我在海外工作錯過了女兒大半的生活，那就像是一根扎在心頭的針，

身為父母，可以將女兒帶在身邊，像「家人」般一起生活是我最大的期待。

 

臺灣，又被菲律賓人稱為夢想的跳板，那裏有許多讓移工賺取金錢以維持家鄉親人所需的機會。

 

離鄉背井在外工作是一件很難熬的事情，尤其是對於一位母親來說。你會錯過那些對原本該參與其中的特殊節日，像是聖誕節及生日，這兩個對菲律賓人來說很重要的日子。每當那難以言喻的思鄉之情襲來，你會發現你只能獨自拭掉臉上的淚珠。 

 

每個人自幼都有夢想，小時候夢想著要一個玩具、青年時夢想著要一直放假、大學時期的目標是得到更好的成績、完成研究好讓自己追求接下來的夢想。 

 

我問自己「我的夢想是什麼？」 

 

我有我的計畫與期盼，也有我的目標，我督促著自己，要達到更高的階層，需要更努力、更有耐心的熬過這段實踐夢想的漫長過程，最後才能實踐這個稱之為「未來」的夢想。 

 

當我還小的時候，並未有什麼偉大的夢想，能擁有一份高薪的工作就夠了。但成為母親後，對未來的規劃，卻在一夕間改變。身為一個單親媽媽，不僅是為自己，也為著女兒，夢想是雙份的，努力也是加倍的。 

 

現在我的目標是要前往加拿大工作， 

 

那裏能夠給我及我的寶貝女兒更好的未來。我在海外工作，錯過了女兒大半的生活，那就像是一根針，扎在心頭，身為父母，可以將女兒帶在身邊，像「家人」般一起生活，是我最大的期盼，因此我要認真工作，並向神禱告，有一天夢想會成真，我只需要專注的、盡我所能的讓這個過程順利進行。

 

人皆有夢 

夢想遠大，必能成就更大

Dream big, work hard and make it happen

(A mother's thoughts and prayers)

​

Donna Domingo Lanuza

​

Taiwan is so called a stepping stone for Filipino dreams, there's an opportunity here in Taiwan that helps us migrant worker to sustain our family needs way back home. A thousand miles away from our loved ones is hard, especially being Mom, you will miss special events that you are supposed to be there such as Yuletide and birthdays which is very important in Filipino tradition and you will find yourself wiping out your own tears due to unexplainable feelings when homesick attack. 

 

Every person has a dream that they wanted to fulfil, starting from childhood dreaming to have a toy, teenage days where dreaming about holidays, and college stage where aiming for higher grades and to finish their studies that they can use for pursuing dreams.

 

Asking myself "What is my dream?"

 

By myself I have plans, wants and goals which I need to push myself onto another better level such as to work hard and be patient enough to wait for the long process and to make the dreams turn into a reality that is called future. 

 

Way back the old days, when I was young I don't have that big dream, as I told before having a good job and high salary is enough to sustain my needs and wants, but everything change in just a snap when a princess became a mother, changes includes the future plans and the pressure for raising a child all by yourself, so from being Easy go lucky single, my life changed and I become a dreamer that believes that I can aim higher than the mountain, bluer than the skies and colourful as a rainbow that promises a better tomorrow, as a single mom you need to settle not just for one but you need to dream for TWO coz you doubled yourself and has to double your dream.

 

Currently, I am a dreamer who has a big aspirant going to Canada. Why Canada? Because there's a better promise of tomorrow not just for me but especially for my little girl, in terms of education, health and well-being, and as a parent where I can bring her with me and we can live as a family, which I missed a lot while working overseas, I've spent half of her existence away from her and it feels like a pinch in my heart when there's a special event that she needs mom, phone calls isn't enough to guide her and to fill her emotional needs, once you heard she says "mommy uwi ka na, lagi na lang akong walang mommy" those words made me even better person, but makes me feel incomplete that’s why I worked hard and pray to God that one day all this dream will turn into a reality, I just need to focus and do my very best and let the entire process goes along way.

 

And I'm thankful for my parents and sister who become my shoulder when I lose hope, they always remind me that I can do it, and they trust me that one day I will achieve my dreams because the future awaits.

 

And I do believe that dreams are essential when you dream big with all your heart and you will be able to achieve even bigger.

 

Donna Domingo Lanuza 12~27~2020