Some weeks back I met with my aunt who had just returned from Canada for a holiday. She and her family have been living there for 20 years and had even given up their citizenship here because they have no intentions of ever coming back. I haven’t seen her for ages, the last time being the time when I wasn’t even married. So as we caught up and she knows that I now have a family of my own, she was trying to sell me the idea of migrating to some place better, some place where life promises better opportunities for my son.
Since she has lived a good part of her life in Canada and she knows how things work in the country, she’s an advocate for anyone who wants to move to that part of the world. Everything seems more efficient there compared to what we have back home, and most important of all, she feels there people truly get more equal treatment there and that your success in life is based on your own merits. She has seen enough of what has been happening here, especially of late, and is truly disappointed.
She added that not only is education going to be of better quality there, it is also very affordable. Knowing that these days many parents strive to send their kids to foreign lands to further their education, this is something that will cost an arm and a leg for parents. If we are already living in a foreign land that provides good education and we’re able to tap on this at minimal cost, she feels this is the biggest favour we can do for ourselves and our children.
When I didn’t say much to what she was trying to tell me, she added that I could also easily go traveling to places I dream of going now, for very much less! She knows that I’ve always been waiting for an opportunity to visit the US and from where she is to the US is not that far nor expensive to visit. She shared with me how her family would usually take short breaks to the big apple and also beautiful places like Outer Banks as and when they feel like it.
Despite all her nice stories to convince us that migration is the way to go for the benefit of the next generation, I still couldn’t bring myself to agree more. Somehow, I am deeply rooted here. Maybe this isn’t the right time, because we have just started out on building a family. Perhaps some years down the road we could revisit and I can assess how I feel about it.
What about you as a parent? Do you feel that by migrating you will be providing your kids with better quality of life?
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Depends lar…. If I have a lot of friends and relatives over here, I won’t migrate. Else I’ll see whether I’m interested with the country, if it’s Japan, I’ll definitely migrate!
Hello there,
From the perspective of a recent graduate and someone from the “younger” circle (i.e. the son of my parents!), I would say the answer is definitely a Yes.
My parents made significant financial sacrifices for me to continue my post-SPM studies in the UK. When I was 10, they applied for PR status in the US. Today, I am lucky enough to enjoy a “better than average” quality of life, all thanks to their foresight in planning ahead.
I am currently in Seattle; I work with a world class engineering firm. The quality of life that I am experiencing now is very, very hard to beat!
I feel that opinion from those who have experienced life in Malaysia And abroad should be given extra consideration as they know what they are talking about. And needless to say, they are putting their money where their mouth is.
Looking at our government, I cannot say they have the rakyat’s interest at heart nor the motivation to lead Malaysia towards a brighter future. The sham courts, leaders that have No accoutability (at all!) and the on-going Kugan and Altantuya cases are just examples for us to see. I am glad that I can nurture my career and grow as a person free from all this.
Don’t misunderstand, I am still very proud to be Malaysian. In fact I feel that my absence from my homeland kicked my patriotic spirit up a notch!
Just thought I share the perspective of someone who benefited from my parents decision to apply for PR for the sake of their kids!
I don’t think I can migrate. I have a small family and we are very close to each other. I cannot imagine being away from them. And I know ‘Grass is always greener on the other side’ but whether it is true or not it really depends…
hyperX, if you migrate to Japan, is that more for yourself or your kids? Hehe…
scw, thanks for sharing. Glad to hear first hand experience from someone like yourself who felt the benefits of your parents’ sacrifices. I’m sure it wasn’t an easy decision for them to uproot in the first place but seeing that you are now enjoying such quality life, they must feel that it was all worth it. I agree with you that Malaysians who are living abroad tend to be more patriotic than those living here!
Amy, I know what you mean. That’s one of the reasons why I’m also rooted here.
I won’t migrate but I will send my kids out (hopefully) and tell them not to come back here. Only after they have settled down will I (think) of migrating to be with them, if at all. Else, I am happy to spend my old days here, amused by our ever changing polictical landscape!
What if we are then too old to take all that crap of a political story? It’s very bad for the aging heart…haha!
I just discovered your blog from PPS, and I really love your writings! Well, I keep telling my husband if he has he chance to take an overseas job, I have no problems with it. I would migrate in a heartbeat. Yes, I want a better life for my child (especially because he is ’special’), and to tell you the truth I have no confidence whatsoever with our education system which I think is responsible for churning out little ‘racists’ from the schoolyard. And the Malaysian government …. haihh …. I don’t need to elaborate, do I?