Working Abroad (After almost half a year working)

Long time long time!!!

But im here i am again!

Its been craaaaazy 6 months and can you imagine how fast it was?

Its been crazy and tough and harsh these days have passed. Sobrang gulo na sabaw na ko lagi sa trabaho. I hate it. I super hate it.

Anyway.. Just leave it. My friend asked me to do a note in facebook about how it is to work abroad since we didnt talk since.. forever. And then i though why not a blog post. BRILLIANT!

I will try my best to look informative and honest at the same time. I said I will try, my friend.

I believe in my recent posts i stated the pro's and con's of living and working abroad.. logically. But here is my personal opinion.

Young ones and usually the fresh graduates are the ones who are very willing to work and start their new careers abroad (ugh young ones). There's nothing wrong with that. Its good actually. But let me give you some of the famous misconceptions of working and living away from home and should be taken account of before moving out.

You have to consider HOMESICK. Yes, my friend. This is waaaaay so true. Distance can tear and damaged relationships that can causes a break in the ties you have with the people and the country that you know and love so well. You have holidays and occasions you cannot go to, etc. There are things which you will miss a lot in your home. Humans are social beings and the company of people similar to you, who speak your language and share your culture, may turn out to be more important to you than you realize.

Sabi nila, 'Ilang buwan lang yan, ok ka na.' I've been here for almost 8 months, and it doesnt change, even a bit.

Next is the cost of going out of the country. No offense to the great Republic of the Philippines, but getting out is really a huge problem for us. It will cost a fortune. I have a friend who sell their house makapunta lang ng Canada. After the long run, mababawi mo din naman. But it depends.

The lifestyle, the weather and the habits.

Many of us really see that working abroad is the greener grass. But you have to realize that going to that greener grass will drastically change your environment and your lifestyle. The weather here in Dubai is great as of now. Not too cold and thank goodness not hot. But when the summer comes, good gracious.. kill me now. And you maybe earning dirhams but the lifestyle follows. Good thing, food is quite affordable here, however, the accomodation.. hmmmm.. not so much.

There are a lot mooooore to consider. But one piece of advice..

If you are earning enough, your family is eating 3 times a day. Dont leave. Yes, going away will save more money.. but being with the family the whole time, is priceless. :)

Knowing yourself.

One of the scariest, weirdest and most exciting parts of growing up is figuring out who you are. Kung hindi nyo pa naeexperience yung gantong phase sa buhay nyo, it's ok. Its normal. Some people questioned themselves at any specific time or maybe when there is a turn of events, I dont even sure if everyone experienced or will experience this phase.

I for example seen this 'knowing yourself' phase last year. Fresh na fresh! Haha! 

Pero kidding aside, i thought those self help books are for losers. I mean why the hell people need to find their selves? Of all people, sarili mo dapat ang nakakakilala sayo. You dont need books, other people to tell you that. Pero as I experience it myself. It's different. It is a HUGE pain the ass just to find yourself.

Since my parents separated last year, I tried A LOT of stuff to achieve this. And when I say a lot, i mean a lot. Let me enumerate them for you.

1. I started travelling. With friends or with the boyfriend, and at some point with myself. Travelling means a lot to single people, specially of you are finding yourself. Chos! Nakita ko ang wonders ng travelling nung may mga naging friends ako na sobrang gala. Yung tipong on the day eh magdedecide na mag-Puerto Galera. Craaaaazy isn't? But it made me realize a lot of things during these times. Madaming realizations pag nasa harap ka ng mgandang beach, ng nature and those healthy conversations. At this point, it was crystal clear that I'm broken.. inside.

2. I started shutting down friends. Yes, bitch man pero I was unconsciously shutting them down, to a certain point that I am mean and sobrang salbahe. Hahaha! I dont know whats with my crazy hypothalamus and some parts of my brain, pero I started to feel a little bit paranoid. I dont know who to trust and I began hiding and keeping everything to myself, kahit sa jowa ko, dedma sa japan na ko. Usually i shut down old friends, but not all of them. On the long run, I started concluding to myself na siguro I was just trying to be independent in a way. Last year was not a very good year for me, so I'm starting to figure things out.. for myself. And having issues, trust or emotional, wouldn't help at all.

3. I decided to live and work out of the country. This by far is one of the craziest and biggest decision I made on my entire life. Iiwan mo everything and everyone just to figure life is. But so far, I have no regrets. :)

Nung dumating ako sa Dubai, I live with my Papa for almost 2 months. After that, I live on my own. It was hard nung una, I cried usually at nights and asking myself kung nahanap ko na ba ang sarili ko or kung ano man ang hinahanap ko. But knowing the stories of other Pinoys here.. I consider myself blessed. Andito ako kase para sa sarili ko.. well there are parts for my family. But them, andito sila kasi wala silang choice, kasi may binubuhay silang pamilya. They dont have these luxury of choosing things for themselves. 

4. I push my career limits. As crazier as it sounds, my work here in Dubai is waaaaaaay more different in many ways with what I had back in Pinas. I'm working for almost a month, pero I had these thoughts na hindi ko na kaya, I need to quit right now or else. Pero I chose this, kailangan kong panindigan. I'm dealing with different nationalities everyday. You dont have the time to adjust or transitions for everyone. Americans are different, Europeans as well and Arabs as well. There's this one time na nareach ko na yung boiling point ko. As in I am ready to go back to the Philippines. Tumawag ako sa Papa ko and said my piece na naiiyak na boses but my dad said, 'Kaya mo yan. Ikaw pa.' and he cited examples of the events na pareho lang din but still I surpassed it.

