Traveling has become a popular activity to this generation. It is brought by the search for a diverse connection with people as well as communities beyond the traditional societal setup or so I think. Whichever the reason is, there sure are wonderful lessons as well as memories that each individual can get from visiting different places whether it is locally or abroad.
I even tried to step out of my comfort zone once again (though this situation is definitely not as often as I want it to be), I explored Singapore at the start of 2018. This out-of-the-usual trip was planned months ahead with the help of my friend from my previous work, Ronie. She has been a constant travel enthusiast since we first engaged in our long talks during our midnight chikahan in my former job. Anyway, this chance of traveling outside of the country has been one of our “goals” since ever. Though, we started out first with local trips in the early quarter of 2017 (Masasa Beach and Ilocos), we gradually went on a hiatus as we explored new career opportunities. Then came the last quarter of 2017, we got to chat about a possible international trip. As somehow paranoid individuals, or better said as planners, we had to work really closely into the itinerary, our checklist, and even our budget. This is one of the things that I truly enjoy and appreciate with having a “travel buddy.”
Major Takeaways from the Trip
- I am happy to be able to understand (or I am still trying to understand) different types of people. Our first memorable experience in walking along the sidewalks of Singapore was to get shouted at by some random old man. He ranted about Filipinos; he cursed; and shouted that Filipinos should just go back to the Philippines. At first, my friends and I didn’t mind this particular person as we thought he was perhaps in a bad mood because of the stop light, but as we listened more intently, he was somehow saying those things toward us! — Honestly, I shrugged it off as I’d rather be more understanding. But, that certain event made a mark in the minds of my two friends that they couldn’t forget being cursed at in public, in a foreign country.
- I don’t have to go to the most famous attractions to enjoy a trip with my friends. We didn’t even have to shell out a lot of money as well because we all were conscious of how we spend our hard-earned money. Also, it was good that all of us didn’t really enjoy being in crowded places. So, we wandered through some of the less traveled paths. 😉
- Diversity is such a beautiful sight. In the Philippines, there are different ethnicities, but the sight of the differences isn’t as evident in terms of language (even if there are different languages, there is a point where we all understand each other somehow), skin color, practices, and community establishments. In Singapore, I saw different nationalities as well as colorful communities specifically designated to a particular nationality/ethnicity.
- Photos can’t capture all the memories, but they help in keeping some for later conversations. Even with my bulky camera with me, and not being an experienced photographer-wannabe (I barely take photos now 😦 ), there weren’t a lot of photos which I think truly captured what I saw during the time I was at those places in Singapore. But, through this, I also learned that I should travel with others who can take my photos for better shots. Kidding!
- Travel is refreshing and tiring all at the same time. But, it should not stop me from trying new things and visiting places for the first time.
- Make every moment as a learning opportunity. It could be from simply reading the signages to counting the money, navigating through unfamiliar MRT lines, and many others. There are a lot of wonderful lessons to discover; just be ready to face them.
I hope that this is just the start of more beautiful travel opportunities ahead.
Yakapin 