Resetting Her Life and Career: Michelle’s 3-Month Study Abroad Journey in Cebu as a Former Nurse

“Maybe this isn’t the life I want anymore…”
After working as a nurse for four years, Michelle decided to quit her job due to the overwhelming stress and uncertainty about her future.
What came next was unexpected—even to her. She chose to embark on a 3-month English study abroad program in Cebu, Philippines.

It all started with a train ride.
A casual glance at an advertisement about overseas study sparked something in her.
With no clear plan and only a strong desire to break away from her current life, Michelle took a leap of faith into a completely different world.

During her time in Cebu, she struggled with the language barrier, cultural differences, and self-doubt.
But little by little, her English improved—and more importantly, so did her sense of self.
Her time abroad didn’t just enhance her language skills; it transformed her values and how she views life itself.

In this article, Michelle shares what led her to leave her nursing career and why she chose to study in Cebu.
We’ll follow her through her 3-month journey: what she experienced, how she grew, and how it all shaped her life after returning to Japan.

Chapter 1: Burnout at the Hospital – “Is This Really How My Life Will End?”

“I looked back and realized—I’d been working as a nurse for four years, constantly thinking, ‘I want to quit… I have to quit…’”

Michelle’s time as a nurse was far from easy.
She worked rotating day and night shifts in a busy hospital, and both physically and emotionally, she was worn thin.
The workplace wasn’t exactly supportive either.
Every time someone quit, the workload on those remaining only grew heavier, fueling a never-ending spiral of stress and exhaustion.
Michelle often found herself thinking, “I can’t take this anymore.”

And yet, she kept going.
As a licensed nurse, she felt like quitting wasn’t an option.
“I worked so hard to get this qualification.”
“I can’t abandon my patients.”
“Other people are doing just fine—I should be able to, too.”
These thoughts bound her to a life that didn’t feel like her own.

“One day, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and thought,
‘Is this really how the rest of my life is going to be?’
Just work and home on repeat.
Nothing changing. Nothing exciting.
And the idea of spending the next 10 or 20 years like that… honestly, it terrified me.”

There’s no question that nursing is a meaningful and admirable profession.
But Michelle began to ask herself:
“Is this job making my life better? Is it making me happy?”
And the answer wasn’t clear.

The more she focused on helping others, the more she felt like she was slowly disappearing.
That’s when a strong desire began to take hold:
“I need to change something. I need to reset my life.”

At that point, she didn’t know what she wanted to do next.
There was no plan—only one thing she knew for sure:

“I just needed to get out of the life I was stuck in.”

She had no idea then that this urge to escape would lead her all the way to Cebu, Philippines—and to a life-changing experience.

Chapter 2: A Life-Changing Train Ride – Discovering the Idea of Studying Abroad

“I was just zoning out on the train like always… but I still remember that exact moment.”

After deciding to leave her nursing job, Michelle found herself without a clear direction.
There was no dream she’d been putting on hold, no big passion she was ready to chase.
All she knew was that she had to get out of her current life.

Then, one evening on the train ride home from work, something caught her eye: a small advertisement.

“Change your life—study abroad!”

“Wait… abroad? Study abroad?”
It was just one short sentence, but for some reason, it struck a chord deep inside her.

“Until that day, I thought studying abroad was for a different kind of person.
You know, someone fluent in English, from a more adventurous background—not someone like me.
But in that moment, I thought… maybe this is possible.”

That night, she went home and started searching:
“Working adults studying abroad,” “English programs overseas,” “study English abroad as a beginner”…
Hours passed in the blink of an eye as she dove into blog posts and personal stories.

And the more she read, the more she thought:
“Wait… this might actually be something I can do.”

“I’d always had a tiny dream of speaking English since I was a student.
But nursing school was too demanding, and once I started working, I just didn’t have the time or energy to think about it.
That old dream had been buried—but suddenly, it started to come back.”

Before long, Michelle’s search history was filled with study abroad keywords.
She looked into possible countries, tuition costs, visa requirements, living expenses, safety, and more.
Sure, she had plenty of worries—but the excitement of trying something new outweighed the fear.

Then one keyword changed everything: “Cebu study abroad.”

“Wait—Philippines? Is that even an English-speaking country?
And… it’s affordable?!”

That’s when Michelle switched from maybe mode to serious planning mode.

Chapter 3: Why She Chose Cebu and 3D ACADEMY

“One-on-one lessons at that price? I thought, ‘This has to be too good to be true.’ Honestly.”

As Michelle’s interest in studying abroad grew day by day, one destination began standing out—Cebu, Philippines.

