Soon all my Sacrifices will be worth It.

it's almost 3 months since i left the Philippines. By this time, I should be okay already. I should've adjusted myself already. I don't think of what and who i left when i am at work, but on rest days, I always end up devastated. God how much i miss my family and friends. Maybe I'm not used of staying at home for rest days. I would love to go out and see the beauty of Doha, but it's not possible cause you always need money to search something here in Doha. I am tightening my belt so i could pay for all my debts and to send money for my family. I miss my girlfriend so much. I wasn't, really, prepared for this. I have given her all my time, and now it's hard having all the time for myself. I end up crying over petty series and Filipino Movies.

I'm not like the other OFWs that has roommate that has the same job as i do. I can't be with my sister-in-law who's my only family here in Doha, because it's not allowed. I'm not like the other OFW's that came to this country with a job, i needed to search for it, I'm not like the other Nurses who went here and expecting to do a work they have practiced. It's hard to be alone really. Alone in a foreign country. I have friends at work indeed, but on rest days they have different things to do. Soon i will have my new room mate, but i know he would not make a difference. It's hard but i know God will always see my sacrifices. Soon He will repay it. 

This is the hardest part of being away from love ones. I should not feel home sick. I prayed for this. Now I'm praying to God to provide me with all the strength i need to hold on to everything. and i pray that soon all my sacrifices will be worth it.

ang pambubuking!

Ang sarap isipin na ang isang katulad nya ay ikakasal na. hehe at bago ka ikasal, gusto ko lang magkwento kung ano bang klase talaga itong lalaking papakasalan ni Sarah Jane Obello. ito ang pambubuking. Pambubuking hindi lamang kay YSON kundi sa iba pang katropang umikot sa buhay nya. Past is past ang drama natin ngayon ha hihi walang pikunan sa mga taong mababanggit!Regalo nalang natin kay Yson ang ating pagbabalik tanaw.

Nung high school kami ni Geeson, halos parehas kami ng mga gusto sa isang babae. The only problem is, the girls she used to admire, admires him also. Unlike me. Sabi ko, ano naman kaya ang meron ito na wala ako. Mas matalino ako, Mas gwapo naman ako, mas popyular naman ako. Pero iba talaga ang karisma ng kaibigan kong ito. 

Izon ang spelling ng nickname nya dati, sabi ko ang pangit, palitan natin ng Yson. Magmula nun, Yson na ang spelling ng pangalan nya.

Naalala ko nung high school, Si SHADEN  ang unang crush ni Yson. Nagandahan kasi si Yson kay Shaden nung prom. Humingi sya ng tulong kay LESNEY na ilakad sya, pero ang nangyari Si Lesney at Si Shaden ang naging mag syota.

Naalala ko nung high school, ang unang una nyang niligawan ay si CRISTAL, siguro dahil sa panunulsol narin ng kaibigan naming si KENO. Sabi ni Cristal hindi naman talaga mahirap mahalin si Yson, kasi masaya daw syang kasama, kaya lang hindi pa daw handa si Cristal. Ngayon si Cristal ay girlfriend ngayon ng kanyang kapatid at may anak silang AMBER ang pangalan. 

Naalala ko nung highschool, May isa akong crush, at talagang gusto ko ligawan, itago natin sa pangalang SKY pero nung ako ay napromote sa star section aba biglang naging close itong si babae kay lalaki. sa sobrang close nila ng babae naalala ko pa na ang opening message sa cellphone ni Sky ay "NOSY" na nakasulat sa hindi maintindihan na lingwahe pero alam ko na si NOSY ito. Nabansagan pa nga sya ni JOHN PAUL na the most scoring machine dahil sa pananantsing niti.Nagdrama ako. sa sobrang galit ko kunwari hindi ko pinansin si babae at si lalaki. hindi nila ako parehas natiis. Si Sky, pinalitan ang opening message nya ng "Back to Don"., at si Yson, kahit siguro ay gusto pa rin yung babae, hindi na itinuloy ang panliligaw. syempre masaya ako! :) at nangako kami na wala ng ligawan sa barkada. Ngayon si babae, kinasal na sa dating naming kaschool mate na si RYAN at isa na syang Mrs. del Rosario..

