Being an International Student Is Not Easy: I Salute My Younger Brother

Happy Monday Hivers!

I can still vividly remember how much of a mama’s boy our youngest brother was. There are nine of us in the family, and he is the second to the youngest.

He was a sickly child back then, which is probably why he was always so attached to Mama. Growing up, either Mama or one of us siblings was always there to take care of him whether we were in Cebu or in Leyte. Even when he went to college, he still had a sibling by his side.

He never had to think about what to prepare for each meal everything was always taken care of for him. That’s how pampered he was. So I never really expected that my younger brother would one day manage to live on his own.

One of our siblings runs a business that provides visa assistance, specifically for the J-1 visa, which is a visa for international students and exchange visitors. My younger brother applied through the program and first studied in Australia. He stayed there for two years, but unfortunately, he was there when COVID hit, and it took him a long time before he was able to return to the Philippines.

When he finally returned to the Philippines, he stayed only for a few months before enrolling in another course in a different country. This time, he chose Canada and enrolled at Vancouver International College.

With a J-1 visa, students are allowed to work while studying. My younger brother worked while attending classes, meaning he fully supported himself. He paid for his own housing, tuition, and all of his basic needs. Although it was tiring at times, he managed everything on his own. After two years, he successfully graduated.

I salute him because studying in a foreign country comes with so many adjustments. You have to adapt to a new culture, a different language, and classmates from all over the world. Yet, he managed it all. I feel proud watching him grow from a sickly baby boy to someone brave enough to study abroad and fully take care of himself.

Thank you for reading and see you on my next blog. Cheers!

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Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.

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