I guess it is fortunate that I was not placed under rigid house arrest. I had a good social life, dining and drinking quietly in some of the decent restaurants in the city where expats hang out.  

Afghanistan is obviously not a tourist destination but the landscape is just incredible. I flew into Kabul when the leaves were turning orange and yellow, while snow was already covering the tips of those majestic mountains.  

The country is full of history. Luckily, I was able to set foot outside the capital and saw the sights of the Panjshir Valley, Salang Pass, Jalalabad and the famous Bamiyan, plus other spots such as Daraluman Palace, Qarga Lake and, of course, the only golf course in the country. 

While it was good while it lasted, I left Kabul when my assignment ended. I went back to Dubai to give it another try. Sadly, I just lost my gusto to live and work in the city. Nothing had changed. What prompted me to give up with disgust was when a reputable international fashion company offered me a secretarial job for a gross of $400! And so I said my peace and left.   

A grand time in Kabul for six months versus an awful time in Dubai for five months – emotions do make up the difference, you know.  

So with my return ticket to Manila, I boarded Emirates with still an achievement in my pocket.  

Several of my friends have asked about my Dubai experience since I got back. They admit they have plans to go to Dubai to seek jobs on a visit visa. These people have a stable career but want a better paying job which they think they could find outside the Philippines, particularly in Dubai. 

Seeking out a job and living on your own abroad has never been simple. It may be easy to enter Dubai but difficulties and frustrations are encountered each day once you enter the state under a visit visa.  

Filipinos always have a come-what-may attitude. Unfortunately, this attitude never works. Most often than not, Filipinos end up accepting jobs they do not want. Worse, they go back to the Philippines empty-handed and forlorn. 

In order to assist fellow countrymen who are aspiring to go to Dubai, I turned my true story in Dubai, as well as my experiences in Afghanistan, into a book, entitled ‘Dubai: My Personal Guide for the Jobseekers.’ You just read some of the excerpts above.  

The content hopes to give a vivid picture of expectations and disappointments you could encounter in Dubai. It also provides personal experiences, practical information and insights into what Dubai has in store for you.  

With preparation, appropriate resources and tons of luck, you may have the chance to make it in Dubai. 

I never planned to become a writer, much less writing a book. But I have a story to tell that is definitely worth sharing.  

My first book entitled Dubai : My Personal Guide for the Jobseekers was born by chance…and need.  

For more information, please visit my publishing company http://www.wordsunlimitedpublication.com/

If you have a story to tell and would like to make it into a book, email me at karina.herrera@wordsunlimitedpublication.com 

About the Author 

Karina A. T. Herrera grew up in a traditional family in the calm hills south of the capital Manila in the Philippines. Born to an academic family, she followed her education all the way to a Master’s Degree in Management at the University of the Philippines.  

She enjoyed over a decade working in the marketing sector with some of the country’s most prestigious companies. She traveled extensively in the Philippines and abroad for work and pleasure. An adventurous wanderlust led her to explore many countries and cultures in the Middle East, Asia and America.  

Artistic in nature, she passionately spends her spare time pursuing photography, culinary, fashion styling, arts and sports. She writes her memoirs in the centre of the cosmopolitan city of Manila.