Until then, her image of studying abroad was the usual: the U.S., Canada, Australia—places where English is a native language.
The Philippines hadn’t even crossed her mind.
But the more she researched, the more appealing it became:
Tuition was significantly cheaper, one-on-one lessons were the norm, and many schools had Japanese staff to support first-time travelers.
It started to seem like the perfect place for a beginner.

“When I first saw the prices, I actually felt a little suspicious.
Like, ‘Is it really okay for it to be this cheap?’
But after reading blogs and watching YouTube videos, I realized—maybe this is exactly the kind of place beginners like me need.”

Out of all the language schools she found, Michelle eventually chose 3D ACADEMY.

The biggest reasons?
Great value for money—and peace of mind.

“I kept seeing 3D ACADEMY pop up in so many testimonials.
People were saying things like, ‘The food’s good for Japanese people,’ and ‘There’s always Japanese staff around to help.’
It was my first time going overseas, so those little details meant a lot to me.”

The school’s focus on one-on-one lessons was also a huge draw.
Michelle wasn’t the type to speak up in a group, and she was worried about being left behind in large classes.
A personalized learning environment, where she could go at her own pace, seemed ideal.

“Honestly? Yeah, the price was probably the biggest factor at first,” she laughed.
“But it wasn’t just the price. There was this feeling of ‘I think I’ll be okay here.’ That sense of security really mattered.”

Before she knew it, what had started as casual browsing turned into a solid plan of action.

“This is the school I want to go to.
I want to see a new world with my own eyes.”

And just like that, Michelle made the leap—committing to a 3-month language study program at 3D ACADEMY in Cebu.
It would be the first step toward resetting her life and rediscovering herself.

Chapter 4: Her First Time Living Abroad – A Month of Culture Shock

“Honestly, that first month was really tough. I felt like I was hit by culture shock every single day.”

When Michelle landed in Cebu, she was greeted not only by the tropical warmth, but also by the unfamiliar realities of living abroad.
Her long-awaited new life had begun—full of hope, but also full of challenges.
She says that the first week was all about survival—just trying to get used to everything.

The first major hurdle? Hygiene.

“Back in Japan, especially working as a nurse, cleanliness is just expected.
So I was super sensitive to things like the water pressure in the shower, the toilets in the dorm, and the fact that you can’t drink tap water.
At first, I couldn’t stop stressing about every little thing.”

Next came the concept of “Filipino time.”
In the Philippines, it’s normal for things to run a little behind schedule.
Teachers might show up a few minutes late, or facility repairs might take longer than promised.

“In Japan, people would be complaining right away.
But here, people just say ‘It’s okay, no big deal.’
At first, that drove me crazy—but eventually I started thinking the same way. ‘Well, it is what it is!’”

The language barrier was tougher than expected, too.
Of course, all the classes were in English—and although she understood that going in, it was another thing entirely to actually communicate.

“I couldn’t catch what people were saying.
And I couldn’t express myself.
I felt so powerless.
Even though the teachers were really patient, I’d leave class thinking, ‘Why didn’t I say this?’ or ‘Why couldn’t I remember that phrase?’
I was constantly frustrated with myself.”

And yet—something inside her started to shift, little by little.

The warm “Good job!” from her teacher at the end of a hard class.
Late-night chats with her roommate in broken English.
The small victory of saying “Thank you!” naturally to a café staff member nearby.

“In Japan, I never really had moments where I could look at myself and think,
‘I’m doing okay. I’m growing.’
But in Cebu, I did.”

As her first month came to a close, Michelle began to feel a sense of familiarity—with life in Cebu, with her daily routine at 3D ACADEMY.
And slowly, those difficult days began to make room for moments of real joy.

Chapter 5: “You’ve Improved!” – Her First Taste of Success and Growth

“When my teacher told me, ‘Your English has really improved,’ I almost cried.”

As Michelle adjusted to life in Cebu, something else began to change—her relationship with English.
In the beginning, her classes were a struggle.
She couldn’t understand, couldn’t speak, and couldn’t express herself.
But over time, that started to shift.

“One day during a free-talking session, I found myself speaking so smoothly—even I was surprised!
I thought, ‘Wow, I’m actually having a real conversation in English!’
It felt amazing.”

She wasn’t just memorizing phrases anymore—she was using them.
And not just using them, but doing so naturally and confidently.
That kind of growth couldn’t be measured by a test score—it was something deeper and more real.

“In the beginning, I used to get so frustrated after class.
Like, ‘Ugh! I knew that phrase! I could have said that!’
So I’d go back to my room, look it up, and the next day I’d bring up the same topic again—just to redeem myself,” she laughed.

That constant cycle of review and retry started to pay off.
She had more and more phrases ready to go.
Her listening improved—she could catch 80% of conversations just by paying attention to tone and facial expressions.
Her confidence grew. Her voice grew louder. Her smile brighter.

