It has always been my dream to work abroad for the main reason – to earn a lot of money and to give a comfortable life for my family. One of the connotations that comes into my mind whenever I know someone is working abroad is that they have a lot of money, or they are going to be rich in just a few months working abroad (which eventually I realized the total opposite). For Filipinos, it is like a privilege if someone from their family is working abroad because that will mean change – hoping for good.
After I graduated college, I pursued looking for a job abroad. However, I was not lucky enough. I kept trying. I had a job offer to Qatar in 2012. Did my medical exam and took all the necessary requirements, but I did not receive the working visa, so I need to cancel it. I continued working in the Philippines in different corporate industries. Then when I felt like there was no growth for me anymore career-wise, I knew that the only option I had was to try my luck abroad again. So, I decided to contact one of my high school classmates living in Dubai – UAE to ask for her help on how I can go there and look for a job. I am thankful because she did not say no or hesitant to help me but she told me that if I am earning Php30,0000.00 in the Philippines, I need to think twice or multiple times because that is already good money and looking for a job in Dubai that time was getting hard. I was decided so I continued.
I am sure that I want to leave Philippines for my own growth, I want more, I want something new, I want to challenge myself of how much I can go further. I have a lot of dreams for my family, and I think this is what kept me going. I then carry on with my plan.
• Resignation
I have been working for five years in my current company in the Philippines before I decided to go to Dubai. I am compensated well and have a lot of good benefits – allowances, health insurance, promotions but I still felt something was lacking so it was not really a difficult decision for me to resign and leave my comfort zone.
I declared my company ID lost and requested for new one. I kept the old one along with my HMO ID (health card). I took all laboratory and medical tests to make sure that I didn’t have any underlying conditions that would hinder me from going abroad or that would prevent me from getting hired.
• Immigration Process
It has never been easy to go out of the country for Filipinos because the Philippine immigration was so strict with Filipinos. Maybe because there are a lot of cases where Filipinos are going out of the country to look for work abroad and end up working illegally, un-documented or to be in the worst situation. My friend advised me to delete all our conversations in all chat apps because they might check my phone and if they find out that I will go to Dubai they will not let me leave.
I don’t have any relatives in Dubai that can sponsor me so before I leave the Philippines, I planned my way out carefully. It should look like more of a vacation because getting out from the Philippine immigration is very difficult. I dressed casually and had my backpack on. I put all my documents in check-in luggage hidden in between my clothes. I had my bank certificate ready, and I had my hotel booking confirmation as well. I proceeded to the immigration counter, and they started to question where I worked. The officer asked for my company ID, confirmed bookings and the return tickets then put a stamp on my passport. My immigration process was easy at that time. I guess the hack of being an early flight is a good factor to be immediately passed immigration. I departed Philippines on January 20, 2018.
• Cross-Country (Singapore)
I had two hotels confirmed bookings – one for Singapore and one for Thailand. My vacation was supposed to be from Singapore then exit Thailand. I have researched that tourists can travel by land between these two countries and that is what I told the immigration officer. As soon as I landed in Singapore, I had to cancel my hotel bookings for Thailand. I booked online wherein there is an option to cancel it for free one or two days before.
Singapore was the first country I had visited. I never felt nervous at all but full excitement although I was there not for vacation. I am excited for what is coming next – a totally new journey for me determined to achieve my goals. I need to stay in Singapore for at least two days then I leave for Dubai on January 22, 2018.
• Visit Visa
My friend then processed my visit visa when I arrived in Singapore so there will be no trace or records in our immigration. I got my e-Visa on my same-day flight to Dubai. I spent AED 3,500.00 for the three-month visit visa. I took the longer visa just in case I am not able to find a job right away. Singapore immigration process is easy as long as you have the necessary documents to travel. I arrived in Dubai – UAE the night of January 22, 2018 trying my luck – the start of my adventure abroad.
