OFW Journals (OFW Stories on the News) and Some OFW Employment, Career & Business Tips

Life Being an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker)

The day my husband left to work overseas was one of the saddest days in our family life. I pity my daughter because she is very close to her father and I was quite worried that she will be upset when her daddy leaves for a long time.

In the life of a typical Filipino family, this situation is very common because parents would like to give better future to their loved ones especially for their children. Good opportunities in the Philippines are not abundant to achieve most of their dreams. Working abroad is one way of fulfilling these dreams.

But working abroad does not always give full beneficial returns for each of the Overseas Filipino Workers. Some may be very lucky to have a very kind employer but some may not. Some can get the perfect job that they really wanted, others cannot. Some gets high paying jobs, some do not. Some Overseas Filipino Workers have the opportunity to bring their families with them but some do not.

Along with financial gains from working as an OFW comes sad-ending stories, disadvantages or sometimes a permanent damage. Take for example, cases of abuse against our Filipina domestic helpers, battling illness alone in a foreign land without any member of the family to attend to your needs and homesickness.

Family relationship wise, the foundation of this relationship becomes weak because of the physical distance that is built when one leaves home for another country. Usual contractual jobs would last for two or more years. There are cases that an OFW who left his wife and children in the Philippines would be weak enough to give in to philandering. But this does not happen only abroad, it could also happen with the spouse who was left behind.

Children were not guided properly. Sometimes, both parents are working abroad and children would only be left under the guidance of one of their relatives. Sometimes the guardian cannot fully discipline them that can cause children to be stubborn. Long separation also creates gaps between the parents and children; closeness with each other is not firm or strong anymore.

For the Overseas Filipino Worker, working abroad without saving extra income for the retirement years is one of the big mistakes that should be avoided. This is the reason why many Overseas Filipino Workers are coming back to the country for retirement but are not successful. Finding local jobs after working abroad is also a problem for the Ex-Overseas Filipino Workers. Some company are choosy and doesn't want to accept applicants whose job experience is outside Philippines. You can be accepted in a local job sometimes, but the salary would not be the same as when working abroad. That is why, although they would like to stay at home, they are forced to leave the country again and bear the hardships of being alone and far from loved ones….and so the cycle goes on.

The sacrifices of Overseas Filipino Workers cannot be avoided as they need to struggle to fulfill their dreams and to achieve success in life. Those hardships and sacrifices should bear good fruits rather than withered tree.

********************************************
If you think this article is worth reading and you'd like to feature in your own website, newsletter, magazine or gazette, please ask permission from the Administrator. Email Us at admin@ofw-connect.com. For non-profit and personal website, just link back to us.

Copyright©2003 OFW Connect (Revised November 2004-LH)
******************************************