Being an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) has been one of the most colourful years of my life, which I truly believe that God has planned for me.
Not known to many, I have never planned nor dreamed to work abroad as I was somehow happy with how my young career was going in the business district of Makati. As a bachelor, I was able to sustain my personal needs, wants, as well as help financially my family in the province with what I was earning then. In my late 20s, I already had my long-term plans with regard to my career path and my soon-to-be family. However, as God’s plans are always better than ours, one opportunity has knocked on my mind for a job in the Middle East through a former colleague who recommended me to his boss. With the blessings from my family and my fiancee, I took the leap of faith and entrust everything to God on how things will be on the other side of the world.
During my first year as an OFW, things were going well. Though it was a major adjustment in respect to lifestyle as I was situated in a country whose culture is relatively not like the Philippines. Thank God, the Filipino community in my place was very friendly and accommodating which was a big factor in my adjustment period. Workwise, it was also a major adjustment as aside from dealing with different people from different cultures, I have to exhaust my limited English communication skills all day.
It was during my second year as an OFW when I got happily married. Five months after our wedding, my wife followed me abroad and life as an OFW has never been the same. Living together with my wife has been a very big blessing. No more homesick feeling, I have someone to vent out my frustration at work, the house is always tidy, and most of all, I can request my favourite food from the kitchen.
After being together for more than a year, we were blessed with a handsome baby boy. Again, parenthood was another major adjustment in our life away from our home country. No grandparents or aunts to assist us in case we want to sleep properly, change diapers, bathe the baby, etc. But again, God did not leave us alone as we were able to survive early parenthood. When our firstborn was almost three years old, we were blessed with another adorable baby boy – our growing family has never been so fun-filled.
Life abroad is not always a bed of roses for us, it has its own challenges workwise, and personal-wise. But no matter what the challenges are, my family has always been the main reason why my sanity is still intact. Especially during this time of the pandemic, they have been my source of inspiration, and the reason why I keep telling myself to get up every morning and face the day. It has been more than eight years now since I embraced the life of an overseas worker and if given the chance to stay longer here abroad, I will be more than happy to stay as long as my family is with me.
To all aspiring OFWs, there is no guarantee that things will turn out the way we expect them from the beginning. Risk will always be there as we move out of our comfort zone. But like all risks, they can be avoided with proper management. As such, we just need to be sincere in our work commitments, obey the rules of our host country, be faithful to our family back home and fervently ask guidance from above. With God’s grace, life as an overseas worker will be a joyful journey for us.
About the Author:
Michael John Realista, or John to his friends and family is a former basketball varsity player of Letran-Manila. He was part of the 2003 and 2005 NCAA Champion teams and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy. He decided to join the corporate world and hung his basketball jersey for good. He is based in KSA with his wife; Rhoss and kids; Zach and Zion.
