Continued...
..not all peaches and cream.. Here, we get very little privacy. One room is shared with 3-6 others. Taking a bath is scheduled and there's no one who will do the laundry, pressing, folding, cooking and washing for us! If we overspend, there's no mom/dad or brother or sister who will readily back us up. If we refuse to wake up to our alarm, there's no mom who will persistently nudge us just so we rise! There's no family who prepares our food and ask us how our day went when we get home from work. There's no nagging, the kind that we miss because it makes us feel that we are actually 'present'.
Additionally, there will always be this feeling of "missing out" on living the life that we were 'supposed' to have back home. OFWs here usually only look forward to the time when they get to go home (which happens once a year or once in 2yrs). Sometimes, the focus being only set to that, we get surprised of how quickly time passed and how much of it we have already lost in waiting and preparing for that day.
Personal experience.
First year:
Not so much haircuts as the thought of spending 30-55dhs (350-600php) was just too much.
Eating out limited only to fastfoods and only during weekends ranging from 10-15dhs (120-180php) - that would be McDo, KFC and the like.
Losing even 10dhs (120php) over nothing hurt so much x) LOL
Ice creams. Buying only the cheap ones.. that would be 10-15 dhs too. for 1L.
No mobile phone.
Didn't bring money always.
Happy with the tripod freebie for the camera.
Didn't buy new clothes.
Couldn't understand why people wanted expensive shades or watches.
Eaten food that has gone stale/bad.
Gained weight.
Struggled to make both ends meet.
Compared new friends to old ones.
2nd year:
Gradually adopting to the expenses!
Dining out at Chowking > Pizza Co. > Chili's the most (cost wise)
Losing 10dhs didn't hurt as much as the first.
Occasionally bought Baskin Robbins or Haagen Dazs ice cream..
With low-end prepaid mobile phone.
Bought a good tripod and remote control for the camera.
Still gained weight but attempted to exercise.
Can handle finances well now.
Struggled to build new friendships.
3rd year
Getting the feel of the need to spend -
thinking that since I am here, I must as well enjoy it and experience a bit of Dubai as a 'tourist'.
Tried out nice places to eat. And, dined out even during weekdays.
Enjoyed Coldstone for a while.
Bought a second lens for the camera.
Wanted a better tripod and other camera accessories.
Started a little selfish shopping.
Began to appreciate branded shades and watches.
Accepted and grew fond of the individualities of new friends.
4th year ~
Starts to realize that nothing big (material) happened in the past 3 yrs of working LOL
Finally takes time to contemplate..
Becomes wiser and less hesitant..
Works harder and dreams bigger..
There you go! :) That's how life is.. in Dubai :)
Please note though that to most OFWs, family always comes first. That means, this essay was written only after having considered and provided for our respective families :)
..not all peaches and cream.. Here, we get very little privacy. One room is shared with 3-6 others. Taking a bath is scheduled and there's no one who will do the laundry, pressing, folding, cooking and washing for us! If we overspend, there's no mom/dad or brother or sister who will readily back us up. If we refuse to wake up to our alarm, there's no mom who will persistently nudge us just so we rise! There's no family who prepares our food and ask us how our day went when we get home from work. There's no nagging, the kind that we miss because it makes us feel that we are actually 'present'.
Additionally, there will always be this feeling of "missing out" on living the life that we were 'supposed' to have back home. OFWs here usually only look forward to the time when they get to go home (which happens once a year or once in 2yrs). Sometimes, the focus being only set to that, we get surprised of how quickly time passed and how much of it we have already lost in waiting and preparing for that day.
Personal experience.
First year:
Not so much haircuts as the thought of spending 30-55dhs (350-600php) was just too much.
Eating out limited only to fastfoods and only during weekends ranging from 10-15dhs (120-180php) - that would be McDo, KFC and the like.
Losing even 10dhs (120php) over nothing hurt so much x) LOL
Ice creams. Buying only the cheap ones.. that would be 10-15 dhs too. for 1L.
No mobile phone.
Didn't bring money always.
Happy with the tripod freebie for the camera.
Didn't buy new clothes.
Couldn't understand why people wanted expensive shades or watches.
Eaten food that has gone stale/bad.
Gained weight.
Struggled to make both ends meet.
Compared new friends to old ones.
2nd year:
Gradually adopting to the expenses!
Dining out at Chowking > Pizza Co. > Chili's the most (cost wise)
Losing 10dhs didn't hurt as much as the first.
Occasionally bought Baskin Robbins or Haagen Dazs ice cream..
With low-end prepaid mobile phone.
Bought a good tripod and remote control for the camera.
Still gained weight but attempted to exercise.
Can handle finances well now.
Struggled to build new friendships.
3rd year
Getting the feel of the need to spend -
thinking that since I am here, I must as well enjoy it and experience a bit of Dubai as a 'tourist'.
Tried out nice places to eat. And, dined out even during weekdays.
Enjoyed Coldstone for a while.
Bought a second lens for the camera.
Wanted a better tripod and other camera accessories.
Started a little selfish shopping.
Began to appreciate branded shades and watches.
Accepted and grew fond of the individualities of new friends.
4th year ~
Starts to realize that nothing big (material) happened in the past 3 yrs of working LOL
Finally takes time to contemplate..
Becomes wiser and less hesitant..
Works harder and dreams bigger..
There you go! :) That's how life is.. in Dubai :)
Please note though that to most OFWs, family always comes first. That means, this essay was written only after having considered and provided for our respective families :)
Looking forward for the 5th year ;-)
ReplyDelete:) nalingaw ko kaw.. :)
ReplyDeleteaw, thank you robs :D
ReplyDelete