Nanny Blues

I left my three children in 2005
aged 1, 4,  6 in the Philippines.
I did not want my family
living off a dump and
living as squatters.
The Philippines is poor,
and I could not make enough for
food, rent and schooling for the kids.

I had to leave my 
father and mother,
my brother,
my three sisters,
my husband and
my two son and daughter
and my home town
and country I love.

I became a Nanny 
to take care of 
white American children
so my olive colored 
children would not starve.
Half of the world wants
what the other half has.
 
I lived in Hong Kong for 5 years.
I lived in a house boat,
a yacht really, in The Marina Club.
I flew back to Manila twice a
to see my three kids.
 
I moved to NYC in 2009 to
13 Gay Street in Greenwich Village.
My boss was a hedge fund manager
And I raised his two children.
I could no longer fly to the Philippines.
 
My boss gave me a phone to keep
in contact via Skype with the family.
At the end of the year,  I was told
I owed the multi-millionaire,
$20,000 for a phone bill and would
have to work for free in 2010.
 
The next family I moved in with
lived in a town near Newark NJ.
They both had their own businesses,
I raised their two children from
babies, the boy to age 0 to 4.
And the girl from 0-2.
They gave me a one weeks vacation
After working for them for four years.

When I had a toothache, 
they did not take me to the dentist.
They just kept giving me aspirin
until my molar died.
None of my bosses ever took me
to the doctor or dentist.
 
I have worked with three other families
since,  and married in January of 2016.
It has been 18 months,  and
I still do not have my green card.
I send in documents and fees to
the INS and Homeland Security.

When Dad died,
I could not fly back
for the funeral,
I would not have been allowed
back in the U.S. for 5 years.
 
In the meantime,
until I get the green card
and a Social Security number,
 
I cannot open a bank account,
collect Social Security,
pay federal income taxes,
get a drivers license,
or even a fishing license.

I have sent all my money made
via Western Union to my family,
and have no savings for me except
the fashion I have bought of
clothing, shoes and jewelry.
 
And this is why
I have the
nanny blues.