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The asians came her looking for the American Dream. Long gone ....no dream now just reality.
Sad but true, this is basic sentiment in PI now, used to be dream of every OFW Filipino to make their career and fortune in US and raise a family there, now same people look to rest of Asia instead, some to France or Europe and many even to South America. It's a cold calculation of economic reality and it's less and less favorable to do this in the US, seems like most of the reasons covered well so far. The health care is too expensive and hazardous in USA anymore, if you're an immigrant with business or working professional like nurse, you want to save up for your family but how can you build savings and raise family when every spare dollar you have go to health insurance? And then how you feel secure about all your hard work and savings when 5 years worth of your savings in your business can get wiped out by getting sick even if you insured? And then how you send your kids to college when it costs more than mortgage? How is this for irony, there are lots of Fil-Am families now, excited about American Dream 2 or 3 decades ago and got their greencard in the US, worked hard to save up. And now, they forced to send their kids to college in a country like Germany or Spain, or often back in PI or Asia because getting a degree in US would bankrupt all their savings! They would been better go in Europe or Korea or Taiwan since school and healthcare so much affordable there, and still make around same money they do in US. American Dream doesn't mean much in reality when cost of living for staying healthy and school eats up everything you earn.
All three were written during the recession or just after. Asia was untouched by the US financial contagion. China was and is engaged in a massive infrastructure building boom.
All three were written during the recession or just after. Asia was untouched by the US financial contagion. China was and is engaged in a massive infrastructure building boom.
It is true, though I think the shift at least of workers from PI away from America is longer term, the recession in 2009 maybe just accelerated it, and things like China's infrastructure boom then give more opportunities for us closer to home. I don't know other countries in SE Asia but for Pinoy community at least, returning to PI or going other places in Asia instead of USA has picked up in the last 3 years long after original recession. OFW community makes simple economic calculations when we choose the countries to work in because it is long term commitment of many years, and United States less and less favorable because cost of living there is always going higher and higher but our salaries or profits from our businesses are not. I think that's big problem with the USA's recovery after 2009, even though technically US economy may not have been recession, it's not very appealing for people looking for opportunity if everything we earn just gets drained away for doctor's visits or put our kids through school. If anything that's all a lot worse than 2009. So China with all it's new jobs and booming cities, just a few hours from Manila naturally attracts a lot more of us. Same Taiwan, Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore, HK even Bangkok. A lot of those cities can be expensive too but I feel like the healthcare costs a lot less, plus more and more we go to the second level cities in these countries like in Japan Kyushu or Daejeon Korea that are so much less expensive, or of course China where salaries keep growing but affordable.
Just heard my niece in PI moving as OFW to Guangzhou in China next year, didn't used to hear about this much but more and more Filipinos going there now. Salaries just getting so much better in China, better language training and since flights are cheap and close by, it's better option for rest of Asia than cross whole Pacific for a job in the USA that's too unsteady and no health insurance so risk losing all you earn.
Just heard my niece in PI moving as OFW to Guangzhou in China next year, didn't used to hear about this much but more and more Filipinos going there now. Salaries just getting so much better in China, better language training and since flights are cheap and close by, it's better option for rest of Asia than cross whole Pacific for a job in the USA that's too unsteady and no health insurance so risk losing all you earn.
Thanks for sharing PT, one of my own Fil-Am relatives is leaning in same basic direction, though in her case planning a move to Spain, Portugal or Italy next year where she has prospects to do nursing. It's a depressing irony that we heard about her plans this morning on July 4th, though considering all the other depressing news we've been getting in the few hours since waking up it's maybe in line with the general mood-- bunch of horrible car accidents and road rage, errant fireworks burning down a local home, corrupt city official busted for graft, my friends in LA having their car stolen for the 2nd time this year (good heavens that city's gone to pot since I grew up there -- what is it with so many California cities practically going Third World lately?) Most depressing July 4th I can ever remember and day's just getting started. Hopefully will get some good news to justify a smile before the fireworks start going off.
All three were written during the recession or just after. Asia was untouched by the US financial contagion. China was and is engaged in a massive infrastructure building boom.
