WHILE OTHERS MAY be wary of working abroad as the global financial crisis deepens, Bernard Pasaol, who has worked in four different countries for almost a decade, remains optimistic in a continued career overseas.

?It?s all about one?s mind set and, of course, prayer. I always think there are bigger opportunities out there; that?s why I keep going. After all, I?m doing this for my family,? said Bernard, adding that he feels blessed that the country he?s currently working in is only faintly affected by the worldwide economic debacle.

Bernard, 40, is a piping inspector in Qatar. Before that, he worked in France and Saudi Arabia as a piping foreman and in Bangladesh as a pipe fitter. He, too, was once employed in Babcock Hitachi Philippines based in his Batangas hometown.

Crossing countries

?When I heard the rumors that Babcock was set to cut down its workforce, I immediately considered working overseas,? Bernard recalled. ?Even if I was already working there for seven years, I thought the gamble would be all worth it since the company has become unstable and I had better plans for my family.

?I know, these days, this is a common scenario in the Philippines and in other parts of the globe, particularly the USA,? he segued, ?and I feel bad for my kababayans who suffered and are suffering the scare of this fate. I hope they find their way and get through.?

Bernard left the country in 1997 with Bangladesh as his first stop. From there, he has had experiences aplenty across countries ? from minor adjustments like adapting to climates to first-time encounters like hanging out with buddies near the Red Sea.

The Good and Bad of It

?That was in Yanbu in Saudi!? he recalls with relish. ?It?s like one of those moments when you say, ?Ah, this is the life!? It?s there where I got to taste seafood that I?ve never tasted in my life.?

?There was also a time when I?d cruise for two and a half hours to get to the town proper. The sights along the way were breathtaking,? he added, this time about his free-day routine in France:

Of all his overseas endeavors, though, Bernard pointed out Qatar as the best. This was where his salary in France, already double his salary in Saudi and Bangladesh, doubled.

?Plus, Qatar is an open country so life?s easier,? he added. ?There are malls here, too, which means more ways to entertain myself and momentarily escape homesickness.?

For Filipinos toiling in a foreign land, homesickness is inevitable as death. Bernard attests to this, but has a more agonizing experience to share.

?Homesickness is always there. We enjoy our times but it?s always there. To be away from our families is the biggest sacrifice we OFWs make. You see, in my 10 years of working abroad, I got to spend Christmas with my family only thrice. And for people who have closely-knit family relations, that?s too much! The hole at the center of our hearts ?that?s homesickness.

?But then, every time I retell my OFW story, there?s this tragedy that surpasses all longing and pain. Many years have gone, but up to now, it stays fresh in my memory.?

In 1999, while Bernard was visiting the Philippines, waiting for the confirmation of another contract, he lost his younger son Nikko to a car accident on Holy Week. He was not there when it happened; he was in the Good Friday procession. Ironically, the driver of the car that ran over Bernard?s 5-year-old boy was a priest?s uncle.

?The next thing I knew, my contract was finalized,? he said. ?Now that?s more ironic!

?Occasionally, before he died, Nikko would ask me to treat him to a Jollibee kiddie meal, which I wasn?t able to do since we were on a tight budget. And then I got the overseas offer. I thought, now that I had the means to buy all those Jollibee toys, it?s useless since no one was going to play with them anymore.?

Meals with family

Bernard left for Saudi with a heavy heart. He had to.
He still had his wife Sally and elder son Teejaye to support. Sally had also given birth to CJ, the youngest member of the family, whom Bernard regards as an angel to alleviate the pain of Nikko?s passing. His trials have only fueled him to work even harder for his family, says Bernard.

?I can?t say when I will stop working as an OFW, but what I know is that whenever there?s a better chance for me, consequently for my family, I?d go for it. It doesn?t matter where, as long as the salary is good. I want the best for my family, and I?m willing to take any risk for them.

?But, of course, like everyone else, I would like to finally settle in our country and be with my loved ones. It?s blissful when you get to share a meal three times a day with them on the same table. I?m just waiting for the time that I?m financially stable.

?I?d then establish a business in Batangas, perhaps have some apartments for others to rent,? said Bernard, proud that he has now bought his own high-end laptop and a piece of 200-square meter land in Batangas, which he currently pays for in installments.

?Little lifetimes?

Moreover, he recently acquired a resident visa, which makes him a regular worker in Qatar, he says. Unlike the business visa, which entitles bearers to contractual work usually only for three months, the resident visa gives Bernard the security he needs, especially in a tough global economy.

At present, he?s set to visit the country this month to attend the wedding of his 18-year-old son, Teejaye. He?s excited because this reunion ? it means getting together not just with his family but his entire clan, most notably his pamangkins (nieces and nephews] whom he treats as chums. (?I remember coaching their basketball team in the summer leagues in our town. It was fun!?)

?You don?t miss out on these little lifetimes,? he said. ?The family?s going to get bigger, the challenges a little bit tougher, but, as I?ve said, the opportunities are just out there. You just have to go and get them.?