By: Roms Dungca, Jr, DMD, RN
Back at home (in the Philippines), whenever I feel like writing a new entry in my blog site, in a snap of my fingers, voila!, I could easily compose one and post it right away. But, ever since I arrived here, in a far-flung part of the globe (which is exactly 4 months as of writing) it has been a quagmire to find time to write one -- 'coz of the adjustment period maybe? Or change in time zones and literally change in my body clock as well? Or probably 'coz of the hectic schedule of our duty days especially when I got here it was Ramadan and the work schedule were a bit odd for me, (we literally work until 1 or 2 o'clock in the early morning, or simply 'coz it has not just sunk in that I'm far away from home! ... But, the good news is I now found time to write my very first blog here abroad due to this unavoidable reason... call it a mishap or a blessing in disguise, our net connection in the hotel is quite intermittently losing signal.
Let me first introduce myself, I'm Roms, I'm a Dentist by profession (and RN as well tho' I didn't have the privilege to practice it), I'm married with a lovely wifey who's also a RN, and I'm a proud father of a precious cutie 4 year old daughter.
I graduated Dentistry in CEU in 2001 and since then I jumped from being an assistant dentist, to an associate dentist, to a reliever dentist, to owning my private clinic. I also took up my second course BSN in 2005 and graduated in 2008, took & passed the boards the same year. (RFS: reason for studying? In search of greener pasture,'coz that time Nursing was such a hit and sure way to enter US or UK, unfortunately, when I graduated in 2008, the recession came in, and the rest is history, and my so called American Dream slowly met its untimely demise...)
Come to think of it, when I was just a Dental student, It never occurred to me to work overseas simply 'coz of the reason that I want to be my own boss, (that's why I preferred Dentistry over other science courses), however, when I graduated, i initially thought to work as an assistant or associate to learn the ins and outs of a private practice, little did I realize that learning is a continuous process, so even if I have a private practice, I'm still an associate to other clinics as well... Primarily for the new learnings that I may get... But the story turned the other way around, when June of 2015 I received an offer so irresistible that I had to talk it over with my wife and of course, to cut the long story short, I grabbed the opportunity to work here in Hargeisa, East Africa as a Dentist in a private clinic. (Another blog regarding my experience in getting here from Pinas will be posted soon, it's quite fascinating tho') but for a moment let me head to the main topic of this blog -- my insights on being an OFW, a newbie, a neophyte, an apprentice at that and what an OFW has to learn while working abroad.
Now, enough about myself and let's get to the main reason why I am writing this blog.
---------
WARNING: This article is pretty lengthy and may contain some grammar or typo errors, kindly bear with me 'coz I don't have much luxury of time to proofread and edit it out. (Also, if you love pastillas, you might not like this much, hahaha)
DISCLAIMER: I won't pretend that I'm an expert and that I know everything especially with Pinoys working abroad or OFW's, but this is just what I've experienced, (short yet meaningful -- it's officially my 4th month here as of this writing) learned through chatting with my OFW buddies here and have observed with other friend OFWs from other countries.
For purposes of emphasis and prioritization, I've clustered my insights into 3 categories: the needs to learn, will learn and must learn. So here it goes.
What every Newbie OFW Needs to Learn...
1. BE DECISIVE. Have Prompt but Sound Wise Decisions.
Like what I've revealed in my prologue, i never really entertained the thought of working abroad and be away from my loved ones, I studied Nursing yes, not to work alone but embark on a life journey with my wifey, in effect it will never seem that I'm categorically an OFW, but more of an immigrant, that was our dream, me and my wife, and still is... To live with our daughter in a first world country like USA, UK, Canada or the like.
However, things will never always work the way you planned it to be, I believe that God's plan is better. Inevitably, an opportunity of this sort knocked on my door at a time that we need some financial boost for our future plans. And so I grabbed an offer which I believe is Divine Providence 'coz of how things occurred way too fast, it all happened in just 2weeks, from my interview to my job offer, from cracking the news to my patients to my visa and air tickets prepped, from saying goodbyes to loved ones to my departure. It was surreal but true!
It occurred to me, that my DECISION was the key after all, the head dentist who conducted my interview told me that the prompt and determined decision I made was essentially the thing that mattered -- and I'm glad that I made such a decision.
So for people, or fellow newbie OFWs believe me when I tell you that making a prompt wise decision in whatever you encounter will always make the difference. When I say prompt, it doesn't mean careless but rather decisive -- quick but resolute!
