Aira Fuentes Boutier is a bubbly 39-year-old Filipina who embodies positivity and happiness. Born in Candelaria, Quezon Province, she grew up in Calaocan, Quezon Province, where she resided until her 18th birthday.
The second of five daughters, Aira has always looked up to her father, Rodel, a hard-working tricycle driver who used to bake and sell pandesal on the side. Her mom, Isabel, is a homemaker who raised her children and grandchildren with love and dedication. As a child, Aira loved helping her dad bake bread in the evenings. Sometimes, before sleeping, she would lie on top of her father’s trike and wish upon the stars that she could make a good living to support her parents and offer them a home to call their own.
Young breadwinner
Aira had to leave school and start working after her last year of high school to help support her family. She was 15. At 18, she got her dad’s permission to move to Laguna so she could find better opportunities and be independent. She rented her own place and found a job in a Japanese company, where she worked in their quality assurance office for five years. Aira started studying Japanese in parallel, hoping she could eventually find a job in Japan. And she did. But the universe has its way, as Aira strongly believes.
Her best friend, who was working for a family in the Netherlands, called her shortly after to let her know that another family was looking for an au-pair (nanny) and wanted Aira to come to Europe as soon as she could. Instead of putting too much thought into her decision, Aira surrendered to her destiny and chose the country that would deliver her visa first.
The move abroad
In 2007, at 23, the young woman was taking the second flight of her life to experience going abroad for the very first time. She landed in Amsterdam. Aira recalls, “It was a real culture shock! Amsterdam was so different from anything I have experienced before.” Despite all the novelties and adjustments, Aira will forever be grateful for this experience. Her “Dutch mom,” as she fondly calls her, took her in as part of the family. Even though she only worked a year for them, they kept a close and beautiful relationship to this day. The year after, she became an au-pair for a new family besides doing some babysitting and house cleaning on the side.
In 2010, Aira met Ronald, who would become her husband, at a Freddie Aguilar concert. Ronald was at the iconic Pinoy singer’s show with his brother, who happened to be married to a Filipina who grew up in the Netherlands. Aira looks back on how her life changed after meeting Ronald. “My life abroad created a new me, a mix of my Filipino roots and all the European experiences I encountered.”
Before meeting her husband, Aira saw her life as an OFW like a “sacrifice to earn and help my family. My purpose was to work and send money back home.” Thanks to him, she realized the importance of learning more about the culture she was living in without forgetting her roots. “After meeting Ronald, my life became more of a blend of culture, I learned how to enjoy the Dutch culture and live for myself a bit more. Ronald encouraged me to save some money for myself, to grow, to travel and experience things. Traveling gave me more ideas, as I was exposed to more opportunities.”
Falling in love with Boracay
Since 2008, her husband has had the habit of visiting the Philippines. Sometimes, with his brother and sister-in-law; other times, with friends. He fell in love with Boracay and met friends living there. After meeting Ronald, Aira started joining him for an annual vacation back to her homeland. They would visit her family before spending time on the famous vacation island of Boracay.
In 2014, they got an opportunity to buy land there for a good price. They thought they would invest and build a nice holiday house, but the property was big enough to develop something bigger. After going back home to the Netherlands, they talked to investors and family, then came up with a plan to build a hotel.
2015 was the big plunge into their new life together: They got married in Boracay, left their jobs in the Netherlands, rented out Ronald’s house, and moved to the island. Aira was 31 at the time. She’s finally coming back home after eight years away from her homeland. She remembers how this decision felt right. “As a balikbayan, coming home meant coming back to my loved ones, back to my roots. No matter how long you live abroad, you are connected to your Filipino roots, where you feel the most comfortable.”
Setting up shop in Boracay
The construction of their first baby, Indila Boracay, started the same year. Aira’s driving force was her father, Rodel. She would finally offer them a place to call home. After the 10 rooms and penthouse were completed in 2016, Aira invited her parents to move in with them. She hired her sister and her brother-in-law to manage the property, so she could also reunite with her niece and nephew. Although it was supposed to be an opportunity for her parents to retire, her parents did not see it this way. Her father could not see himself retiring, so he took on the task of cooking breakfast for guests, while Aira’s mother helped all around.
Indila Boracay is more than a family business. Aira explains with tears in her eyes, “It is a tribute to my hard-working dad. He was the heart and soul of Indila Boracay, guarding and loving it like his own.” Even if Rodel is not with them anymore (he unfortunately passed away in 2021), his spirit remains. What makes Indila Boracay a successful family business is definitely the blend of his energy, Aira’s dreams, and Ronald’s drive. Their hotel is a manifestation of their dreams. Aira’s experiences and knowledge from abroad were also added into building the business. “The European standard of service, the importance of the beddings’ comfort, and nice touches of decoration are some of the things I wanted to add from my different stays in hotels around Europe when we were traveling.”
Why she came back home
She never regretted her life abroad, but what’s even more important is how grateful she is that she decided to come back home to the Philippines. “The longer you wait, the more difficult it might be to take steps to go home. Things are changing fast in the Philippines, so there are a lot of opportunities,” Aira says. “I took it slow, and had a back-up plan in case. I did not have massive expectations.”
Reflecting on her success story, she cannot stress enough how important it is to “bring your knowledge and your expertise back home, along with your huge Filipino heart.” Because at the end of the day, what makes Aira the happiest are the simple things: “Raising your children next to your family is so precious. I am lucky to have had more time with my parents and to be able to spend so much time with my son.”