There are so many ways we come to being who we are, so many ways in which we search for our true selves, so many varying circumstances around that search. There is nothing more terrifying but simultaneously thrilling about stepping forward in front of the pack, opening yourself to experience the world. I urge you to feel the wind behind your back and live life, be excited by all moments good and bad, beautiful and ugly, really understanding them for their worth to you and your life.

I know at the end of these, its the experience I will carry and treasure for the rest of my life, na proud akong makekwento ko sa mga anak ko. 

Life isn't about Finding Yourself. Life is about CREATING Yourself.

Working Abroad

I came upon a forum whereas parang tambayan ng mga OFW here sa Middle East (from Qatar, Saudi, UAE etc.). May isang specific thread dun, I cant remember which was, pero parang a person wanted to work in the Middle East so bad. May sumagot sa kanya na DH yata na huwag na lang. Might as well stay sa Pinas kasi mahirap abroad. Malayo ka na nga sa pamilya, alila ka pa.

I have nothing against people who wanted to work abroad. But one simple advice, MAKE SURE NA GUSTO NYO TALAGA MAGTRABAHO ABROAD. Not because gusto nyo lang ng malaking sahod or umalis, but make sure na gusto nyo talaga.

I'm with my father here in Dubai and I must say Im one of the lucky few na medyo hindi hirap sa ibang bansa kasi nandyan yung tatay ko to provide as well. But when you're alone, matetest talaga ang lakas ng loob mo dito.

I've been here for quite some time and I can give you reasons why and why not live and work here in Dubai.

Why here?

1. Financial  - who doesnt want a tax free salary diba? thats one of the few benefits na binibigay ng mga Dubai companies. If you're earning like 20 thousand pesos a month, sayo na yan! tax free! wohooooo!

2. Multi-cultural Experience - in my area of work, madami kang makakasalamuha na iba't ibang lahi. europeans, arabs, asians, americans.. you name it! to the point na may learning on the way about their cultures and traditions because my co-workers eh iba iba ang nationality. mas madami pa sa UN since  this is an open country. :p

3. Adventure? since I mentioned the financial part, planning an adventure or trip is easier here in Dubai. for one, I know madali lang sila magbigay ng Visa and there is too many places to go sa UAE pa lang! 

4. Free Trip Home - i think Middle East lang ang nagpprovide for their workers ng Free Trip Home. They'll give it to you pag naka-12 months or 18 months ka ng nagwowork. tapos paid pa for 30 days! bongga!

5. Pangbongga sa Resume :) 

6. English Speaking Country - as long as you can do conversational English, keri na yun! The first time I went on a grocery store, super English pa ko dun sa cashier, 'Do you have chicken breasts? The fillet ones?Or you just have the whole chicken packed?' tapos ang sagot nya saken.. 'Chicken. There! *points at the freezer*' Oh dba! Bongga! Walang kahirap hirap! But if you're working for business type of company, kailangan duguan. :p 

Why not?

1. The Heat - If you're not fond of heat or summer, might as well wag na talaga kayong tumuloy sa Dubai. When I got here, on early August, ay shet! Hindi ako makapaglakad ng 5 minutes sa labas. Sobrang init! Yung hangin, parang blower na naka-max! 8 months na extreme heat and the other months were extreme cold. O dba. :)

2. Multi-cultural Experience - well others might take this one as a negative one. I cant blame you. This is an Arab country so there is restrictions which you must be aware. But its just a matter of adjustment and adaptation. :)

3. Second class citizens - You're not working sa sarili mong bansa, so for them you are just a guest. You'll be treated with good hospitality but with boundaries since they do have a very consertive tradition and culture.

For now yan muna. Sana madami pa ko maisip next time! :)

xoxo

Experiencing Dubai

After a month of staying here, Im pretty much can say that I enjoyed Dubai as much as other people do. Hindi ko pa man napupuntahan yung mga major tourist attraction (because of time and weather. mainit wag kayong magulo.) And pag-iipunan mo talaga I might say. 

I've been to major malls and supermarkets. Haha! Since Ramadan ako dumating, basically no food and drink tuwing 6 am to 7 pm. So ano.. gugutumin mo sarili mo? So lumalabas lang ako, after 7 tapos uuwi ng 9. Oh dba ang fun! Ang fun talaga sobra. *insert sarcasm*

Marami pa rin akong di napupuntahan actually. Ang loser. Pero I have time, plenty of time! Bwahahahahahahaha! 

So I listed some of the few places I am dying to go! Im zo exzited. :D

1. Jumeirah Beach!

I remembered the first time I went out with my fatherloo, ang sabi ko sa kanya, 'PUNTA TAYO SA BEACH!' and he said something like, 'PUNTA KA NG BEACH EH 42 DEGREES.' and I was like.. OK. then straigh face. Haha! Pero sabi nila masarap daw magwalk along the beach sa winter. Eeeeeeeh! Btw, up is the picture of Jumeirah Beach.. parang Boracay!

2. Desert Safari

Nasa disyerto ka na, might as well utilize the resources! Gusto ko to! May plano na si pudrakels. Sana libre nya ko! Hahaha! Ang extreme daw ng experience.. drifting at its finest!!!! :)

3. Ski Dubai

Syempre kung may disyerto, may yelo! San ka pa! I actually saw the place already kaso ayaw ni fatherloo itry. Kaya itry ko sya ng di sya kasama! Hahahaha!

At madaming madami pa, but I have to geow now! Will post more soon!

credits to the owners of the pics!

xoxo

Touchdown Dubai :)

I AM FINALLY IN DUBAI!! :)
more kwento soon!