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Smiles Success Stories: Milasol’s Career Sacrifice for Family in Canada

Lilia — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 05:35:09 +0000

Smiles Mobile Remittance, known as Japan’s most popular global mobile money transfer service, is dedicated to supporting hardworking individuals who send money overseas to their families back home. Smiles help create a better life for people working abroad and promote peace and sustainability within the international community.

Loved by loyal customers since the beginning, Smiles is now excited to “Share Smiles” by telling inspiring stories from users worldwide. These stories showcase how Smiles Mobile Remittance provides its service to people determined to achieve their dreams and support their loved ones, no matter where they are.

Meet Milasol!

I was born and raised in the Philippines, where I worked as an elementary teacher for more than 10 years. Later on, I migrated to Canada with my family to reunite with my husband in Alberta. I made the difficult decision to give up my teaching career back home and start a new life here.

I began working as a cashier at A7W and was eventually promoted to a supervisor position.

At the same time, I pursued further studies and completed my health care Aide program. I am now working at a group home as a health care assistant (HCA). Canada has always been my dream country, and I am grateful for the opportunities it has given me.

Hardships and challenges that made you a stronger person

One of the biggest challenges I faced was giving up my teaching career and choosing a completely different path here in Canada. It felt like starting from scratch all over again. I took on any work I could, even scrubbing toilet bowls, just to earn a living and support my family. I also experienced discrimination in the workplace because of my skin color, which was very difficult emotionally. However, I reminded myself that I was working for my family and my future. I refused to give up and today I am proud to be working full-time as a health care aide at a group home.

Proudest moment(s) since starting your journey living abroad

My proudest achievement is my children. Being able to support them as they study at a well-known university has always been a great accomplishment for both me and my husband.

My dream is to see my children grow, succeed, and thrive in their chosen careers.

I now have a daughter who is a teacher and also owns a day home business. My son is currently in his third year of a Bachelor of Engineering program, and my youngest child is almost done with school and dreams of becoming an architect.

Life lessons and advice for living overseas

My advice is to always pray and have faith in the Lord, for He is good and His love endures forever. If you are going through hard times, use those challenges as motivation to push yourself forward and work harder for a better future. I am not saying that I have reached the top, but with the help of God, I know that I am no longer at the same level as when I first came to Canada. Growth takes time, patience, faith, and perseverance.

Why do you choose Smiles to send money?

I have been using Smiles for my remittance needs, and it has been very reliable and convenient for me. With Smiles, I can send money quickly, even in the early hours of the morning or while I am at work. In case of emergencies, sending money is easy and fast. I always receive a confirmation email, which gives me peace of mind knowing that my transaction is secure. Smiles also offers higher exchange rates compared to other remittance services, which makes it an even better choice for me.

Join the Smiles Family

Smiles strives to “Share Smiles” all over the world and aims to connect migrant workers in the international community. To join the Smiles Family in Japan, Canada and/or Singapore and follow one of the Smiles Facebook fan pages:

Be more inspired and read more success stories here

Jelly Pie’s Life from Poverty to Prosperity
Michael’s Fatherly Sacrifice from Vietnam to Canada

Smiles Success Stories: Jelly Pie’s Life from Poverty to Prosperity

Lilia — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 01:34:08 +0000

Meet Jelly Pie!

I was born and raised in Tina-an, a city of Naga, Cebu, Philippines. I had big dreams in life. I wanted to finish school and go to college. One of my dreams was to become a teacher. For me, teaching is a great profession, that’s what I had in my mind when I was in high school. But sadly, I couldn’t go to college because of my financial situation. After I graduated from high school, I decided to apply for a job so I could help my family.

I worked as a sales associate in a department store for two years. After that, I worked as a sales promoter of a clothing brand for 5 years. It seemed like nothing had changed in my life. I was just focused on one job, which is a sales promoter; I wanted something to change. I didn’t want to stay at my job for too long. So one of my co-workers encouraged me to apply for a job abroad. We decided to apply to an agency as factory workers in Japan, but unfortunately, I was not accepted because my birth certificate was not registered. During that time, Japan did not accept late registration of birth certificates, so it was like I lost hope.

