We came to France for different reasons. But whatever brought us here, one question is worth asking: Are we simply getting by, or are we building the life we want?
For many Filipinos, living in France was once a dream.
A chance to work abroad. Earn a better living. Support the family back home. Give our children opportunities we never had. Perhaps even build a future we could only imagine while we were still in the Philippines.
Then life happens.
There are bills to pay, jobs to keep, documents to renew, appointments to attend, and families to look after. We learn to navigate a country where the language, culture and systems are different from what we grew up with.
Days become months. Months become years.
And somewhere along the way, the dream of living in France becomes the routine of surviving in France.
But is that all there is?
Let’s be clear about something.
Surviving in a foreign country is already an achievement.
Leaving behind familiar places, family and friends takes courage. Building a life in a different country requires patience, determination and sacrifice.
Not everyone arrives with the same opportunities. Some come with professional qualifications. Others arrive through family reunification, marriage or employment. Some have strong support networks. Others must figure things out almost entirely on their own.
And not everyone has the luxury of thinking about bigger dreams when the immediate concern is paying next month’s rent.
Survival matters.
But perhaps survival should not always be the destination.
Filipinos are familiar with expressions that can quietly shape the way we see ourselves.
“Hanggang diyan ka na lang.”
“Huwag kang mangarap nang mataas.”
Sometimes these words are spoken as warnings. Sometimes they come from people who genuinely want to protect us from disappointment.
But repeated often enough, they can become limits we place on ourselves.
We begin to believe that our current job is the only job we can have. That our qualifications from the Philippines no longer matter. That learning something new is too difficult. That starting a business is only for people with money or connections.
Yet how much of that is reality, and how much is simply something we have accepted without questioning?
There are real barriers in France. Language proficiency, professional recognition, administrative requirements and financial circumstances can all limit our choices.
We should never pretend otherwise.
But neither should we assume that every closed door is permanently locked.
Sometimes, we simply haven’t discovered the other entrance.
France has systems, institutions and opportunities that can be difficult to understand, especially when you’re unfamiliar with the language or the way things work.
A qualification earned in the Philippines might have a pathway toward recognition or comparability.
Professional training might open possibilities beyond someone’s current occupation.
A useful contact, a community organization or even a conversation with the right person might point us toward information we didn’t know existed.
Of course, knowing about an opportunity doesn’t guarantee that we can take advantage of it.
But not knowing it exists means we may never even try.
This is one of the reasons Buhay Pinoy sa France exists.
Not because we have all the answers.
But because the questions are worth asking, and the experiences are worth sharing.
Filipinos understand the value of community.
We help one another find accommodation, navigate paperwork, look for jobs, discover services and feel less alone in a foreign country.
Sometimes a simple recommendation from a friend saves hours of confusion.
Sometimes a conversation opens a professional opportunity.
Sometimes meeting someone who has already achieved what we hope to achieve makes the possibility feel real.
But community should be more than a place where we exchange information about problems.
It can also be a place where we exchange ideas, share achievements, support Filipino-owned businesses and encourage one another to grow.
Imagine a community where success is not something to envy, but something to learn from.
Where someone’s progress becomes encouragement rather than comparison.
Where asking “Paano mo nagawa?” becomes more common than saying “Swerte mo naman.”
Not everyone wants to become an entrepreneur.
Not everyone dreams of climbing the corporate ladder.
Some people want stable employment, a comfortable home and time with their families. Others want to continue their education, pursue a profession, establish a business or prepare for retirement.
Some simply want peace of mind after years of working hard.
And that’s perfectly reasonable.
Living beyond survival does not mean chasing someone else’s definition of success.
It means having enough knowledge, confidence and opportunity to make meaningful choices about our own lives.
For one person, progress might mean improving their French.
For another, it might mean discovering whether their Philippine qualifications can help them pursue a different career.
For someone else, it might mean starting a small business, building financial security or finding a stronger sense of belonging.
There is no single roadmap.
But there are stories that can help us find our own.
This publication begins with a simple belief:
Filipinos in France have stories worth telling, experiences worth sharing and possibilities worth exploring.
We will talk about living and working in France, the barriers we encounter, the opportunities we discover and the lessons we learn along the way.
We will explore careers, education, entrepreneurship, community and everyday life.
Some stories will be personal. Others will come from fellow Filipinos willing to share their experiences.
We won’t pretend to replace official French institutions or professional advisers. When practical information matters, we’ll point readers toward authoritative resources.
Our role is different.
We want to connect information with lived experience.
Because sometimes the most useful story isn’t a list of instructions.
It’s hearing someone say:
“Akala ko, hanggang dito na lang ako. Pero may iba pa palang posibilidad.”
Maybe you’ve been in France for twenty years.
Maybe you arrived twenty days ago.
Maybe you’re doing well. Maybe you’re struggling. Maybe you’re somewhere in between.
Whatever your circumstances, there’s one question we can keep asking ourselves:
What else might be possible?
Not because what we have today is worthless.
Not because everyone must constantly pursue something bigger.
But because our lives should not be defined only by the limitations we’ve encountered—or the limitations other people have placed upon us.
We came here with different dreams.
Some have changed. Some have been fulfilled. Others are still waiting.
And perhaps some new dreams are only beginning.
Welcome to Buhay Pinoy sa France.
Hindi lang basta mabuhay sa France. Kundi magkaroon ng pagkakataong mamuhay nang ayon sa sarili nating mga pangarap.
What’s your story?
What has living in France taught you—and what do you still hope to achieve?
