How to Deal with Homesickness and Challenges as an Expatriate
How to Deal with Homesickness and Challenges as an Expatriate (Overseas Filipino Worker or OFW, in our local term)?
- Living a Life away from home and family.
It has been more than 2 years since I worked here in Singapore as a Mechanical CAD Engineer for a Marine and Offshore Engineering/Consultancy firm. Working in a mixed diverse culture can be challenging especially when you’re 1,486 miles apart from the Philippines. It was really tough working in my first few months here as I have to deal with different personalities (egocentrics) being the only Filipino from an Indian dominated company.
In my first few months here in Singapore, I invested a lot of money from my long distance calls to the Philippines. After sometime, I managed to invest a laptop and a PC at home. With the current technology of internet, my family is just a computer away through Skype or Instant Messenger.
Being alone can really be tough so here are some of my effective tips to keep you active;
- Believe You Can Lah – You are the Best!
In my first few months, I received discouraging remarks from my senior colleagues about my poor drafting work. I was told that I was very slow and I must admit that I have challenges in 2D Drafting since I was hired there for my expertise in 3D modelling software (AutoCAD Inventor). My self-esteem was affected and lessened. These people can not even suggest how I can increase my speed and effectiveness when I asked them, so now I know where I stand. Here’s what I did, come closer so that you can hear me and so that you can apply this as well to your life if ever, I simply psyched myself up. Deep in my mind, I was shouting within myself that “I am the BEST and FASTEST “(repeatedly over and over again) while I was doing my 2D design detailing job. Well, it didn’t work right away but after sometime when I submitted my work for review, this guy told me, “You’re so fast huh”.
- Simply Connect
Days before my flight to Singapore, I simply get in touched with my friends, school mates so that they can help me in securing a place to stay. They are even generous to offer their place while am looking for my own place to stay. I managed to get a room for myself by joining some online forums. Google will always be there to help you connect.
- Join Groups, Meetups, Seminars, Sports Activities – Connect More
Even before I arrived here in Singapore, my friend already told me that he included me in their basketball line up for the coming basketball league. Joining sports activities will always be a good way to connect with different people as well as to keep you physically fit. Speaking of being physically fit, I managed to join a health fitness gym just in front of our office building.
My friend was the one who introduced me to join our University Alumni Organization (University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Singapore). This organization offered a lot of activities like seminars, sports, tambayans (a place for hanging out), and a lot of fun. I recommend you to check out your college/university alumni organization.
I would highly recommend that you join religious community in your area. Here you can share your personal challenges in life and you’re assured of trust and confidentiality. Most of all you’ll have a deeper relationship with God. In my case I joined, Couples for Christ – Foundation for Family and Life which I considered as a gasoline station for my soul and spirit.
Meetups and Seminars – one way of reinforcing your beliefs or if you want
To learn and grow is by attending seminars. This is how I develop myself which I will not find in my job.
- Read Books a lot – in my case listening to audiobooks
If there is one thing that I love about Singapore is the public library, my wealth of knowledge. Public Libraries are very accessible in every corner of Singapore. When I read their Vision and Mission, I was inspired that I can see the passion that it brings to Singapore; I’m sharing here their vision
“An inspiring beacon of lifelong learning, bringing knowledge alive, sparking imagination and creating possibility for a vibrant and creative Singapore. Spurring the heights of imagination from the depths of our resources. This is our vision, our NLB”
I would love to hear from your experiences living away from your family as an expatriate.
Personal Branding, the PURPLE CAT way
Last night was another great night that you shouldn’t missed every end of the month on a Friday. Why, it was the second “Personal Excellence and Growth Meetup” and the topic was Stand Out from the Crowd! Learn to Create a Personal Brand! I must say it’s getting better and bigger (more crowd and great food).
Personal Branding is something that is uniquely yours. It is something that helps people to remember You. What do you think if you hear the word, Trump? you’re right, skyscrapers, The Apprentice (You’re Fired!), and oops, his hair. What about Oprah? I believe everything she says will turn into gold, imagine her Book Club and other organizations. Her famous tag lines, ”You are responsible for your own life”, “Live Your Best Life”. Think about the famous brands in the market, say Nike is equivalent to “Just Do It” . What about when you hear “It keeps going, and going, and going…” yes, you’re right its our neighbor who kept on yelling non-stop at her husband for whatever reason. OK, it was Energizer Batteries.