If you have a too good to be true offer, then you must post a BIG question mark until all your questions are answered. Have a background check first, with POEA, the Agency, the company, the employer, the location -- check everything, don't leave a grey area at the back of your mind. And if it's all validated then GO FOR IT!
2. BE INDEPENDENT... but know when to ask for help and always fight for your rights!
If it's your first time out of the country alone, then I say you need to be independent. So if you're contemplating of applying for a job overseas or about to leave for your first stint as a foreign worker then I suggest until your set foot on the plane, learn how to do things on your own.
In my case, I learned being independent when I got married, independence doesn't just account the know-hows of doing household chores like cooking your own meal, fixing things, doing the laundry and ironing but all sort of things like how to find your way to going somewhere or how to find for a remittance center, or finding the things you need. It's also a plus that I've been to Singapore before so I know what to expect and how to deal with locals.
But of course, asking for one's help is absolutely the best way to do things easier. It will also help build your inter social interactions with the locals in wherever you are working. But, it is better if you seek assistance from fellow Filipinos, I bet there are dozens wherever it is. I'm just fortunate that I have 3 fellow Pinoys in my work and accommodation, so it's a relief. If in case, you're alone don't despair, live with it for sure you'll get the hang of it in 1 or 2 month's time.
On the other hand, things may not always work the way you planned it out or the way you want it to go, so be diligent and always know when to fight for your rights. You may be in a foreign land but you've still got right as a human being; Firstly, know the where the Philippine embassy is, it will surely keep in handy. Secondly, be friends with fellow Filipinos within your area 'coz one day you might need their help or worse -- rescue!
Just like what one of my buddies here, who worked in several countries before settling here for almost 12 years now... He worked in Bahrain as a dental technician with a local dentist employer, at first it was smooth but things got shaky, he was never paid the right wage and never got the necessary privileges that were agreed before employment. when he thought he wanted to say quits and leave his job, that's when the dilemma came, he was framed by his employer for theft and was reported to the police, luckily the police were fair to hear his side -- to cut the long story short, he was not imprisoned, was given an air ticket back home and received at least half of the benefits he was supposedly given -- fair enough!
"Never be afraid to fight for your rights, there is a God who makes a way where there seems to be no way."
3. Immediately LEARN the LOCAL LANGUAGE.
It would be wise to learn a few local words to get you through the day, not all locals in a foreign country would entertain you speaking in English, though some understand it. it's a form of courtesy having to know how to speak their local language, it doesn't need to be fluent nor in complete sentence, just the phrase will do.
By saying immediately, I only mean the key words that you need to know. For starters, learning the greetings like good morning, how are you and it's a great day is fine. I would also suggest to learn the words that you would most often use at work.
In addition, It would be best to know the words used in the market place, like the local delicacies, the money, numbers, goods, and how to deal with the prices (tawad* in Tagalog)
Most importantly, know the Special words like THANK YOU, you're welcome, excuse me, and I'm sorry. I bet that it will come in handy.
How to do it? In my case, our clinic's staff are all locals so from time to time, when I want to learn a specific word or phrase I ask them to translate it to me and don't forget to try to mimic their pronunciation and intonation otherwise the locals won't understand you.
4. ADAPT TO CHANGE.
The only permanent thing in this world is change, may be a cliche to others but it's totally true! If you're the type of person who is introvert, shy type, loner,,, you will eventually need to overcome such behavior and be exactly the opposite in order for you to survive being overseas.
"If you want to have something that you never had, you have to do something you never did"... Exactly the principle of adaptation, you've got to be willing to exert extra effort to anything that comes your way. Just like what a caterpillar has to undergo to become a full pledged butterfly -- adapt to every circumstance in your life.
5. Battle NOSTALGIA MOMENTS!
Homesickness is probably the worst enemy known to any OFW there is! Chances are if you can't suppress the intense feeling of loneliness you either end up with one of these scenarios: you go home earlier as expected, breach your contract & come home empty handed or you can't do your job well, get depressed and find your way back home! Oh man! It's almost the same tho'... But wait, there are a lot of things to battle the BIG D!
First, is to adapt to change what I said on tip #4, Never! in your entire stint abroad isolate yourself! 'Coz if you do, two things may happen; you'll get used to it and then find yourself slowly gettin' depressed or your housemates/workmates will assume that you like to be alone & as result they get used to it and will never bother asking if you need company at all, tho' not all the time.
