Wanderluster... may I ask if your priority is to fly for Emirates (this is an Emirates wannabe forum after all!) or just to get a job as cabin crew?
I'm flying for an airline in the Phils and accept salary is not great here... however a mate of mine just got a job with Qatar Airways (after only doing 9 months experience as her first crew job with a local airline here) and I know of several ex Cebu Pac crew now flying for both Etihad and Qatar. I also have colleagues whose wives fly for Thai and Cathay. The point being none of these folk speak the local languages of the countries concerned, so I believe there are opportunities there for you. Also my mate who's about to leave for Qatar, lives in Cebu and Qatar did the entire recruitment event in Cebu, so she didn't have to travel anywhere.
Regarding your other point, if you don't have dual nationality and Emirates are intent on maintaining the required quota, then if they did catch you out applying in another country... then it would be a waste of a lot of money (unless you were have a holiday there also!)
... my 2cents worth. Hope of help.