Kristine Joy Manalo, a 26 year old from Batangas, had always dreamed of seeing the world beyond the shores of the Philippines. After finishing a two year hospitality course, she spent several years hopping from one local restaurant to another serving customers, learning how to handle different personalities, and sharpening her skills. But even with long hours and excellent service, her earnings barely covered her family’s needs.
Her father had suffered a mild stroke, and her younger sister was about to enter college. With barely enough savings and no stable income at home, Kristine decided to try her luck abroad. A friend recommended her to a recruitment agency offering positions in Bahrain. She hesitated at first, Unfamiliar with the Middle East, but desperation outweighed fear.
In just three months, she was hired as a waitress at a popular international restaurant in Manama, the capital city. The moment she stepped into Bahrain, the desert heat slapped her cheeks, and the call to prayer echoing in the distance reminded her that she was truly in a different world.
Her work was physically demanding. The restaurant, located in a busy district filled with expats and locals, was always packed. Orders flew in fast, and everything had to be done with precision table numbers, dietary preferences, polite greetings, proper Arabic pronunciation of certain dishes.
Kristine faced many challenges during her first months. Some customers treated her kindly, others barked orders at her like she was invisible. She missed her mother’s cooking, her best friend’s jokes, and the simplicity of home. But every time she checked her phone and saw photos of her father doing therapy or her sister in her school uniform, she reminded herself: this is why I’m here.
“You’re like the sunshine in this place,” Rana told her one night after a hectic shift. You make the job easier for everyone.
Kristine eventually became the go to waitress for high profile customers. She served Bahraini families, Saudi tourists, and even some Filipino expats who lit up upon hearing her Tagalog. She was proud of how far she’d come, though the homesickness never fully left.
On her days off, she’d call her family, cook adobo in her shared apartment, or to go a nearby church where other OFWs gathered for Mass and stories. Those Sundays were her lifeline reminders that she wasn’t alone in this journey.
Two years into her contract, Kristine was promoted to shift leader. She used the extra pay to start building a small eatery back in Batangas. Her dream was to eventually run her own cafe cozy, simple, with warm service and a menu that tasted like home. Just a few more years, she often whispered to herself before her shift began. Kaya ko to.
Though she spent her days serving others in a country far from her own, Kristine was slowly building a future plate by plate, smile by smile. She wasn’t just a waitress in Bahrain. She was a daughter, a sister, a dreamer, and a quiet fighter carving a better life across the desert heat.
