But their heroic deeds have a difficult tradeoff. OFWs must combat the terrible loneliness that comes from living away from their families for long periods of time.

They also have to deal with an identity crisis—they are in a foreign land, with customs and languages different from theirs. They need to change to survive, but how much should their identity shift? Should they shed their Filipino-ness and adapt the culture of their new home country?

Five OFWs talked to BuzzFeed Philippines and shared their experiences about working abroad, homesickness, and how they retain their identity as Filipinos.