Is the Grass Really Greener Stateside? Honestly.

pinoy_guy · Jun 30, 2006

i have been to c&e bookstore in recto, manila today (june 24, 2006)and they were selling stacks and stacks of nursing books. vans waited outside to cart more books in. no doubt about it, here in the philippines everyone and their uncle wants to be a nurse.

hmmm.

gonna have a word with a student.

she told me she couldn't buy a book coz when she went to c&e at 11 am of june 24, 2006 the store was closed coz it's a holiday.

i don't like liars.

lawrence01 · Jun 30, 2006

Let's do some simple computations:
You get offered a job at a Rehab or nursing home for $25/hr (you can't just get into a hospital if you're new). This translates to $200/day or $ 1,000/week = $ 4,000 per month. Then you start converting this into pesos = PhP 200,000 per month at forex 1:50... so you say BIG BUCKS!!! Yes, if you spend it in the Philippines.
Let's take a look at you expenses:
Apartment - $ 1,000
Food - 1,000
Car amortization - $ 400
Gas - $ 300
Tax - $ 800
Miscellaneous - $ 300
TOTAL monthly expense - $ 3,800.00
Savings - $ 200
So to earn more you get extra jobs or work overtime since this will save you leisure money. Some nurses get extra work as IV techs where they go to a patient's house and setup his/her IV for $ 75. Not bad if you get 2-3 patients on your off hours.
Bottomline, it's basically greener since you work hard and you get paid good, which oftentimes does not happen in the Philippines.

Just curious.. Is having a car really impt.?? For all states?? Is that $1000/mo food allowance good for how many persons?

If you're apartment is near your work place (no car needed) and you're single and you would like to work for 48-60 hours a week. Wouldn't you be earning at least $5,000 / mo. and your expenses at +/- in the $2,000 / mo. level.Is this possible?

pinoy_guy · Jun 30, 2006

let's take a look at you expenses:
apartment - $ 1,000
food - 1,000
car amortization - $ 400
gas - $ 300
tax - $ 800
miscellaneous - $ 300
total monthly expense - $ 3,800.00
savings - $ 200

$300 of gas per month?

isn't this excessive?

at $3/gallon, that's around 100 gallons, or 400 liters.

at an estimated 7 kilometers to the liter, that's 2,800 kilometers per month.

dividing this by 20 work days, that's 140 kilometers per day, and assuming it's a round trip, that's 70 kilometers from house to hospital.

won't it be better to get a place near the hospital?

i guess my actual question is, is it common to live 70 kilometers from your place of work?

Hathaway · Jun 30, 2006

About the car thing, it kinda depends where you live. Like in the SFO area, the transit system is very well designed so the BART and MUNI pretty much get you to where you need to go within a few minutes walking distance. Many of the people who live and work there even opt NOT to get cars since parking is expensive and having a car is more of an inconvenience...It's kind of like HK, downtown. People don't use cars over there either.

For other places, yes a car would be a necessity, especially if the bus doesn't stop anywhere where you need to be at or doesn't have a schedule to cover the time when you need it. (Like late at night or very early morning). Kinda dangerous to travel that way at those times also.

remrimsgems · Jun 30, 2006

:balloons:

....And not just in Nursing...

There are many folks I know who made a lot of money by working as nurses (etc..) .Most of them were really trifty. They bought a cheap car, live in a cheap aptmnt., eat cheap, party less, get more advance training, AND USED THEIR SAVINGS TO BUY HOUSES!

Yeah, they invest their money in real state.

My friend's sister even gave up nursing and switched to real state.

Some folks do both.....

Some of these nurses make more money than surgeons...it's a crazy world:uhoh3:

Post Script: Some started their own nursing homes.....