Nung kami ni Yson ay nag college, Parehas na sa Baguio kami nag aral. Umiba ang itsura nya, medyo umayos. at naging chickboy. Una nyang naging girlfriend sa college si WINNILYN. Dahil din kay Winnilyn, ay nasapak sya ng Ex nya na si MARWIN. Galit na galit si Yson kasi hindi sya nakabawi. at sigurado ako hanggang ngayon ay masakit parin ang loob ni yson na hindi nakabawi.

Nung ako ay huminto sa pag aaral dahil ako ay pupunta sana ng ITALY, inamin nya na pinagdasal daw nya na hindi ako matuloy kasi wala na raw silang tatambayan. Bwisit ka sabi ko, pero di ko pa rin naman magawang magalit.

Bumalik ako sa College kasi sabi nya "habang nagaantay ka pa lang naman eh mag aral ka muna". Sabi ko "o sige pero ayaw ko na ng Nursing, mag dedentistry na lang ako, samahan mo ko sa UB". Pumila kami matagal sa registration ng College of Dentistry. At nung ako na ang mag eenrol sinabi nya sa kin na " sayang naman pero bro yung Nursing naumpisahan mo na, tapusin mo nalang".. ayun naenrol ako sa nursing uli ng UB.

Sa College naging mas close kami ni Yson. at mas naging close sila ni LUDIFE. sa sobrang naging close sila,  naging Sila. tinago nilang parehas sa akin yun. Naalala ko pa nung may mga sleep over nun, gumigitna ako sa kanilang dalawa dahil nakakahalata na ako. Nalaman ko lang na naging sila dahil minsan nagpunta ako sa bahay nila Yson, wala si yson dun ang nandoon ay si DAN. kinausap ko si Dan. ang sabi nya "gago nga si yson alam naman nya yung feelings ko kay Ludife". Ayun naconfirm ko. Galit na galit ako kay Yson, ang dami kong tinext sa kanya, pati kay Ludife din. Kesyo "Diba may promise tayo na wala ng magliligawan sa barkada?" Hindi ko talaga sila pinansin, sa sobrang inis ko tinext ko si tita MARIFE, naalala ko kasi kapag nalaman nya na may bf na si Ludife, pabababain sya ng Pangasinan. Pinagalitan ata ni tita si Ludife kaya galit na rin sa akin si Ludife. Halos dalawang taon din ata kami hindi nagusap ni Ludife. Kami ni Yson, naging magkaibigan pa din kami. Alam ko masama ang loob sa akin ni Yson noon, pero hindi nya pinakita. Naging magkaibigan pa rin kami. at kinalimutan ang nararamdaman kay Ludife. Ngayon si Ludife ay girlfriend naman ng isa pa naming kaibigan na si Jeoffrey Zulueta,.

Hanggang sa tumanda na ng tumanda at nanaba ng nanaba si Yson... At ngayon ikakasal na siya!!..

Pare, Maraming Salamat sa lahat., Alam ko ako ang dahilan halos ng paninira ng LOVELIFE mo nun. pero sa sobrang bait mo hindi mo nagawang magalit sa kin. Salamat din at kung hindi mo ko pinilit mag Nursing uli hindi ko makikilala si Hazel. ikakasal ka na. Ito, sa lahat, ang celebration na ayaw ko sana mamiss----yung bachelor party. hahahaha joke lang. God bless Pare. Maswerteng maswerte si Sarah Sayo. wala ng hahanapin pa!:)

Sarah Jane may sarili akong Blog para sayo kaya wala ka dito :)) 

Crazy Roller Coaster April and May. and a job!

Ahem. who could have thought that a person, especially a hard working Nurse who excels in a hospital setting landed a job like this-being in the industrial site. Yes indeed, i am an Industrial/Site Nurse. What is it?

