Seeing The World With My Own Eyes

Lizera Faye Start Date: Aug 26, 2023 - End Date: May 25, 2024
  • Japan
  • Philippines

My Travel Story

by: Lizera Faye Start Date: Aug 26, 2023 - End Date: May 25, 2024
Hello everyone,

I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for taking the time to read this fundraising post. You can call me Faye, and I'm currently in my second year, pursuing a major in psychology.

I'm reaching out with a humble request for assistance, if you're able to lend a hand. You see, I'm a student navigating the ups and downs of academic life, and I have a dream of traveling to Japan and the Philippines with a group of dear friends I met during my first year.

It's quite an interesting twist, considering my field of study is psychology, but this journey holds a special place in my heart for my mental well-being. I'm not typically one to embark on travels, but these friends have been an incredible source of support and acceptance in my life. Being around them, it's as if all the expectations and responsibilities that usually weigh me down simply fade away. I felt like a normal girl when I'm with them.

In my family dynamic, I'm the second eldest with three brothers. I've taken on many roles that are traditionally associated with being a girl, which comes with its own set of responsibilities. However, spending about eight months with these friends allowed me to experience life from a different perspective – one where I'm cared for and not solely burdened by expectations.

Next year, my friends have a plan to explore the world, broaden our horizons, and extract me from my current environment. We're considering Japan due to our shared love for anime, which actually played a pivotal role in bringing us together during our initial meeting. The Philippines is a destination close to our hearts, as it's our birthplace and holds cherished memories from our childhood before we immigrated to Canada.

The reason I'm humbly seeking your help is due to my current financial situation. After completing my first year, I worked diligently at a fast food restaurant, striving to save enough to join my friends on this meaningful journey. However, no matter how hard I worked, my savings fell short, mainly because of my mother's actions.

Each time I received a paycheck, my mother would discreetly approach me and my working siblings, seeking money behind my father's back. Our upbringing didn't exactly emphasize setting boundaries, and declining her requests is seen as a breach of respect, often accompanied by her tendency to guilt trip. So, we complied, all the while contemplating involving our father in the situation. However, we didn't want to spark any more hostile conflicts within our family, so we chose silence for the sake of our youngest brother.

I considered using my student loans to fund the trip, but that would leave me in a precarious financial position and potentially lead me back to my parents' house. The chances of that happening always fills me with dread along with the responsibilities they force on me. This led me to reluctantly consider giving up on the trip, in fear of making irreversible decisions at home. However, a glimmer of hope led me to this platform, prompting me to share my story.

Your support would mean the world to me, as it would alleviate the financial burdens that currently stand in the way of this journey. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for considering my request.
  • Japan
  • Philippines