Background.

I grew up from a small town in North Cotabato in Philippines. It is in the island of Mindanao. People often associate the word Mindanao to armed conflicts and endless war between Moro rebels and the government. I am the youngest child, I have two older sisters and both are married. Our childhood summer days were spent climbing up trees in the afternoon and attending Flores de Mayo. We always look forward for the month of May when flower blooms and children from our village hunt for the most beautiful flower to be offered for Mother Mary on the first day of the month. We sang hymns and praises for Her. Showering her with flower petals. Kids are taught on how to pray the Holy Rosary and the basic Catholic doctrines. Those who are nine years old and above can have their first Holy Communion and it is the most anticipated event of the month. A culmination is set on the last day of the month. Food prepared by our parents, gifts given by our teachers and our local church leaders. When I turned 15, I became an apprentice Flores de Mayo teacher and the following year, I became a cathechist.

College and dilemma.

I graduated and passed the entrance exam in a University funded by the government. It is one of the most prestigious schools in Mindanao focusing in Agriculture. One needs to pass the cut off score and for every colleged there is a required score from the entrance exam and high school general average. I got into the College of Engineering and Computing. I took Bachelor of Science in Information Management but I shifted to Agricultural Business since that was really what I want. I was having a thought of leaving college and wanting to travel a road that few young people chose- becoming a nun. My friends in college had a talk with me. They said to give myself a year to decide. On my 18th birthday, I received a postcard from a nun in Davao City. I thought it was sign but the thought of leaving home and everyone scared me by then I realized that life in vocation is not for me. Circumstances made me transfer to another school in Davao City. I studied Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Marketing and Management. I became a working student. I was skinny then. I almost gave up when I enrolled myself in three major subjects in one semester. Advertising, Marketing Research and Product Quality Management. That meant a lot of work to do in a semester. I cried on a deadline date. It was raining hard and I needed to print out the final output. I was able to pull it off amidst all odds that happened to me that day but I came home wet and cold.

Work and becoming an adult.

Finding a job for the first time is not easy! I failed my first job interview.

It was a nerve wracking experience. I failed my first job interview- now that's a confession. Maybe I wasn't confident enough during the interview. I was scared of failing it and it got into my head. It became my motivation to do better for my next interview. My second job interview was for a Personal Assistant vacancy. I got hired! The excitement and joy of getting a job for the first time but I need to move to Metro Manila. Oh no! I wasn't ready for it. It was a promising career in real estate but I turned it down. My next job interview was for Non-Government Organization. We facilitated and trained women around the Philippines giving them opportunities for business and empowering them with skills and fresh ideas. It was a perfect job for me, I got to travel everywhere in the country for free! I stayed in that job for a year. When I came back to Davao City, I got a job in a BPO for an international account. It is the largest TelCo in the US. I wasn't able to get hold of myself for that account. I let myself rest for a month and from it I started again but it was a strong start. I landed in a different BPO company. I stayed for three years, eventually the account shut down because of AI upgrades. Then I got a job for the largest car rental company in the world. Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty. Promotion was knocking in my front door but the pandemic happened. In an instant, my life changed. I went to work that night thinking of my usual daily routine. I left work and never came back. I left the city and my life I built for years.

Exodus.

I packed my clothes and personal things in an hour. I left our house. My bed was kept tidy and clean thinking that I will be back in a month and the longest would be three months. I took a ride going to another city since there was a long queue coming in the city. My sister and brother-in-law can't get in so I just took a public transport going to the next city. The amount of anxiety and fear kicked in. I was scared of carrying the virus into my sister's place. I had an anxiety. I couldn't sleep at night. I kept on thinking about the future and my life. It came to a point that I deactivated my social media accounts for months. I cried behind close doors. I didn't know what to do with my life.

Love and crypto currency.

You will find love in the most unexpected way.

In my silent battle with anxiety somebody is hoping to be noticed by me. He is my sister's employee here at the farm. I've seen him in a daily basis. I was being mean to him most of the time. He would greet me with big smile. The courting waz made proper. He asked for my sister's approval. After three months of courting I said yes to him. He is the kindest person I've met. Sweet and caring and loyal. I am lucky and grateful for the support and love he is showing me everyday.

I started crypto just this year. I can't remember exactly how I got it here but I am loving it. Then I joined noise.cash my earnings from that site helped me with my expenses here at the farm. By the way, I am into farming now and I will make an article for that in the future. I bought farm inputs using my earnings. I have adapted and get used to what crypto market looks like. Highs and lows. Bull run and bearish. I am still learning it.

Future.

I am not longing anymore to go back in the city. I might be settling down here. The simple life and fresh air everyday convince me to stay. Away from the city but nearer to nature. I'll stay and survive wherever fate may bring me. Tough!