According to my bestfriend google Indusrial Nurse a.k.a Site Nurse, a.k.a Occupational Health Nurse  are registered nurses who independently observe and assess the worker's health status with respect to job tasks and hazards. Using their specialized experience and education, these registered nurses recognize and prevent health effects from hazardous exposures and treat workers' injuries/illnesses.

with my friend Jan May who helped me look for a job

It was really crazy how i landed on this job. It was April 22, my last day of job hunting, I told myself that i will accept the offer of one clinic just to have a job. The salary? enough for me to live. I was offered times 4 of my previous salary in the Philippines so i said "not bad" cause it was the highest offer yet.So i went to the clinic and talked with the doctor. I expressed my willingness to be a part of the company, so he get all my requirements, further he said he has no available visa and asked me if i am willing to wait. I whispered to myself"What? wait again?No! I need the work asap" but on a contrary i said "YES". 

I said yes to a work where my heart is not at peace. i felt that I'm forcing myself to accept it because i need to change the status of my visa. But i need to like it cause I have compromised. My wish to have a hundred thousand salary was over. Maybe i just can't have it all. Hey 2800QR isn't bad after all.

The afternoon of the same day, i was really doubting. I prayed to the Lord and asked him  "is it really the work you want me to have? cause if it was, i wont hesitate."  Then 5:15pm, 15 minutes after i prayed. i received a phone call.

Here's the exact conversation i have with this guy on the phone.

"Hello, Xander? This is Josh Fernandez from Urbacon International, can i ask you if available ka ba for interview tomorrow?" I was literally jumping of regret because this is a call from the company i hoped for.

"Sayang naman sir, kakaacept ko lang nung work kanina"

"Ah ganun ba? magkano ang offer sayo?"

"2800QR po"

"What??? i can give you ****" 

whoah! after he said that i was really shaking and told him "Sir hindi pa naman ako nakapirma ng contract eh"

"ganito nalang, tignan mo muna kung pwede ka pa mag pull out dun sa company na inaplyan mo tapos tawagan mo ko kung pwede pa"

For 15 minutes i have been wandering the room. Is that phone call true? what if it was just a prank call. I've searched the number of the company, and yes, it exist. now the only problem is that it's 5:30 already, is the clinic still open. i tried calling the number twice no answer. I was really shaking. then finally someone answered

"Hello Dr. ___ clinic"

"Hello Mam, pwede po ba kay Myra", (Myra btw was a kabayan Nurse who helped me in my requirements in that clinic."

"yes po, ito nga"

So i asked her kung pwede ko pa i withdraw yung application ko. The reason i told her was "because i realized na mag eexit din lang ako, kaya maghahanap na lang ako ng better oppurtunity."

She answered "Ok lang, diba sabi naman ni Dr. kung talagang deserving ka sa work at willing ka magantay, kukunin ka nya, e kung iwiwithdraw mo yung application mo e di ok lang."

RELIEVED!! Now i need to call Josh. But no one is answering the number he used to call me. I was in panic. So i wrote him an email, so glad I've kept his email add. O.M.G in 15 minutes he replied.."Please take note that you will be assigned in a project. Your salary depends on your interview tomorrow, come between  3-4 pm)

i didn't know what to say. Does it conclude that i was hired already?or do i get a chance? but i just prayed again. JESUS works in Mysterious Ways! He saved me from a "decision" i almost would regret.

THIS IS THE MAP I USED TO LOCATE THE OFFICE

I went exactly 3 o'clock to the office which by the way wasn't easy to find. I'm so glad i left home at 2:00pm so i had time to search for the office. My interviewer was Syrian, so i was really excited and relieved cause if i missed some grammars and the like, he wouldn't notice. So he allowed me to enter the room, and his first question was..

"How many years of experience do you have?" i answered, but just when i am about to finish answering, people are coming back and forth, so we were really disturbed. He left also or 5 minutes, he came back and asked the same question and he went out again. He came back and said "can you go back tomorrow at 10 AM, cause I'm busy". Sigh! i thought my anxiety will end that day. 

