Last February 11, a parcel has arrived in the office. It contained the item that I had dreamed to acquire since I was young. I got too excited that I immediately ripped open the package to examine my newly acquired possession.
Finally! I got my passport!
I have to share this with you because I believed that I was indebted to tell the story it entails.
Let me tell you my context.
Milieu Familial
I have been working for 1 year and 4 months, but I was not able to process my passport during that term. I am the breadwinner of the family and I single-handedly support my sister who is now in her third year in college. A big chunk of my salary would go to her tuition fee and daily allowance.
I couldn't blame my parents because they also have burdens to bear. My father is a security guard in a cement company; earning a minimum wage. My mother worked as factory worker, still a minimum wage earner. Their salaries combined, could not send my sister to college, considering other expenses in the house. My younger brother couldn't continue his studies due to our financial situation. He had to stop and work as a cashier in a convenience store. My sister should have graduated already, but she stopped for 2 years just to let me finish my studies.
Although I was a scholar, we were so impoverished that time that my monthly allowance will be used to buy daily necessities, instead of using it for my studies. I can still remember that when I was in college, I worked as a freelance writer, earning a few dollars to be used as my daily allowance. I even sell munchkins (some called it "Graham balls") and the earnings were used as my transportation allowance. Those who knew me would be able to attest to that.
Now that I am working, I fulfilled my promise to my sister when she stopped her studies. I made a promise that no matter how long, I will support her. Even if it takes 90% of my salary, I will still support her in college.
Ma Situation Actuelle
I was always complaining of how undervalued and undercompensated engineers are in the Philippines. I will always say that my monthly salary is not enough to raise a decent family. A single day job is not enough so we have to find another way of earning extra to compensate for our wants and other expenses.
Here comes steemit.
I have been scammed in my online freelance gigs many times before. This is due to my insatiable desire to earn more that I have to forgo all the necessary layers of security. When a potential employer offers bigger amount than usual, I will always grab it even if it's shady. This increased my risk appetite. When @legendarryll told me about steemit, I never hesitated in signing up. I didn't mind all the technicalities. I didn't ask a lot of questions. In my mind, I'll just learn all about it once I'm registered. I never thought that I could earn this much! To be honest, it's way bigger than my monthly salary.
I already told you this, but I'll repeat it again. I became debt free earlier this January because of steemit. I am now enjoying financial freedom because of steemit. I never thought this would happen way sooner than I expected. Last year, I thought that I would be officially debt free late this year. But steemit happened, so I guess I'm ahead of my schedule.
Considering that the needs of my family have been met, I really aspire to travel around the world.
Mes Objectifs de Voyage
If you look at my blog page, one of my bios says that I'm a frustrated traveler. Frustrated because I really want to travel, but my situation prevents me from doing so. I want to be immersed in different cultures. I want to expand my knowledge about the world. I want to understand different views and perceptions. I simply believed that I can do all that if I travel.
Since I was young, I have been dreaming of going to places I've never been. I couldn't be contained in one place. My mother believed in superstition, so she thought I'm such because of the mole at the sole of my feet.
The Philippine passport might be too far from being the most powerful passport in the world, but I thought that it is my only gateway to the world. Last January, Rappler listed 63 countries where a Philippine passport holder can travel visa-free. Not bad!
Did I tell you that acquiring my passport was possible because of steemit? Yes! Every expense in the process is from my steemit earnings. I had to process my passport in Bacolod because all slots in Cebu are not available until June.
Et Maintenant Que?
To be honest, I don't know. I don't have any plans in mind yet. I have still to consider a lot of factors before I can come up with a decision. In a way, I still have to consider those who are at stake. One thing is for sure; I'll be traveling. I don't know when exactly, but I'm certain it's in the near future. I don't have to worry though, because Philippine passports now have 10 years validity.
I know the world is waiting for me. It will just wait. I don't have to be hasty.
Let's just wait and see where Steemit will lead me.
Au revoir!
