Working Filipina mom sa Australia, naka-graduate na sa abugasya, summa cum laude pa

AUSTRALIA – Hindi akalain ni Zarah Denese Magpantay Tenorio Ramoso, 29 anyos na nakapagtapos na siya ng abugasya sa Australia habang siya ay isang working mom. Bukod sa natapos niya ang kurso, nasungkit pa niya ang highest honor na Summa Cum Laude kahit na noong unang tapak nila sa Australia noong 2013 ay nag-struggle siya sa language barrier patungkol sa complex legal cases na kasama sa kanilang pinag-aralan. September 17, 2021, gumraduate si Tenorio-Ramoso sa Bachelor of Laws sa Charles Darwin University sa Darwin, Australia.

“It was a surreal moment po. Nung nabasa ko yung email notification, hindi ko mapigilan yung luha ko. Parang nag flash back po lahat ng pagpupuyat, pag-aaral at pagsisikap ko for the past 4 years. Sobrang overwhelmed po ako, dati pangarap ko lang, ngayon nandito na. Walang hanggang pasasalamat kay Lord dahil palagi po Niya akong ginagabayan,” pasasalamat ni Tenorio-Ramoso.

Sa panayam ng TFC News kay Tenorio-Ramoso, hindi naging madali ang kanyang tinahak na biyahe bago niya natupad ang kanyang pangarap mula pagkabata na maging isang abogado.

“Pinakamahirap po siguro yung pag manage ng time. I had to work full-time , alagaan yung anak ko, at mag-aral ng full-time. Mahirap pero I relied on hardwork, prayers and support of the people around me. Pinalad din po ako na sobrang supportive ang husband ko, he was my rock during that difficult time. Malaki rin po ang pasasalamat ko sa Nanay ko (mother-in-law) kasi she lives with us and palagi siyang nakaalalay sa pagsuporta sa akin habang nag-aaral po ako,” kuwento ni Tenorio-Ramoso.

May mga pagkakataong naisipan na rin noon ni Tenorio-Ramoso na mag-give up na lamang dahil sa kabi-kabilang hamon ng kanyang pag-aaral, ng kanyang pagiging isang ina at sa pagharap sa pandemya:

“Mahirap po kasi eh. Nakakapagod, nakakastress at minsan parang walang time to complete everything within the deadline. Of course, mas mahirap po nung nagkaroon ng pandemic. There were so many uncertainties. Towards the end of my 4^th year, my Tito suddenly passed away. He was like a second father to me kaya masakit po. He was living in Canada with his family, last time I saw him was 2 years ago. Yung grief and sadness nakakawala po ng motivation to study. Mahirap magfocus kasi I was grieving but at the same time I was working on my thesis. In the end I made it, but it was a difficult and drawn-out process.”

Ang kanyang pamilya ang pinaghugutan niya ng lakas sa mga panahong pinanghihinaan siya ng loob:

“Yung family ko inspired me talaga. I wanted to be a role model for my children. Gusto ko rin po maging secured yung future nila, kaya nagsikap ako. Yung husband ko, gusto kong suklian yung kabaitan niya and ng family nya sa akin by making them proud. They all inspired me. Yung parents ko rin po, I wanted to make them proud and suklian lahat ng paghihirap nila para maitaguyod kami.”

Hard work, efficient time management at pagmamahal sa pamilya ang naging diskarte ni Tenorio-Ramoso para mapagsabay ang mga gawain bilang isang asawa at ina kasabay ng kanyang trabaho sa opisina ng Ombudsman sa NT o Northern Territory:

“I formed a routine po. All of my time was allocated to work, studying and my family. Wala po akong time lumabas sa weekends, wala rin po akong vacation na naka-schedule. Wala rin po kaming yaya, so yung anak ko I will drop her to daycare while I work. After work sunduin ko po siya, then alagaan ko siya hanggang makatulog siya. Usually kapag tulog na siya, pagod na rin ako so matutulog na rin ako. Madalas yung husband ko po most of the time is away kasi shift worker po siya. Then I wake up at 3am everyday para mag-aral. Nakasanayan ko na po yun, mas madali kasi for me to study early in the morning. Yung youngest ko naman, I had her in my 3^rd year of studies. Mahirap po magwork at mag-aral while pregnant kasi I had complications eh. Yung final law exams ko, scheduled for 5 days after siya ipanganak. I could have asked for a deferral ng exam a couple of months later, pero gusto ko na pong matapos agad yung exam. I guess the trick is to always plan things ahead. One thing na tinuro sa akin ng law professor ko is: ’If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.’”

May mensahe rin si Tenorio-Ramoso sa mga kababayan sa Australia na nangangarap ding makapagtapos ng pag-aaral:

“Sabi ko nga po, kapag immigrant ka you’re at a disadvantage. Lahat bago so mahirap mag adjust, and mahirap mag excel sa studies compared to a local. Secondly, nung una po akong dumating sa Australia, I met a lot of Filipinos who were working in restaurants, hotels, hospitals, shopping centres etc. who were actually professionals back home sa Pinas. For example, I met an engineer who was working as a waitstaff. I met teachers who were working as shop/grocery assistants. I even met doctors who were working as nurses. Wala naman pong masama doon, pero nung tinanong ko sila why they don’t pursue their original professions here in Australia, ang palagi nilang sagot is gusto sana nila kaso mahirap, nakakapagod and nakakatakot. Kasi di ba sa ating mga Pinoy po, family always comes first and as long as we can provide for our family hindi na mahalaga kung anong job natin. Kaso sayang naman po because Filipinos are naturally brilliant.

If they just took the opportunity to pursue their passion, they will thrive lalo na po dito sa Australia. So, when I see a fellow Pinoy here who asks me paano mag-adjust sa pag aaral, talaga pong I encourage them to study. Di ba sa atin po, kapag wala kang pambayad ng tuition fee hindi ka makapag-aral? Dito po hindi, lalo na kung Australian citizens na po, which a lot of Filipinos already are. As long as you want to study, you can obtain financial assistance from the government. I hope my fellow Filipinos po na makakabasa nito, take the time to get out of their comfort zone and pursue their passion.”

Bilang pagbibigay inspirasyon, may espesyal ding mensahe si Tenorio-Ramoso sa kanyang mga kapwa working mom:

"Sa mga kapwa kababaihan at nanay ko po, kung may pangarap po kayo, work for it. Do it for yourself. Madalas kapag babae ka there is an expectation na sa bahay ka lang kapag nag asawa ka na, to take care of your husband and children. That is an outdated expectation. Your husband should be man enough to take care of himself. I’m not saying you should neglect your duties as a wife and a mother, but there should be no power imbalance. Kung yung husband nyo can freely pursue his career, dapat ikaw din. Ikaw na nga yung nagdala at nagluwal sa mga anak niyo eh, sana you can find the time to prioritize yourself.

If you don’t want to do it for yourself, do it for your children. Children are precious gifts from God. They deserve the best life possible, and you can give it to them by giving them the best version of yourself.

Wala pong hindi nadadaan sa sipag, tiyaga at pananampalataya. I wish you all the very best in your future endeavors.”