I have worked for EAC in Malysia as logging support, worked for others in South America, and the Persian Gulf, and have had dealings with enough companies out there.
It seems from my association with these companies that a co-jo is only as valuable as the political climate in the arena you operate in. Call it "international affirmative action" for lack of a PC title, but it is what it is. When you are no longer needed you will go away and the next aspiring wanna be who gets promised a left seat slot if they mind their p's & q's and learn a little english will jump at the chance to be underpaid and never get a minute of PIC time.
To get into the Captain's seat takes alot of initiative, commmitment, connections, longline jobs of all sorts with all kinds of different equipment and a never ending desire to leave your family/kids/loved one/friends/dog/etc...... for the pleasure/ego/evil addictive drug(?) of flying the big iron.
Somewhere on one of the helicopter sites is a 10 step program to rid yourself of the addiction, quite funny actually. My wife has it hanging on the refrigerator door. I think my refrigerator is white?
I've recently taken up the sport of EMS. I have 2 kids? Really? One does look alot like the UPS man now that I think about it.
Guess I'll get to spend ALOT more time with them now that I'm home ALOT more, for the same money even. WOW! I didn't know they paid line/bush pilots this much to start. SSSSHHHHHHH Don't tell the other new hires.
Someone in management says we can fly in the low-level, tree lined, wire infested enviroment better than most.
Running water, WOW.
Electricity, WOW.
Cable TV, you're kidding, right?
WHAT! We can sleep!
In the end, it is what you make of it. If you have the desire and skills you will get there eventually.
Good Luck.
p.s. How's it going WLM and 170'?