Kim, @ybanezkim26
Please don't mind the French headings. I don't know how to speak in French. I just feel like adding something in French. Yeah! I just use Google Translate.
Hello, you are inspiring. Your testimony will be mine in couple months from now, i believe and pray. Wishing you all the best in your travel endevours.
Sky can be ur starting point.
Thank you @purpletanzanite! Wishing you all the best, too!
@ybanezkim26 I really admire your strength. I can somehow relate with your story in a way that our family members sacrificed in order for us to succeed. My father has been an OFW ever since I was born . Though we may never spend special holidays together, I always think and say to myself I should not feel bad or sad because he is doing it for our family. People may think that we don't experience difficulties but growing up far from my father was extremely difficult for me. Life here in the Philippines is really hard. You really need to work harder than you ought to. Ever since my sister started working, she supported me in my studies. Family members really need to stick together. I will be forever grateful for the sacrifices my family has made. I could never imagine if I was the eldest among me and my siblings, I don't know if I will be able to fulfill the responsibility. I hope you achieve all your endeavors in life Kim! Your heart is so genuine and true. Good luck!
Thank you @reewritesthings! I hope you will be successful in yours too! I have been so proud of your achievements here on steemit lately. Keep it up!
P.S. You can always share your life stories here.
Thanks @ybanezkim26! Yes I will.
makarelate jud ko sa imung post, we can endure anything for our family. Looking forward nga make debt free sad ko because of steemit, there's so much to learn but I am thankful there are people like you serve as inspiration to us, your readers. I admire you for being real and I am always a fan of your authenticity. Best days are yet to come. Enjoy your travels soon!
Thank you @orhem! That line struck me the most. I realized that I have to be real because everything we do here is public. The blockchain records everything. If we pretend, a day will come when we will be caught. The only way for me to thrive in this platform is to be who I am.
I can relate to every bit of your story. Life was hard but that's what made us stronger and fiercer version 2.0. I am also the cheesebread winner of my family, and I couldn't thank Steemit enough for helping me financially. Maski bra di gyud tawn ko kapalit sauna, pero karon maski uska dosenang push up bra pa. Unod nalang gyuy kuwang hahahaha
Pursuing travels is one of my goals this year as well. Hopefully, mka out of the country late this year or early next year, kay tawn, puol na kaayo ang Carbon ug Colon hahahaha
Dungan ta Shiela! Iapil ko sa imong out-of-the-country plan, if okay ra nimo. Besides, daghan kaayo ko dapat malearn gikan nimo. I need to study financial stuff. I'm now slowly grasping my own financial freedom so I need more guidance.
Hoi! Buangon jud ka anang imong push up bra. Hahaha. Atimana ang unod. Hahaha
hala kuyog ta ni @legendarryll para naa tay photographer hahaha amazing kaayo iyang shots and travels grabe
Yaaay you can reach me through fb pud, if you have questions about financial stuffs, or we can do a financial checkup w/ @thegaillery and @josejirafa soon! :D I'm still a student when it comes to finances, pero I will be glad to share my knowledge :D I know I can learn from your experiences as well :D
hahahahahaha I'm working on it, sa unod. Constant pinching is effective gyud or nanambok lang siguro kog samot hahahahahah
Sige2x. Excited ko sa mga mahitabo! Everything! Ganahan ko anang financial check up. Pwede heart check up sad? Hahaha
apil kos financial literacy learning session bi :D
Of course! This Sunday.
see you all :D
HAHAHA. Ate ba haha. Pero bitaw tinuod gyud kaayo na. I never buy myself anything knowing how hard our family situation is. Di jd lalim. Steemit made that better. I never imagined buying myself a steempowered laptop, as I told @ybanezkim26 ganiha.
That's why both of us are very eager to learn about managing finances because its not an easy job to handle.
