Inspiring Lives: Enduring A One-year Stay In Japan

This world is full of challenges. We are like vehicles running on a bumpy road. We experience difficulties. We will never know what will happen as we go on with our life just like the OFW Joan Bacayo. At the age of twenty-three she experienced going to Japan.

It’s not how easy as we think working abroad was for her. She encountered the unfairness of life. Before she has gone there, even in the Philippines fate has played with her. She didn’t pass at first but in the second take to Japan she then did it.

A month before the flight, her mother stopped her from going abroad but she has fixed her mind. It’s been a month of arguing with her mother. The topic was always the same. She really doesn’t want her to go.

When the exact moment came, she stood up on what she has decided. She went to Japan. As her family sent her to the airport, tears of goodbye fell from their eyes. It was the first time she would be away from the loving family. It wasn’t easy but she wanted to go there to help her family and to see a new place, to experience a new world. She was never afraid. She has the guts to travel and stay in Japan.

In the first month of staying there, it was quite hard. She only had one companion but she couldn’t get along with because it’s three years older than her and it acts like she was the one to be followed. Also, she has to adjust in the new environment. She missed her family and friends. While she was staying in Japan trying to adjust, her family here in the Philippines were so worried. Her mother really believed she was dead and put the blame at her father for giving her the permission to go abroad.

She couldn’t communicate with her family because phones are prohibited. They are not even allowed to go to other company’s trainees’ house. Until such time that the company allowed them to call their families. She was so happy with it. The voices of her loved ones were like music to her ears upon hearing them from the line.

Another day has past. She discovered that her house companion had a boyfriend and she used to sleep at his house every night. It was strictly prohibited. If the company learned about it her guarantor was going to pay. Since Joan’s mother and aunt was the guarantor they are going to pay 125,000 pesos each. After three months of thinking if she would report it for the sake of her mom and aunt, she then reported her. She was sent back to the Philippines.

The nights were even colder and lonelier. She always thought of her family. It was a long cold night each night. Thanks to those Japanese who treated her so well despite the fact that they have different nationalities. She learned to mingle with them.

But, there wasn’t anything harder than to look for a church for four months. She doesn’t know where the Iglesia Ni Cristo whom she has great faith with was located. She looked everywhere. After work, she would prefer walking hoping she could see the church.

God really was good and will always will. He made a plan for her. She saw her friend who knew where the church was. She was so happy. She went to the church and was amazed. Walking through the door made her feel something. Her heart was filled with great emotion.

A moment later, she just caught herself sobbing. Drops of tears fell from her eyes. She didn’t know what it was. All she knew was she felt the presence of God.

From that moment, she went to church every Sunday and Thursday. She knew it was forbidden by the company but she has to follow God’s will. She used to escape and she was so thankful to two Japanese men who were there to help her.

She learned to love the country and the people. But sad to say, she has to go home because the contract was only for a year. Her co-workers arranged a Farewell Party before she left. She gave a thankful speech to them, for being a father, a mother, a brother, a sister and a friend. They may be away from each other but time and distance can never erase the fact that they’ve been a part of her journey which made her strong.

She then realized it’s not the blood, the color nor the flag but how you treat each other through ups and downs. Being in Japan wasn’t a disaster for her; it was one of the greatest things that happened in her life.

Now, she is applying for Korea and was waiting for the result to come. If ever a great opportunity of coming back to Japan presents itself, she would rather choose Japan because from there she learned almost all the things that she now use to become successful in life.

Confidence and faith really gives you the guts for glory!