If you have been following me, you may already know that in 2009, I made the life-changing decision to leave the Philippines and migrate to Canada. One cold day of April, my then 2 kids, my husband and I arrived in the City of Winnipeg in Manitoba. During that time, my mind was filled with dreams of a better future—not just for myself, but more importantly, for my children. Like many immigrants, my focus was entirely on creating a new life, a life full of opportunities that could pave the way for my children to thrive.

My focus was entirely on building my new world in Canada, I am looking into build a better life, filled with opportunities and stability and the thought of returning to the Philippines barely crossed my mind. Back then, I approached visiting my homeland with practicality. Visiting the Philippines was not a priority. My thoughts about it: I would only go back if there was a deep reason—an emergency, a family obligation—something significant enough to warrant the trip.

For the better part of a decade, I kept that mindset. Life in Canada demanded my full attention, and I gave it wholeheartedly. There were new challenges, opportunities, and so much to be done to ensure a secure future for my family. As I built my career, raised my children, and settled into life here, that mindset persisted. Canada is my home, I focused on being present, ensuring a bright future for myself and my family.

But then something shifted. As I entered my 40s, I began to feel a pull I didn’t expect - a quiet call that urged me to look back to the place I once thought I’d left behind for good.

It wasn’t just about missing family or friends, though that was certainly part of it. It was something deeper—an unexplainable joy that filled me every time I set foot on Filipino soil. There’s a certain comfort in the familiar: the warmth of the air, the familiar buzz of the streets, the scent of food that takes me back to childhood. I began to realize that visiting the Philippines wasn’t just a practical decision; it was an emotional one, rooted in a sense of belonging that I had forgotten.

Coming home, wasn’t just about seeing family in friends. There was a deeper yearning—a need to reconnect with myself. The streets of Manila, smell of freshly cooked adobo, and the laughter of strangers speaking in Tagalog is where I felt a sense of belonging I hadn’t felt in years.

Since 2017, my past 5 visits became more than just a trip. It was a way to reconnect with a part of myself that I thought I already left behind when I migrated. There’s a peace in walking the streets you once knew, in hearing the sounds of your native language around you. It’s a feeling of being home, not because you’ve missed the place, but because it reminds you of who you are, where you came from, and how far you’ve come.

There’s something powerful about home, even when you’ve chosen to build a new one far away. It’s not about missing the daily grind of your old life, or even about thinking of retirement in the Philippines—no, my roots are firmly planted in Canada. But every time I need to take a break, to find myself, or to feel truly alive, my feet always seem to lead me back to the Philippines. It’s no longer just about seeing familiar faces or revisiting old memories—it’s about grounding myself, about finding happiness in the familiar. The connection to home isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s about belonging, about knowing that no matter where I go, there’s a part of me that will always feel at home in the Philippines. It’s a feeling that other Filipinos living abroad may resonate with: the need to return not just to a place, but to a part of yourself that exists only in your homeland. It’s a reminder that home is more than just where you live—it’s where your heart feels the most alive.

Some immigrants like me, may think we’re moving forward by leaving the past behind. But what I’ve learned is that there’s no leaving home—it’s always a part of you, waiting to welcome you back when you need it the most. Coming home is about recognizing that home is where your soul feels at ease, where you find comfort in the simplest of things.

As I grow older, I find peace in the balance. I will always call Canada home, but my soul finds comfort in those moments of return to the Philippines. It’s not about choosing one over the other. It’s about embracing the places that help us feel whole.

Because, at the end of the day, no matter where life takes us, we all tend to go back home—to the people, the memories, and the places that remind us of who we are.