“I never knew how happy it would make me to be understood.
To say what I wanted, to laugh together, to connect.
That feeling made me want to talk more. To learn more.”

Her teachers noticed the difference, too.

“One day, at the end of class, my teacher told me:
‘Michelle, your English has really improved. I’m so proud of you.’
That moment brought tears to my eyes.”

Being recognized for her hard work—something she rarely experienced back home—gave her a deep sense of encouragement.

“In Japan, working hard is expected.
But in Cebu, people see your effort and say something about it.
It gave me a whole new kind of motivation.”

From that point forward, Michelle began to see her study abroad experience through a more positive lens.
What was once a language barrier began to feel more like a bridge.
And little by little, speaking English became something she looked forward to.

Chapter 6: Weekends Felt Like a “Reward” – Island Life with New Friends

“Studying was important, of course. But to me, one of the biggest charms of Cebu was how we spent our off time.”

Michelle worked hard on weekdays, attending intensive classes from morning until evening.
But when the weekend came around, everything shifted—Saturday and Sunday became her well-earned “reward time.”
Surrounded by the tropical warmth of the Philippines and a circle of international friends, these moments of fun and freedom became some of her most treasured memories.

“Once Saturday came, everyone would be like, ‘So, where are we going this weekend?’
At first, I thought I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere since I didn’t speak much English—but surprisingly, I managed just fine!”

Together with Japanese classmates and students from Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, and other countries, Michelle began exploring the beauty of Cebu:

• The clear blue waters of Kawasan Falls and Moalboal

• Shopping sprees and food adventures at massive local malls

• Sunset beers on the beach with endless conversations

“As my English improved, I naturally started speaking it outside of class too—especially when we went out together.
It was awkward at first, but trying to laugh and communicate anyway really brought us closer.”

Inside the school, everyone came from different backgrounds—different ages, nationalities, careers.
And that diversity turned out to be a gift.

“There was no pressure to act a certain way.
I didn’t need to be ‘a responsible adult’ or ‘a former nurse.’
I could just be me.
It felt so freeing.”

She laughed, remembering how younger students teased her like an older sister, or how international friends joked about cultural differences.

Even the simplest memories from weekends became precious.
It didn’t have to be a famous tourist spot—the best moments were:

• Laughing over shared meals

• Taking group selfies in front of random places

• Watching the sunset and talking late into the night

All of these became, in her words, “time that helped me reclaim my life.”

“In Japan, I used to think ‘time equals work.’
But in Cebu, I felt like ‘time equals connection with others.’
It made me realize—there’s more than one way to live.”

No longer defined by how much work she did, Michelle finally found space to breathe.
The relaxed, cheerful atmosphere of Cebu gently softened her once-tense heart.

Chapter 7: A Shift in Mindset – Learning to Listen to Herself, Not Others

“Since coming to Cebu, I’ve stopped worrying so much about what other people think.
And for me, that’s a huge change.”

Back when she was working as a nurse in Japan, Michelle constantly felt the pressure of others’ expectations—
The eyes of junior coworkers, the judgment of her supervisors, the reactions from patients.
Even in her private life, she kept telling herself things like, “I have to be responsible,” or “I’m an adult, I should have it together.”

“But people in Cebu live so freely, in the best way.
Some start singing on the street, others burst out laughing in the middle of class.
Seeing that kind of thing made me realize… maybe I don’t have to try so hard either.”

Little by little, the warmth and openness of the Filipino people helped Michelle let go of her need to please everyone.
She started shifting from “what will others think of me?” to “what feels right for me?”

In class, she stopped being embarrassed about making mistakes.
On weekend trips, she stopped caring if she looked silly in photos.
When she couldn’t communicate at a café, she’d just laugh and use gestures.

“The old me would’ve said, ‘No way, that’s too embarrassing.’
But in Cebu, I found myself doing things like that naturally.
I felt accepted—even when I wasn’t being ‘perfect’ or ‘proper.’”

That change, she says, became even more valuable than improving her English.
Rather than being right, she started prioritizing feeling at ease.
Instead of needing praise, she began seeking self-acceptance.

“In Japan, not failing was the most important thing.
But in Cebu, I learned to value enjoying the moment and trying new things.”

And as a result, Michelle says she now feels like life is easier.
She no longer compares herself to others.
She’s not paralyzed by fear of judgment.

“I came to study English, but somehow… even my way of living changed.
Those three months in Cebu were about so much more than language—they were about finding myself again.”

Chapter 8: No Plan After Graduation!? Why That No Longer Scares Her

“To be totally honest… I have zero plans for after graduation,” Michelle laughs.

As her three-month stay in Cebu came to an end, she was often asked, “So what’s next?”
A question that, not long ago, would have filled her with anxiety.

