This story is written by one of the members of WorkAbroad.ph Facebook community page. The storyteller narrates his journey as he tried various jobs such as being a taho and ballot vendor, gasoline boy etc. just to finance his studies and fulfill his dream to land a good job.

His advice to Filipinos who are in a difficult situation: always persevere and trust God as all good things come to those who wait.

Read this inspiring story:

“Taho, Taho! Balot, Penoy,” sigaw ni Juan dela Cruz, isang magtataho sa umaga at magbabalot sa hapon at gabi.”Isang marangal na hanap buhay ng isang karaniwang mamayang Pilipino na nangangarap mangibang bansa.”

Masipag si Juan dela Cruz, taong 2000 noong magtapos sya ng high school sa probinsya ng Biliran isang maliit na isla sa pagitan ng Samar at Leyte. Lumuwas siya ng Maynila upang mag trabaho para matulungan ang inang may sakit, at kasabay nito ang pangarap na makapag-college at makapagtapos ng kahit anong kurso sa kolehiyo.

Sa murang edad na labing-anim na taong gulang ay nakikipag-sabayan sa paghahanap buhay sa isang mataong lugar ng Divisoria, Recto at Tondo bilang isang store helper at kargador sa isang establisyementong pag aari ng isang malupit na Intsik.

Medyo sanay sa mabigat na trabaho si Juan dela Cruz dahil sanay sa gawaing bukid at pagbubuhat ng troso sa probinsyang pinanggalingan kaya di alintana ang bigat ng trabaho. Ngunit malupit at matapang ang amo at gustong sulitin ang ibinayad na halagang 110 pesos sa labingdalawang oras na trabaho at walang oras na pahinga Alas-tres na kung mananghalian tuwing nagtatrabaho.

Dahil sa hirap ng kalagayan at ang kinitang halaga sa paggawa ay kulang na kulang, nagpasyang umalis ito sa kanyang trabaho at makipagsapalaran sa isang bayan ng Rizal.

Dahil sa isang mabait na kaibigan, naipakilala sya sa isang magtitinda ng taho at balot. Naging daan ito upang mag-umpisa siyang maglako ng panindang taho sa umaga at balot sa gabi.

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Filipinos with approved US tourist visa applications and need to get their travel documents faster can now opt to pick up their visas at SM Mall of Asia (MOA).

In a post published in the blog site of US Embassy Manila, they said that while they strive to make the process of interview and printing of visas as fast as possible, they rarely expedite the process and only do so in emergencies.

The usual time it took for the visa to be printed in the passport and delivered is 7 to 10 days. Those who need their passports earlier than that are advised to pick it up from the 2GO outlet at SM Mall of Asia. This option would let them have their passports back after a day or two.

The visa applicant can request this option to the consular officer after the interview. They will then be given a sheet of paper containing the instructions.

This is the sheet of paper given:

The process of job-hunting has tremendously improved with the advent of technology and social media. You can now be informed of the latest job opportunities and submit applications online. But the cyberspace is so vast that one needs to know where to go and what to follow so as not to miss great opportunities. Check out our suggestions for Jobseekers and OFWs!

For latest jobs abroad – Visit www.WorkAbroad.ph or like them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WorkAbroadPH

For those in Twitter, check out: https://twitter.com/WorkAbroadph and https://twitter.com/OFW_Guide

For Seabased/Cruise Jobs- Visit www.SeamanJobsite.com or follow them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SeamanJobsite

For Local Jobs: Visit www.JobOpenings.ph or follow them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/JobOpeningsPH

For Nursing Jobs/News: Visit www.NursingGuide.ph

Are you a seafarer who is currently on board and looking for a way to connect with fellow seamen as well as your friends and families back home? Perhaps you are a seaman who is actively looking for maritime jobs or you may still be a maritime student who wants to see the job opportunities waiting for you.

If you fit any of the above description, then you are invited to join a growing online community for Filipino seafarers – the Seaman Job Site Facebook page. This is a page where you can be informed about the latest job openings for seamen, recent maritime news as well as share your inquiries about anything related to the maritime and shipping industry.

So like this page now: http://www.facebook.com/SeamanJobsite

Invite your families and colleagues too!

Read this essay that ponders on the pains and loneliness one goes through because of being physically separated from family and loved ones for long periods of time. Migrant Filipino workers can surely relate.

 Away from Home
Written by: Ricardo Liong

Last year was the first time in our 49 years of marriage that I was away from my wife during the Christmas season. Even for a brief two months period, it was markedly different from all my previous trips.

The rekindling of Christian faith in our twilight years made a difference. Worshiping together as a married couple in the past decades had brought changes in our lives. Although thousand of miles away and in different time zones, whenever I was praying the rosary or attending Mass, in communion with God I felt her presence besides me.

Moreover, as a pilgrim on earth I saw this as learning to adjust to our future inevitable separation. Thus I viewed it positively as God’s blessings to teach my wife and me how to continue a life filled with faith “when death do us part.”

Recalling my earlier separations during my younger days, I have learned to share the feelings of my brothers and sisters who are working away from home.

Even after forty years, I could still remember the pains of homesick and loneliness during those frequent trips. It was not a figurative pain but one that I could feel in my chest. Meeting a family reminded me of my own and food on the table flashed my memory to the scene of our family meal. Yes, besides my wife, my concern was focused our growing children.

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