Let this award-winning book guide you
Words by Ieth Inolino-Idzerda
Photos courtesy of The Philippine Embassy in The Netherlands
If you’re reading this, you are most likely someone living or working abroad. It’s no secret that life overseas can be daunting, overwhelming and confusing. You are not alone. There are 1.8M overseas Filipinos as of Q1 2023.
Seeing that there is a clear knowledge gap in preparing Filipinos for a life overseas and to integrate effectively, Donna Avellana Künzler drew from her learnings and personal experiences from years of living overseas across three continents, four countries and five cities to write and self-publish The Overseas Fabulous Pinay: A modern Filipina’s handbook on how to thrive abroad in 2020.
Although not limited to female readers (male readers can definitely pick up a thing or two), this comprehensive, easy-to-read and light-hearted handbook is full of guidance and practical tips to survive life abroad, from planning an overseas move to integrating in one’s host country
while being confident, sophisticated and responsible.
Künzler, who is also Roots & Wings’ Swiss country editor, is bringing her inspiring stories to different cities in Europe including The Hague. The Philippine Embassy in the Netherlands hosted its fourth book forum February 2, 2024 featuring OVFabPinay (as the book is fondly called). Entitled “Thriving as a Filipina in Diaspora,” the event was in partnership with Yugto Book Club, whose founder, Rotterdam-based Filipina Angeline Calleja, moderated the forum.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya cited the importance of community building and engagement. “We need to inspire and learn from each other and be an empowered community,” he said. This resonates with the stories of Filipinos and Filipinas who moved to a new country to start a new chapter in their lives, embracing opportunities and making a mark wherever they are in the world.
To get a copy of the book, visit https://ovfabpinay.com/. To connect with the community of Yugto Book Club and learn more about its advocacies, visit https://linktr.ee/yugto. For more information about The Philippine Embassy in The Netherlands, visit thehaguepe.dfa.gov.ph.
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