. It is developed to be the center of tourism. More than 6 million tourists arrive in California each year. And these tourists spend good amount of money in Cali. 

I can’t deny that I did not aspire to work and live there. I’ve tried to live there a few weeks. I see how people work, how people sacrifice, how people follow rules and how glad they are to see a ‘kababayan’ in town. There are thousands of Filipinos living in California. All of them confessed of having “crying moments”. Moments when you wanted to give up because everything that you do there is contrast with what you do here in the Philippines. 

Rich kids from the Philippines who have ‘kasambahay’ and helpers everywhere have to do all of their stuff there in the US. You cook your own food, wash your stuff by yourself, clean your own space, throw your own trash, buy your own things, and work your ass off just to get by. 

I was just fortunate to stay in a house of Filipino-Americans. Because they understand Filipino culture that is so embedded on me. It’s my first time in the US and I needed to learn more about how they do things there. 

One of the first things you will sacrifice in the US is your SLEEP. In California, 9pm is still bright. So it’s not normal for people to sleep at 9 in the evening, just after dinner.  Then people tend to work two or three jobs to earn more money. So there’s FATIGUE. You have money but you are tired. 

The food is great. It’s cheap and it has no tax, but man, is it the real thing that your body needs? Salads and greens are cheap, so is steak and meat. I’ve seen all kinds of processed food in the US and it’s irresistibly good. But, is it really what my body needs? 

Everything you buy in California except food has tax. It has varying percentage in different cities, but their taxes are put to good use. They subsidize low-income citizens and sometimes, the homeless. There are a lot of homeless too in the States. They are the people who cannot afford to pay house rents which range from $1,500 to $8,500 per month depending on which area they live. 

My favorite place in California is San Diego. I know I can live and work there. All the amenities that I look for in a city are in San Diego.  It’s like the Fort’s Global City 20 years from now. I like that cost of living in San Diego is lower than Los Angeles and San Francisco. 

If given a chance to migrate to the US, my kids and I will prefer San Diego. It’s a bustling city ready for transformation. Downtown San Diego is close to everything that you need from technology advancements to entertainment, lifestyle, education, health and wellness, and access to food and good life. I love San Diego. I want to be a part of its development and transformation. Our company will forge partnerships with US businesses and who knows, in God’s time, we will be working in American soil.