A JOURNEY ACROSS BORDERS In the Philippines, a young woman named Ailyn dreamed of working abroad, not only to build a better future for herself but to help her family financially. Today, Ailyn is the Chief Nurse at a private hospital in Bahrain—a position that reflects years of perseverance, sacrifice, and determination.
A
ilyn’s journey began with a vision shared by many: to follow her aunt’s footsteps to the United States, a place
her dream of becoming a nurse. This decision set Ailyn on the path to fulfilling her aspirations. After graduating, her first job took her to Saudi Arabia, where she gained valuable experience as an interna- tional nurse. Although it was her first taste of working abroad, she still longed for more opportunities. After returning to the Philippines, Ailyn worked as a clinical instructor, a position that required her to earn a master’s degree. Yet, her goal of working abroad never wavered. She returned to Saudi Arabia, this time as a NICU nurse in the Armed Forces Hospital, all while waiting for her U.S. application to come through. The years passed, and though her dream of moving to the U.S. was still on hold, another opportunity presented itself in Bahrain. In 2011, Ailyn moved to Bahrain to become a nurse educator and nurs- ing supervisor. Her commitment to her work and her leadership skills led to her eventual promotion as Chief Nurse of her current hospi-
tal. Reflecting on her journey, Ailyn says, “Every girl dreams of working in the U.S., but life doesn’t always take you where you expect. I’m proud of where I’ve ended up and the challenges I’ve overcome along the way.” Ailyn’s story is a powerful example of resilience and adaptability. Her journey wasn’t a straight line—it was filled with twists and turns, unexpected detours, and new opportunities in places she never imagined. From the Philippines to Saudi Arabia, and now Bahrain, Ailyn’s path proves that while the road may be long and winding, the experiences along the way shape us and prepare us for even greater destinations. Her message to others is clear: dreams may take longer than expected, and they may lead you to places you never planned on going, but with perseverance, the journey is just as rewarding as the destination.
she believed would offer “greener pastures.” “Every girl dreams of working in the U.S.,” she says. How - ever, her dream faced an immediate hurdle—financial constraints. “My mother said no. We couldn’t afford it,” Ailyn recalls. Her mother was a teacher, and her father worked as a laborer in a coal mine. Nursing school seemed out of reach. De- spite her parents’ wishes for her to become a teacher, Ailyn was determined to pursue something different. “I didn’t want to become a teacher. I wanted something re- lated to science,” she says. So, she enrolled in college, but after a year of studying, she felt unfulfilled. Her grades were just passing, and she doubted whether she could secure a job with such academic perfor- mance. A turning point came when her mother finally agreed to support
48 ELITE LEARNING
Powered by FlippingBook