Mary Pacquiao recently returned home to spend the holidays with her family. Amidst the festivities, Dyan Castillejo caught up with Mary and her sister Queenie, and the eldest daughter of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and Jinkee Pacquiao gave a glimpse into her journey as a student living abroad.
Known as "Princess" to family and friends, Mary is currently pursuing a degree in Biomedical Science at Royal Holloway, University of London, located in Surrey, England. Based on the university's website, "Biomedical Sciences is a thorough grounding in the basis, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease."
"It's really good. My course is like, it's getting difficult now. But I'm having a lot of fun. I've made so many friends," she said in the interview that was posted on Dyan's YouTube channel last December 23, 2024.
Mary Pacquiao Opens Up About the Realities of Living Abroad
The 18-year-old shared that she lives independently in England, managing daily tasks on her own—including doing her own laundry. "And I commute a lot. I come to London, it's really nice, taking the train is really nice," she added, "But then taking the Tube, it's just horrible, sometimes, especially rush hour, it's so fully packed like the subway." The Tube refers to the London Underground, one of the oldest metro systems in the world.
She also revealed that she faced several challenges when she made the decision to fly to England for college, opening up about the fears and emotional struggles she experienced during her first few weeks away from home.
To cope, Princess leaned on her faith, which she considers a vital source of strength.
Reflecting on her experience, she said, "I think it's really important, like the first few weeks for me were the hardest, like I cried almost every single week."
"But I was just crying in my room because I missed my family so much, like I was worrying about adjusting, making new friends," she recounted. "And I had to, like remember, I had to pray always, lean to God, ask Him for guidance, because I was so lost during those first few weeks, because it was a new environment for me."
She regularly attended a church in London, where she formed close bonds with members she now considers her family. "It's a small little church but it's like a really nice family," she explained. "And then after the service, we split in little groups and then we talk about how our lives are going, [as well as] the sermon, so it's like a really intimate service."
After overcoming the initial struggles and adjustments, it seems that Mary has now found her footing in her decision to pursue a degree in England. Asked if she is happy about her decision to study abroad, she replied, "Yes, I am. I prayed a lot about it."
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