Four years ago I arrived in Cebu for a two-year assignment with just a couple of suitcases. The aim was to start scaling GO-VA and then head back to Australia, so my daughters could finish high school in their home country. Four years later, there is a home full of furniture, three dogs, two daughters thinking globally for studies, and a city that has gotten under my skin (in a good way).
It’s the beauty and chaos all wrapped up together that I love.
The 7 reasons I love living in Cebu are:
Filipinos have the largest hearts. When I arrived in the Philippines four years ago, I made two Filipino friends in the first couple of weeks. These friends, Tasha and Tippi, instantly treated me like family. Without their support, I couldn’t have survived the ups and downs of scaling a start-up and raising children at the same time - in a foreign country, no less!
This country has allowed me to be a better mum. With helpers and drivers, it means I can outsource all the tasks of running a home and focus on my daughters and GO-VA. I can enjoy quality time with my family that I could never have experienced in Australia. Ask my daughters… they will tell you I’m a much better mum in the Philippines :)
Two qualities of the Filipino culture I love are humility and gratitude. I’m reminded on a daily basis to be a kinder person, and I’m blown away by the gratitude that is shown to me in creating jobs - not just from team members, but everyone... from waitstaff to taxi drivers.
It’s an affordable place to visit and retire. You can get $10 massages, $4.50 taxis, and restaurant-quality meals for $10!
Scaling up a business anywhere in the world it’s never all palm trees and cocktails. Dealing with different weather situations and government processes with a lot of red tape has taught me to become more patient. In fact, all of my Philippine experiences have greatly improved my problem-solving skills.
It’s a fabulous place to have a holiday and relax: Mactan Island, Bohol, Boracay, Palawan… there are over 7,000 islands to choose from! All these beautiful spots are either a 40-minute drive, 1-hour flight, or 2-hour ferry ride away. You can be that close to paradise - snorkeling, diving, boating on crystal clear waters. It’s an endless summer. Living here has made it easy for me to switch off and relax!
And most importantly, the experience has taught my daughters to be open-minded, understand many different cultures, to give back, and be appreciative of their opportunities in life.
Come visit the Philippines with an open mind and heart, an experience you will not regret.
Fiona Kesby is the CEO and co-founder of GO-VA.com.au, an Australian-owned-and-operated Managed Operations in Cebu & Clark, Philippines. Managed Operations is the ideal middle ground between full outsourcing and setting up your own company. GO-VA provides a home for your global team where you can select who you want on your team and train directly, giving you more control, compared to traditional outsourcing. GO-VA is a values-based company that encourages a love of learning, execution, care, finding a way, drive, humility, and gratitude. Fiona currently lives in Cebu and has experience offshoring tasks since 2008. She has 18 years of experience in Recruitment and is passionate about creating a remarkable culture that attracts and retains the best talent in the market, creating a culture that builds team members’ confidence and developing leaders without titles.
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