So the other day, April 23. I went at 9:45am. I went directly to the room and i closed the door (haha). I sat down, and his look almost says "who are you?". so before he ask that I introduced myself..

"Sir Im Xander Im the one who's applying for Nurse"

"Yes, i told you 10 oclock"

"Is it not 10 oclock yet?" i answered.

"No, it's only 9:45am"

"Oh I'm sorry, cause it's 10 oclock already on my watch. i'll just come back after 15 minutes"

SHOOT!!!It's so embarrassing. In the Philippines, if you came to the meeting time very early, it's a plus point. Here, it's different. Lesson learned.

It was 10 am already. I didn't enter yet to his room, I've waited for at least 10 minutes then he called me to enter. Here was the exact interview.

"How much experience you have as a First aider?"

I confidently answered "i worked for almost 3 years in a hospital as staff nurse"

"Do you know CPR"

"Yes sir, i have training and Certificates."

"What will you do if someone is injured, let say bleeding"

aha! That was the question i practiced so i explained to him with MEDICAL terms that for sure he can't understand..

"How much do you ask?"

"at least _____QR"

He smirked like saying ang taas naman ng hinihingi nito.. He asked me "Why ____QR?"

"Well, Maybe because I'm well experienced".

He wrote what i asked him in my resume, stood up and said "Ok Yala"

"Wait that's it?" I literally said. "What's the next Process?"

"The HR will call you".

The interview was less than 2 minutes. He could have finished it yesterday so my anxiety was not prolonged. Freak! 

So just before i leave the building, i received a call from the HR asking me to come back and pass my other requirement. Yes. I was hired.

The HR told me about my tantalizing salary, the free accommodation and transportation, a medical insurance, and an annual leave of paid 21 days to the Philippines. This was higher than what i expected. Really cool! 

I waited till my offer letter was sent thru email. It came April 25. I reported on the 27th and i have found out that i am lacking some documents. Lord really don't give great things easily. They told me that i need to extend my visa before they allow me to work. But before i can extend my visa, i need to exit first.

So on May 2, I went to Bahrain. I stayed there for almost 8 hours. It was fun sharing different stories with my kabayans who has the same reason why we go to Bahrain. On May 6 2012, i started my work. Finally.

My job description. Very Easy. I just need to provide hurt and injured employees with proper wound care and first aid, promote healthy lifestyle, answers queries and confusions. I can't say that this is the work I'm expecting here in Qatar.. Yet Too much of somethings isn't good enough. for two weeks i come for attendance cause they haven't provide me yet my "clinic". Then after two weeks, all the things i requested came. My portable cabin is also on progress. 

I come with white shoes but i need to wear this
kind of shoes for safety,.and a helmet!

I am sanay of toxic work. so this was really new to me., almost half of my time, i  am just sitting.

Am i happy with my work. Let's just say that my personal happiness is my biggest sacrifice to provide my family a better future..

What i learned about this experience is that, When you really work hard on something, the Lord sees it. I've searched a job daily just right after i came here in Qatar. just imagine i'm out at 12 NN in a 45 degrees environment walking and searching for a job, and all those things are worth it. It's very early to say that i have succeed. But yet, i know that my persistence will make me go far. I didn't care what people told me, like i've rushed things, and i didn't think about my decisions, or leaving a work almost all volunteers wanted just to become an OFW. I am living for my family not for them. So whatever they say, in the end, my family matters first. If you surrender your heart to The Lord he will give you everything!! that's what i did.

I was lucky really, and blessed of course.

I remembered when i everyone is struggling to finish college, I did.

When everyone was failing the board examinations for how many times, i passed in first take.

When everyone was busy doing volunteer works, i became a Staff Nurse.

When everyone was pushing to go abroad, I am here in Doha

and When everyone was searching for months to look for a job abroad, i was hired in a month.

That's the power if you have Jesus in your heart. Everything will be on their places. I am thankful. With persistence, determination, support from my loved ones, I can do this!!