NAVIGATING CHALLENGES AND CELEBRATING MILESTONES ABROAD
Embarking on a postgraduate journey in a foreign country is no small feat. It is a courageous decision that comes with its own set of challenges and rewards. In this blog post, we delve into the personal reflections of Mica Honasan, one of our Future Forte volunteers and a postgraduate student who took the leap to study abroad in a new environment, far away from the comforts of home.
It’s easy to forget to pat yourself on the back after achieving something when you’re catching your breath after having run a marathon, knowing that you’re only afforded a short break before you have to do it all over again.
But that’s what happened. After I submitted my final assessment of my first semester as a postgraduate student at Monash last June 15, I had a good sleep, woke up early to head to work the next day, and counted the days left of the winter break before going back to school. It wasn’t until a workmate hugged and congratulated me for finishing my requirements that I let the thought sink in - I finished a semester, and I did so in a foreign country, away from everything familiar, and apart from the people I love. I finished a semester of endless reading and writing, producing essays and research papers for an institution whose standards I was unsure I’d meet. I finished a semester as a working student, needing to sustain myself, all the while trying to maintain the relationships I left in the Philippines, and creating new ones in my new home.
That night, I let myself think about the past 3 months - from the first weeks of familiarising myself with my new environment, worrying if I’m good enough to be here, doubting my decision of leaving home and a job that I was good at, missing my partner and my friends and family, to the new perspectives I gained, the insightful discussions with my peers, the cultures I’ve been introduced to, and the friends that I made. That night, I patted myself on the back because the past several weeks weren’t easy but I pushed through and managed to find the pockets of joy in between - like the rare peaceful train ride to uni, the cup of coffee on the way to work, the delicious beef stew in that Korean restaurant, the hot shower after a cold day, the good feedback on my essay, and the laughs I shared with my classmates.
It’s easy to forget to pat yourself on the back when your life is constantly going, when time is measured in semesters, and when you’re going from one assessment to the next. It’s easy to forget to do this when the people who used to remind you are thousands of miles away. But all these experiences would lose their meaning if I don’t appreciate them for what they are, and if I don’t allow myself to appreciate what they’ve shaped me to become. There are still 3 semesters left of this marathon, and a couple more pats on the back along the way.