My Navy chief co-owned a nursing home.....and I guess the bastard was richer than an admiral!

nrswnabee · Jun 30, 2006

70 kms?...or 44 miles (if my conversion is right), yes people would choose to live that far from their workplace if only to get away from paying high rent or mortgage. big cities (where your nice hospitals are) would tend to have more expensive apartments/houses. some people would rather opt for the lesser evil of spending more on gas instead (probably the place they chose for 'home' is where most friends/family are...)...i guess it all depends on your situation or preference.

public transportation may not be as efficient (or available like in sfo or nyc) in many states so you don't really have much of a choice but drive on your own or carpool. if public transpo is available, more often, these rides won't always match your schedule. as hathaway explained, buses/trains stop only at designated spots and will only do so at specified times. so it's not uncommon for commuters being either too early for their clock-in (or too late after missing their ride) or having to walk 10-15 minutes to get to work.

you may well consider brushing up on your skills or learn how to drive while in the phils. (never mind the manual, most cars are automatic..) driving lessons can cost you from $40 to arm and a leg ($65) per hour, no kidding!

bubbles4 · Jul 1, 2006

Is the Grass Really Greener Stateside?
I totally agree....I wish we have more "grass" in the Philippines so that we could work go back and work there and get the salary that we deserve as nurses.....

tagamargos · Jul 1, 2006

Just curious.. Is having a car really impt.?? For all states?? Is that $1000/mo food allowance good for how many persons?
If you're apartment is near your work place (no car needed) and you're single and you would like to work for 48-60 hours a week. Wouldn't you be earning at least $5,000 / mo. and your expenses at +/- in the $2,000 / mo. level.Is this possible?

from where I am, I live about 7miles from my full time job, takes about 10minutes ride at 70mi/hr. On my PRN job (2x/wk) it's about 35miles from home(takes me about 30-40minutes, with no bad traffic)...total working days=5 ...fills up gas every week $30 x 4= $120/month... this is already including pasyalan to nearby malls with the kids on weekends. Of course what type of car also counts.... SUV will just slurp your gas away...

Food, i have 2 kids (11 & 7 yrs old) on average $ 200 (grocery cart is already FULL) x 2/mo= $400... this is already with the extra buys...notjust the basic mantika, meat, rice, veggies... this includes ice cream, chips, junk, sodas...etc.

AND LASTLY, DON'T FORGET TO COUNT UNCLE SAM.... TAX BITES ABOUT 30% OF YOUR GROSS INCOME:angryfire .... to given u an idea, if my gross income for a payperiod is $3000, my take home pay is about $2200 (this is less income tax, 401K, health insurance premium, etc.). That is with 2 dependents. If you are single, then the more they take taxes from ur paycheck. Also, it doesn't help very much if u work a lot of overtime hours in one place, most of it will go to taxes too. That's why, most of us work elsewhere for additional hours.

A lot of the hiring employers that go there in the Phil to have job fair are from smaller cities... I started in one, and it really worked to my advantage. They housed me near the hospital (15 min walk) but I still had problem when I started working 11p-7a. It's not safe.. Another thing, when you do your groceries, you have to walk to the nearest walmart...the dilemma really starts on your way back to ur apt. carrying all those grocery bags:uhoh3: . And lastly, when winter comes, it's just not possible for me to walk even in a 60 degree F temp..i'll freeze to death...

But don't be discouraged. A lot of our kababayans offer car pools. I think average pay is $20/wk. To and from work + grocery..

pinoy_guy · Jul 1, 2006

70 kms?...or 44 miles (if my conversion is right), yes people would choose to live that far from their workplace if only to get away from paying high rent or mortgage. big cities (where your nice hospitals are) would tend to have more expensive apartments/houses. some people would rather opt for the lesser evil of spending more on gas instead (probably the place they chose for 'home' is where most friends/family are...)...i guess it all depends on your situation or preference.
public transportation may not be as efficient (or available like in sfo or nyc) in many states so you don't really have much of a choice but drive on your own or carpool. if public transpo is available, more often, these rides won't always match your schedule. as hathaway explained, buses/trains stop only at designated spots and will only do so at specified times. so it's not uncommon for commuters being either too early for their clock-in (or too late after missing their ride) or having to walk 10-15 minutes to get to work.

