For a short introduction, the blogger myself is an ex OFW. From an impoverish family with mother also working abroad to support the family. I grew up thinking that working abroad is the only solution to get out of poverty. That abroad we will be earning a lot of money to support our family in the Philippines and be able to send my children to good school and give them the life they deserve; A life better than mine.
With my story you'll learn how these reasons are no longer valid reasons to survive poverty.
The Journey
With my desire to work abroad I have attended a 6 months caregiver training in the Philippines way back 2004 then since my mother has been working in Hong Kong for a long time I also end up working there, for five years. It was a bittersweet experience for me. While I was there I keep on asking myself how on earth other people can stay in Hong Kong for so long as a domestic helper. Leaving our family behind to take care of families we don't even like. Yes, it's true. A lot of stories I have heard, a lot of sad stories but they had to stay for the sake of their family back home. The people depending on them.
For more than five years I've been contemplating on leaving Hong Kong and find a better job abroad.
Yes, I was able to provide for my family during this years but I noticed I did not have savings and I am in debt.
Then I moved to Denmark to work as an Au Pair for one year. The very important year for me since this is the stage of my life where I hit the what we called " midlife crisis".
When I hit this point, I was cleaning four homes weekly and worked 10-15 hours a day. I was earning a lot of money but my body is exhausted. I was too desperate to go home but I just can't, thinking of my two children depending on me.
Main questions I have asked myself during my midlife crisis:
1.) What will happen to me and my children when I stopped working abroad?
2.) If I stopped working how long does my savings would last?
3.)Then what kind of work would fit me in the Philippines? Do I still want to work as an employee?
4.) Does an employee salary enough to support even just the basic needs of my family?
5.) What will happen to my children if I die too soon? Who will take care of them? Will they ever finish school when I'm gone? How sure I am that they won't end up begging for food on the street?
These are my greatest fears I will surely encounter If I don't do something now, do something for my future. I wanted to learn investing but I don't know how; searched the net about investments strategies. Also have attended different types of networking lectures just to try which will be profitable for me and my family. I was too eager to find a way out of poverty and make sure we would never go back to where we were. Then I remember a friend of mine back in Hong Kong talking about investment strategies and financial management seminar. The same friend I have ignored when she was trying to invite me to attend the said seminar before. I sent her a message telling her that I am now ready to listen.
That was the start of the never ending learning I have found in IMG, International Marketing Group. The company aims to educate OFW's and Filipinos all around the globe on the proper money management and where to invest your hard earned money. I have attended one lecture where the speaker is Ms. Glenda G. Flores a former OFW in HK and now called herself OFI (Overseas Filipino Investor). As an OFW I was amazed by her own story so my dreams started soaring high. Why didn't I meet this company before? I should have invested all the money I wasted to nothing. I shouldn't have wasted years and years abroad working for money instead invested them for my children's future and for my retirement.
I followed IMG's "Solid Financial Foundation", I immediately owned my own insurance and long term healthcare, create emergency fund, eliminated my debts and started investing in mutual funds. After that I finally can breathe a little bit better that I am now financially on track. But not so fast, I know I have to work my ass off to achieve financial freedom. Now I understand I have to work hard now and enjoy later when I retire.
This is my journey to financial freedom and I am willing to do what it takes to reach my goals for me and my family.
On my next articles I will be talking about what I have learned about financial management.
Should you be interested on the said seminar in IMG Makati Office. Please feel free to contact me for schedules and seat reservations.
IMG
International Marketing Group
9th floor, King's Court Bldg. 1
Makati City, Philippines
http://www.img-corp.com
Contact person: Norie
Email: bluemyst1982@gmail.com
