Home, but Missing Home

I moved to Australia in February 2019 to start a new life with my sisters. Little did I know that this journey would change me in so many ways.

I helped my sister raise her children, especially the youngest, and started working in jobs I never imagined myself doing. I started from the bottom and slowly worked my way up to the corporate world. Along the way, I met wonderful people, made new friends, and learned to live in a multicultural country.

Living in Australia opened my eyes to different cultures, beliefs, and ways of life. I experienced so many things, both good and bad, that helped me grow as a person. Looking back, I will always be grateful for the life I was able to build there.

After five years of being in a long-distance relationship, I was finally able to bring my partner to Australia. We were excited to build our life together, but unfortunately, things did not go as we had hoped. Despite our efforts, we were unable to secure a visa to stay, partly because of our age and the strict immigration requirements.

Our visa expired on 11 October 2026, and we had no choice but to leave the country we had learned to love.

Leaving Australia was never part of my plan. I had built a life there, surrounded by my sisters, friends, and people who became an extension of my family. Saying goodbye to them and to the life I worked so hard for was never easy.

Now, I am back in the Philippines, reunited with my parents. And honestly, I have mixed emotions.

I am happy to be home and spend time with my family again, but a part of me still misses Australia. I miss the people, the memories, and the life I left behind. It is strange how a place that was once foreign can eventually feel like home.

I guess that is what makes leaving so difficult. You can be grateful to be home while still missing another place that has become part of you.

For now, I am learning to accept that some chapters of life end even when we are not ready. I may not know what the future holds, but I will always be thankful for everything Australia has given me.

Maybe someday, life will bring us back. Until then, I will carry the memories, the lessons, and the people I met along the way in my heart.

I am finally home, but a part of me will always be missing home.