STARTING FRESH: MY SAFE PLACE TO BE KNOWN | HELLO WORLD! MEET WANDER ELLE 😊 (My Introductory Post)

Being known in a world you are unknown.

I really liked the idea of going to a place where everybody doesn’t know me. I think this platform is a safe place to start fresh.

Hello! I’m Elle :)

Usually, a lot of people find my real name difficult to pronounce and spell when they meet me for the first time, so you can just call me “Elle”. I’m from the Philippines, a licensed Chemical Engineer, but pursued a different path. I’ve worked before in a Manufacturing Plant. Now, I’m currently working as an ESL (English as Second Language) Teacher.

Watching Korean dramas and anime helps me relieve stress and overthinking. I’m also studying Korean language because I like Korean culture and ethics. Playing with my cat and dog makes me happy.

I’m an introvert. Usually, I’m not comfortable initiating conversations. People usually have to approach me first before I start talking. However, when I'm with my close friends or if I'm around in a community where we share the same interests, I enjoy having deep conversations with them. It feels good to share your story with strangers – since they don’t know who you are, they’ll just hear you out and won’t invalidate your feelings. There is this kind of comfort in being unknown, so I'm going to share mine.

Well, some people say I wasted my degree. However, these people couldn’t even understand my feelings and what I went through before telling those words to me. First, the degree was my parent’s choice, not my own. I’ve chosen to be an obedient daughter, rather than a rebellious one. Still, I’m grateful because they funded my studies so I can finish my degree. I struggled a lot with my studies before because the degree I took didn’t suit my interests. I strived to pass my licensure exam after the second take so I could land a job. Here in the Philippines, big companies prefer a professional license to be qualified. Fortunately, I was absorbed by the company where I took my internship. However, the 24/7 operations and toxic management took a toll on my overall health, therefore, I decided to resign.

Anything about computers and technology really piqued my interest back then. What I’ve really wanted to take before was Information Technology. I’ve tried freelancing – I’ve explored different niches as a virtual assistant, graphic designer, social media manager, funnel and website designer, but I think it isn’t for me. I struggled with always applying for online jobs, getting clients, and having a stable income, so I wasn’t able to do my best as well. Still, I like computers and technology up until now, especially the evolution of AI and cryptocurrency, but as time goes by, our priorities change. Hopefully, I can still pursue that in the future. I hate to admit that currently, by this time of writing, I have to prioritize surviving my daily life over the things I’m really passionate with. We all go through different experiences and challenges in life. Your struggles might be worse than mine or the other way around. But I hope this may somehow resonate with you and I pray we can all get through our different battles in life.

Somehow in writing, I can pursue my passion in expressing my inner thoughts freely. I’m so glad to have found this kind of platform where I can freely express my thoughts, without judgment. Big thanks to Ms. @antonette as I discovered through her post about this wonderful community where I could share a glimpse of my life. I asked her for guidance on how to fully navigate this platform, and she also patiently explained about different communities here, as well as the rules and policies of this platform. I learned and fully understand that it is strictly prohibited to use AI in posting and engagement. I also understand that we must use our original photos, post quality content and engagements to maintain the high standard of this platform.

I’m also excited to share with you my journey and learn from different people here as well. Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for future posts :)

Photos were edited thru Canva.