Good point, China if anything seems to have gained from the 2008 crisis since it had so many saved assets and was able to bargain-shop esp. for commodities. There are a number of more recent stories on the "go east" phenomenon, haven't read too many of them but common theme seems to be that Asia now offers up a lot of the career advancement and salary opportunities of big Western cities, but for fraction of the cost of living.
Interesting. No surprise here about Hollywood. I could see Daniel going to Korea and doing a few movies now. Not sure about Grace though.
Daniel Dae Kim And Grace Park Leave "Hawaii Five-0" Over Salary Dispute
CBS’s final offer to Kim and Park was believed to have been 10-15% lower than what O’Loughlin and Caan make in salary," according to Variety. The outlet also said that O’Loughlin and Caan earn about "$200,000 per episode apiece for the upcoming season" and that "CBS’ last per-episode salary offer to Kim was about $5,000 apart from the two lead actors."
O'Loughlin and Caan reportedly also get a cut of the show's profits through lucrative back-end deals. It's unclear whether similar back-end deals were offered to Kim and Park.
Interesting. No surprise here about Hollywood. I could see Daniel going to Korea and doing a few movies now. Not sure about Grace though.
Daniel Dae Kim And Grace Park Leave "Hawaii Five-0" Over Salary Dispute
CBS’s final offer to Kim and Park was believed to have been 10-15% lower than what O’Loughlin and Caan make in salary," according to Variety. The outlet also said that O’Loughlin and Caan earn about "$200,000 per episode apiece for the upcoming season" and that "CBS’ last per-episode salary offer to Kim was about $5,000 apart from the two lead actors."
O'Loughlin and Caan reportedly also get a cut of the show's profits through lucrative back-end deals. It's unclear whether similar back-end deals were offered to Kim and Park.
Interesting thanks for pointing this out, I've def heard of frustrations from Asian-Americans in the entertainment industry including in my own extended family, makes sense they'd be looking to take advantage of growing opportunities back in Asia itself.
Interesting local news story today on a highly successful Thai restaurant chain owner who, despite his apparent success and achieving the American Dream, sold his remaining assets and moved himself and his whole family back to Thailand (commuting to HK on occasion for food wholesaling apparently). Why? The reason is telling-- he lost nearly his entire fortune, many millions of dollars worth, in medical bills and costs when his wife was struck with a severe immune disease, and health insurance found a way to kick her off and avoid covering her treatments.
He pointed out to reporters that the fundamental failures of US health care, and the prospect of bankrupting expenses, are the Achilles Heel in the entire image of the US as a land of opportunity-- doesn't matter how successful you are or how much of a fortune you make, you always face this constant layer of crippling economic insecurity because you can lose everything you've earned in an instant due to health care costs. This doesn't happen in any other country, and so it's absolutely crushing the appeal of the USA to the most skilled, talented and entrepreneurial immigrants, who see their gains as being much safer and protected in other countries. (His brother is now prospering in Brazil of all the ironies, another relative in France). As for him going back to Asia, his family's income potential in SE Asia and E Asia is more and more upbeat, cost of living is lower and of course, the health care won't bankrupt him and his family. The USA's unresolved healthcare mess isn't just crushing the American Dream it would seem, it's depriving us of our best and brightest. Certainly in the case of tons of Asian-americans.
Now for those Asian Americans staying on in the United States, the following change in recent months has become quite apparent. Notably, I have noticed as have some of my friends, Asian Americans are so much more civil and mannerly than ever before. Even the usual lack of civility or everyday manners has been tempered with a warmth and levity not typically seen in many Asian Americans over the years. I live in a city on the West Coast with approx. 30% of the population Asian by ethnic group. In this same city, we have noticed an uptick in violence between the Asian community and the African American community. This is only going to get worse in the coming years, as many ethnic groups are jockeying for the best position possible in the new political landscape. It is survival of the fittest and each group for themselves.
In addition , I have never seen Asian American schoolkids so well behaved now. Amazing to see this transformation in recent months.
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