Deciding to leave the Philippines to fulfil a life abroad isn’t easy. That I can tell you. No matter how much or how long you’ve prepared for it, once you finally step off your plane and realise that the people you’ve gotten used to being around aren’t anywhere nearby, it’ll be a whole different story. And it’s something the following travellers can identify with as they recently set off on their respective journeys to pull off a travel goal they’ve long dreamt of.
Also read: Top 20 Travel Blogs in the Philippines to Inspire Your Wanderlust
Ryan Santiago
Started: July 2017
Destinations: Thailand, Vietnam, Canada
Blog: Rye Talks to the World
Purpose and preparations
“I never saw myself working within the cosy confines of the office, yet I spent four years doing it. I left the Philippines with the aim of travelling around most parts of Latin America to perfect my already fluent Spanish and learn more languages, find the best coffee for my planned coffee shop business with my sister, and live a life that questions conventions and the status quo. Essentially, I travel because the life I was used to didn’t allow me to grow into the person that I had the potential of becoming. I was at first hesitant when the idea to travel crossed my mind. We are conditioned to fear what is risky, challenging, and uncomfortable. But I knew better than to let fear take over. I read travel blogs, took on a side hustle to supplement my day job, stopped buying new clothes, chatted with digital nomads I met in Manila, and minimised my consumption of Starbucks.”
Impact on oneself and travel sustainability
“If you happened to come across my blog before, you know how many misadventures I’ve encountered so far. I raised a ruckus inside a train bound for Bangkok because I didn’t know where to get off, contracted dengue fever while volunteering in Vietnam, etc. Because of these, I learned to trust my gut more and believe that strangers can be God’s angels. Looking back, I can say that my wings have grown bigger. To sustain my travels, I occasionally do freelance work as a translator. I did it twice but decided to focus on my blog design first, so I’ll get back to it next month. I’ve met more budget travellers than luxury travellers in this journey and, you know what, we’re all terrified of running out of money. Somehow, I’ve found comfort in knowing that I’m not alone. All of us have fears but we’re constantly on the lookout for solutions.”
Realisations and advice
“I learned that travel really is for everyone. To debunk the you-need-to-be-rich-to-travel myth, let me tell you that I come from a middle-class Filipino family. My parents didn’t go to college. My siblings and I needed scholarships to enter the university. Just like most Filipinos, I toiled in the office to make things work. I sacrificed so much, but I didn’t want my life to end in sacrifices. I made sure that every action I did was a means to quitting my job so I could one day travel and live on my own terms. If you really want to travel, don’t wait until you have the money to go to Paris. Start small. Walk around your neighbourhood, climb a nearby mountain, go to the beach, try an exotic restaurant, or visit local museums. Why bother going to the other side of the world to do the same things you can very well do at home? Start where you are, and the rest will follow. After all, travel is a lifestyle.”
Hazel Tolentino
Started: April 2017
Destinations: Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam
Blog: A Pinch Of Haze
Purpose and preparations
“To be honest, quitting my job in Qatar and starting a digital nomad life was not planned at all. I always wanted to do it, but I was so scared thinking that I wouldn’t be able to survive. But when you feel the calling, adrenaline rush can be a good thing. I had no savings, no plans, no ideas how I will make money and sustain the life that I was about to take. Still, I jumped into the trend. I guess, when you follow what your heart desires, no matter how blurry the path is, you know you are ready to make amends and work around the consequences.”
Impact on oneself and travel sustainability
“The journey helped me in more things that I expected. Digital nomad life made me leave extra baggage behind. It gave me the opportunities to work with different people, to take jobs I thought I would never do, and most importantly, it made me discover myself more as I discover different places and culture. I worked as a VA (Virtual Assistant) while doing Workaways and some online gigs, plus trying to update personal social media pages like my Facebook, Instagram and blog which helped me in getting extra income, and loads of inspirations throughout the journey.”
Realisations and advice
“I am not a fan of labels especially when it comes to travelling as people have different priorities, lives, goals, and sources of happiness. But personally, travelling for me is an opportunity to see how the world is a beautiful and safe place. It is a way to know that race, religion, gender, culture, or any differences are not a hindrance to make connections. They are not meant to divide us. Diversity makes the world more colourful and wonderful. Do not do it for the sake of jumping on the bandwagon. In case you decide to take this path, be resilient and keep an open mind. It’s not always rainbows and butterflies, and that’s what makes it more interesting and it makes you a better citizen of the world.”
Beni Estareja
Started: September 2017
Destination: United Kingdom (later France, Belgium and Netherlands)
Blog: Weather Wanderer
Purpose and preparations
“Studying for my Master’s Degree was my main goal originally. I did not have a concrete plan but I was also planning to visit other parts of the UK at some point during term breaks. However, after luckily acquiring a Schengen Visa here, my travel goals spanned to Western and Southern parts of Europe. Though I was scared at first, I took the offer to study again without hesitation because one, it was free; two, it would only take one year; three, it’s the UK! Like who doesn’t want to go and travel around the UK?!”
Impact on oneself and travel sustainability
“My journey in the UK did not change me; rather, it made me grow as a person who still has a lot of things to learn. As a student-traveller, I learned how to manage my time wisely and budget my limited finances. I realised one year is short so my experience here also made me appreciate and treat everyday as a blessing. Sustaining my travels for one year sounds easy, but travelling while studying on a limited stipend is a different story. On my first trip, I chose a multi-stop tour and it saved me lots of Euros. I prefer my upcoming trips to be not more than five days so I will not be able to miss any projects or exams during term breaks.”
Realisations and advice
“Living in the UK per se is already travelling and the concept has meant so much more to me after I visited Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam. Travel for me must be something qualitative and not quantitative. It is not about the number of cities you visited but rather how you enjoyed your time during your visit. Rather than taking pictures every minute, I just took everything in and enjoyed every moment before it was over. Travelling for me is being joyfully naïve; it’s more of an opportunity to learn than a luxury. Most of us Filipinos associate travel with spending, but a life of travel does not always mean vacation. It is worth knowing that travelling can also be attained through work, projects, trainings, charities, and in my case, scholarships. We also tend to worry about leaving our loved ones behind and get homesick just like when I started. However, travelling (and some video chatting) takes that away. Starting a life of travel could get scary but it does not mean it’s not worth trying.”
Also read: Travel Opportunities Filipinos Can Look Forward to This 2018
Don’t these travellers’ experiences just make you want to travel more? Like yourself, they all started with a goal and love for travel. If anything, their stories should inspire you to explore your travel opportunities more, whatever they are – grab as many of them as you can and make the most of them while you’re able to.
The quotes above have been edited for grammar, clarity and flow.
