Read above post first. 2 of 4
3.) Is it safe? What should I expect? --- Well, it all depends. The rule of thumb is that the more dangerous place you work, the more money you will make. That is not always the case in my experience. I knew a guy that was on a paramedic on a FOB in the middle of nowhere, who took indirect and sniper fire on more than one occasion, and made less than I did, sitting my butt in another much safer and much farther base away from the action. The point is... It all depends on the contract, and the company you work for. I can't speak about the safety of each. For me, I have never been in fear for my life. I feel safe. I am literally sitting right now, in the desert, in a shipping container turned into a "clinic" - with a little luxury known as the internet (thank God!) and air conditioning (which occasionally breaks down for hours or days at a time). It is in excess of 100 degrees, humid and dusty. It sucks... I am unarmed, and less than 400 or 500 miles in any direction from active fighting among those who would love to cut my head off on YouTube. Sure, that's not very close, but much closer than being 6000 miles away in my home with my family. Is that likely to happen? No it is not. Is that possible? Yes. Is that a little dramatic? Sure. But the fact is some wanna-be or something could easily get to me if they really wanted. But as I said earlier, there are inherent dangers to simply just being a westerner in this part of the world. Let alone working for an entity that is in active opposition of terrorism (or any cause). I do my best to blend in, I stay alert, and as stated, I have never felt in fear for my life. I have been in some less than great situations, but never to where I would leave. I recall first signing the papers for my first gig. There were pages and pages; one was an acknowledgement form. It was to clarify that I was not a member of the military, and I could be caught or captured by the enemy indefinitely, that the Geneva Conventions may or may not apply to me, and that the company I worked for had no obligation to find me/rescue me/negotiate for me. LOL. My mom read that and about **** a brick. Have I worried about that since then? Not at all. Somewhere in the mountains of Afghanistan, someone is getting shot at, blown up, and thinking the exact opposite. Personally, I would still work there if I got the right opportunity. It is all relative to where you choose to work. Even on ships, piracy is a threat to your life. Remote duty in Alaska or Congo, the wilderness is a threat trying to kill you. Oil field, H2S and other HAZMAT exposure or explosions are a threat to your well-being. Driving lights-and-siren in the states is also a threat to your life. Nothing in this job is without danger. It is all perspective. Will your family understand that? Never.
4.) Will I be a good fit? What can I expect? --- You are the only person who knows how you tick is what AK said, and that is 100% factual. This type of job is not for everyone. This is not a kiddie game. This is the real-deal, a real-life experience. There are no moderators or mommies here to save you from the big bad wolves out, protect you from yourself, or from getting your feels hurt. Forgive me for getting political for a second...Americans, particularly young Americans these days have a tendency to desire instant gratification and seem to have a very narrow minded view of how the world ought to work. The "I deserve it" mentality as I like to call it, or the "I can say what I want and do what I want" type of mentality is seemingly ubiquitous. This is not a suitable job option for those types of people. There are places the world, regardless of your nationality, where failing to go with the flow and failing to have situational awareness will land you in a 3rd world prison or worse if you go too far off the reservation. You need to be open minded and go with the flow at all times with your head on a swivel. Following local laws and customs is paramount. One big issue is guys come over here and try to change things around to fit how they "did it back home." That does not mean there is no room for improvement or doing things better. It means your job function is to come here and do your job functions, not to fix all of what you think are the problems of the way things are done here. Those guys tend to be the first casualties of contracting. You have to be open minded and up for new things. It will be either a very short road back home or the freakin’ adventure of a lifetime. You need to be prepared for sucky, sucky conditions as well. I have eaten the worst crap chicken and rice for 14 days solid now. Some may lose it just based on that, lol. It's free though
... I knew dudes that didn't last a week. One guy on my last deployment was on a plane 3 days after arrival because he missed his cats. So when I say sucky conditions and bring up food - it's a joke. What sucks is that you will be away from literally everything you know, everything you are comfortable with, and everything you love for extended periods of time. I cannot tell you how much that sucks. I can write all day about the little things I miss back home, from my woman's lips to making a reliable phone call without static to simply stopping at a stop sign and enjoying the sights and sounds to walking my dog... You will be in an unfamiliar world, alone, with a lot of time to think about being back home. Adaptability is paramount. Dedication is paramount. Focusing on why you are here is essential. There are many pro’s such as decent money, traveling the world, and endless opportunities to do things you never could. I was raised in a single parent family with little money, and I have worked hard for everything I have. I have never has anything handed to me. This world has opened up so many doors for me and I have done my best to seize every opportunity for success. I have stories for days! However, Newton’s third law applies. There are a lot of cons. I have seen many failed relationships and dudes take a spiraling downfall. I have seen dudes making 6 figures only to be sending the majority back home to wives that were soaking it up and banging their best friends. Working overseas or at any long distance does not kill relationships - it only accelerates the ending of weak ones. Additionally, I have seen dudes who couldn’t adapt and turned to blowing through their money with haste and then lose their job and be left with nothing – like the lottery winners’ curse. All had well intended plans to do good for their families, only to get caught up in the lifestyle; more money, more problems. You’ve got to be mature enough to realize what you’re getting into, and have a solid plan. Your family, if you have one, needs to be 110% on board. I would say ultimately, that this is a young, single person’s game in my honest opinion. However, there are contracts out there that allow for your family to accompany you, and even international schools for kids… Again, your family has to be 110% on board – that is no easy feat. I’m not trying to be a pessimist, and people with families do survive and do well, but they are the minority. Most contracts do not allow for family accompaniment, once again, it all depends on where you work and who you work for.
Read above post first. 2 of 4
)