She Came to the Philippines for 2 Months. 13 Years Later, She Still Can't Leave

Description

She came to the Philippines for a 2-month film internship. She never planned to stay. 13 years later — she's still here. Meet Elena, known online as Chick Abroad — a Russian woman who gave up life in Russia to build a real life in the Philippines. In this conversation, we go far beyond the tourist version of the Philippines. We talk about what it actually costs to live in Bohol, what Filipino friendships feel like compared to anywhere else in the world, why she started cleaning beaches, how she met her Filipino husband, and why getting Philippine citizenship is harder than anyone tells you. If you're a foreigner thinking about living in the Philippines — or you're just curious what expat life in the Philippines really looks like after 13 years — this is the most honest version of that story. My guest's details: ▶️ YouTube: @Chickabroad 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chickabroad_/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chickabroad_ 🏝️ Resort Featured in This Video: The Wander Nest Bohol — highly recommend if you're visiting the island 🌐: https://www.thewandernest.com/en/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wandernestbohol/ ───────────────────────────────────── 🕐 CHAPTERS ───────────────────────────────────── 0:00 Introduction 0:52 Meet Elena aka Chick Abroad 1:20 How She Discovered the Philippines 2:34 Studying Film at the University of the Philippines 6:13 Why She Moved to Bohol During the Pandemic 6:55 The Expat Community in Bohol 8:11 Her Family's Reaction to Her Staying 9:06 Filipino Friendships Feel Like Family 10:15 Bohol Before & After the Pandemic 11:00 Why She Started Cleaning Bohol's Beaches 12:08 Cost of Living in Bohol vs Manila 13:02 $120/Month Rent in the Philippines 16:00 Does She Feel More Filipino Than Russian? 24:00 Overcoming Insecurities as a Foreigner 27:00 Her Advice for Young Women Living Abroad 29:00 How She Met Her Husband in the Philippines 33:00 Do Foreigners Help or Hurt the Philippine Economy? 41:00 The Struggle of Getting Philippine Citizenship 🔔 New stories eve