Journal 3: What Really Matters in Your First Year as an OFW

I used to think money was the only thing that mattered during my first year as an #OFW You leave home expecting a success story, pero ang totoo, your first year isn’t a glow-up. It’s just survival.

It’s easy to post the highlights on social media. The first paycheck, the new city, the things you can finally buy. But what we usually hide is the quiet exhaustion. Yung mga gabing mag-isa ka lang sa kwarto, wondering if leaving home is actually worth it.

We put so much pressure on ourselves to figure everything out immediately, para lang patunayan na tama yung naging desisyon nating umalis. But maybe the real goal in your first year isn’t to get rich or to look successful online.

Maybe the only goal is to make it through the year without losing yourself.