This entire email is written by one of my OFS.
You’ll notice their perceptions of US society.
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Here in the US, we’re used to a high standard of living compared to the rest of the world. We take it for granted. We’re so used to it that the thought of living with less can seem intolerable.
Take cars and air conditioning, for example. For us, they’re necessities because they make our lives more comfortable. Anything that makes life better shouldn’t be a luxury.
But they’re considered luxuries everywhere else in the world.
In the Philippines, these are luxuries.
Most cannot afford to buy a car or take a cab. Instead, they take public transport, sitting through hours of traffic in crowded jeepneys and buses. It’s uncomfortable and hot, and criminals may jump in and steal their belongings.
Most don’t have air conditioning. Summers in the Philippines can be life-threatening if you’re not used to the heat and humidity, but most Filipinos tolerate it and find ways to keep working.
So when a Filipino worker finds a job that lets them be comfortable AND enjoy the luxuries we take for granted, it’s like winning the jackpot.
Another OFS of mine wrote to me recently:
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My son and I take public transport to go to school. It takes roughly 30 minutes to get there on a good day. We need to ride two buses (or two jeepneys) to get there. It sounds rough on paper but it’s actually not too bad in practice.
But since working with you, I have more reason to take cabs to and from school. I take my equipment with me so I can work while waiting for dismissal, so a taxi is relatively safer than crowded buses. Of course, my son likes taxis better, too.
One time when I was browsing your site and reading your blogs, my son saw your picture and asked me who you were. I said, “His name is John. He’s my new boss.”
He thought for a while and said, “Is he the one giving you the money for taxi?”
“Yep, he is,” I replied.
“Oh. I like John.”
So there you go, Sir John. My son likes you!
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I know it doesn’t look like much, but being able to afford to ride a cab is life-changing for my new writer and her son.
Riding a cab with air conditioning to school means she doesn’t have to worry about her laptop getting stolen.
Her son can do better at school because he’s less likely to get sick from the heat and rain.
They spend less time commuting because a taxi can avoid traffic areas.
It brings them closer to a comfortable life, something that everyone deserves.
These are the changes you make but often won’t see when you hire an OFS.
You give them and the people around them a better life. A life that everyone deserves.
John
PS. I (John) wrote this PS, but that’s the only thing I wrote.