It was Overseas Contract Workers or OCW at first. Back then, that’s what the government calls the millions of Filipinos working abroad.

They then changed it to Overseas Filipino Workers or OFW. Whatever the reason was, I don’t really know. And I don’t know either whether it is a compliment or just a way of sucking from us, but the government labels us now as the New Heroes! And why not? Rumor has it that in addition to the mandatory fees being collected from us each time we leave the country, the millions and millions of U.S. dollars we remit make some of the incumbent government employees and officials richer. Or if you want to believe the nicer version that they’ve made, they say that our remittances help the Philippines’
ailing economy.

Working abroad is not something most of us really dreamt of but due to joblessness and poverty at home, it became the best alternative.

If only the government can create enough jobs for us, I don’t think there will be as much OFW around the world right now. Yes, there are some jobs available at home but most of them do not pay well. And the few that pays well are already occupied by someone else who had a better way of ass-kissing than we do or somehow related to someone sitting up there in the corporate ladder.

Money is the most compelling reason why millions of OFWs are scattered around the world – United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Israel, Pakistan, Brunei, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Europe and the United States or even in countries where war is still going on. There are no exceptions. Doctors, nurses, engineers, accountants, technicians, caregivers, factory workers and domestic helpers – all of us have to leave our families to work abroad. It is about earning money for the survival and future of the family we left behind at home. It is about giving our children or siblings something that we ourselves have never had in our younger days. It is about our hope that if we get lucky enough, we may emerge a little richer after a short stint and have a better life.

And that’s why before the country’s ailing economy finally dies, I found myself sitting by the window of a plane operated by an ailing airline heading to some place I only heard of. It’s like some kind of a gamble I took when I left home the first time – I don’t know what’s in store for me on the other side of the world.

Culture Shock

My first destination was the Middle East, in a country they called the top destination of OFWs. Judging by the number of Filipinos I saw at the airport, that would probably be true but the moment I set my foot in, I was able to tell right away that it is definitely not the best. It was so different from the culture I grew up in. Men and women are separated and not allowed to talk or be together, except for couples. The Bible and other religious items not of Islamic nature will be confiscated upon sight and will be thrown in the trash. They are pretty strict that no one is allowed to practice any religion except on places they particularly designated. Not that I am complaining or that I really wanted to practice mine, but I always like to have the option. alcohol are only available illegally and the best sex you can ever have will largely depend on how good you are in molesting yourself. That was a place where practically everything and anything that will make your life happy is almost prohibited.

Fortunately, I never planned to work in this place for too long. Just long enough to learn where to find work next and long enough to make a firm decision never to come back to this place ever again. Thanks for being the target of repeated sexual harassment by the same species as myself. I don’t know about the others, but I am not really comfortable being called “beautiful” or being followed by some bearded men unmindful that like them, I also have a pair of balls.

Living Condition

This is one important aspect which can really affect the lives of OFWs or anyone else working away from home. I was lucky enough that I was able to live with my cousins and was provided with Filipino food and a warm-as-my-own family accommodation, all free of cost. That was a nice opportunity. After all, living with a relative as close as to your family is not a luxury most of us can afford here.

But I have known unfortunate workers from other companies who shared a room with as many as nineteen persons, sharing a common bathroom with nine other rooms with the same number of occupants. It is pretty hard to imagine the chaos every morning when they raced into the bathroom. Add to that the difficulty they have to go through when they live with someone of different nationality whose names you can’t even remember, someone who smiles, looks and winks at you before you go to bed, someone who washes their feet on the same sink you are brushing your teeth, someone who only bathes once in a blue moon or someone whose body odor is more powerful than all the People’s Power we have had.

Problem at the Workplace

Due to the diverse nationalities of workers, having problem in the workplace is inevitable. Racial discrimination, language barriers, different religious beliefs and different cultures are some of the problems we have to deal with at work. However, most professionals are well-equipped to deal with something like that and can somehow easily cope with the situation. Not much of a problem for us, we can somehow deal with it one way or another.

On the other hand, domestic helpers and skilled workers are the ones who suffer the most. And to think that they made up the most number of OFWs is very unsettling. The common complaints of which were maltreatment, sexual abuse, contract violation and non–payment or underpayment of salaries. Some employers are taking advantage of their helplessness by forcing them to do more than they are paid for.

It’s like virtually hanging them upside down and sees what good comes out of their pocket and misuse them. We also often hear appalling stories of violence or even mysterious deaths. The sad part is most of these victims do not bother to take action. The main reasons are due to lack of knowledge on proper protocol, fear of retaliation or merely the belief that nothing good can come out of it.

Emotional Dilemma

For me, I think this is a bigger problem to deal with – homesickness.

Yes, homesickness sets in when we miss our family and friends at home.

For those lucky enough to work in open countries, this problem can be easier dealt with because normal outlets are available. Just spend a little money and you’re done. Unfortunately, there are people who just can’t get enough; lonely men and women who seek companionship that when they found each other, often times the problem becomes more complex. Without realizing it, their relationship becomes deeper that sometimes the very reason why they’re away from their family in the first place is often forgotten. Worst, sometimes it even resulted to permanent damage such as total abandonment or separation.

But for those who work in a place where so many things are not allowed or unavailable, a place where the only thing they can do with pleasure is scratching their balls, it is very, very difficult. They go out in the city and what have they got? Yes, bearded men chasing them will be their best bet. So it is not surprising that most of them opt to stay in their accommodation sitting around with a bunch of people and silently enduring the pain of being separated from their loved ones. And if they can’t take it anymore in silence, you can see grown up men blowing bubbles up their noses with tears rolling down their faces. Those who are man enough to cry, they often resorted to gambling and other vices citing loneliness as an excuse.

That’s why you can hear stories about an OFW who spent two years overseas and yet go home empty-handed.

Time Lost

Some have the good fortune of going on vacation once or twice a year. I have been working away from home for more almost a year now. If I will put together all the time I will spend with my family during all my vacations in ten years, it is barely equivalent to two years. I will never have the pleasure of watching over my loved ones, spend time with them, take care of them when they were sick or being there for them when they needed me. You think that’s bad enough, huh? How about the majority of OFWs who only goes home once in every two years or three years or sometime even more? Some of them are unfortunate enough and becomes strange with their children and spouses. Precious time that cannot be brought back is being lost, precious time that no amount of money could ever buy are gone forever. Unfortunately, we OFWs have to live with that sad reality.

So as you can see, working abroad is not really as easy and as enjoyable as it may seems. This is not for people of lesser caliber or faint-hearted. It is not even worth the strain, anguish and sacrifice of the family separation for most of us. And contrary to what many people back home thinks, we are not just pulling out monies out of our asses here. It involves lots and lots of hard work, sacrifice and suffering.I only wish that my fellow OFW’s will realize that working abroad won’t last a lifetime. They should not turn all their hardships and sacrifices into waste. They should learn to spend wisely, save enough, invest and make a plan so that when the time comes when working abroad is no longer possible, they can still live the life that they once hoped to live.