Very hard. Imagine you have young children at home and very little income. Perhaps you’re a single parent.
Finding a job in the Philippines isn’t easy and the salaries can be less than $5 per day. Employers will dictate your age height education and even marital status.
So you make the difficult decision to work overseas. You must find an agency. You must go through training and eventually be matched with an employer.
If you’re fortunate enough you will work In Hong Kong or another Asian country. If you’re less fortunate you will go to the Middle East.
You will work 18–20 hour days. Sometimes you won’t have enough to eat. You might not be allowed even one day off per month. Your passport might be held by your employer.
Many employers will treat you like a slave. You might get be sexually brutalized or beaten by the madam. If your employer wants to get rid of you they might make up a false charge and have you arrested.
Even in the best of circumstances you will miss your kids like crazy. Your husband likely has a girlfriend back home. The family back home thinks you’re rich and demand more money than you can afford. When you finally get a one month vacation they might tell you not to come home. Just keep working and send more money.
You’re so lonely. You embrace religion because it gives you hope.
If you’re fortunate you will survive and live to go home someday. If you’re very fortunate your kids will help you in your old age or you will have some savings to start a small business.
I have OFW friends working In Hong Kong. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. My wife was an OFW for 15 years.
God bless these people. I admire your sacrifice.
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