My first experience working as a domestic helper abroad

September 2007

First timer, full of courage, full of dreams, full of hopes but so nervous. This is me, this is what I feel the first time that I am on my way to a local agency where I apply for work as domestic helper. When I arrive in the agency office, I give my bio data and the copy of my passport to the staff. She ask few more question from me after she read my bio data. She ask me which country I am planning to go and work. That time I really don't have money so I choose Malaysia since I know that the placement fee is more lower than in Hong Kong. I ask how much do I need to pay and she told me only 6,000.00 pesos. But that amount is for the agency only. I still need to pay for my medical examination and of course my training in household course I also ask how much is my monthly salary in Malaysia and she say it is equivalent to 400.00 US dollar and it is stated there in the contract. I ask if I still need to pay in the agency aside from 6,000.00 pesos. She said no that is all you need to pay. Then she let me sign the contract and she told me she will call me once I already have employer.

Last week of October, I receive a call from my agency that the employer sign my contract already and I need to report in the office to sign my job order and to undergo the medical and physical examination. After I done all the requirements needed, my agency send me to Manila. I am from the province and their main office is there. In Manila, they send me to take my 3 weeks training program in household training. I need the certificate from my training because that is one of the requirements of the agency. After training, I need to attend a 3 days free seminar about language and culture familiarization in OWWA. I also need to go in TESDA for my assessment test, followed with the pregnancy test and lastly I need to attend a half day seminar for pre- departure orientation.

December 11, 2007

This is it. This is the day I was waiting for, that all my dreams will come true. I can give a better life for my family, I can send my three girls in school, I can buy them foods and I also can give them some material things that I know I really cannot give if I only stay here in the Philippines. When I arrive in Malaysia, the staff from Malaysian agency is the one who pick up me and the other Filipina from the airport. Because it is around 8:00 in the evening already we go straight to the house of the owner of the agency and sleep there that night.

The next day, the two of us go in our agents office. From there the staff accompany us in a clinic for follow up medical examination. Then back in the agents office and wait for our employer to pick us up. That night, I meet the family that I will serve for two years. But the very next day, my employer talk to me that I don't have day off because my day off is paid already together with my salary. The next thing is my salary, my employer told me that for the first six months, I will receive half of my salary only because I need to pay my six months salary deduction from my agency. I ask, how come that I have a six months salary deduction that my Philippine agency did not told me about that? I ask them before and they told me, I need to pay 6,000.00 pesos that's all. I ask if I still need to pay again they say no. Another worst thing is, my salary. In my contract my one month salary is equivalent to 400.00 US dollar but I receive 850 Ringgit (Malaysian dollar) equivalent of 200 US dollar only every month.

I send all the 400RM (4,600.00 pesos) to my family. But that is not enough. My eldest is first year in college, my second and my youngest girls is already in high school. My husband is jobless. What will I do that time? I am so hopeless. I call my agency here in Manila and ask them why I have a six months salary deduction when I arrive in Malaysia that they never told me about that while I am still in the Philippines? They say it is the agent in Malaysia ask for that payment. I also ask why in my contract my salary there is equivalent in 400 US dollar but I only receiving now 850 Malaysian Ringgit or 200 US dollar? The answer??? Malaysia is a Muslim country and they did not follow on what is in that contract.

I am tied up in my contract. I don't know what to do. I don't have day off . I don't have a chance to see and talk to other Filipina and ask what should I need to do. No cellphone, no one is there to give advice on how to deal in that situation.That is really the time that I feel so alone and lonely in that country. So far away from my Homeland. Moments like this, I need to hold on to my dreams. I need to think properly, I need to survive, to be strong to finish my 2 years contract. I still need to reach for my dreams. I really learn a lot of important lessons from my first experience abroad.

That before we go we need to study and learn what is in our contract We really need to learn our rights even if we are only a domestic helper. We need to show that to our employer. So even if we are only a domestic helper, if they see, if they know that we know our rights, they will respect us.

I stayed in Malaysia for two years without day off even only one day. December 11, 2009 after 2 years, I go back in the Philippines. And in my mind, my next destination is Hong Kong.

