Life is harsh, so you should be firm; otherwise, it will crush you. This is what Jherson Francisco Cajelo, a Dubai-based general assistant for one of the leading hospitals in the country.
It took quite a lot of courage to depart from his family and friends in the Philippines, as he would miss the homey smell, the predictable days, and familiar faces. However, nine years ago, Jherson took a leap of faith and ventured into an OFW journey wherein he experienced a new way of living. He fell in love, embraced new traditions, made new friends, and soon called the UAE home.
To secure a job overseas, he worked as a housekeeper. However, he realized that his salary wasn’t sufficient to support him and his family in the Philippines, so he submitted his CV to a local hospital. This is where his journey started until he became one of the general assistants in the conglomerate. In the hospital, he looks after his patients, assists them with their daily activities, while providing support to nurses and doctors’ staff.
“Working abroad gives you the chance to learn new things, like a new way to approach a problem or cultivate existing skills, such as expanding your creativity within this new environment,” Jherson, who used to work as a human resource manager in the Philippines, said.
“The most satisfying thing in this field is to take care of the wellbeing of the patients,” he further added.
Living and working abroad for nearly a decade now, Jherson said he learned the essence of saving up. He added that he noticed some expatriates with little savings or still debt-ridden and finding themselves in difficult situations.
“I promised myself to save up while enjoying my time here abroad so that I can have the business that I want and build in my hometown and to have a wonderful family,” he said.
Joining pageants
The 35-year-old general assistant does not only excel in his chosen career. He is also acing the male pageantry in the UAE. Currently, Jherson has three titles already that he is proud of.
“Winning or losing the competition is a great experience to me,” the family’s breadwinner said.
“Being successful means having the discipline to do what needs to be done, not just when you feel like it, but because you know that doing these things will help get you one step closer to achieving your goals,” he further added.