filipinanurse – Pearls of the NHS

REST IN POWER

Mum is so upset about the Filipinos working in the NHS/ care sector who have died after contracting Covid-19. “They came here to work hard” Leilani Medel Oscar King Jr Elbert Rico Arnel Ganias Linnette Cruz Elvira Bacu John Alagos Larni Zuniga Amor Padilla Gatinao

Meeting Grandma

My English Grandma was from Portsmouth. She was petite with velvety soft pink skin, thick wavy silver hair that was always short and the brightest blue eyes. She liked to wear Navy with a white shirt underneath, usually with a broach or neck scarf. “Oh your Grandma said she thought I looked like a Princess!…ItContinue reading “Meeting Grandma”

Hand carry

This is the handbag Mum came over with “What would you have had in it for the flight?” “Sunglasses, purse, sweets, passport …I bought it for myself in a very popular market in Makati, Manila…Manila was a new place for me. I wanted to bring some native things with me not just an ordinary bag”Continue reading “Hand carry”

Argos

I had romantic ideas of the gift of a watch “Where did you get your Nurses watch from Mum?” “Argos in Basingstoke” “Oh”

“Deep and tender devotion”

The play I’m working on at the moment is set on a geriatric ward in an English hospital… it’s the new Alan Bennett play ALLELUJAH! Mum worked on geriatric psychiatric wards, when I’m listening to the dialogue or the songs of the play backstage… or catch a glimpse on the monitor, I think of herContinue reading ““Deep and tender devotion””

Pearl of the orient

I think a few SE Asian countries/ cities can claim this nickname but when I was growing up it was how I knew The Philippines Just found this old short film, most of Mum’s photos of her growing up were destroyed in a typhoon so it’s nice to see film of that time – evenContinue reading “Pearl of the orient”

NWLDN and OFWs

I haven’t posted in a while. I’ve been working on a play at Hampstead theatre which is in the area I grew up in. There were quite a few Filipinos around when I was growing up, but I didn’t really know any of them. Mum would sometimes stop in the street and chat to FilipinoContinue reading “NWLDN and OFWs”

why England?

I always knew that Mum nearly went to Canada, but I don’t know why the change of plan – why England got lucky!

Mother’s day

Well today is the best day to start telling Mum’s story. Sometimes I call her Mum and sometimes Mama – I’m half Filpina half English it’s the influence of two cultures I suppose. Leaving her family and the country she grew up in must have been a heady mix of excitement and WTF am IContinue reading “Mother’s day”

Mum comes over in 1969 Sees snow for the first time Spreads english mustard on bread like butter Falls in love Starts a family and works HARD for the next 30 years in the NHS