Maypa siya kay naa na steempowered laptop. Ako kay wala pa gyud. Maybe next curie. Which is lisud na mahitabo. Haha
Mas importante and pamilya. Naa patay gipang buhi gud. Imagina mg make kug writeups using my phone haha #typosallover
hahaha ang superpowers ni kim kay bahala lapukon or daghan liba-ong ang dalan kay sige gihapon na cya type ug blog sa iyang phone :D :D :D
Hahaha. Naachieve na nako ang typing wherever I am.
lage pudpod pud akong tudlo sauna ba hahahah
Hi @ybanezkim26 the way you write your post is so personal and authentic. You write out your heart on it. Kudos! Keep steeming!
Thank you so much @juecoree! Pretending to be someone else or something else in my writing is a mortal sin for me. I believe that once you write from the heart, you don't have to worry about anything or anyone. Once you write from experience, no one can invalidate that.
No matter how good you are in writing, if it's not authentic, then it's useless.
Appreciated @ybanezkim26 Cheers ! Hope steemit brings you to amazing and wonderful destinations!
@ybanezkim26 inspiring indeed let's plan a trip together @ybanezkim26 would be fun backpacker style.? I like the raw emotion and the honesty of your post Kim Sikap and tyaga ate really am attractive magnet in yoi
That would be great @gratefulayn! I love to travel with different people. But be warned. I'm an impulsive traveller. Hahaha. I usually enjoy everything, may it be bad or good.
About being raw in my post, I just thought that this blog will be my outlet. It will be here that I will pour out what's inside my head. The community has been very supportive that I feel I could be raw and vulnerable. I don't have to worry about being judged or anything. Steemit is unlike any other conventional social media. I made a lot of great friends because of steemit.
Im so happy that you're family was able to surpass all the struggles and that steemit has helped you. :)
Btw, where did you apply for a passport?
I applied it in DFA Bacolod @geevee.
Ohhh quite layo from here sa CDO. Punuay naman gud permi ang sched even in Dumaguete, Davao, etc.
Yeah. Puno na gyud everywhere. Pero check lang from time to time. Naa ra na mukalit ug ka available.
Hopefully :) thanks @ybanezkim26 :)
You remind me of Alexander Hamilton, Kim. I have great faith that your struggles will propel you to the future that you wish to have. When that day comes, I'll be raising my hat off to you, Sir, as I always have since the day I saw this other dimension of you. Steem on!
Thank you, Gail! Steem on! Hahaha
Alexander Hamilton? You mean one of the founding fathers of the United States?
Sorry I am so naive. Haha
No need to apologize, Kim because you are on point. I see Alexander in you. Couldn't wait for the good things you will set in motion 😁
This post is raw indeed! It takes a lot of guts and courage to go all out in our life stories. I'm glad to know that you got over your previous tough situation. I feel you gyud because it was never easy being in such shoes when we were so young. Soar high from now on @ybanezkim26. The world is waiting. I'm cheering for your future travels.
Thank you so much @raquelita! It's reassuring to know that I have people who cheers behind my back. It keeps me going.
You're welcome. I am also finding myself here and learning at the same time. The beauty of Steemit is that it connects people and finding a foothold for us to see the world a little better. 😀
Just read this now. I think we have similar situations as well haha. Maglukat pakog passport anytime soon also. Its really hard to be in an impoverished family. I feel the same way with regards to a buget of a family with 8 members. That's a lot to manage which is why I need to manage my own expenses.
It was great to know you better in the post and through our short talk ganiha HAHAHAHA. Apas lng tas mga trabahuonon unya. Waiting for your next travels, and your upcoming post! Hahaha. Til next time kim
Next week with Sheila's financial literacy course. Hahaha. Special mention ka niya ganina.
Congrats! Steemit success stories are always heratwarming.
Enjoy travelling and immersing in ofher cultures. For your first travel, you may want to choose a country frequented by Filipinos (as tourists).
I remember my very first international flight to attend a seminar in SG — company-paid kasi I was also a breadwinner then. I was questionned by the immigration officer. Mukha siguro ako g mag-TNT then. 😆 Sana mapatatakan mo na soon ang passport para mabawasan ang linis. 😊
Thank you @thedailymom! Sana nga mapatatakan ko na soon!
10 years validity na @ybanezkim26?
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