It was father’s day last week here in Australia. Coincidentally, our Aussie story for today features a dedicated father, husband, healthcare worker, and vlogger. He will be sharing with us the different things that he experienced when he migrated to Australia. These are experiences that many of you can or will relate to. Let’s hear it from Ruben:
Hi, I’m Ruben!
Hi, my name is Rubenelle Panganiban. I go by Ruben here in Australia, but in the Philippines, they call me Neil. I’m originally from the Bicol region, Philippines. Skateboarding was my hobby back home. I finished my Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in the Philippines and worked as a Customer Service Representative for Globe telecom before moving to Australia.
Why I migrated to Australia?
Let me take you back to memory lane. When Myrill, my now wife of 7 years (and long time girlfriend since 2005), decided to go to Adelaide in 2011, I decided to follow her. We worked, saved up and eventually got married in 2015.
“2016 was the best year of my life! It was the year when I moved to Australia to be with my wife and start a family.”
The day I moved to Adelaide was exciting because I finally got to reunite with my wife. It was a fantastic day, specially the part when I saw Myrill at the airport. I felt like I had butterflies in my stomach. My wife was living with her sister Myln and her partner Rhey. We were blessed and lucky that they let us live with them.
How it was like for me at the start
My first year here in Australia was tough and challenging since English is only my second language. During my first month here, I remember having trouble understanding the Aussie slang. It’s funny because every time I have a conversation with a local, I nod and pretend that I understood what they’ve said even though I didn’t. That was a funny experience!
My very first job here was as a pizza maker in a pizza shop. It taught me a lot about making yummy pizza. After that, I worked as a store team member in an asian store. I was lucky because I got that job straight away. A few months later, we decided to move out of my in-laws’ place and look for our first home. As soon as we found a rental house, I decided to study for a Certificate 3 in Aged care. Luckily, after I have finished my placement, my supervisor handed me a letter saying I did an excellent job. They then invited me to apply and hired me as a personal care worker.
“After 2 years, my wife and I have saved up enough to buy our very first house.”
We moved out of the place we were renting and settled into our current home. This home is where we started our own little family as we were blessed with our son Rynell straight after moving in. Blessings were pouring here and there. I was then given the privilege of becoming an Australian citizen, which I am thankful for as I had a unique experience in obtaining this.
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My life now
I never stopped trying to learn new things, even at this stage of my Aussie life. Which is why I am currently studying for a Certificate 4 in Allied Health Assistance. I believe that this will provide me with more opportunities to further my career in this field.
To stay fit and healthy, I train in jiu-jitsu martial arts during my days off and enjoy outdoor sports with my son and wife. I also like to vlog, mainly Filipino food. I want to feature people who serve or make authentic Filipino food on my Youtube channel/ Facebook page and help them promote their businesses.
What Australia has done for me
I can say that my life has changed a lot since I moved here in Australia. It helped me to be a responsible husband and father. It helped me understand how beautiful life is and further instilled in me the value of continuous learning. It enabled me to focus on my family and love them unconditionally. To my wife Myrill and son Rynell, I love you from the bottom of my heart.
My message to you
Here is my message to my kababayans (countrymen) who want to migrate to Australia or those who have been here but are struggling to adjust —
“Just keep on pushing.”
I know that it’s hard to live in a foreign country and be separated from your loved ones. But just think of them, let them be your strength. Always aim to learn different things every day, treasure them. Lastly, I want to share with you what I always tell myself everyday to keep me going,
“I will be better today than yesterday.”
Ruben Bicolano SA po maraming salamat at mabuhay tayong lahat!
Ruben’s Facebook Page
Ruben’s YouTube Channel
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Authors: Ruben x My Aussie Story
About the “Your Aussie Story” series:
Immigrants in Australia, though from different cultures and backgrounds, tend to have similar experiences and common ‘struggles’ as they build their new life here in Australia. Through My Aussie Story, I’ve been trying to help out people like myself to be able to navigate the Australian way of life a little bit easier by sharing my own experiences.
I’ve always believed that every migrant’s journey would be less challenging if we learn from each other. This is why we’ve created Your Aussie Story. Your Aussie Story is a ‘series’ in our website where we feature inspiring stories of immigrants in Australia.
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Disclaimer All content and information in this post is for purposes of sharing my experiences only, does not constitute professional advice and does not establish any kind of professional-client relationship.
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