Friday, May 13, 2005

Life in NZ

Trailer yacht sailing

Life in New Zealand is not as rosy as I would like to make out in my e-mails to friends back home in Malaysia. It is not all golfing and yachting. It is mostly a very lonely and boring existence here, without friends. The weather is cold in the Waikato, especially in winter when it is also wet and foggy. However, somebody has to make the sacrifice. So, why not the parents?! Only this way, can I afford to educate all my children and there are not many choices left for me. 

Golfers at Narrows

In general, life has been very kind to me on the whole. I have had my fair share of opportunities to make some thing out of this life; but I blew it every time! Otherwise, I might have achieved some thing more worthwhile like JG4. :)

Head tool pushers were JG4. It should be within easy reach for me if I had worked harder and angkat pillae a bit; but I had too much pride to kow-tow to the mat sallehs. Before that, I could have made a bigger effort in Australia as a Colombo Plan student and later, on the oil rigs with Shell. I threw away all my chances to an easier life for myself and the family. It was entirely my own fault that I am where I am today, living as an exile in NZ.

It is therefore necessary now for me to take my medicine like a man and sacrifice the rest of my life and career so that all my children will have a better opportunity to succeed in life. If it meant leaving the familiar life in Miri and making a new start by working on farms and in factories in NZ without friends, so be it! The plus sides are many: the healthy weather, the golfing, the sailing, the cheap cars and the government pensions given freely to all citizens and PR at age 65. No personal contributions required. You don't have to work for the gomen to qualify for an old age pension. Everyone who lives in this country, qualifies, rich or poor, bumi or not bumi. This is a major consideration for me to continue staying here as a permanent resident in NZ. My sons are now working in Australia and my daughter Pearl is married and living in Wellington. The nest is now empty in Hamilton (empty nest syndrome) and I am now even considering selling this house and living permanently on a 50-ft yacht!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So proud of you and your kids was very lucky to get a brave heart father to be their protector. I have one son 3 years and i'm in same condition as you before, thinking about his future and planing for him to migrate in Australia. Your blog make me more stronger now with my decision and i hope my kids wont be suffer as i did here. Good luck, you are man.