🇵🇭❤️ Finally Home, after 6 years with No vacation🇦🇪✨

Hi everyone! It’s me, Jaycel, taking over for once! 😄💕

My home country is the beautiful Philippines 🇵🇭, and I’ve been living and working here in Dubai 🇦🇪 for 13 years now.

I truly love and appreciate Dubai for everything it has given me. This city has helped me grow into the woman I am today — a strong, independent woman who has learned so much through life, work, challenges, and new experiences. 💪✨🇦🇪

But no matter how many years pass, my heart will always belong to my home country, the Philippines. 🇵🇭❤️

Even with all the challenges our country is facing, I still love the Philippines deeply. It will always be home. 🥹❤️

It had been almost 6 years since I last went home, ever since COVID started, so finally being able to return was such a special and emotional experience. ✈️🏡🇵🇭

I’m from Oroquieta City, the capital of Misamis Occidental, located in the northern part of Mindanao. 🌴🌺🌊

And honestly… there are so many simple things about home that I missed so much. 🥹💕

🌿 Waking up to the noisy roosters and animals in our yard 🐓🐖🐕

🌊 Going to different lakes, rivers, and waterfalls with my family just to swim and enjoy the day 💦🏞️

🔥 Cooking outside over a fire with a huge pot while the sun is shining brightly ☀️

🍲🥭 Picking unlimited mangoes, papayas, pineapples, and other fruits straight from the yard 🍍🥭

🌴👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Sitting together and talking about absolutely anything and everything — face-to-face, without phones 📵❤️

🏡 Spending time in our beautiful little Bahay Kubo, made from bamboo — my beloved Mama’s simple dream home. 🎋🏠❤️

These simple moments are some of the things I miss most about the Philippines.

But more than anything, I miss spending these moments with my family. ❤️

After almost six years apart, being together again felt so precious. 🥹🤗

I even went grocery shopping with my Mama at our local wet market. 🛒

🥬🥩🍅 And ohhh… the smells! 😂

The fresh meat, vegetables, fruits, and all the familiar smells of home brought back so many memories.

And something funny happened… 😂

When I first came to Dubai,

I used to convert everything from Philippine pesos to dirhams. 💸🇵🇭➡️🇦🇪

But now, after 13 years in Dubai,

I found myself doing the complete opposite! 😂

“How much is that in dirhams?” 🤣💰

I guess Dubai really changed me! 🇦🇪😂

And of course… one of the things on my bucket list was finally checking off Philippine street food! 🌭🍢🇵🇭

Philippine street food just hits differently when you eat it back home! 😋❤️

It’s not quite the same as cooking it yourself or even having Filipino food around the Rigga area in Dubai. 🇦🇪🍴

Unfortunately, the one thing I couldn't do this time was spend a day at our beautiful beaches. 🏖️🌊

It was simply too hot, and my family couldn't stay outside for very long. 🥵☀️ Plus, with only 10 days of vacation, there just wasn't enough time to do everything.

But that's okay… it just gives me another reason to go back! 😉✈️🇵🇭❤️

I also have my little family here in Dubai — my husband, two siblings, and some of my aunties and cousins. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦❤️🇦🇪

And I’m so excited because I’m hoping to welcome my Mama and my youngest sibling to Dubai so they can experience and enjoy the beauty of this amazing city, especially while celebrating Christmas and New Year together! 🎄🎅✨🎆

I’m just praying that everything goes smoothly with their travel and immigration documents. 🙏✈️🇦🇪❤️

Please pray with me! 🤞🥹🙏

And hopefully, I’ll be able to go home again next year for another very special occasion — our big family reunion with 3–4 generations of our family! 👵👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👶❤️

And even more exciting… we’ll be welcoming a new member of the family, because my sister is getting married next year! 💍👰‍♀️🥂🎉❤️

So many things to look forward to! 🥰✨

For now, I’m just grateful.

Grateful for my family. ❤️Grateful for my home. 🇵🇭Grateful for Dubai. 🇦🇪Grateful for all the experiences that have shaped me into the woman I am today. 💪✨

I hope Dubai continues to grow and become even better, and I hope the tourists and visitors who used to come and enjoy this beautiful city will return again. 🌆✨✈️

Most of all, I hope our world becomes a more peaceful place. 🌎🕊️❤️

No more fear.

No more war.

More family.

More laughter.

More traveling.

More coming home. 🏡❤️✈️

Here’s to hoping that all our plans work out, our families stay safe and healthy, and there are many more beautiful memories waiting for us. 🙏✨

Until my next journey home… 🇵🇭❤️

Home will always be home. 🏡🌴❤️

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! 🇵🇭❤️

✨And thank you, Dubai, for helping me become who I am today. 🇦🇪💖 Jaycel <3