"WHY LEAVE JAPAN FOR GOOD?" 🇯🇵
This is probably a question I was asked for maybe a thousand times since I decided to go home for good 3 months ago. I always get a look of disbelief from people everytime they hear that I decided not to go back. That, along with these:
"Why give up being an OFW?"
"Isn't life wayyyyyy better there?"
"Ha? Dili naka mubalik? Nganu!?"
"Sayang! Kanindot sa opportunities didto!"
I even had this 1-hour conversation with a Nepalist in a restaurant in Tokyo, with him convincing me not to push through with my decision because according to him; "Life in Japan is better" and I am making my biggest mistake.
To be honest, I am tireddddd of answering these same questions over and over again because that would mean me trying to explain to people that I am not lowering my lifestyle and definitely not destroying my future. But I have to say, I am not surprised. For 3rd-world countries like ours, life abroad always means better. Instead of ignoring them and their questions, I always always ask them this question back;
What are your goals in life? Because for me, our goals should be our guide as to what our decisions in life should be, not society's standards and expectations.
So, what are your goals in life? I asked them then I will continue with; "Perhaps staying is your goal and that's great! Congratulations, but we don't share the same goals and vision for our lives because these are mine."
As I got older, these goals became clearer and clearer to me. The more I listened to my heart, the softer the noise of the world became. One night, 4 years ago, I asked myself; "Why will I still choose to stay?"
It took me 4 years to device and execute my Grand Plan of freeing myself because of course, underprivileged and breadwinners like me couldn't just give things up overnight but yes, here I am now. I am home.
There is no shame in leaving, quitting or saying 'no' to things that no longer align to our goals and to who we are. There is no shame in that, only bravery and respect. As cliché as this may sound but, in this fast-paced world, please have the courage to live your life to the fullest!
Yours sincerely,
𝓓𝓪𝓷𝓪
