I was recently laid off after taking some much-needed vacation time. I've been working remotely for a Houston-based company for the past five years while living in Ecuador. I was excited about my job and had even traveled to Houston occasionally, but things took a turn last year when many of my coworkers started getting laid off. I thought I was safe because I was paid locally and considered a cheaper option for the company. In September, HR advised me to take my accumulated vacation time, so I took two weeks off to celebrate both my and my wife's birthdays. It was a great break, and when I returned, my remaining teammates were eager to catch up and get back to work. I was ready to dive into planning for the last quarter. However, during a meeting with my manager, I noticed an HR representative from my country was present, which immediately raised my anxiety. I was then informed that due to economic reasons, they had to let me go. They emphasized that it wasn't about my performance, but it felt surreal. My manager seemed unfazed, and the HR rep, someone I knew personally, delivered the news in a robotic manner without any empathy. They mentioned that if the situation improved, they might reach out for future opportunities, but that was it. I felt completely blindsided, and now I'm left to navigate my first layoff. My wife reassures me that everything will be okay, but I feel lost. The job market here is vastly different from the U.S., and I have no idea where to start. I feel like a castaway trying to figure out my next steps.