A Letter From MAY By May, President of the Filipino Migrants’ Association in Bucheon

A Letter From MAY


By May, President of the Filipino Migrants’ Association in Bucheon

Good afternoon everybody, and first I would like to say thank you to Mr. Elmer & Ms. Mauren of Armnet for inviting me to join on this seminar. My name is "May Cordova".Born in Bacolod city, married in korean, have an 8 yrs. old daughter and a legal residence of Bucheon city South Korea. As we gather here today to share everybody's story about our married and living life in the foreign land. And my story is going like this; I meet my husband in Manila year 1999, during those days i'm working as a saleslady in "supermarket".He is a member of a group called UNIFICATION. This group founded by a North Korean guy name MOON SUN MYUNG or as known as Rev. Sun Myung Moon here in philippines. How I meet my husband? Oh that's so interesting..He decided to join on this group for the purpose to marry a pinay, and he submitted his picture in the church he belong in korea ( one of the requirements) to get married. Then he match with pinay through their pictures, they got married, he attend the blessing in korea and this lady also attend the blessing ceremony here philippines. They never meet yet in personal its just they're already couple in the pictures cause they marry them self holding the pictures of each others. Then he decided to came here in philippines to meet the lady he married in pictures, together with some korean guys, and when he arrive in the one of the center of unification. the troubles start. The lady can't meet him for some reasons and the leaders assign some unification members to find somebody to become his couple on that day. I'm working as a saleslady near in one of the main center in quezon city. Virgie dela Cruz is one of my regular costumer in supermarket but I have no idea that she is also a member of unification group, but on that day she approach me to join in the party she prepared for the koreans she said but even how convincing words she's saying still I response her NO but maybe shes desperate to bring me on the center even my co-workers convincing me telling " why won't you try who knows this is your lucky chance ".Until I decided to accept the invitation but, I decided also to bring my cousin for the purpose of what happen with me I have my witness. Virgie dela Cruz, bring us in Antipolo i'm not sure which part of Antipolo cause its already almost 10:30 in the evening when we arrive the place. And the shocking part is when we enter the entrance gate I saw a lot of koreans, then the leader guide us to the office and giving us a 2 pages biodata type to answer the questions. Me and my cousin are looking each others (it seems asking whats this) because some questions are so sensitive & too personal but we answer all those questions and the second shocking part is after we response all the questions they're telling us to prepared, make our self presentable then they bring us to another room on that room theres a lot of pinay candidates they're talking each other about there korean spouse, their plans, some are look so happy and excited with matching a great smile saying to somebody "i saw him I know that's him his so handsome wearing nice outfit "and so on and so fort .But me and my cousin hearing those topic feel so nervous were talking oh my god whats this, asking its other if were in prostitute. After a while some leaders announcing that the name called transfer to another room. And that's the 3rd shocking, me & my cousin are belong to the names called so we followed the instruction, we transfer to the next room koreans are sitting in the opposite side with us, then its started calling names until my turn came & my husband is my partner some korean leader guided us in to the garden starting asking some information about me .Then next morning they gathered us again for some another announcement that's the 4th shocking part , why? because they are announcing to be prepared for wedding ceremony at the afternoon .Maybe some of you thinking why i'm still following them, right? simple, because you can't ran out on that place, no neighbors no vehicles to bring back where you from its sorrounded by the mountains and a lady age 19 from the province of Bacolod is so young don't know what to do so I think that's the reason why still following them. To continue my story on that day afternoon they prepared us for wedding ceremony, they give us weeding gown , until the ceremony's finish .Then after the ceremony they bring back us to Antipolo for some unification traditional things one of this is hitting the butt of each couples. The good thing is no honeymoon happen that's out of the rules of unification. After a year he came back here in philippines to meet my parents ,and after a months the unification office send my passport with visa & ticket to korea. And just after a month i'm already bringing the child of us still don't know how to speak korean also can't eat yet korean spicy foods, but I have no choice anymore but to face all the circumtances i've entered. At first I think I can't stay longer in the land of korea , for much reason theres a cultural, weather, foods, language, and most specially of living style differences. We always have a trouble about the cultural & some families problems. Most of the koreans are forcing us (they're foreign wives) to followed their culture, yeah we did but the trouble is they want us to forget our culture for the reason we married them, but for me that's the big cause of the problems of the migrant married couples. All I wanted is to be fair for us, we accept their culture so I think they must also accept the culture of they're wives. Until I meet "BUCHEON CITY MIGRANT OFFICE"They're handling different cases of foreign workers before , until our group founded since year 2004 , the first members are just 5 persons including ate Anna, she is the brain of this kfwa group also the first president of the said group, until the number of members become bigger & bigger. The purpose of our group is to "INSPIRE & ENCOURAGE " each member to share experiences & ideas, helping each other in any terms and to inspired everybody to become strong for all struggle in life here in korea, and the plans of the group is to become more active in any programs of the center. All the members are joining migrant center for the reason that we can shout & show who we are & where we from, here in migrant house we can share to anybody our culture we had. The benefits here , we have free korean classes , computer classes ,also art class for the kids, and also some seminars for migrant families, also we had a new group also under by migrant house its a group of filipino workers in korea legal & illegal, man & women are welcome to join on this group. We are very much thankful to migrant house for supporting us as their part of the house. We are just hoping that they will continue this kind of humanly projects not only for filipino but for all the migrants workers & migrant wives.


THANK YOU....
TRULY YOURS,
MAY