The Start of My Journey!
I am of deep excitement when the news that I've been wanting to hear finally came. I received a call that my visa was finally approved and released. I jump into excitement! I can't explain how I feel that moment. It was a mixed emotions. Happy and at the same time quite sad. Happy because after a long year of waiting here it comes, I'm finally flying to Qatar to start fulfilling my dreams. But sadness came to me when I realized that I am gonna be away from home for years and I won't be with my loved ones for a long time.
I started spending my remaining days in the country with them. Making the most of it. Creating some good memories I'll bring with me. Reconciliation with my parents is one of the highlights of that moment. Months before when we had a fight and some misunderstanding that led to the separation. But what matters now is that we're okay and I'm leaving with no hate, just pure love for my family.
Somehow, I'm doing this for them and of course for my future. I have a dream of becoming rich, being able to suffice everything we need. After all what I've been through, all I want is a happy and succesfull life. So I said myself I have to earn and save!
Flight day came, emotions are overflowing. This is the start of a new journey. A journey away from home, away from them. To be away from home is a big challenge especially if you're miles away. You'll gonna be on your own feet. You've got nothing but yourself!
Now I know how it feels riding a plane. Yes!It's my first time and it makes me feel dizzy whenever the plane is in turbulence. It's like you're on a rough road. Good thing I was able to surpass it. It was around 2 in the morning when the plane landed at Doha Airport. I am starting to feel nervous and excited. A lot of things coming into my mind. I don't know how I'm gonna deal with the people around. "This is it! I'm gonna rock this!", I uttered in silence.
As I passed by Doha City, amazement is what I've felt. The sceneries and the high towering building with an extraordinary architectural design catches my eyes. The road is wide, with little traffic congestion and I don't see any police or enforcer in the road. As per my driver, the roads are being monitored under radar surveillance. CCTV are almost everywhere.
It was winter season that time and I feel like I'm freezing. I used to wear jackets all the time whenever I'm outside and sometimes even when I'm in bed. I've spent my first day catching up with my friends. We talked about our long journeys and everything we've been through with the savoring aroma of coffee, perfect for the season.
The next day is what I call the Reality, the start of my life as an OFW. Being an OFW is not that easy. You'll gonna face a lot of hindrances. It's really a challenging one. My first week is quite hard for me. I am emotionally stressed. I am feeling what they call "Home Sickness". But I needed to be strong and tried not to be affected.
Home sickness is your greatest enemy. If you can't fight it you can never be a winner. Some say that working abroad is like a battle. You used to fight. Fight the temptations, the stress and sadness especially when you remember your loved ones.
In my stay, I've learned to tighten up my belt and prioritize my needs. It was like I'm back to my college life. Eating only canned goods, noodles and frozen foods all the time. I've tried eating some arabic foods but I'm not really into it. Their foods are cooked with much spices and herbs. Meeting such kind of foods are overwhelming for me. My taste buds doesn't seem to accept it.
One more thing that bothers me is their language. I'm having a hard time communicating with my patients who can't understand or doesn't know how to speak English. Every single Arabic word that I heard, I write it in my notes and later search for the meaning of it. Slowly, I'm learning their language.
Good thing, most people here can speak and understand English. To my surprise some locals can even speak in Filipino fluently. Whenever I go shopping, when I ask for something in English, they will answer you in Filipino. It seems like the country were colonized by the Filipino people. Well as what I've heard 60% of their population are expatriates and most of it are filipinos. So no wonder most of them knows our language.
Days run fast, and I surpassed the first month. The hardest part of being away. Good thing it's also payday! I can't hardly believe I'm holding already my first pay as an OFW. Truly it's satisfying and makes you so happy. Hardwork is being paid off.
Reality comes when I have to send some to my family. It makes me sad and cry when the money you work for a month will just be all sent back home. Now, I know the feeling of being an OFW. Truly that remittance slips is whats left for you. How heartbreaking it is. Well, that's life. Anyways, I am doing this for them. Making them smile and happy makes me feel the same way too.
However, don't forget to save some for yourself. It's not wrong to reward yourself sometimes, you deserve it! But always think of your priorities and learn to share, you'll never get wrong with that. It's like an investment, in time everything pays off.