Second, we are in the age of millennials my friend, there's a thing called Internet and social media! Long gone are the days of snail mail and long distance phone call. We have YM, Skype, WeChat among others. It's a lot easier to make contact in any part of the globe. It's Good, if you're all by yourself yet you're chatting with your loved ones or friends back home, you certainly will not miss them... But, personally I think it's a lot difficult if you do it routinely 'coz the more you will miss them and for sure the more lengthy your convo, the more problems you could talk rather than just catching up... but, it's just my own view, it might still work for you.
Third, find a past time to get hooked to, for instance read a book, write a blog, watch Movies online or in my case get hooked on watching live streaming of Pinoy TV shows like Eat Bulaga -- I'm pretty sure you won't miss much Pinas with this trick not to mention you get an instant stress reliever -- try watching Kalyeserye of Eat Bulaga and apparently you'll get hooked with AlDub as well! (A little bias lol)
The key point is to have fun; look for fun stuff... Don't dwell on your I-miss-the-feel-of-Christmas-In-Pinas thought all the time, although it's terribly true! Just fight it! Always remember, in a battle, those who succumbs lose and those who fights win!
Now, let's go to the things that YOU WILL INEVITABLY LEARN...
6. LEARN A NEW SKILL (or not a new skill but a forgotten one, just needs enhancement and practice)
What do I mean by learning or relearning a skill? Take my case for example, in my more than a decade of experience in Dentistry, I have almost practiced all its discipline from general, aesthetics*, prosthodontics*, orthodontics*, minor surgery* but almost never endodontics*? Why because of probably the risk and difficulty it pose to both patients and dentist. However, in my new workplace RCT* is a must know-how! Simply because 90% of our clinic's cases are RCT related . So I need to find courage and slowly pace myself in re-doing an old skill that I know and put it into usage.
Re-invention is very useful... In whatever field you are, it will just prove that you are up to any challenge and that you are willing to go beyond your comfort zone. Break the status quo! Anything is learned, in this case, can be relearned! So never put into your mind that you cannot! Because in a foreign land, you need to show them that you can, or your arse will be kicked out!
7. LEARN A NEW SPORT (You need an active lifestyle)
Sports in whatever form is good for one's health and mind. It's a good stress reliever because studies reveal that it releases endorphins that literally keeps a person sane! How about that?
Not necessary a new sport though, if there's access in your current place to do your fave sport or go on jogging or brisk walking why not, but it's a lot interesting to do what your new friends/companions are into -- to blend in and to show your eagerness to fit in.
After all, learning a new sport is way cooler than doing nothing new at all! I'd never thought I'd play the game of Millionaires -- no folks, not GOLF but TENNIS!
8. BE HEALTHY... eat healthy, have enough sleep, avoid vices, look for a stress reliever!
"You are what our eat", so refrain from eating crap! You are not in the comfort of your homes anymore, if you're not that keen before on what you eat, this time around you should 'coz it's the key to your overall well-being. As much as possible, cook you own food! - you'll never know how the local dishes are prepared and if it's totally healthy.
Try to look for the market place where you can get fresh fruits and veggies. Of course, rice as our staple food is still a good source of carbo. For protein source try to eat more of fish and chicken (though I would advise to remove the skin before cooking it), occasional beef and pork is okay, for eggs try to look for organic or native ones. Learn how to cook a variety of dishes so you would not get bored, refrain from frying almost everyday -- add spice to your life and your cooking!
I know that there's a time zone difference and most likely we are always hours late compared to Pinas, but try to find a convenient time to chat with your loved ones, never stay up so late especially in the wee hours just to chat with your loved ones -- it's not advisably healthy!
If you've got vices, keep it in moderation or better yet try to abstain from it especially smoking. Occasional drinking while hanging out with fellow Pinoys on your rest day would be utterly fine but never go overboard -- too much of something is always isn't good!
