WANDERFIL: Your Ultimate Guide to Living in Spain as a Filipino Dream Chaser

Hey there, fellow dream chasers! Welcome to WANDERFIL - a blog designed exclusively for my kick-ass fellow Filipinos who are on the verge of pursuing their dream lives abroad. Here, I will be writing about the ins and outs of living in Europe - drawing from my own experience and that of my guests. I hope this blog can help and inspire you to chase your dream lives abroad ✨✨✨

Carpe diem! 

About Me:

My name is Mig and I am Philippine-born, Madrid-based content writer with a severe case of wanderlust since forever. At the tender age of 22, I packed my bags and moved away from my home country to pursue my dream life abroad. Since then, I had been blessed enough to live in some of the most incredible cities in the world - from the concrete jungle of Dubai to sunny old Barcelona. Currently, I am living in the gorgeous Spanish Capital with my partner who deserves a BIG shoutout for encouraging me to turn this passion project into a reality.

How did I end up here?

I was an expat in Dubai when I heed the call of Mother Spain. It was masked by heartbreak that fuelled me to find opportunities in another country far away. I was lost, lonely, desperately wanting to move away from where I was and start anew - somewhere new. After deeply researching for 3 months + asking anyone I can ever ask about European student visas, I stumbled upon a LinkedIn page whose LinkedIn summary read: A Filipino International Student in Spain. As if a sign from the universe that SPAIN is the way, I noted down his email address and wrote a lengthy, sad, dramatic email explaining why I wanted to move to Europe and asked for tips and resources to do so. I feel bad for the poor boy whom I just poured my heart to LOL but you gotta do what you gotta do!

<------ My first email to him last 2018

Little did I know that he will reply (!) and he will be the key to my new life (!!)

A++ for being brave in messaging a stranger, right?

The rest, as they say, is history. But I want to honour the in-between. What's in-between is 5-year worth of dreams and hard work and grit and miracles and good friendships and supportive relationship and financial blessings and studying for exams (in Spanish!) and thousands of euros invested and mind-boggling documentations and God's faithfulness through and through.

On the 30th of October 2023 - almost 5 years since I've written that first email to the stranger - I finally got the passport of my dreams. The #1 passport in the world. Por fin, soy Española de verdad!

The crazy thing is that getting this much-anticipated Spanish passport was not even part of the plan. When I was buried in desolation 5 years ago in Dubai, all I ever wanted was to move away and start fresh. Have a clean slate. But I guess John Lennon was right when he said, "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans." I'm glad.

A Love Letter to Mother Spain:

This blog serves as my love letter to Mother Spain and to my new (Spanish) life. Through this blog, I seek to share the highs and lows of my life as an expat-turned-European, and all the adventures it bring. This is the corner of the web where I will share the joy of international living and Spanish lifestyle tips and resources - from finding accommodations and securing internships to navigating the visa process, and everything else in between... I am excited to share more of my stories, lessons, and changes in my life in hopes of encouraging others to also chase their dream life abroad. And just like what the stranger did to me half a decade ago, I aspire to be of help for you to succeed in your Spanish journey.

Come and be a part of WANDERFIL community!

Join me on this adventure and let's connect, share, and learn from each other. Whether you're living in Spain, in the Philippines, or anywhere else in the world, I hope you stick around and that you find some inspiration while you're here :)

Thank you for being here. May God bless you!