This is my third time travelling to Canada and my second time to travel to the United States.

I still remember the first time stepping into these countries. I wasn’t sure what to expect — only that I was leaving the familiar behind. And that was a rollercoaster of experiences. That journey taught me many things: about other places, yes, but more importantly, about myself.

The second time, I learned that travel doesn’t simply show you how much there is to see; it shows you how much there is to know about yourself and the world. And the real transformation comes when you return home — when you bring all that awareness back with you and let it reshape what you are familiar with and comfortable with.

The songs of the unfamiliar and uncomfortable

This year’s trip was about becoming a beginner again and embracing discomfort as an opportunity for growth. Even though I was in a country where I could speak the language, I longed for my native tongue and the familiar routines of home. In a country where I share space with people from very different cultures, I had to trust myself, even when plans fell apart.

There were moments when I felt small and lost. I missed the aromas of familiar food, the cadence of my native tongue and routines that once felt mundane but now felt irreplaceable. But in those moments, facing uncertainty made me more resilient: I learned to adapt, ask for help and become comfortable with discomfort. Each time something unexpected happened, I faced uncertainty, and each time I came out more capable than I had assumed.

Singing perspective

What seemed big at home — small disagreements, daily routines, my limited exposure to other works of art, food, politics or culture — began to seem like just a small piece of a bigger picture. I encountered people whose lives and values challenged my assumptions. My experiences showed me that no single perspective is enough — and that expanding your view is essential. They showed me how much of my identity was built from the stories of home, its routines and its ideas of what was “normal.”

I began to realize that the world did not conform to a single way of living or thinking. I saw patterns, differences and possibilities — and I realized that knowing one culture, one language or one way of life was not enough.

Home is the song in my heart.

Home didn’t feel the same. The streets I once found chaotic now felt comforting; the familiar neighborhood seemed vibrant. And yet, I was different, too. My reactions to people, to time, to what I viewed as “important” had shifted. I found myself listening more comprehensively to multiple narratives, becoming more aware of lenses beyond my own. I valued patience, appreciated skills and recognized the contributions of others to our work. And I appreciated simple routines that I had overlooked. I carried stories, lessons and a broader view back with me.

Bringing home what I’d learned and letting it inspire me to lead, I started trying new processes, being more open to people with different backgrounds and questioning assumptions I didn’t even know I held. Some ideas I adopted; some I discarded. But all of them expanded my sense of self. I also realized that belonging doesn’t mean staying the same — it means allowing yourself to change, even in what is familiar.

— Kharla Acosta, Executive Director of iEmergence Philippines