IS IT WORTH IT? Accounting Professionals reveal Dubai Odyssey II

It takes more than guts and professional prowess to leave one’s comfort zone and withstand the challenges of the foreign land. Alyn, Emman, and Peter courageously took a leap of faith in pursuit of their aspirations, financial goals and currently living out the choice they have made. The first installment (IS IT WORTH IT? Accounting Professionals reveal Dubai Odyssey I) outlines their way to Dubai, the fundamental in and outs of their quest and the opportunities waiting for the hopefuls who want to follow their path overseas. 

This last part taps on the struggles they have to battle to survive and answers the ultimate question: IS IT WORTH IT?                                                                                                        

The Challenges

What are the challenges you have encountered (so far) and how did you cope with those?

Peter: Feeling down and home sick are the most challenging part of being an OFW. There would be a lot of sources of stress that you would want to burst spontaneously. Stress relievers include talking to friends and playing badminton/watching movie with them. In some ways, these activities helped reduce the anxiety from being away from home.

Alyn:   Lovelife… chos. Joke lang! 

Homesickness: being away from my family--my support system. You don’t have any other choice but to be independent and be strong. I make them (family) as my inspiration.

Eman: The first challenge that I encountered was the housing condition. Most OFWs in Dubai stay in flats or villas along with other OFWs. A single flat or villa could house up to 20 persons or more. It could get really crowded. I was lucky because I had a room all to myself when I got here but I lived in a flat along with 21 Filipinos. We had to take turns in going to the bathroom and in using the kitchen. And that took a lot of time.

Another was the noise. Living in a house with over 20 persons could really get noisy especially during night time. I really did not expect to be immersed in this kind of condition because I thought that life abroad would be easy. But eventually, I realized that life here is not easy as opposed to what I imagined back in the Philippines.

How do you deal with homesick?

Peter: “ET Phone Home!” – ET

Playing/watching movies with friends

Bible Study with friends. I met her when they went to our room to wait for my roommate who attends the Bible Study. Now, I also attend the Bible Study at her sister’s place.

Eman: Every time I feel homesick, I find ways to forget about it. I meet friends or talk to my loved ones via skype.

Alyn: Keeping myself busy. Going out with friends, brother and cousins, constantly chatting with mama, and calling once a week to my parents and sister.

 The Verdict

What do you think are the major advantages and disadvantages working in Dubai?

Alyn:

Advantages:

• More opportunities for growth--- career, experiences, knowledge
• Easier to cross country
• Promotion and salary increment is more possible. The common way to achieve this is to transfer to another company for a higher rate.

Disadvantages:

• Citizenship is not possible for expats thus whenever you lose a job, you also lose your visa then you’ll be illegal.
• Requires you to be more flexible as you are dealing with different nationalities and culture.

Peter:

Advantages:

•  Tax Free income
•  Relatively cheaper cost of food and grocery (your income is multiplied by, let’s say, seven but cost of food and grocery is just less than doubled compared to Philippine rates).
• Security – You would not be afraid to walk with your wallet and mobile phones dangling on your side.
• Weather – There’s summer and winter (extreme heat and coldness) but there is also really good weather in Dubai. There’re only few occasions when it will rain so hard. You can compare this with Philippines where there’re typhoons and landslides.
• Chance to improve quality of life in the Philippines – You can send more money so you will have positive impact on your family in the Philippines. And when you will choose to retire, there will be a place where you can rest freely.
• Meeting new people from different places – Dubai is really diversified. You will have friends from all over the world and you will learn their culture. I’ve met someone from Nueva Ecija. She’s lovely. She’s the one.

Disadvantages:

• Expensive Rent – Privacy comes with a price. If you want to live in a place where you have privacy, it will cost so much. So in a room, there will be several people living together. There are 6 of us currently in our room.
• Unhealthy lifestyle – I find it hard to sleep early. I’m already used to being awake until 12mn to 1am. This is the way of life in Dubai. You live at night.

Is it worth it?

Peter: YES!

I’ve found peace and love in Dubai. And there’s pain and heartaches. Spices of life.

Alyn:  YES! I really can’t see any good opportunity or future for me in Phils

Eman: Yes.

The human spirit will always find a way to elevate the quality of one's life. It could go beyond what was formerly thought as a limitation to a surprisingly new landscape of opportunities. Alyn, Peter, and Eman are among those people who courageously made a sacrifice for their families, their dreams, and the life they believe they deserved.