A Contractor's Tale: the Untold Story

(Culture Shock rate: 6, in a scale of 1-10. Here's why .)

The Oz, was certainly much, much more than what I expected it to be and also not what I expected things to be. I envisioned beer-guzzling big Aussies, kangaroos (or 'roos) hopping about everywhere, koalas I could cuddle and play with like puppies, endless outbacks, and other stereotypes. After a year, I knew better.

I arrived in Sydney with two other Filipino girls who'd be in the same project with me at midday on a Sunday. We were on an 8-hour trip and although the time difference between Sydney and Manila is only 2 hours, we had jetlag. We were looking forward to taking it easy and going around the city for a few days. But our employer's son-in-law who picked us up dropped the bomb: "Girls, you're reporting for work tomorrow morning."

Figure it out. We had no more than half a day to grab some lunch, buy grocery items, unpack, learn the public transportation system, and get settled for a full work week ahead.

Since free accommodation (for the entire contract) was part of our compensation, we first stayed at a serviced penthouse apartment in Kings Cross temporarily while our employer looked for a flat (apartment) to house us. When our coworkers at the university (our client) came to know where we were staying, there was shock, disbelief and laughter. No wonder: we were in the Red Light District! We'd always try to stick together and hurry up to our apartment as if at any moment, one of those mean-looking leather-clad bikers decide to snatch one of us!

But praise God, we left Kings Cross after two weeks to move to our new home in Chatswood which is in the North Shore. We were always told by a lot of people that it's an affluent community. We liked the three-bedroom flat and the serene neighborhood (at least, our employer didn't scrimp!) Most of our basic needs were provided for like sofas (lounge seats), coffee table, dining table and chairs, beds, dresser drawers, bed & kitchen linens, kitchen utensils, and study tables. Oh yes, we're almost set!

I easily fell in love with Sydney and I'll cherish every moment I was there. Lots of trees everywhere, reliable public transpo (I could go almost anywhere I wanted to), awesome beaches (simply be-yooo-tiful), so many things to do and places to go to, friendly people ... what more could I ask for?

Time to Hit the Road

I was getting itchy feet again. I hadn't forgotten about Uncle Sam and I thought maybe it's time I finally met him. So I applied with an Australian agent who has a contact with CPL, a California-based company. I'd be assigned at another consulting company (Dallas-based) who'd in turn, place me in its Dallas client.

Since I was already set to leave the Oz, I decided to tour a bit of the state of Victoria which includes Melbourne. It's too bad it's spur-of-the-moment and so I wasn't able to get a ticket to the Australian Open. But the trip made me promise to myself I should come back for more of these spectacular sights.

My idea of Dallas was horses, ranches, and of course, J.R. Ewing. So, the week before I left the Oz, I took 4 private lessons of English riding (dressage) in a big city park. I even told my Japanese instructor that I'd continue my lessons when I arrive in Dallas. Surprise! You'll find out soon enough.

The Land of Milk and Honey

(Culture Shock Rate: 3 in a scale of 1-10)

Instead of jetting straight to the U.S. of A., I went to the Philippines first to visit my parents. It's a bad move (except that I really wanted to see my folks). In Manila, when I was about to get my plane ticket for U.S. at the airline office and the counter clerk found out I had a work visa, she said I needed to present some documents from the POEA, the government body regulating OCW's (Overseas Contract Workers). This was just one week before my scheduled departure date. To make the long story short, I had to reschedule my departure a week later. What it meant: I ended up with a flight that had a 12-hour layover in Taipei since all flights were fully booked. It would have been nice if I could see a bit of the city but since I didn't have a visa there, I stayed in the airport with the other passengers for 12 solid hours!

When the plane landed in L.A., I couldn't believe I was finally here. The nicest thing I saw as soon as I walked towards Customs was this huge sign "WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" with Bill Clinton's picture. I couldn't help having a goofy smile on my face and I sincerely wished I could have had my picture taken with that sign.

Now for the last leg of my journey, Dallas. Since my arrival was delayed for a week, nobody from CPL could meet me that Sunday (noontime). They just gave me a bunch of instructions and so I was on my own. As instructed, I got my rental car at the Avis office within the airport. Check. Load my big and small luggage into the car. Check, small one only. I had to wait for a few minutes for someone to come by and help me with the other one. Check. Drive. Drive? Uh-oh. This was my first time to drive an automatic transmission car (stick shift's the way to go in the Philippines because A/T cars are expensive) and the Pontiac Grand Am rental car I had had two buttons in the shift gear. There's supposed to be only one. Not wanting to be in an accident or cause damage to the car, I had to wait again for someone to come along and tell me which button to press.

Using the little map the Avis lady gave me, I bravely drove towards my hotel which was just 7 minutes away. But again, it's another first for me: a freeway! I've never seen such wide road with so many lanes!

Gotta have lunch, buy some food to stock in the hotel room, find my way around, gotta do everything before nightfall because I'd have to report for work the next day!

So far, so good. I only had one week of free hotel stay so within that week, I got my apartment and called up the phone and electric companies for service connection and the furniture rental company.

I thought I could live without a car for a year while I saved money but it seemed to me that to be without a car meant being without legs. My social life was a zilch. So off to the dealers I went only to be disappointed and frustrated. I had no credit history, of course and that's one big problem. I ended up with my first car at 17.85%pa (ouch!)

Dallas was OK, neither great nor bad. I adjusted easily and met new friends. No more dressage lessons for me, though, since the closest thing to a live horse I saw was the statue of the Mustangs of Las Colinas.

Going, Going, Gone!

Then this Dallas-based consulting company I was assigned at as sub-contractor decided to do some cost-cutting by putting in their salaried employees instead. So they didn't renew contracts and in my case, renewed it but terminated it later. There were 5 of us affected. Anyway, CPL's option was to relocate me to Pittsburgh. I cried buckets because I didn't want to leave Dallas (hey! after all the hardships I went through).

I hate goodbyes so I just said "See ya later" to friends. It's mid-January '97 when I set off for my cross-country trip. One of my coworkers was generous and thoughtful enough to lend me his celfone (which I mailed back to him when I got to Pittsburgh). Actually, there have been a lot of people whose kindness touched my life and I thank the Lord for them.

"Here We Go, Here We Go! Pittsburgh's going to the Super Bowl!"

After a two-day drive, I made it to Pics-burgh! Wow! It reminded me of Sydney. Although the trees were bare at that time, I could already imagine what they would look like in summer. This city's so pretty, greenery everywhere and the hills make a picturesque backdrop. The only thing I don't like here is the roads (they should be called backroads). Yup. I miss the freeways but that's all. The best thing about the 'Burgh is its people who are ultra-friendly and nice. Couldn't be better.