STRESS is the number one enemy when you work abroad, a lot of health problems are indeed stress-related so try to fight it! How? There are several ways, as individuals with different coping mechanisms, we may have different ways to combat stress effectively, but LAUGHTER is still the best medicine! So, I'd say anything that would make you laugh is a good one. It may be reading a book or an article, writing a blog or poems (just don't get too sentimental or nostalgic or else it would cause more harm than good), listening to your favorite music (I myself keep a playlist on my smartphone and would always listen to it even when at my clinic duty, as long as it's okay with your boss, I'd say ready your headset and never play it on speaker for obvious reasons), hitting the gym is also good physically and psychologically, and of course, watching your fave shows online (I usually watch currently released movies and even TV series like Game of Thrones, TWD, etc., on watch32.com -- and of course, nothing beats our own tv shows luckily if you have PinoyTV or TFC you won't miss Pinas shows, if not you can just look for FB pages or YouTube videos of your fave shows. Personally, nowadays I'm hooked with Eat Bulaga's KalyeSerye featuring the hottest and trendiest love team in Pinas and abroad which is AlDub)
The gist is to continue enjoying life even if we're miles away from our loved ones. Working our a$$ off in a foreign land should never be a hindrance to living a fun-filled and goal-centered life at all.
9. INNOVATE, when it comes to your workplace, accommodations, food, etc
Variety in anything is always a pleasant way to do things! You've got new ideas, let it flow, do it! It will save you from boredom and repetitiveness. Be it in your workplace or the place you live or with the food you eat -- it's always good to try out new things!
For starters, tho' your work calls for routine, somehow do something that will break the ice and monotony, it will be a great idea to do something different once in a while, whether at work or your home, even with the food you eat. Creativity never goes out of trend, they say.
Eventually, you will discover these things and apply it little by little,
10. Develop a Strong Character/will/determination!
Being a person with a strong will is not learned overnight, but it can still be learned. We have the saying, "Leaders are not born, they are made" is very true, no one is born with powers, reality speaking. However, developing such a character takes great focus and determination. Find mentors who will train you to bring out the best in you. Find a fiend who will not just encourage you in your down moments but criticize will criticize your shortcomings as well. This is to balance the ego and alter ego in you!
Before, I usually look at OFW's as someone who has angst and arrogance in them, somehow! But it totally changed when I got here, it's not the arrogance but their richness in experience and the strong character that they have developed from working abroad that made them into what they are now. Give credit to where it's due and I'd say it's really the vast experience that an OFW gets from dealing with a diverse culture, real hard labor, tough circumstances, sleepless nights, overcoming stress and homesickness and finding themselves fully -- It may seem like soul-searching and once an OFW comes home, I'd say he has indeed found not just himself but his soul as well!
THE MUST LEARNS...
11. BE SAFE ALWAYS! In every sense of the word!
Safety first! Should be your new mantra as a newbie OFW!
Be safe always in every sense of the word is a no nonsense and no brainier! It should be always in our minds and system whenever, whatever, wherever we are! Especially if you're like me in the medical field, we are prone to cross contamination and needle prick! The dreaded NEEDLE! Or you're into machineries and life-threatening jobs then safety must be our breakfast, meaning the first thing that comes into our minds. Be always alert! Be always ready for any untoward incidents.
If you happen to working in a ship, whether a cruise ship or tanker, always prepare for the worse and be always alert. If you're an FA or cabin crew, or medical EMT, fire rescue, or police/military -- tho' you're heavily trained for emergencies, be always on guard, things are different in actuality. Always protect yourself first. And by protection, it may also mean... you know what I'm driving at.... Always have your protection with you!
This is the most essential thing I've learned in my Red Cross training -- in any emergency, be sure that you are not the one being rescued. Got it!?
12. BE NICE... Be courteous and be humble every time -- even if
others aren't!
Being nice is vague! It encompasses all the good there is tho' not that specific! As much as possible, always wear the face of friendliness and never of sarcasm. Always smile -- it's practically free! They say it only take one muscle to smile and thirty to frown so why bother using a lot more, right?
Courtesy should be given to everybody most especially to your bosses. Everyday, make it a habit to extend your way and greet your boss a good day, who knows it may even make his/her day when you do.
Humility is something that is often neglected by many, mainly because somehow they attribute it to weakness. I'd say that it's a big NO NO! By all means of transportation (old joke). Modesty simply is keeping your feet on the ground even if others treat you someone very dignified or respectable. Don't put it into your head for the air will never leave, then PRIDE sets in.
Remember to be nice, courteous and humble at all times, even most of the times others are not, it will prove your worthiness in the long run, as the bible says, "those who exult themselves will be humbled and those humble themselves will be a exalted," it is better to be the hero than the villain as simple as that.
13. RESPECT the Culture, Tradition, Beliefs and Religion wherever you are!
Respect begets respect! this is one mantra you should inculcate in your mind and being. It's wise to do so because there this thing called "The Law of Reciprocity", doing something good in order to get something good in return as well. It's the same with Jesus' greatest commandment "Love one another as I have loved you", because God the Father unconditionally and willingly sacrificed His Son to save humanity.
