Working overseas: My Adventure, My Personal Discovery

Posted on 22 September 2017 at 21:15

*Image is credited to healthyplace.com

Working abroad was never a plan for me, neither working for something that I didn't "studied" for.

I have always thought of myself, sitting in an office,dealing with numbers, with papers and enjoying what office job would offer me.

Experienced that kind of work a month after graduation, and worked for about six months.

With too much stress, I was asked to stop working in that office since I have been sickly, that I spent more money for my medicines than my salary.

After less than a year, something tragic happened, our mother died after two weeks in coma (diabetes with a heart problem), I have to look after our father, who was in wheel chair, left leg was amputated due to diabetes too.

Me and my father has been close and maybe the reason why I was asked to do it, but then after three years, he died due to kidney issues.

With my age, looking for a job has been quite difficult, office jobs here in our province is not that much, then my sister asked me to work overseas and be one of the thousands of workers who will be working at home, a HELPER.

The decision I have to make was the hardest, telling myself that, I graduated this course, and becoming a helper felt like "downgrading", but I asked myself too, "What will my pride or ego can give me?"

Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you"--Andrew Murray

*Image is credited to CVmaids.com

What is a domestic helper?

A domestic worker is someone who works within the employer's household, some call it servant, menial.

Its job is to do household chores like, doing the laundry, cleaning the whole house, look after the employer's children, cooking and ironing, I must include car washing since I have done that.

*Image credited to gmanetwork.com

Where and whom did I work and for how long?

I work in the place where there are a lot of Filipinos, in Hong Kong, particularly in the Central of Hong Kong.

My employers are both non-Hong Kong residents, expats. The husband is an American and the wife is a Japanese, they have two adopted children from two different race.

The family that I worked with had made me feel like I am a member of their family, let me join dinner and travelled to Japan, something that changed my "idea" of being one helper, as the other helpers don't have the same treatment as I had, considered myself lucky.

But after less than two years, I have to leave them, my body seem not to be fine, I got some back pains that was unbearable, had to leave the great family.

*Image credited to shutterstock.

What did I get from working as a Domestic Helper?

More than the money, there is something more that I earned, I got to learn a lot, of myself, of the others as well.

Taking a different path, going overseas and working into a "job" that was far from what I academically achieved was an "eye opener".

Not everything that is seen is visible"--Lailah Gifti Akita

I got the chance to see what I am capable of, what can I do to others, and what is really ME.

Meeting other people, from different places of the Philippines to meeting other people from different countries, it was an overwhelming experience.

My eyes had opened to the harsh reality of being away from family, to how others has been treated, on being abused. Their stories that wss kept untold.

There is more than what we saw on our televisions, we read on the news about them, there is more that no words can describe it if you can not be in their shoes.

Some are lucky, like me to have my own room, had the time on when I will be starting and when I will be taking off, while others had the opposite treatment. Like that of a fellow Filipino, whose employers have her passport hidden, of that Indonesian that I met in the backdoor elevator, carrying an aluminum ladder, going down to the garage to wash the car of her employers.

More than lucky, I considered myself blessed.

We are all blessed, but the problem is that, some of us count their blessings, while other count their struggles, challenges and obstacles"--Edmond Mbiaka

The changes of me.

The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It can not be changed without changing our thinking"--Albert Einstein

Perspective.

What I have thought of changing my "directions", to what path I should be taking.

On "gulping" down my so-called pride will lead me to a place that I might be going to, finding what I am here for.

Patience.

I have learned to give more that what I have been giving before I worked overseas, especially when it terms to dealing with kids, though they are nice, there were times that they can really be grumpy.

Listen more.

Always been the "talker".

When I sat down with my fellow helpers, out of curiosity, I asked more than me telling more. Listened to their stories had made me realized that lending ears felt much better than opening my mouth. I understand more now.

Independence.

Relied myself more now.

Asking someone else's help is fine, I still do that. But that is after trying to do it on my own. I have to learn new things, so I have to do it and not to be dependent with others, for too much dependency can make me feel of a "diasbled" person.

The whole experience, how was it?

I had a share of both good and bad.

Had felt sad and cried almost every night on my first month because of being thousand of miles away from my siblings.

My English was put to the test.

But then, I got the chance to travel overseas, in Hong Kong and Japan, where I met more nice kids, depsite the language barrier(thanks to "sign language").

Had experienced what "winter" is without the snow.

Tasted and appreciated the cuisine of other countries.

All in all, I went beyond my "horizon".

So, if someone asked you to take a new "plunge" try to dive on it, you will never know how it feels and what to see there, take life's adventure.

Some things can not be taught; they must be experienced. You never know the most valuable lessons in life until you go through your own journey"--Roy T. Bennett