Being away

Most of us have already experienced being away from home for more than a week, a month, a year or more whether for business or pleasure. I too have also spent some of my summer vacations before at my uncle's house which is just a 2 hour drive from our home. I would stay there for a month or 2 and I do not get homesick probably because I know that our house was just a few hours away.

The first time that I was miles away from home was when I had my vacation at Zamboanga 3 years ago for almost a month. I was a little homesick even if I was staying at our relatives maybe because they were mostly out. One of my cousins has a family of her own and she lives not too far and we would sometimes see her and her family every weekend. Then her sister who was living at the house where I was staying has work and we would only get to hang out if it was her rest day. Then her brother who came with me was also on vacation as he works in Abu Dhabi. He was usually home though he would stay in his room and was planning to take all the rest that he needed. Their mom would be busy preparing food for all of us and would head out on different times for her daily zumba exercises. Their dad on the other hand who was my dad's brother was the home buddy. He was always at home but he would either be watching Netflix or play Plants vs Zombies. Basically I felt like I was alone in a different house. They would tour me during their free time and I really enjoyed it when we were complete. During those times that I was at home, I must say that I do felt homesick. I had nothing to do and no one to talk to that is why I was always messaging my mom or video calling her as I really missed home.

Even before I know that I was not really ready to go out of my comfort zone. That is why I resigned from my last work because I know that they were planning to assign me to our branch in Pampanga. Being able to experience living in the province for more than a week, I must say that I enjoyed it. I even told one of the staffs that it was probably how it feels like working away from home although I was still a few hours away from our house. I suddenly said that because not only because of my current status but also because the restaurant beside us had some employees living in Metro Manila but they had to work in the province. They were all staying at the staff house and this whole thing made me realize how it would feel if I were to work away from home.

However, I cannot say that I was outside my comfort zone because I was staying at the house of my brother's mother-in-law. My food, my transportation and so as my laundry were all being taken cared of. I know how to ride public transportations and go around place but it is only limited in Metro Manila and not in the province. I remember one of the staffs told her supervisor that I really do not know anything about their place and I can easily get lost. She was actually telling the truth because there was a time that she had to accompany me in a tricycle because my sister-in-law's uncle cannot pick me up as he was in Manila so I had to commute. For my safety and also because I do not know the place, my sister-in-law's mom asked the staff to accompany me back home. When we were inside the tricycle, I asked her if we were going the right way because I said that the road was unfamiliar until I saw one familiar landmark and I told her that yes we were in the right way. LOL. Honestly, I was already nervous during that time. We did not take the route which we always passed by whenever going to and from work that is why when the tricycle took a different route, I got a little nervous.

Have I mentioned that I wanted to work in Canada and Singapore before but I just did not took it seriously? I almost did had a job offer in Canada before but the employer was telling me that I needed to physically be there. Then in Singapore, I was accepted but the problem is the placement fee plus some pocket money. I needed around Php200,000 ($4,000) for both. It was a legit recruitment agency as it was the agency where my second cousin applied to and had brought her to Singapore. My dad did not want to give me that amount because he felt that I would be home after a month or 2 and not continue with my 2 year contract. LOL. I think it was an angel in disguise because it was the year when I had my gallbladder operation. So imagine if I was in Singapore alone. Who would take care of me and my hospital bills? The sad part was the money that I asked for my placement fee all went to my surgery. Ouch.

Now I get the reason why some overseas workers tend to bury themselves in working is so that they cannot feel homesick. When I was in the province, I was always at the store. I know I have already shared about how my workday was. I did not have any rest days and I would work from around 10AM up to 9PM which is the store's closing time. Then when I got home that is when I would take a bath, have a super late dinner and draft an article while updating my mom, brother and sister-in-law to the point that I would fall asleep in the middle of it. And when I was at the store, I may have fun with the team but a part of me is thinking how we can increase our sales. Though whenever I would see some dogs, I cannot help but to miss our dogs as well. I would even pet some of our customers' dogs because I terribly miss them. Even when I would see some stray dogs, I would think of our dogs.

I can say that being away was a little hard for me but I somehow felt a little braver and stronger. I know that this phase in my life can help me to be prepared in the future and who knows maybe this would my stepping stone into living and working abroad although that would be a little more challenging than where I am in right now but I feel like I can manage. I think. LOL. Would you rather be working outside or within your comfort zone? Why and why not? It may be too early for me to answer it but I wish I can experience first how it feels like to be working in a different country but still with my family or relatives. Is that considered as cheating? LOL. If it is miles from here, I think I cannot handle it yet but I would really love to earn a lot of money.

March 12, 2022

P.S. lead image is a photo of the room that I slept in when I was in the province.