At that time, I just kept praying that one day I would be able to work abroad. Then one year later, my friend who worked as a factory worker in Japan introduced me to his friend, who is a Japanese guy; we became friends, and he visited me in the Philippines. We started dating, he proposed to me, and we got married. And he took me to live in Japan with him. Now, I work in a factory near my place in Edogawa.

Hardships and challenges that made you a stronger person

The hardest thing I went through before was when I was in elementary and high school, and we were literally poor. We experienced that we only ate once a day and our house had no electricity. When it rained, our house was flooded with rain water and we went to school without food. We heard our parents fighting because of poverty, so I keep in my mind and promise to myself that one day I would be able to make money and provide all the needs of my family, which is why I studied hard in school. During that time, I asked my teachers if I could sell something in the classroom so that I could have money to buy school supplies and school projects until I graduated from high school.

I carried the hardship of my life with me, and I put up in my mind to do my best and never lose hope so that we wouldn’t have to go through the hardship of life again.

Proudest moment(s) since starting your journey living abroad

Since I was here, abroad, many things have changed in my life; not just mine, but also for my family. I am proud to say that I was able to buy/build a house for my family and provide for their needs. I’m proud to say that I brought my mom and niece here to Japan to show them and experience the culture and beauty of Japan. I was able to buy them what they wanted. And lastly, one of my proudest moments here abroad is that I have a job and I’m happy with my life, together with my supportive husband.

Life lessons and advice for living overseas

I have learned so many lessons and gone through so many challenges regarding living my life abroad. I’ve had to learn to become more confident, how to speak new languages, how to deal with new people, and be independent in an unfamiliar world, and much more.

Living abroad can be an expensive, frustrating, confusing, lonely, stressful, and disappointing experience. It can also be wonderful, enriching, fulfilling, and excellent for your personal and professional development journey. It can be both good and bad at the same time. I’ve learned that continually improving your language skills is one of the best things you can do to help the process of living overseas.

Lastly, one of my pieces of advice if you want to live abroad or move overseas, you should follow their rules and just be honest and humble.

Join the Smiles Family

Be more inspired and read more success stories here

Maricel’s Journey from Surigao Del Norte, Philippines to Japan
Hien’s Journey from Vietnam to Japan

Smiles Success Stories: Michael’s Fatherly Sacrifice from Vietnam to Canada

Lilia — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 09:52:13 +0000

Smiles Mobile Remittance, known as Japan’s most popular global mobile money transfer service, is dedicated to supporting hardworking individuals who send money to their families back home. Smiles helps create a better life for people working abroad and promotes peace and sustainability within the international community.

Meet Michael!

I was born and raised in a poor rural area of Quang Tri, Vietnam, where the harsh Lao winds and constant rainy days forged my resilience from a young age. My family was not wealthy, but it was always filled with love and warmth. From that place, I nurtured a big dream: to create a better future for my family, especially for my two daughters.

Before setting foot in Canada, I had long worked in the umbrella manufacturing industry. The Ô Dù Ô Long brand was my pride in this land of Quang Tri. We specialize in producing umbrellas for coffee shops—places where people gather to share life stories. Seeing the umbrellas bearing our brand name shielding people from the sun and rain brought me immense honor. In June 2024, I decided to leave my hometown for B.C., Canada, in search of a new future for my family.

Hardships and challenges that made you a stronger person

This decision was not an easy one. As a father, I always want the best for my children, and I believe my sacrifices will open new opportunities for their future. Carrying nothing but faith and hope, I arrived in B.C., Canada, to begin a new life in a foreign land. Culture, language, and lifestyle were significant barriers. It took me three months to adapt to the rhythm of life here, from getting to know the community to understanding the local culture.

