In participation to the contest initiated by 
, here's my OFW Story Writing Contest.
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I came here in UAE last three years ago and the goal is not to work as an OFW but to just visit my boyfriend. When he invited me to come over, I was not ready to leave my family specially my kid that very long time but since the opportunity knocks in my door I did not hesitate to grab his offer. Besides, I may not have any chance at all to go abroad since its not really in my plans. Leaving my family is the least option I have, but knowing that this is the only way that I might pay my parents debt and retrieve my parents lot that has been pawned in my uncle for a very long time, I left.
February 2015 I flew in Abu Dhabi, it's an odd feeling really. Seeing different people with different nationalities, hearing different languages and adopting new cultures gave me an extreme worries. I was so scared being in a place for the first time and thousand miles apart from my family, I wonder "will I survive?" I'm not a dependent person, I used to work in Manila for a couple of years and traveling around the Philippine becomes my habit, but knowing that you are away from your family in a place where they cannot follow you anytime at times of trouble, that gave me a separation anxieity immediately.
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Adjustment is the first thing I must learn from now on. Adjustment from the people I'll deal with, adjustment to the weather of course, to the environment, to the language and accent, adjustment to culture and lastly from being single to having a live-in partner.
THE STRUGGLES AND DILEMMAS
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First year was really tough for me, there are so many things I worried about, so many things I'm afraid of that I almost loose hope. As time goes by, the personality difference of the two of us showed up. At first we thought we cannot work it out anymore but the love between us bind us together and later on got married. Aside from that the struggles for finding a job that fits my experience in the Philippines was so real, I've encountered so many rejections to the point I'm loosing hope. I realized whether you have a good experience in your country, it won't count as they prefer with UAE experience. Since I'm holding a three months tourist visa, the urgency for me to be hired is severe. Knowing that I have to support my family and my kid's schooling it brought me a lot of confusions and disoriented the vision of my future. My panic attacks became intense which caused me to cry every now and then. The culture shock also took place during my job hunting, having a hard times to understand their language and accent. Difficulty to be familiarize with the streets and how to use the public transportation cost me a lot since I don't know how to ride a bus, I'd choose taxi most of the times. It's very difficult to live in a place were you feel like you are an "Alien" who does not know anything, no friends, no work and don't have my own money. From being independent, I became dependent to my husband physically, emotionally and financially which gave me more reason to have a self-pity.
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SIGNS OF HOPE
After two months I've got a call from one employer located at Sun & Sky Tower, Al Reem Island. I was hired at the same time as Executive Secretary so I thought this is the beginning of my success. I was so happy to be a part of construction company with my dream office plus with such an spectacular view but only to find out I'll be transfer out of the town after three days of training.
I agreed to be transfer since they offer a free transportation for me from which I'll be send in Shahama every morning but when I was sent for the first I became hesitant. The location of the construction are far from the downtown and it will took almost one and a half hours travel since we have to go inside the dessert. It's already out of the way, they just provided some road marks so the driver will not be lost but apparently its scary for a woman like me. We went there for the first time with heavy sand storm and we got lost due to zero visibility.
After few more minutes we arrived at the location. I met my suppose to be manager, a Palestine nationality. At first glance, I felt like I'll be in trouble and when we had our conversation, my instinct was true. He told me that I must moved in Shahama so it'll not cost much time to travel, that I'll be dealing with all men's and will be in-charge for the material inventory and purchasing of orders, well that's not the reason that bothers me but the fact that I'll be the only lady in the site surrounded with sand. So when he asked me once again if I'm willing to accept it, I immediately said NO. So I was left jobless again.
After a week I've got calls from Dubai for different position. I attended several interviews from different organizations and yet I'm still lucky to have one. It made me feel more helpless and hopeless, I begun to ask myself "what's wrong with me?" I begun to question my qualities and capabilities, I was getting depressed. I feel so ashamed for myself, for my family and of course to my husband. I guess, this is the end of my journey abroad.
10 days more and my visa will be expiring, this is it, I told myself maybe this wasn't for me. But if God puts you in a place where he plan you to be he will make it happen. I received a call May 2015 from an employer who's looking for HR Assistant. I was surprised and immediately went the next day. On the same day of my interview I was hired. 😊
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It was not a good offer but at least it was a good start for me. Somehow I manage to sustain my family finances and later on pay some of my parents debts. It was a roller coaster ride experience specially I'm dealing with alpha people who are used of screaming, cursing and blaming people all the times. Everyday I have to face them, everyday the situation gets worst to the point I feel discriminated. My blood is at its highest peak, my veins are about to explode, ugh! What the ***cking wrong with these people. There are many times I wanted to quit but thinking all the effort I exerted just to stay in Abu Dhabi made me stronger. After a couple of months I get used of it and somehow changed the way they deal with me. It is true that if you allow them to put you down they will always do that, but if you prove to them your worth, they will respect you. And in all fairness my manager always protects me against the GM and all other managers 😊😊😊 and that is the thing I am thankful for. I am also happy that I found new friends and colleagues, now I can say I have my own friends and not just my husband's friends.
EARNINGS VS. DISTANCE
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Working abroad can give you so many advantages: exploring new places, earning a lot, trying all kinds of foods and luxury items since you are capable to buy it, gaining friends/connections and building new memories, but each advantages are affiliated to disadvantages as well and this means being apart from our love ones. All OFW wish to attain one certain of goal--good future for the family, that's our dream to give them the best. I believe in the sayings that OFW's are hero of the country because they have the guts and courage to leave their family and choose to struggle abroad just for the sake of their love ones. How hard it is to be away with your kids and don't see how they grow or not seeing the milestone they achieve, it is very difficult. I, myself is experiencing it for almost two years now and it tears my heart apart, I have no choice anyway. If I choose to be with her, how can I sustain all the expenses? Will I get same amount I'm receiving here in the Philippines? I bet not. To keep us alive and fighting, always look at their picture!
POSITIVITY COMES WITH GREAT OPPORTUNITIES
We are all familiar with the saying "Its all in your mind!", very true right? We ourselves are the only person who can help our self, we are the the one who plan and process everything so you gotta be positive all the times. Yes, there are times you'll feel like you shouldered all the problems in the world but be reminded, if life gives you lemons, make some lemonade---divert it! Take all the challenges in our life as a test and if there's a test what do we do? Solve it right? Never overthink the problems instead make solutions. Just take time to relax and talk to yourself, do visualize your future then make it happen.
Right now, I am working as HR Assistant in my second company but this time with better offer and better people. I have joined also several organizations aside from APO--Society of Human Resource Professional and Associates (SHRPA), Psychological Association of the Philippines UAE and Steemit UAE Community. Still motivating myself to strive more and looking forward to attain some degrees or career level up. Nothing is impossible, we are the creator of our own future.
We all do have struggles in life but OFW are the most gumptious person since we know the feeling of having nothing at all. Well, it still depends to you on how you can survive the life of being Overseas Filipino Workers. Keep it up and wishing you to have a fruitful years to come!
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