Naturally, if you live to respect the culture, tradition, beliefs, religion of people where you are right now, they will do the same to you. And I personally have witnessed this in my 4months stay here in Hargeisa, where Islam is the only religion.
However, not all circumstances are the same, it may never be same with others. The point is to do it whole-heartedly, so that you will radiate that authenticity, and I know somehow it will transcend to thepeople around you.
14. LEARN TO LIVE A FRUGAL LIFE!
FRUGAL. Adj. meaning SIMPLE and PLAIN
It's that simple! Yes, I get it, you now have money to spend and live the life you wanted to live -- so for the first month, you spend half of your money in buying luxurious and branded things that you never had before, and you also remit money for your family without telling them to save some. Well, accepted, it's your first pay, so naturally you tend to live with the Pinoy of mantra: "Gastusin ang unang sweldo, para may Balik" ... Unfortunately, this becomes a routine for over a year, a couple of years, and many years... And then suddenly, the worst thing that could happen as an employee happened -- your contract ends, you became laid off, or your company declared bankruptcy! So what will happen? So inherently, you have to come back home then you suddenly realize that you haven't saved any money! It's a nightmare! This may seem very unrealistic but it happens and may happen if you're not careful with your spending habits!
I'm just fortunate that my companions here are expert OFWs, one has been to KSA for a couple of years, Bahrain for 6 years, Qatar in 2 years, already before he worked here for 12 years now as our dental technician. And he candidly told me his story as an OFW, he said he had a fair share of ups and downs,,, yet he told me, that he never had a chance to save and invest while working abroad -- mainly because of the lifestyle he had then, he said he would often buy things, spend money deliberately knowing that he'd earn next month... Little did he realize that each time he comes home, he has no savings nor bought any property at all. So he made a promise, that the last time he would save and invest his money -- so now he did! For roughly 12 years working here, he has laboratory equipment ready for his retirement to put up his own laboratory in Pinas, he now owns a home to call his own and he is even into PSE now! Isn't that amazing!?
Experience is the best teacher, YES! But you don't have to commit the same mistakes before you learn your lesson! we can learn a lot from the experiences and failures of people who have experienced it already!
15. LEARN HOW TO SAVE! For your -- and your Family's -- future!
Primarily, the purpose why Pinoys opt to work abroad and be away a from their loved ones is to earn money, save for the future and have a decent life for their loved ones. Ironically, mostly if not all OFW, come home empty handed worst with debts left and right!
The main culprit i think is the lack of two important things: knowledge and discipline. Because your goal is to earn money , it's a numbers game, you have to know when and how to spend and save your money. Almost all Financial gurus from the likes of Robert Kiyosaki, Bo Sanchez, Chinkee Tan would advise this formula:
Earnings/Salary - Savings = Expenses
however, this is what typically happens to most people or household,
Earnings/Salary - Expenses (bills, debts, loans, luxury, credit card debts) = (0 Savings, sometimes with large sum of unsettled debts)
I know it's difficult but when will you start saving when you are about to retire or go home? There are a lot of books and ebooks to read and gain knowledge about saving.
I'd recommend some of my personally read books -- Rich Dad, Poor Dad and freedom from. Bad debt of Robert Kiyosaki, 'til debt do us part and for richer or for poorer of Chinkee Tan, 8Secrets of the Truly Rich and other inspirational books from Bo Sanchez and a lot more... You can start reading now and learn the fundamentals of savings and being debt free now, there are a lot of free ebooks online to download, so you don't have any excuse at all.
I know some of you have responsibilities to your loved ones but there's a thing called prioritization, you need to prioritize in order for you to save money or else everything will just slip away from your grasp and time will come that you would resent why you never saved at all.
"Your thoughts become words, your words become actions, your actions become HABITS, your habits become your CHARACTER! Your character become your destiny" so be careful with your thoughts, 'coz it starts from what you think, if you think poorly, you'd end up poor, but if you think abundance, then you become RICH!
And lastly, it's not a thing to LEARN but rather to LIVE -- PRAY always!
Read my other blogs on www.truefreedomwithdocroms.blogspot.com
Follow me on Twitter: @docromstw360
Follow me on IG: @romsDMD
Like my FB pages:
www.facebook.com/docroms
www.facebook.com/dDentClinic
www.facebook.com/healthandwealthentwined
Walang komento:
Mag-post ng isang Komento