At first, I worked as a dishwasher at a Japanese restaurant. Although the job was tough, it taught me humility and the importance of perseverance. Thanks to my hard work and dedication, I was promoted to a sushi chef position after just three months. Standing behind the preparation counter, I found joy in knowing that every slice of fish and every sushi roll brought satisfaction to the customers. This job was not just work; it was a way for me to affirm my value in a foreign land.

Throughout this journey, the Smiles money transfer app has been an indispensable companion. When sending my hard-earned money back to my family, I always chose Smiles because of its high exchange rates and the lowest transfer fees I’ve ever experienced. With every transaction, I felt a connection to my homeland, even though we are thousands of miles apart.

Proudest moment(s) since starting your journey living abroad

The proudest moment for me was when I received a call from my wife and children. They shared that, thanks to the money I sent home, my children were able to continue their education, get new clothes, and enjoy better meals. Their happy voices were the greatest motivation for me to overcome all the challenges in this foreign land.

Living abroad has taught me many valuable lessons. First, I learned that patience is the key to overcoming any challenge. All difficulties are temporary if we keep striving forward. Second, I realized that hard work and dedication are always rewarded.

Additionally, being promoted from a dishwasher to a sushi chef in such a short time also made me proud of my efforts.

Life lessons and advice for living overseas

For those who are considering starting a life abroad, my advice is: “To live is to fight.” Life is not easy, but if you always believe in yourself, you will find the light at the end of the tunnel.

I am still on my journey to build a future for my family. My dream is not just to establish a stable life in Canada, but also to set an example for my children to follow: never give up and always appreciate what you have.

This is my story, the story of a son of Quảng Trị striving to continue his dreams in a foreign land. I hope that through this story, you will find inspiration to pursue your dreams.

“Smiles” – keep smiling in the face of adversity, for after the rain, the sun will shine again.

Join the Smiles Family

Be more inspired and read more success stories here

Maricel’s Journey from Surigao Del Norte, Philippines to Japan
Hien’s Journey from Vietnam to Japan

Success Stories: Peter

Lilia — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 06:07:38 +0000

How was it then?

More than 2 decades ago, when I arrived in Canada in the fall 200x, I remember when I was wearing a silver jacket that my sister gave me. I worked in Manila after college for a few years. I grew up in North Luzon where I spent my childhood and education. I did not have any relatives here, and I only met someone during our orientation in the Canadian embassy in Makati who had a friend who would accommodate her and asked her if I could also be accommodated and pay the required rent. It was a gamble indeed. I knew no one in Canada, but I dreamed of finding a greener pasture and a better quality of life. My first job was in the evening shift, i.e., from 4 pm to midnight – experiencing my first freezing winter and wearing a thick winter coat and a heavy pair of winter boots. It was challenging, but I fought my way through all the struggles and pains. My employer sponsored all my courses, as I was determined to be someone, but I had no clue what I wanted to be at that time. I finished a few industry-acclaimed designations, without spending a single cent – all company-paid education. From a clerical job in the evening shift to customer service at the branch and now, I am working in the head office with high-caliber professionals in the industry.

How is it now?

It was gloomy when I was starting, but there was a light at the end of the tunnel that I am enjoying now. I have learned to be more independent and rely on myself and God. I am self-sufficient and able to help my family and others with financial support. I feel that I have accomplished something I can be proud of, a brand that will not be taken away from me, and I am grateful for what I have achieved and become; nevertheless, I am still aspiring to be a “better” me. I am not wealthy, but I am thankful for whatever I have now.

What’s your takeaway from your experiences?

I have a few takeaways. Believe in yourself. Rely on yourself. Trust yourself. Pray to God for guidance and help, that He will always be with you through thick and thin, during struggles and successes, and for every sunset and sunrise. Be ambitious but you work hard for it. Learn to live in a “more Canadian” way of life in Canada. We have our battles in our everyday lives; choose your battles wisely. Always remember that every cloud has a silver lining. I may have been gifted with mental strength when I was studying, but more important than this, I am blessed with a strong will that survives, and a heart that endures. Life in Canada is not perfect, but find the right path that will make you happy, content and accomplished inside and out. Keep smiling.