Chasing A Future Far Home

Sometimes the road that takes us far from home is the one that helps us discover who we really are.

While I was working at the airline, I met a man who would later become ex-my husband.

At the beginning, our relationship felt smooth and peaceful. Like most couples, we had small misunderstandings sometimes, mostly because of communication differences but we always tried to solve them and move forward. At that time, I believed we were growing together.

At that time, I believed our relationship was strong but looking back now, I realize something about myself that I didn't fully understand then.

Since I was a child, one of my deepest fears was losing the people I loved. I had spent so much of my life feeling alone that when someone finally stood beside me and I was afraid of that connection disappearing. And I was think if I am not keep showing up, keep communicating he will be with someone or someone will take him away from me or he will disapper.

Because of that fear, I often wanted to spend as much time as possible with him. It wasn't becuase I didn't trust him it was becuase I was afraid to lossing when someone with me. At that time, I didn't realize that fear was quietly guiding my heart.

But no matter what, whatever we have conflict, we fixed and move forward for our relationship. At that moment in my life, everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.

After some months later another opportunity appeared that would change the path of my life again.

One of my father’s friends mentioned a job opportunity in Cambodia. My father asked me one day,

“Do you want to work overseas?”

I had never thought about working in another country before, so I asked him, “Where? Doing what?”

He explained that there was a catering company in Phnom Penh looking for someone to work in administration and customer service. The role involved communicating with clients and handling customer complaints.

Since I already had experience in customer service, I told to my father :

"Okay, Why not try?"

I went for the interview and they liked me. Soon after that, we signed the contract and they started processing my visa.

When I returned home that day, I told my mother,

“Mom, in about a week I will have to go to Cambodia.”

The job was located in Phnom Penh at Vattanac Capital, one of the major business centers in the city. My role was not in the kitchen itself but on the administrative side of the catering service dealing with customer relations and solving complaints."

And my mom was surprise because the time was only a week but she said

"Okay if you can manage yourself" and I prepared everything I need.

For the first time in my life, I would be earning my salary in U.S. dollars.

It felt exciting and frightening at the same time.

Before leaving, my boyfriend and I talked about the future. We made a plan together: if things worked well for me there, maybe after six months or a year he could come and join me and we could try to build a life together in that new place.

At that time, the plan felt hopeful.

When I arrived in Cambodia, reality was very different from what I had imagined. I had never lived in another country alone before. Everything was unfamiliar the culture, the language and the environment even they are not too much different with my country.

One of the biggest challenges was communication. Many of the kitchen staff did not speak English well and it was sometimes difficult to explain customer complaints clearly. Fortunately, there was one colleague who spoke English well and she helped me navigate many of those situations.

Even though it was difficult, I kept learning and adapting.

But after about six months, another unexpected challenge appeared.

There were serious conflicts between the owners of the business.

One of the owners was actually a relative of mine but not very close but still part of my extended family. Because of mistakes and disagreements between the owners, the situation became very tense.

Eventually, they began asking employees to choose sides.

One of the other owners offered me a position to stay and work with their side of the business. But the situation was unstable. They could not guarantee visa support or provide clear long-term security.

At the same time, I was already feeling deeply homesick.

After thinking about everything carefully, I made my decision.

I chose to go back home.

One of the owners was also returning to our home country, and we arranged everything within a week. Because the business closed due to the internal conflict, they compensated me with three months of salary.

Even though the situation had been stressful and unexpected, I didn’t see it as a failure.

Working overseas had given me something important: experience, courage and a deeper understanding of life.

When I returned home, I didn’t rush into another job immediately. Instead, I took about a month to rest and recover from everything that had happened.

Sometimes life forces us to pause.

Looking back now, I realize that leaving home at nineteen was not just about work or opportunity. It was also about learning who I was when I had to stand on my own, far away from everything familiar. At that time, I believed I was simply chasing a better future, holding onto love and trying to build a life step by step. But deep inside, I was also a young woman still searching for something I had wanted since childhood a place where I truly belonged and someone who would stay beside me.

Cambodia became another chapter of my journey, one that taught me courage, independence and the quiet strength that grows when life pushes you into unfamiliar places.

I didn’t know then how much that experience would shape the person I would become.

→ Continue reading: The Season When Life Finally Felt Steady