To be an OFW -- What are the Tradeoffs?

[rishee]

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mao jud... ayaw anang illegal oi... lisod raba ang pag sawm balik padong dri.. hehe.

never ever go into something like this kay na! dili na jud mo kagawas ever again!

[giddyboy]

to be an OFW, what are the trade offs? hmmm

if u target the US:

for sure, you will be missing the life in the Phils...no matter how poor u r before going abroad, u will still miss the life here. the beaches, barbecues & puso, ginabot, tungol, balut, utan bisaya, manok bisaya, watching the day pass by outside your patio w/ friends or relatives holding bottles of beer (bsan kda semana pa), the laughter, the sari-sari stores, the sidewalk vendors, your househelp, ur neighbor's noise, the tiktilaok of the rooster...

just remember, in the US, you will be the one to dry-clean, wash & iron ur laundry, cook ur food, clean ur house, clean ur car, take care of your kid, etc...it's a total overhaul of ur lifestyle before.

i have friends who live more than a decade already in the US. and what did they say? if only they have saved money enough to last their lifetime, they would go back to Cebu and spend & invest their retirement here. why do u think lots of retired Americans & Japanese prefer to spend their remaining life here? because life here is SIMPLE.

another trade off is missing ur family. this is usually the source of DEPRESSION...unless all ur family is there, it is never gonna be the same even if u see them everyday thru the webcam. but as long as u r single and no bf or gf left behind, u r more than OK...but still it depends. i have a younger brother (single) who during his first year abroad, called home once or twice a week crying like a baby telling stories that he was sick to the bone being homesick. i also have a friend who is now living in NJ since 2002 pa. she is already married to a fellow Pinoy there for 2 yrs and still she is telling us how she is depressed and homesick!!!

not all people want to go abroad. not all people cannot imagine themselves living abroad. and i am one of them.

i already tried (in NJ & CA) but one thing is for sure, the grass is not always greener at the other side of the fence. sometimes it is better to keep your own grass greener instead.

if u really wanna work & live in the US, it is best to PREPARE YOURSELF mentally and psychologically... don't only think twice. think it over many times...also have a specialized skill like IT, nursing or PT. it gives u way above average compensation than just a usual 8-10 dollar per hour job. that way, u can afford to go home every year with extra cash to burn.

now working in HK, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, is a diff. story. at least u deal w/ Asians that are not so diff. from us...usa pud, duol ra ug barato ra ang plete ig uli.

[munzter666]

To go abroad seems to be an easy choice for those who believe that this country offers little or no future at all. While the future holds bright to those who have the skills/competencies, albeit, it brings with it its social and economic implications -- brain drain, shattered relationships [in many families] are just some of the most common problems noted by sociologists.

So why do Filipinos choose to become OFWs, is it only just for the money? Risking lives or loved ones really worth the trouble?

IMO, most OFWs support a family...with that in mind, a father/mother/daughter/son is willing to sacrifice a lot of things to support their loved ones...that includes working in a foreign land.

i think it also serves as a pressure release valve for some...especially for those who got "screwed" by the system or the government...or for those folks who are just fed up.haha

they have the option to seek greener pastures outside, rather than mag rebelde ad2 bukid o mag NPA ba.hehe

[sexyporsche]

MONEY in exchange for comfort,love,relationships,friends,family,etc

money cannot buy those things..

[cebu-future]

Reason why people work abroad, for the sake of the family. Someone has to sacrifice para naa ipa eskwela sa mga anak or kapamilya. Para makapalit og livable nga house. To have a good life like what this idiots from the government have.

[silent-kill]

money makes the world go round.

[rishee]

pait oi.. puro nlng money ang reason

[cebu-future]

Remember, ang hospital dili mudawat nimo kung wala kay down payment ahaha

[chad_tukes]

kung OFW atong storyaan, it all boils down to MONEY and GOOD QUALITY of living ra gyud. i mean, why would someone go abroad para malayo sa iyang pamilya? coz he/she knows he will surely make more money abroad than in PINAS and he would make enough money para mapada sa iyang loved ones. kitang mga pinoys we kinda have this tendency to be materialistic in so many ways.

for most of us, GOOD LIFE = material things.

opinyon rana nako ha and some of you might disagree with me.. base ra pud ni sa akong obserbasyon. i know some friends here in the US nga mu trabaho ug 16 hours/day, 7 days a week para lang makapada ug kwarta sa pinas, and they don't have money left for their own spending. i mean, there's nothing wrong with that man tingali. it's just so unfortunate nga malayo ta sa atong pamilya and walay quality time for the family kay LAYO pa, ga sige pa gyud ug trabaho.

makes me wonder, mas importante siguro ang MONEY kaysa PAMILYA. aw ako ra pud na ha. wa ko nag sulti SAYUP pero it's just a thought.

nya most of the time pa gyud, these people who work hard kay KAYOD raba gyud sa taman. nya ang mga taw sa atoa wa gyud tawn ka realize unsa ka HAGO ang mu trabaho diri, patuyang lang pud ug gasto.

[rishee]

huhuhhu.....