There must be a purpose for those slogans or names. Personal branding can only happen if you have a Purpose. What do you really want for Your life? What don’t You want in you life? What have You settled for?
You need to define your USP or Unique Selling Proposition. What will make your customers buy from You (ideas) instead from others. In order for you to understand your USP, you need to know 1.) Your Strengths 2.) Your Skills 3.) Your Values 4.) Your Passions.
You need to Reinvent Yourself. It means that you must unlearn (things that will not help you grow), learn (that will help you grow) and relearn (making a habit of continuous growing). Ask yourself, what’s missing with this picture? Here’s a very nice quote from one of my favorite (invisible) guru Zig Ziglar, ” Go as Far as You can See and when You get There, You will always be able to See Farther.” Reinvention is about maximizing your Assets (strengths) and camouflaging your Liabilities (weaknesses). Be aware of how You are communicating with Yourself. Talk to yourself in front of the mirror and say “I’m the Best” as often as you want and feel what you’ve said.
Bringing Passion into the pursuit of Your dreams is critical if You are to dream Big and achieve those dreams. Please refer to my previous post for more information, Finding Your Passion! Furthermore, you can ask some questions;
- What do I love to Do? – look for elements in your Job that you feel good, it could be Your friends, relationships or anything.
- What do I enjoy Doing?
- What gives me an adrenaline rush?
- What do I feel proud of?
Here’s another great way to psyche up yourself, You need to Look Good and Feel Great. The greatest risk to a reputation is his/her failure to factor image into his/her success in business or career. Here’s a circle of Success Cycle, if you Feel Great then you will Look Good. If You Look Good then You will Project Well. If you Project Well then You will have a Positive Response and when you respond positively then you will Feel Great (back to the start, see the cycle).
There is never a second chance to your Signature Look. Here are some tips to work on your signature look;
- Capitalise on your Assets – these could be your physical, your pearly white smile, your eyes, your nose, your gorgeous body
- Dress to suit your Body Shape
- Go for your Colors – enhancing your instant switch (power on) to your Glowingness
- You need to understand your Dress Style
- Dress to suit your environment or audience – you can dress a level up from your environment without being overdressed.
For me, most of the times, my wife made good recommendations for the clothes that I wear and did get some good compliments from colleagues in the office. So better include your wife or girlfriend whenever you want to select the dress style you want and be sure to you are comfortable wearing it.
Excite Others by developing a WOW statement or signature will get others to say WOW. A signature wow is a personal style that you did with a special touch. To guide you ask yourself;
- What am I known for?
- What do I want to stand for?
- Am I making a difference?
The sacred trinity for a Brand’s Success is 1. Clarity 2. Consistency and 3. Authenticity
- Does the message that you want to send to your target audience or public at large have clarity?
- Are you consistent in the image you project to others?
- How authentic are you? Are you true to Yourself?
Lastly, Tell the World! Position and Promote Yourself. Be visible.
My take on this is, Just Be Yourself at Your own Very Best All the Time.
Be-YourSelf-Brand
PS
The next Meetup topic on August 28 will be on Persuasive Communication – The art of moving people through to action. Check more info at this site. See you there!
HINT: Don’t you know that the bold words above, is an abbreviation of PURPLE CAT. check it if you got it.
Finding Your Passion!
I had a great time last night at our
Just to share some bits from what I’ve learned about finding your passion. Passion is something that fuels your purpose, why you are here in this world.
Passion is something you
- love to do
- enjoy doing it
- feel strongly about it
- are drawn to it ( attracts)
- feel good doing it
- like to talk about it ( again and again)
- feel excited about it
- want to keep doing it
- can show expression
from my own experience, it is something that I kept on thinking about it even when am asleep or at work, I spend a lot of time and energy on it, i write about it (now you know why I have a blog).
So what about you? Share me your Passion.