How to apply to work abroad

1. Passport

If you are planning to work as an Oversea Filipino Worker, the very first thing you need to have is a Passport. It is easy to go in any employment agencies if you have a ready passport.

2. Agency

Start to search for agencies and make sure that your chosen agency is the one who is accredited by the Philippines Overseas Employment Administration ( POEA ). You need to be aware that nowadays so many fake recruiters are active. All they want is your hard earned money.

Next, the agency will let you sign a bio data and a contract. They will also take a video from you. The agency will take your passport and they keep it. They will send that contract, video and your bio data in their tie-up agency in the country where you wish to work so they can find employer for you. The employer who come in that said agency will take a look in your video and bio data. If the employer will choose you, soon your agency here in Philippines will call you for the next step you need to do.

3. Training

As soon as the agency notify you that you are already hired, they will send you to a training center where you need to take up a 3 weeks course in NC ll. After 3 weeks you can have your training certificate. You also need to go in TESDA for your assessment test. (All of this, you really need to prepare, cost you a lot of money).

4. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)

The next step is you need to attend a language training and culture familiarization of the country you are going to work for three days in OWWA. (This is free).

5. Medical

You need to undergo also a medical examination. It includes mental and physical examination if you are FIT to WORK. And after all is clear and you are ready to fly, you still need to undergo a pregnancy test if you are a woman.

6.Pre- departure Orientation (PEDOS)

Three days before your flight will go you need to attend a pre- departure or PEDOS seminar. There, the trainer will teach you what to do once you arrive in the airport. Then same as what you need to do if you arrive in your destination. They also teach you how to act once you are in front of your employer. All of this you need to take notes because for me it is a very big help especially if you are first timer to go abroad.

In training, OWWA and PEDOS I learned a lot. They teach me to be strong mentally and emotionally. It makes me strengthen my hopes that I can survive thousands of miles away from home, alone and lonely.

To be an OFW?

What does the shortcut OFW mean?

Let me begin with the shortcut. It stands for "Oversea Filipino Worker" and it means a special type of person, who is working abroad. The normal way of life and to earn enough money to cover the daily expenses in the Philippines is not that easy. That is most of the time the reason for many women or men to try their luck by working in another country. Far away from their family, loved ones or growing kids. The step to go abroad is one of the most difficult decision someone can make for the sake of his family because you will stay far away from maybe your growing kids.  A normal contract will last two years before you are having a chance to come back home to visit your family. If you will be a lucky one and was re-contracted, you have to go back abroad after maybe 3 weeks... for another two years.

You will see your kids growing up only by pictures. Maybe you con contact your family once a week on your day off... if you are having a good employer. If you are not that lucky... you can be happy if you will not become the topic of a headline in the daily press. But this is another story and will be told later.

How to become an OFW?
There are several requirements before you can start into another country. It is necessary to have a passport to leave the country. At least you need to be 23 years old before you can apply for one. You need to have a dream for your family to give them a brighter future, you need to have a very strong determination to be away from home and you're family. You need to be prepared emotionally and you need to be aware that working abroad even as a domestic helper only is a very tough job.

Just like me, when I start to plan to go abroad. I need to gather all the courage and strength because all I want is to give my family, especially my kids, a bright future in the highest possible form of education. All I need to do is to focus on my dream, and even if it is hard to be away from them, I am holding the hope and courage in my heart that I can give them already the good life and after 2 years I will be back home and be together with them again. That was the dream...

The real process how to apply for a work abroad will follow in a later post.

Sharing experiences

Introduction
I am following several daily newspapers or internet services, spreading news and nearly every day I have to think by myself: I pity that guy. Why he/she did not know this? And then, I start to remember, when I was younger: I was also inexperienced and need to make a lot experiences to become that person, I am today.

And this is the initial idea why I decided to open this blog! I wanted to share my own experiences to help others. If I am able to help even only one person to find a good agency for work abroad... I am already happy.

When I can read about scam, torturing staff or bad experiences in Malaysia or other countries such like Hongkong or Saudi Arabia to name only few among where my fellow Filipinos are working, to serve their employer and sometimes in not really nice contract conditions... then it is time to do something against it. This blog should become a place to share experiences, blacklist bad agencies, wherever they are located, helping to find a good agency or a good work.