May Forever Ba Abroad? - Dariel & Adelfa from HMC, Qatar

“Travel far enough, you meet yourself.”

- (David Mitchell)

 

Universal Staffing Services Inc. went on a routine visit to Qatar last year to meet with old and new friends. But this time, we took a step further from home and a step closer to our kababayans to hear them out. Thankfully, this lovely couple gave us an in-depth tour of a day in their life together abroad. By the end of the day, they were more than willing to share not just the days, but the years that led to now.

 

 

Dariel and Adelfa’s story goes beyond just love and fate. It could serve as an inspiration to those who are currently facing the battles both of them have already triumphed against. Before they met, they have already experienced an abundance of immeasurable emotions while they go through the highs and lows of being a father, a mother, a husband, a wife, and an OFW among other things. Both emphasized on the hardships of being away from home, family and everything familiar to them for the betterment of the exact same things we just mentioned. This is the ironic reality that many still fail to see and understand. While we are already aware that these things exist, it is still a different experience to hear it from them first-hand. Add the untimely passing of a loved one, and they were both in for a test.

 

Dariel, originally from Bataan, worked for a construction company in Saudi Arabia prior to being employed in Qatar as an electrician. He would go on to tell us about his work life before in Saudi, spending endless days under the scorching heat of the sun in summers, and in the middle of cold nights during winters. He made a life for his family doing this, while the closest he could get to them was through a picture in his room in Saudi.

 

In search for better opportunities, he applied with us under HMC and moved to Qatar.

 

Life became tough when his wife passed away, and he had to raise his son alone from a distance while grieving. Even though the everything seemed to crumble down on Dariel at this point, he had to stand tall for his son. He mentioned that he was so depressed at that time that he already wanted to permanently go back to the Philippines and quit his job already. But he also know that doing this, even though it would be comforting, will not help his family financially. He had the weight of the world to carry and it was pulling him down already.

 

Dariel was in a dilemma.

 

Adelfa, a Cebuana, was a Nurse Supervisor in Saudi prior to working in Qatar as a Head Nurse. One of her biggest struggles working in Saudi were the limitations in practicing her religious beliefs. Another was the small amount of compensation she was getting from her job, which had her overworked most of the time. She mentioned staying in the hospital for days unend just to chase overtime pay even though her body can only handle so much. Amid all these, her husband passed away because of cancer. In the face of grief, Adelfa found that with her income alone, it was impossible to raise her family.

 

She decided to go back the the Philippines in hopes of getting a new job. In her search, she shuffled between Manila and her hometown, Cebu. An hour after a flight to Manila, still perspiring and exhausted, a friend referred her that our office had an ongoing interview. Even if she was in dire need of rest, she did not think twice about taking the opportunity with Unistaff. Because she had the perseverance and determination among other things to go on with the interview, she got the job that would send her to HMC, Qatar. 

 

In Qatar was where Adelfa and Dariel met. And everything else, as they say, is history.

 

We asked them how they are now, and they told us that they are very happy. Both of their children are grown up and working already in Doha as well. They usually go back home for vacation or they go abroad to travel and enjoy life. The vast array of benefits they have now compared to before, the generous amount of salary they receive now, the freedom to practice religion and beliefs, and the revival of the inspiration to go on and fight found within each other have all helped Dariel and Adelfa in their personal and professional lives.

 

We cannot be more proud and happy for them.

 

Their main advice to us was to take the chance when it is in front of you. In Dariel’s words, “Opportunity knocks but once”.

 

Fittingly, almost two decades ago, he opened the door and he found forever in Adelfa.

 

Check out our job opportunities in our job opening page.