[User Stories] Taking a new challenge to strengthen economic stability

SentBe met its user, Jorge Gorospe Tamundong, in Seoul, October 2020 and listened to his life in Korea and what he has been planning and pursuing for the future. Here's a very inspiring story about him.

SentBe: How long have you been living in Korea? What made you come to Korea?

Jorge: I came to Korea in 2013 from the Philippines. In my country, I graduated a college of education and worked as a teacher at school. However, as teacher's income in the Philippines was not that high enough, I also worked at a factory. At that time, my brother went to Korea to work and learned it is possible to earn more money in Korea. That mainly made me to come to Korea.

SentBe: How has your life been in Korea so far?

Jorge: When I first came to Korea, working in a new setting was hard. I began to work at a electronic manufacturing facility. I had to carry out all processes of 14 machineries. The level and volume of tasks were difficult for me and language barrier at work was one of the challenged I faced. I shared this difficulty with my employer and the employer let me find other workplace more adequate to me. The employer found and hired a new skilled person and I changed workplace to a factory of paper box where my brother was working. Afterwards, I moved to a factory manufacturing sponge and am still working for this factory. Currently, I am pretty much satisfied with the overall environment and work intensity of the current job.

SentBe: Are you also satisfied with the income you have been earning in Korea?

Jorge: Of course, yes. I've been sending money from Korea to my family in the Philippines. My family members are parents, one older brother and 2 older sisters. I am the youngest kid. With the money I sent, my family rebuilt the existing house which is bigger with much better conditions. My family also bought a land of 50,000 square meter to cultivate rice and corn. My sisters and their husbands are now doing farming and the profit generated by this land is shared equally between me and them. Sometimes, I had borrowed small amount of money to close friends who urgently needed it.

SentBe: What is your future plan?

Jorge: I would like to study international relations and work as a diplomat when going back to the Philippines. When I chose to become a teacher, I thought teacher is teacher as occupation would be interconnected to many other works in diverse ways. I came to Korea to earn higher income and have built a stable environment where all my family members including me became economically sound. I would like to develop my experience in Korea and my Korean language skill improved while staying in Korea to become a diplomat. To do so, I am now looking for information on Korean universities' admission on the study of international relations.

SentBe found Jorge's face is filled with bright smile all the time when he told us about what he has been achieving and dreaming while living and working in Korea. SentBe is greatly proud of his life journey and will be always supporting his goal to be achieved. SentBe is thrilled to look forward to what to come in his near future!