OK, thanks for clearing this up.

so a 1-hour drive to & from work is average...

you may well consider brushing up on your skills or learn how to drive while in the phils. (never mind the manual, most cars are automatic..) driving lessons can cost you from $40 to arm and a leg ($65) per hour, no kidding!

oh, I am well-versed in Manila driving.

I'm worried about getting arrested if I bring Manila driving habits over to the US though!

my friends from the US are usually wide-eyed & hanging onto the car seats when they ride in cars here in Manila. they can't get used to the jeepneys & buses swerving up to 3 lanes then suddenly stopping in the middle of the road--which we take for granted here.

nrswnabee · Jul 1, 2006

OK, thanks for clearing this up.
so a 1-hour drive to & from work is average...
oh, I am well-versed in Manila driving.
I'm worried about getting arrested if I bring Manila driving habits over to the US though!
my friends from the US are usually wide-eyed & hanging onto the car seats when they ride in cars here in Manila. they can't get used to the jeepneys & buses swerving up to 3 lanes then suddenly stopping in the middle of the road--which we take for granted here.

-------

not really that it's common (1 hour drive) but it's reality for some while they haven't found the place where they wish to settle for good....esp. if you think hi-way driving, that's a looong way and quite impractical.

manila driving..hehehe...you forgot about pedestrians crossing almost everywhere and pedicabs alongside (or opposite) traffic.what better place to be a defensive driver?! you'll be just fine! when you get to know how much you'll be charged for traffic violations (some cities install hidden cameras; sometimes, enforcers carry them), i'll bet you'll adjust sooner...

pinoy_guy · Jul 3, 2006

not really that it's common (1 hour drive) but it's reality for some while they haven't found the place where they wish to settle for good....esp. if you think hi-way driving, that's a looong way and quite impractical.

that's what I initially thought...so was surprised at the estimated gas money.

manila driving..hehehe...you forgot about pedestrians crossing almost everywhere and pedicabs alongside (or opposite) traffic.what better place to be a defensive driver?! you'll be just fine! when you get to know how much you'll be charged for traffic violations (some cities install hidden cameras; sometimes, enforcers carry them), i'll bet you'll adjust sooner...

actually it's not funny when you're still driving here...a lot of near accidents. have you seen the plague of scooters lately??? they weave in & out of traffic, they cut into your lane at high speed, they overtake you with an inch or two to spare! and when they hit you, they're gonna get up & verbally abuse you for not giving them the "right of way."

horrendous situation lately. add the tricycles and pedicabs in Quezon Avenue, the people who walk in the middle of the road, especially at night, the pedicabs & tricycles who go counterflow & play chicken with you... personally I think it's a Health Hazard to drive here in Manila!

but yeah, it's kinda funny when you don't have to drive here anymore and just look at things from another FARTHER perspective...

nrswnabee · Jul 3, 2006

to answer lone stranger: grass is indeed greener in the u.s. many pinoy nurses have improved their lives (as well as their folks back in the phils.) upon setting foot in the u.s. judging from their new homes, latest model suvs and trips wherever, whenever possible. their salaries suddenly shoot up xxx times over. they can now save money for themselves and still afford to put through a promising young relative to a nursing school.

but that's not to say life in the us is without thorns and thistles. initially, pinoy nurses (like other foreigners) risk being victims of abusive go-betweens, employers, i.e. huge pay-cuts, vague contract stipulations....you name it. later on, as they adjust to their newfound "financial confidence", some fall prey to the lure of credit cards. before long, overtime is no longer an option plus 1 or 2 other part-times outside their main employ. their children suddenly turn into strangers living inside their homes.

i just want to say that while the u.s. is able offer relief to our dire lives, we shouldn't throw caution to the wind and gobble up everything without exercising smarts. we should well be able to enjoy u.s. living without having to give up on our non-negotiables.