Evelyn and I tried to explore Singapore Monday morning. Riding Bus and using MRT trains before we meet up with Lani.

The mother of my daughter’s classmate who was working here in Singapore for the past 20 years.

We got to this big mall and got tired of finding a place to eat when I spotted a woman who looks like a Filipina.

My first question of asking if she was a Pinay started a good conversation that for a moment we forgot our hunger.

Eve meet Marie

Her name is Marie and a Cebuana. Married with children.Her husband had no work and was left behind to care for their children in Cebu City.

The man in black next to her is Ledor (he is harmless). Working on another stall near her. She was working as a sales clerk in a company called “Sea Of Spa“. Her job had her working for 12 hour daily with no day off. She was complaining of back pain and she remember her husband back home, according to her.

She got there through the help of a friend. She was residing in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 and sharing a room with 5 other Filipina.

She even gave us her cellphone number in case we need help. Then she remembered her husband who text her the night before.

She was not able to reply because she got no load. That morning, after loading up her Sim card she can’t contact him anymore.

She suspected that maybe her husband was angry again and turned off his cell phone for her failure to reply immediately.

Common OFW woes we could hear from our compatriot working here in Singapore or perhaps in any other country. All they are asking for their families back home is for more understanding of their situation.

Would you believe that she’s taking her lunch break right beside the stall she’s watching over.