08/05/2026
A year ago, we decided to pack our bags and move to a new country. ✈️🇪🇸
Crazy to think it all started because of a random TikTok about Spain’s digital nomad visa. I got curious, did some research, and found out I actually qualified. Living abroad was never really part of our plan, but when an opportunity like this shows up, it felt wrong not to at least try.
In October 2024, we booked a consultation with an Immigration Attorney and got them onboard to help us through the process. Since life got busy, we decided to continue the application in 2025. By December 2024, we started gathering documents, double checking requirements, and praying we didn’t miss anything. We finally submitted our application to BLS Makati on February 14, 2025.
Honestly, we didn’t have high expectations at all. It was our very first visa application and also our first time leaving the country. Everything felt unfamiliar and intimidating. We kept telling ourselves: “If it gets approved, then it’s really meant for us. If not, then maybe it’s just not ours to take.”
Because of that mindset, we barely told anyone about it. We didn’t want to make a big deal out of something we weren’t even sure would happen. Our friends had no idea, and even our families only found out when we had already submitted the application.
So when we got the approval on April 14, 2025 it honestly didn’t feel real.
A week later, on April 21, 2025 we boarded our very first long-haul flight to Spain, carrying 4 big luggages, a lot of fear, excitement, and uncertainty about what kind of life was waiting for us on the other side of the world.
What makes it even crazier is that we left without even having a proper despedida with our friends. Jan even left without seeing his family because in our minds, we thought we’d only be away for a few months… maybe a year at most. We really believed we’d just “try” this life abroad and eventually come back home like nothing changed.
But life has a funny way of surprising you.
We had no idea what to expect, but we are beyond grateful to God for giving us this opportunity, and to our families for trusting us and letting us go even without fully understanding why we wanted this.
Sure, we were already living a comfortable life back in the Philippines. We had our own house, car, stable jobs, and the convenience of having everything within reach. But sometimes, when you’re in your 20s, comfort isn’t enough, you start craving adventure, growth, and experiences that scare you a little. 💫
Maybe we’ll go back home someday, or maybe we’ll build a life here in Spain. Who knows?
But one thing’s for sure: taking that leap of faith was one of the scariest and best decisions we’ve ever made 🤍
