Whether we know it or not, travelling has turned into a competition among a lot of us Filipinos. Even once, there was a point in your life when you probably felt envious after seeing a friend travel to a place you only ever dreamt of. And this feeling might have led you to do something to either relieve it, or nurture it. Some of us do so by travelling somewhere even more bongga for example. Others go right to saying unnecessary hateful words to bring that other person down. From my observation, here’s a few of them.
Also read: Don’t Hate: There are Healthy Ways to Deal with Travel Envy
“Ay nag-post ng boarding pass. Tanga! Makapagyabang lang!”
“Nakapunta ng UK? Nakapag-jowa lang ‘yan ng puti.”
“Empleyado pero nakakapag-travel lagi? Mayaman kasi!”
“Travel lang nang travel, wala siguro ‘to pakialam sa pamilya niya.”
“Nakapunta ng ibang bansa on a budget? Malamang hindi na ‘yan kumain!”
“Huwag ka mag-stay sa hotel, tutal lagi ka naman lalabas.”
“Dapat lagi kang nakikihalubilo sa locals, nag-travel ka pa?”
“Yung mga mahilig mag-picture, hindi na niyan nae-experience talaga ‘yung lugar.”
“OOTD? Nagtravel lang para magmodel eh.”
“Yang mga naga-avail ng tour packages mga tamad at mapera lang ‘yan.”
“Hindi ka nagta-travel? Ang boring siguro ng buhay mo.”
“Trabaho lang ‘yan, mababalikan pa. Dapat travel lagi.”
“Nag-abroad tapos nag-McDo ka lang?!”
“Ay bakit ka dyan pupunta? Dapat sa [insert ‘less famous’ destination]. Nagsayang ka lang.”
“Huwag ka maging turista, traveller lang.”
“Huwag na mag-antay ng right time to travel, now is always the time.”
“Nakakuha lang yan ng visa kasi mayaman eh.”
“Dapat laging Pilipinas muna inuuna mo. Taga rito ka eh!”
“Bakit a few days ka lang doon? For sure hindi ka mag-eenjoy!”
Also read: A Traveller’s Problem: Travel Shaming and Why it Has to Stop
If you don’t remember uttering these words or anything similar yourself, certainly you’ve at least stumbled upon them somewhere on social media. Being in the travel industry, there’s not a day I don’t see or hear them, and they never fail to make me sigh every time.
My advice? Ignore these words! And if you’re feeling envious over another person’s travel experience, channel your energy into something healthier and more productive. Like they say, if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all!
