The Flight of the Rocketman

Common sense mutters:
it can't be true...
But the seed has been planted,
and when has happiness ever required
much evidence to begin
its leaf-green breathing?
-- The Truro Bear, Mary Oliver

Should I go or should I stay? Apparently things are getting worse and worse and worse... The Philippines is getting bad. Money is disappearing and people are getting desperate. A friend of mine told me a story of someone at school and who was driving, had the window down because he was smoking and someone just went up to him and shot him in the head. The shooter opened the door, threw the body out and drove the car away.

You can't even drive and smoke anymore. People work and work and never get anywhere. People work and work and can't seem to balance their checkbook. People can't save anymore. Everything is just going up. Prices are getting steep. It's not easy. Life ain't easy anymore; not that it has ever been.

My better half says that we should think of moving abroad. Japan, according to my partner, pays extremely high for good production people. Whereas I am still hell-bent is spending a few years in Shanghai. I'm still Asian, I want to live in an Asian country still.

Of course, there is always America, land of milk and honey and all that crap. Sorry. I'm not a big fan of America. Everything works but so much is lost in all the processes of making money. The essence of culture seems to be missing and I'm not comfortable with that. All those law suits and the problems with the Al Queda and Osama Bin Laden. I could be working hard and all of a sudden, a plane can come crashing down on my head. I'll pass.

I love my country and I don't want to leave. But I have to open my eyes and realise that maybe I should keep an open mind about the opportunities that are at my fingertips. Modesty aside, I have a pretty impressive resume. If I can sneak in a Master's degree there, I'll be set anywhere. If only I could learn a new language, it'll all be great. My partner's life is ready to bloom.

But is this really what I want to do? I don't know yet. Soon, I'll be going to Malaysia for work. 5 days. That's going to open my eyes some more to all the possibilities out there for me.

Can I really do this? Can I just up and leave?

Can this country actually stand up and make itself work?