But now?
Thanks to her experience abroad, Michelle had a new outlook.

“Of course it’s important to think about what comes next.
But honestly, I’ve realized that it’s okay not to have everything figured out yet.”

At the heart of this calm confidence was her new sense of self.
She had learned to speak English.
She had lived abroad.
She had built friendships, laughed, and thrived.

Those experiences gave her a quiet but powerful sense of self-worth—
A voice saying, “Hey, maybe I’m more capable than I thought.”

“In the past, I was always rushing.
‘I have to become something!’
‘I need to decide my future!’
But in Cebu, I finally felt like… ‘I’m enough, just as I am right now.’
And that changed everything.”

Maybe she’ll go on a working holiday.
Maybe she’ll return to Cebu.
Or maybe she’ll try something completely unexpected.

“None of those paths are right or wrong.
They’re all valid.
That’s something I can believe in now.”

And perhaps the most surprising shift of all—
“I don’t feel like I have to go back to nursing anymore.
Not just because I have the license or because it would be a waste otherwise.
Now, I feel like it’s okay to choose something simply because I want to.”

What used to feel like no plan = uncertainty
had transformed into no plan = freedom.

Maybe that’s the biggest lesson Michelle learned at 3D ACADEMY and in Cebu—
That life offers many paths, and not choosing right away is also a valid choice.

“In life, making decisions is important.
But I think there’s also strength in not deciding right away.
And now… I think I’m starting to understand that.”

Chapter 9: A Message to Nurses Feeling Lost – From Michelle, Who’s Been There

“If you’re a nurse wondering, ‘Is this really the life I want?’—
I just want to tell you: It’s okay to pause.”

With a quiet yet powerful voice, Michelle offers her thoughts to those nurses out there who are feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and unsure—just like she once was.

“Being a nurse means holding people’s lives in your hands.
The responsibility and pressure are intense.
And honestly, it’s hard to even say the words, ‘I want to quit’ or ‘I need a break.’
That’s why so many of us keep pushing ourselves… until we break.”

But Michelle firmly believes: You don’t have to wait until you reach your limit.
Choosing to “step away” can be an act of strength—a decision to protect yourself.

“It wasn’t until I studied abroad that I finally realized:
I’m allowed to live my life for myself.
Until then, everything I did was for my patients, my workplace, or the expectations of others.
But living like that… it slowly empties you out.”

Of course, Michelle knows that studying abroad isn’t the right answer for everyone.
But she also believes this: There are things you can only see once you change your environment.

“After going overseas, I learned so much about myself.
What makes me laugh.
What kind of people I enjoy being around.
It was in those unexpected moments that I truly discovered who I am.
So I just want to say—take that first step for you.”

What Michelle gained in Cebu wasn’t just English fluency.
More than anything, she learned how to face herself, accept herself, and feel excited about her own future.
And that, she says, was her greatest accomplishment.

“Even if life feels heavy right now—
you don’t have to rush.
As long as you’re choosing your path with intention,
you won’t regret where it leads.”

At the end of our conversation, Michelle smiled and said with a laugh:

“Life’s okay even when it’s totally unplanned!”

Chapter 10: Afterword – It’s Never Too Late to Hit Reset

Michelle’s three-month stay in Cebu wasn’t just about learning English.
It was a turning point—a moment to pause the flow of her life and ask herself,
“How do I truly want to live?”

“In Japan, I was constantly rushing around.
Every day felt like a blur of work and fatigue.
Even though I kept telling myself I wanted to quit,
I was too scared to actually do it.”

But then—one simple advertisement on the train quietly shifted the course of her life.

By daring to change her environment, Michelle began to see herself more clearly.
Not as a “nurse.”
Not as a “responsible adult.”
But simply as Michelle—just herself.

That experience, she says, was the ultimate “reset button.”

“If I had stayed in Japan,
I probably would’ve kept saying ‘I want to quit’… and never actually doing it.
But after coming to Cebu—
living in an unfamiliar place, with unfamiliar people, and speaking an unfamiliar language—
I finally realized: Even without a plan, I can still live.”

During our interview, Michelle repeatedly described her experience as “fun,” “worth it,” and “precious.”
She remembered her teachers with fondness.
She smiled at the mention of weekend trips with friends.
She recalled every conversation, every shared laugh, with so much warmth.

It was clear—Cebu had helped her find herself again.

When we hear “no plan,” we tend to think of fear or risk.
But Michelle reminded us that living honestly with your feelings can sometimes open the doors to unexpected joy.

It’s never too late to start over.
And for anyone out there whispering, “I wish I could begin again”—
perhaps Michelle’s story will gently nudge you forward.

日本語版の記事はこちら｜仕事も人生も全部リセット！元看護師Michelleさんが語るセブ島留学の3ヶ月