This journey is yet to unfold. I just started it and I am miles away to finishing this journey. But as they say, it's not the long journey that matters it's on how you take that journey. Just never ever forget to always pray! For with Him, everything is possible...
I started spending my remaining days in the country with them. Making the most of it. Creating some good memories I'll bring with me. Reconciliation with my parents is one of the highlights of that moment. Months before when we had a fight and some misunderstanding that led to the separation. But what matters now is that we're okay and I'm leaving with no hate, just pure love for my family.
Somehow, I'm doing this for them and of course for my future. I have a dream of becoming rich, being able to suffice everything we need. After all what I've been through, all I want is a happy and succesfull life. So I said myself I have to earn and save!
Flight day came, emotions are overflowing. This is the start of a new journey. A journey away from home, away from them. To be away from home is a big challenge especially if you're miles away. You'll gonna be on your own feet. You've got nothing but yourself!
Now I know how it feels riding a plane. Yes!It's my first time and it makes me feel dizzy whenever the plane is in turbulence. It's like you're on a rough road. Good thing I was able to surpass it. It was around 2 in the morning when the plane landed at Doha Airport. I am starting to feel nervous and excited. A lot of things coming into my mind. I don't know how I'm gonna deal with the people around. "This is it! I'm gonna rock this!", I uttered in silence.
As I passed by Doha City, amazement is what I've felt. The sceneries and the high towering building with an extraordinary architectural design catches my eyes. The road is wide, with little traffic congestion and I don't see any police or enforcer in the road. As per my driver, the roads are being monitored under radar surveillance. CCTV are almost everywhere.
It was winter season that time and I feel like I'm freezing. I used to wear jackets all the time whenever I'm outside and sometimes even when I'm in bed. I've spent my first day catching up with my friends. We talked about our long journeys and everything we've been through with the savoring aroma of coffee, perfect for the season.
The next day is what I call the Reality, the start of my life as an OFW. Being an OFW is not that easy. You'll gonna face a lot of hindrances. It's really a challenging one. My first week is quite hard for me. I am emotionally stressed. I am feeling what they call "Home Sickness". But I needed to be strong and tried not to be affected.
Home sickness is your greatest enemy. If you can't fight it you can never be a winner. Some say that working abroad is like a battle. You used to fight. Fight the temptations, the stress and sadness especially when you remember your loved ones.
In my stay, I've learned to tighten up my belt and prioritize my needs. It was like I'm back to my college life. Eating only canned goods, noodles and frozen foods all the time. I've tried eating some arabic foods but I'm not really into it. Their foods are cooked with much spices and herbs. Meeting such kind of foods are overwhelming for me. My taste buds doesn't seem to accept it.
One more thing that bothers me is their language. I'm having a hard time communicating with my patients who can't understand or doesn't know how to speak English. Every single Arabic word that I heard, I write it in my notes and later search for the meaning of it. Slowly, I'm learning their language.
Good thing, most people here can speak and understand English. To my surprise some locals can even speak in Filipino fluently. Whenever I go shopping, when I ask for something in English, they will answer you in Filipino. It seems like the country were colonized by the Filipino people. Well as what I've heard 60% of their population are expatriates and most of it are filipinos. So no wonder most of them knows our language.
Days run fast, and I surpassed the first month. The hardest part of being away. Good thing it's also payday! I can't hardly believe I'm holding already my first pay as an OFW. Truly it's satisfying and makes you so happy. Hardwork is being paid off.
Reality comes when I have to send some to my family. It makes me sad and cry when the money you work for a month will just be all sent back home. Now, I know the feeling of being an OFW. Truly that remittance slips is whats left for you. How heartbreaking it is. Well, that's life. Anyways, I am doing this for them. Making them smile and happy makes me feel the same way too.
However, don't forget to save some for yourself. It's not wrong to reward yourself sometimes, you deserve it! But always think of your priorities and learn to share, you'll never get wrong with that. It's like an investment, in time everything pays off.
This journey is yet to unfold. I just started it and I am miles away to finishing this journey. But as they say, it's not the long journey that matters it's on how you take that journey. Just never ever forget to always pray! For with Him, everything is possible...
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