In the beginning, my emotions made me realize something painful: men were only interested in my body. I stopped hoping for genuine love, but my body still craved intimacy. Eventually, I turned to Tinder, using it as a way to meet guys for one-night stands. The experience was liberating, and I have to admit, I enjoyed it.

During my time in college, there were always rumors about “tuition girls” or “Pa-walk,” a Tagalog slang term used for sex workers. It became a hot topic on Facebook, and my curiosity grew. I had no idea how to even begin that lifestyle or who to talk to about it. So, as an experiment, I added a foot-walking emoji to my Tinder profile. To my surprise, many men knew exactly what it meant. When they swiped right, they would immediately ask for my “details” or “how much.”

At first, I struggled with low confidence. I felt like I was too skinny and unattractive to be paid for sex, so I only asked for 1,000 PHP for a three-hour session. My first client was another college student, though from a different university. After we were done, a wave of emotions hit me hard. I cried. I never imagined that I would become an escort, and at that moment, it felt degrading and filled me with guilt.

When I returned to my dorm and reality sank in, I realized that 1,000 PHP was a significant amount for me. Coming from a poor family and surviving on a 750 PHP allowance for an entire week, the money felt life-changing. That was when I decided to shift from casual one-night stands to something more intentional.

Aside from Tinder, I discovered several “walking groups” on Facebook, where people like me advertised their services. I spent time learning the ins and outs of this world—how to price myself, how to market my profile, and how to handle clients.

This was just the beginning of my journey. There’s more to share in my next blog.