A Question Based On What I Came Accross
By: Arthur Jan Agustin
February 2007
Intro
Uno - Like Moth To A Flame
DOS - Are You In Or Out
TRES - The Kish Whisperers
QUATRO - Exploited Or Idiotic?
SINGKO - The War Of The Jobseekers
SAIS - Why Some Wounds Will Never Heal
SYETE - Time Will Always Be Gold
OTSO - The Need To Heed
NUWEVE - Of Halos And Wings
DYES - Ingredients To Survive The Ride
ONSE - Home Will 4ever Be Home
DOSE - The Last Words
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Intro
When we talk of curtain, the first thing that comes to our mind is that sheet of cloth that we hang on the windows of our house. It has much purpose. One of which is to conceal something you don’t want anybody to see or discover.
But even if you put numerous sheets of curtains to conceal something, you will still go back to reality unless you do something about it.
This is what I saw behind the curtain, this is what I come across.
This is an introduction to an extra-ordinary experience of extra-ordinary people in an extra-ordinary land.
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When I was still in the Philippines, I was already dreaming of working abroad, that is of course for greener pasture and for that once in a lifetime experience of living outside your native land. We often dream of working to countries that are offering good salary and better future. Countries like USA and Canada topped my personal wish-list. I tried to apply to work in the “Land of the Free” (USA), maybe 4 or 5 years ago, but lady luck did not smile at me. The manpower agency that was about to process my application suddenly discontinued hiring due to misconducts of the first and second batches of OFW’s that they sent to the USA. (We could have been the third and final batch). It did not disappointment me much because I realized that I was not really ready at that time.
My second attempt was about 2 years ago, I applied online (through the internet) and it sent me back an email saying that a company in Dubai is looking for a Store Supervisor. I was lucky enough to be invited for an interview at the agency’s office in Manila, but due to my work commitments and lacked of money to support my stay in Manila; I backed out and did not attend the interview.
After two failed attempts, I concentrated more with my current job during that time and I decided not to pursue that dream anymore, or just even think about it, but, I was wrong.
I really never thought that I will be able to go out of the Philippines and try my luck in a country that is decades ahead of the Philippines, in terms of economic stability and modernization. It was late 2004 when I first heard about Dubai’s booming economy and the promise of a greener pasture to expatriates. “Too many job openings”, “easy visit-visa application”, “cheaper airfare”, “satisfying salary” “direct hiring” and many enticing words. Most openings I heard during that time are mostly in hotels, restaurants and shopping malls. Who can ever forget the movie entitled “Dubai”? It is one of the reasons why in an instant, numerous Filipinos went to UAE.
I can say that lucky are those early batches of “visit-visa” holders and those who were hired via manpower agencies in the Philippines because they were immediately able to land themselves a job. Other’s got lucky because of recommendations from friends and relatives who are already working in Dubai or in other parts of UAE. Of course, not everyone gets lucky. That is the nature of nature. That is the harsh reality of life.
Sometimes I ask myself why people especially us Filipinos always risk our life of going to other countries in exchange of earning ample amount of cash and probably a bright future for our family? I remember when I was a young, a relative of mine once said, “People who desire to work abroad are those people who have no satisfaction in life”. He has a point; he may be right; it’s his opinion, it’s what he stands for. But not all will agree. I’m sure about that. Are you not going to swallow your pride knowing that your family is struggling to surpass the daily challenges of life? Can you withstand the cries of your children because of hunger? Can you breathe easily every time you see your pocket is empty and a loved one needs medication because of an ailment? Filipinos who work abroad really has no satisfaction because there is not enough resources to live life the way we want to live life, lest you forgot, we are living in a third world country. Yes it’s painfully true, but every Filipino who packed his bags to work abroad has a reason for leaving the country. To some, it’s more of life and death. To some it’s a dream, To some it’s an obligation. Every journey in life has a reason.
I can say that I am not an exception. I do also have my own reason why I took the chance to work abroad. I know that everything is still manageable if I stayed back. I am not rich, I was not born on a silver platter but I do still eat 3 times a day, sometimes even more including afternoon snacks, midnight snacks and impromptu snacks, I have a permanent job back home (although there is an on-going battle between happiness and satisfaction) and I’m quite sure that I can easily find another if decided to leave. There are difficulties and struggles but modesty aside, I will still be fine if I stayed back.
I was always thinking of working abroad, and I always told myself that everything will be easy as ABC once I make that “big leap”, I thought it will be a walk in the park, a piece of cake, but honestly it was not.
Every man’s journey in a life has a story to tell. There are triumphs and defeats. There are joys and sadness. There are precious lessons learned. There are memories to be treasured. There are experiences worth forgetting. There are friends to keep and friends to discard.
In every journey, there is no assurance of a fairy-tale ending but there is always an endless promise of hope.
Labels: "What's Behind The Curtain?" - (INTRO)
