#24 Starting Over and Building a Solo Life Abroad | Trish Estuart | Philippines → Spain

In the famous book The Artist’s Way, the author Julia Cameron suggests reframing failure by asking not “Why me?” but “What’s next?” And when I think about Trish Estuart’s story, it feels like a living answer to that question.

Trish grew up in Cebu, in the Philippines, and started working at a young age. Yes, all her basic needs were covered, but she constantly felt deprived financially. While working different jobs — and even helping cover her ex-boyfriend’s credit card bills — she wanted more. So when the opportunity to move to Saudi Arabia and work as a flight attendant came up, she didn’t hesitate and left — at a time when the country was still considered closed and not the best place to live as a woman. But she left out of survival, not confidence.

In Saudi Arabia, she thrived. For the first time, she had money — and she used that financial comfort to travel and explore the world. But something was missing… so she moved back to the Philippines. Then the pandemic hit, and she had to reinvent herself by teaching English online — a choice that eventually brought her to Spain, where she faced years of visa uncertainty, broken promises, and the need to start over.

Connect with Trish