Life Here & There 
No Comments Another Adjustment Not Often Spoken Of
When a Filipina (Pinoy) immigrates to the USA there is a long list of things we need to adjust to. Culture is a huge part, the weather, the road systems, the educational systems, and much more but this little entry is not about any of those. Instead I am going to focus on the medical side. (Yan po ang industry kung saan ako employed.)
Am I going to chat about the major differences in dental care?
Nope.
Am I going to cover how America is over-medicated?
Not yet.
Am I going to cover the pharmaceutical companies?
Not now.
Am I going to cover health insurance?
Nope.
What about the debate raging on America’s skyrocketing medical costs?
Nope, try again.
Am I going to cover medical practices?
Nope, but these are all good topic ideas so keep them coming.
Am I going to talk about the insurance-pharmaceutical-medical-government connections?
Nope.
Is this bugging you yet? Well, congrats you just guessed the topic – bugs. In particular, flu and cold bugs and more caused by viruses and bacteria.
In addition to adjusting to the culture and getting the exchange rate of dollars to pesos out of your head, you realize another important detail. You grew up in the Philippines. You are used to life in the Philippines. Your body developed an immune system based on the illnesses and bugs we find in the Philippines. What your body can’t do is be ready for the viruses and bacteria that cause illness here.
Combining this detail with my previous topics on employment, you now have the making of an even more challenging start to your employment in the USA. If you work in a call center type environment, place your children in a public or private school, or both, you will be more exposed to the cold and flu and other bugs that are native to the region you are moving too. Needless to say, you and your child will be sick and a lot until you can build up a solid immune system to it.
How does this impact you regarding work? Most of your co-workers have spent their entire life with their immune systems becoming accustomed to life in the USA so the attendance policies of most companies are designed with those statistics in mind.
So be prepared to get sick when you are here. It will likely hit you harder too until you are accustomed to the bugs. (I’m going on 4 years and that is not enough time yet.) But you have to be ready to keep going to work sick and often sicker than your co-workers. Because depending on the company, you might find yourself unemployed for missing too much time from work.
It makes you long for home back in the Philippines more when you are being forced to work even when your body says stop.
Thank you,
