Ex expat OJ ‘explored future Dubai’
Staff Report
Every week we feature the coolest Filipino expatriates and ex-expats you’ve ever met. This week, PilipinasToday gets to know Roger Yu
Profile
Name: Roger "OJ" Yu
Ex expat of: Dubai
Years spent in emirate: One year and five months
Worked as: Laundry valet, promoted to housekeeping coordinator at Hilton Dubai Creek
Reason for leaving Dubai: Better opportunity
Where is he now? Chicago, USA
Current job: Nurse
Lesson learned from expat experience: Don’t stop dreaming for better and bigger.
His story
When Dubai came calling in 2001, Roger Yu did not need to be told twice. OJ, as he is called by peers, was one of the few people from Cebu who were selected to become a part of the opening team of a five-star hotel chain in Dubai. He saw it as an opportunity to learn independence. “I met new friends with interesting cultural values from around the world. As a tourism graduate I explored the ‘future’ Dubai.” he told PilipinasToday.
He would wake up in the staff accommodation in Al Qouz every day and be greeted by the sight of the surrounding desert and, on some days, grazing camels. One hour later, the view would drastically change as he passed through the six-lane Sheikh Zayed Road with its well-manicured lawns, swanky high-rises and more buildings under construction, and down to his workplace in the busy Baniyas Road in Deira. Although he did feel pangs of homesickness, “I met a lot of friends who somehow made it easier for me to cope in a new environment,” he said.
He has now moved to Chicago where he is working as a nurse. “My short experienced in Dubai molded me and opened opportunities for me. I learned to be independent and to take responsibility in life. I also found the real me,” OJ said. He is hoping to revisit Dubai one day, whether to tour the city or accept job opportunities here. “I will always have a soft spot for Dubai,” he said.
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