There are so many reasons to fly abroad and work in foreign countries; it seems so common nowadays. I’ve heard many stories about it. 

Classmates having parents who work abroad, sending money from unfamiliar places, and traveling back home during the holidays to be with their family after months of work. My friends talk about the places their families go to work. Even my own relatives do the same; they choose to become Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW), staying in another country to work, leaving their families at the cost of earning more. 

But why do Filipinos work overseas? What makes flying to another country so worth it? If it means leaving your loved ones behind? To experience shock at the differences in cultures, learning the languages, and thinking about how much you miss your family, only to be separated by seas, what makes being an OFW really worth it? 

Many can say bigger pay, how foreign money weighs heavier than the Philippine Peso. It will help pay family debts, support education, and bring financial stability to the family and future generations.

Maybe even fairer treatment of workers, compared to our labor laws here in the Philippines. A sense of stability brings comfort to one’s mind, especially in countries that have predictable and structured environments. Examples can be reliable healthcare and consistent pay schedules.

Or perhaps someone just dreams of living in another country, building a home overseas, working in foreign jobs, and enjoying the life there. There’s a charm in living out your life abroad after all.

All of those can be reasons, but if I were to ask my friend whose father works in London, they would say, “To provide.” Something as simple as that. 

Earning money written in unfamiliar characters, carrying on a different land, and persevering despite how homesick one can be, it can stem from a simple reason: “To provide for my family.” 

To me, it’s a great sacrifice to even think about it. It is an act of love from afar, one that transcends geographical limits. Just imagine someone having the courage and will to even think about going to great lengths just because they wanted to provide for their family.

And if it’s viewed that way, suddenly, it makes it more worth it to chase your dreams and passion, because someone sacrificed their life just so you could live comfortably under a roof, not worrying if there’s still enough food for tomorrow. 

Whenever I see my classmate who smiles so brightly despite it, it makes me happy in a way. Because their smile is not just one from a simple expression, it was made possible because someone loved them greatly enough to sacrifice so much for it.