I was just a 22 year-old corporate player almost six years ago. I dreamt of having it all. I thought promotion would be the only way to do it. So I chased it. I got it, every year. I was such a lucky bastard. It’s almost unimaginable for me what I was able to accumulate in such a short period of time (coming from a family that has nothing… literally nothing).
I was paying for my own condominium unit as well. I’m earning enough for myself. I travelled within the Philippines, in places that I could only dreamed of when I was a kid.
And on my 25th birthday, I’ve decided to travel outside the Philippines, another dream that I wanted to fulfil. I created the itinerary and I invited my friends. And then I flew, not knowing that my birthday trip would change me forever.
Suddenly almost everything seemed to have no value anymore to me. The things, the material things that I thought I wanted, that I thought I needed, that I thought would define me as a person… were just nothing. And so, I lost all the things that I accumulated in the past.
Travelling taught me that life is more than having this and that. Travelling taught me that there is life beyond my cubicle. Travelling burst my small bubble on how I see life, how I see MY life and how I see the world I live in. Travelling taught me that there’s so much goodness in this world despite of all the bad things that happened to me.
Travelling taught me to become human, in all its essence.
How about you? How did travel change your life?
awh… this one is so inspirational… thanks for b brightening up my day… =]
it is healing for me and my way of learning new things, culture, dialect.
nice post flip, straight from the <3
travelling opened my eyes as well! you meet people and you realize that beauty has no standards.
I'm still in the corporate environment and like you, I no longer crave in playing the game. I'm just taking my time here but I know that I'll be able to travel and get paid while traveling; I can feel it. hehe.
nice post again Flip!
@ailee: you're welcome. thanks for reading my posts
@james: well said, i couldnt agree more… it's a wway of healing our broken souls…
@ed: definitely right… it breaks a lot of boundaries… thanks for the compliment ed
i feel like a student when i travel – i keep learning.
traveling made me appreciate life even more. God is good and He created such a beautiful world!
@sarah: yup i agree, lots of new things to learn
@jerik:
Amen to that bro!
darn! this post makes me wanna resign na! haha
Wala na akong masabe kase paulit ulit ko na atang sinasabe sayo. bsta, someday it'll all make sense.
ang lage ko nlng iniisip sa ngayon, "If I wanna change my destiny, I must learn to sacrifice".
Happy travels Flip!
I was able to meet new people and get out of my comfort zone… Travelling is my life… It's addictive… =D
Travel really changed me too. I realized how much there is in the world to see and do. I felt like I was blind to the world and travel opened them to new possibilities and people. It helped me appreciate myself and the world more.
Traveling made me reflect on who I really am as a person, given that the true you comes out when you are out of your comfort zone and in an unfamiliar situation. I lived in Singapore for three months for studies and I had good friends from different parts of the world- India, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia… They made me realize that there is a lot more to life. Travelling opens your eyes! But the only downside is it made me fat!
Just came across your blog and I love your story its great, Travel changes everything. every time you do it! I guess when I traveled overseas the first time (that I remember) was from Sydney back to the Philippines and what a shock that was… makes you realise how completely tiny your world used to be and how extremely large, diverse and unknown it really is!
@gael: big tip for poor kids like us: work along the way, short volunteer stints or work stints even without salary can save you alot of money because of the free accommodation and sometimes free food.
@pinoy adventurista: it's really addicting hehe
@steve: smae here man… i was a blind fool, but now im changing for the better i hope, one step at a time…
@Dave; 'Traveling made me reflect on who I really am as a person." well said Dave… i couldnt agree more…
@Grace: "realise how completely tiny your world used to be and how extremely large, diverse and unknown it really is" same here Grace… excatly one of my sentiments too… thanks for visiting and hope you enjoyed reading my post… feel free to share it with your friends
when everything is taken away from you- your title, your money and all material things… you will only be left with a question – how well do you know the world around you?
plus, travel is a selfish pursuit. i travel because i want to constantly be reminded that the world is huge at minsan ang mundo ay hindi umiikot para sa iisang tao lang.
@bridge: "ang mundo ay hindi umiikot para sa iisang tao lang."so true…
I was reading other blogs when I found this link and suddenly thought of answering this question. Traveling changed my life by being more curious about things as in everything in general and treasure what the present time could offer to cherish them in the future… c",)
I plan to travel. I’ll get back to this when I am able to do so but I know that travelling will enrich me in ways nothing else will.
wishing you more travels this 2011 Kay. thanks for dropping by
my love affair for travelling made me quit my job. it allowed me to realize that you can still continue to work outside of the corporate world while at the same time chase your dream to travel around the world
i agree with you doi
im also trying now to work outside of the corporate world…
I’m 21 years old, working and looking forward to travel more in the future. This inspires me more!