May isang pagkakataon sa buhay ni Cora Cristobal na halos nawalan na siya ng pag-asa.
Ang kanyang bahay ay malapit nang mailit ng banko.
Naghiwalay na rin sila ng kanyang mister.
Sa Canada na sila naninirahan noon at naiwan sa kanya ang responsibilidad sa pagpapalaki sa kanilang apat na anak.
Siya rin ang bahala sa mga gastusin sa bahay at maging sa bills.
Pagbabahagi ni Cora sa isang artikulo sa Storeys, isang real-estate news website sa Canada, na nalathala noong July 19, 2018, hindi niya alam noong mga panahong iyon kung ano ang kanyang gagawin.
“I didn’t even want to talk to anybody because I didn’t know who I could trust with what I was going through.”
Naisip umano niyang wala nang silbi pa ang mabuhay.
“What was I living for when life was so hard?
“And it came into my mind to end my life.”
Isang bagay ang pumigil sa kanya para gawin ang mga pumapasok sa kanyang isipan.
“But I thought of my children, and I couldn’t do it.”
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THE NEW CORA CRISTOBAL AFTER 10 YEARS
Mahigit 10 years mula noong mangyari ang dark episode na yun sa buhay niya, nagbago ang kapalaran ni Cora.
Naging successful real-estate investor siya at nagkaroon ng mga ari-arian sa USA, Canada, at maging sa Pilipinas.
Nakapaglathala na rin siya ng mga aklat.
Noong 2017, itinatag niya ang Toronto Women’s Club, na ang misyon ay mag-empower ng mga kababaihan at turuan silang magnegosyo at magkaroon ng networking skills.
Ayon kay Cora, ang mapait na bahagi ng kanyang kahapon ang dahilan kaya nagkaroon siya ng malalim na ispiritwal na koneksiyon at positibong mindset.
Ayaw niyang gamitin salitang “mahirap” para ilarawan ang isang sitwasyon.
Sa halip, ginagamit niya ang mga salitang “natutunan” at “pagsubok.”
Ani Cora, “Failures are lessons.
“We’re only human and it’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them.”
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CORA CRISTOBAL’S RISE FROM BEING A POOR GIRL TO MILLIONAIRE AT 33
Ikinuwento ni Cora sa naturang artikulo na ang kanyang pamilya sa Bulacan ay mahirap lang.
“My father was a fisherman, and my mother was a housekeeper.
“They had 10 kids and they both only finished Grade 4.”
Nine years old pa lang si Cora ay nagsimula na siyang magtrabaho.
Nagtinda siya ng isda at naging mananahi.
“But I promised myself I was going to get my education and get out of that situation.”
Nakapagtapos si Cora, at naging kauna-unahang degree holder sa kanilang pamilya.
Nakapasa rin siya sa board exam para maging certified public accountant.
“I went to work with an American multinational corporation, and then I quit to become a real-estate broker.”
Naging matagumpay siya sa kanyang propesyon, at sa edad na 33 ay naging isa siyang milyonarya.
“For women my age at that time, that was exceptional.”
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CORA CRISTOBAL’S MISFORTUNES
Sa kasamaang palad, na-swindle si Cora ng isang crime syndicate.
Noon na siya nagdesisyong magtrabaho sa Canada.
“I didn’t want my children to grow up in that kind of environment, so we came to a better country.”
Mahirap ang kanilang naging pagsisimula sa Canada.
“I was a real-estate broker and CPA, and my husband was a mechanical engineer.
“But when we got here, they didn’t look at our credentials. They wanted Canadian experience.”
Dahil sa ganitong sitwasyon, napilitan si Cora na lunukin ang kanyang pride.
“It was a challenge. I had to prove myself and start all over again.”
Namasukan siya sa isang computer company bilang data encoder.
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CORA AS A REAL-ESTATE AGENT IN CANADA
Noon panahong naghiwalay sila ng kanyang mister, nagtatrabaho si Cora bilang accounts payable clerk.
Ang suweldo niya ay CAD (Canadian dollars) 35,000 o PHP1,415,209.47 kada taon.
“My take home after taxes and deductions was maybe CAD2,000 [PHP80,869.11] a month.”
Hindi aniya ito kasya para ipambayad sa mortgage at iba pang bills naumaabot sa CAD3,000 (PHP121,303.67).
Doon na bumalik ang kanyang hilig para sa real estate.
“I studied to get my license and then started doing real estate part time after work.”
Ipinaayos niya ang kanyang basement at pinaupahan para may extra income siya.
Pagmamalaki ni Cora ay mahusay siyang mag-budget palibhasa ay galing siya sa mahirap na pamilya.
“I knew how to give up things I don’t really need.
“I wasn’t buying new clothes or even paying for a cell phone. I wanted to prioritize where my money should go.”
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Naging maganda ang takbo ng career ni Cora bilang real-estate agent sa Canada.
Imbes side hustle, naging full-time job niya ito.
Nagbitiw siya sa pinapasukang trabaho.
“My former employer hired me back as a consultant.”
Nang kumita na siya sa kanyang real-estate commissions, rental income and consulting fees, bumili siya ng condo at ibinenta iyon.
Tumubo siya ng CAD30,000 (PHP1,213,036.69) sa pinagbentahan.
“And I was able to buy condo after condo, and then I hired a mentor and paid them big money because I wanted to take my real estate to the next level, and I was able to buy properties in Ohio and Florida.”
Naging bahagi rin siya ng isang book-writing program.
Noong 2016, nakasulat siya ng tatlong libro.
“Every time I wanted to do something, I became very passionate about it.
“And this is how I became the new Cora.”
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WOMEN SHOULD INVEST IN REAL ESTATE
Aminado si Cora na ang real estate ay male-dominated profession.
Ito umano ang dahilan kaya mas maraming kababaihan ang bumibili ng alahas kaysa sa real estate.
Pero para kay Cora, mas gusto niyang mag-invest sa real estate.
Ito ay dahil na rin sa kanyang pinagdaanan noon.
“I have been through situations with lots of money, and no money, and all of that.
“And because of the transformation I went through, I can tell people it’s how we react to the ups and downs of life that determines whether we will be happy or miserable.”
Payo pa niya sa iba, “If I can do it, anybody can do it.
“Some people may think they are less fortunate and less privileged, but we all have that power in us.”
Sa kasalukuyan, aktibo pa rin si Cora bilang licensed real estate agent sa Ontario, Canada at maging dito sa Pilipinas.
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