The airport, loud engine sounds,jet fuel smell….! All this lingers in minds of anyone who thinks of trying abroad job opportunities. I’ll give a brief experience on what i personally encountered.

Before any dream becomes factual,one needs to undergo a series of procedures from agent selection,interviews,shortlisting,contract signing,visa application and approval and lastly the D-DAY.

I had travelled for miles to our capital NAIROBI ready to fly out to Qatar, we gathered outside the airport terminal before checking in,i had more hope and great anticipations than the clothes i had packed, shining skyscrapers, comfy apartments and even salaries that can support my entire family needs.

For almost everyone,getting a chance to travel abroad more-so from a family that had no one flying abroad in the entire generation feels like winning a ticket to a better permanent future. Testimonies from those who had travelled before are always the same, someone travelled abroad came back after some time,bought land, build good house for the parents and many more..

In that moment everything sounded easily achievable as we took pictures with my family tears visibles in their eyes

Reality began just as the plane landed at Hamad Airport,the heat felt different,the language was so unfamiliar,the streets looked crystal clean and felt so distant with Mosque sounds filling the enviroment.

I was picked at the airport by the company vehicle feeling like a BOSS,the vehicle was so cool compared to the outside temperature, it was so comfy that by the time i became focused all i could see is tall glassed buildings rushing behind until there were no more visible buildings, All i was seeing through the window was huge electric MASTS that ran for miles.

I was shocked when i realised that the comfortable lifestyle i was expecting was just a dream that couldn’t come true, my first weeks were so unbearable for i was taken to work for an oil and gas plant something the agency had not mentioned to me,the salary mentioned by the agent wasn’t even close to what the company was offering.

I was subjected to long working hours with very strict living conditions,loneliness and celibacy became mandatory things to experience and practice since no one knows you or awaits in your accommodation room to welcome you back after the long hours in the gas plants,duties run from Saturday to Thursday giving me a one day off duty to stay in room without freedom to go out,this place was so isolated and manned by Industrial Police.

I had to face the fact that no one believed me back home as no one was in my shoes to experience the reality that violated all the good promises that i made to everyone before i flew out. This drove me into depression,since i can do nothing to change the situation this made me become; Responsible, Resilient and Disciplined.

“The gulf dream is real — But it’s not the dream people Imagine of”.