The benefits of travel in your life experiences

Growing up poor in the Philippines, I wished of one thing; I wanted to ride in a car. I had enough of riding on the back of cows and carabaos, won’t it be nice to ride in a car? And as I got older, I started to dream of flying- not on a broom but on an airplane. I was 22 when I experienced my first airplane ride and although it was only an hour flight, I felt that travel, like education is a necessity. Once you have done it, no one can take it away from you. Unless you lose your mind, it stays with you.

I have taken all forms of transportation in my travels since then, but travel for me is not about being somewhere but about going. When I am down or deeply depressed, I recall my previous travels or fantasize about new ones. I would reminisce the city, the food, the people, the culture of the place I had just been and it’s guaranteed to lift me up better than an anti-depressant.

Travel gives me self confidence, like for example, I was in Singapore and although their train system is very easy to learn, it was my first time to go around by train. After I navigated the whole city by train, alone, I felt that I could tackle anything after that. And I did. When I went to Costa Rica, my hotel reservation was messed up, I ended staying in another hotel which was really a run-down hostel. Then I got lost in the city with only 1 Spanish word under my tongue. I started to panick but then I stopped to remind myself of the previous travel mishaps I had and how I had handled them successfully.

My travel experiences helps me deal with different kinds of people in my work as a customer service rep, using it a base for subject of conversation. Travel preparations may get me anxious, but the overall benefits more than compensates for it. Travel is not always good for the pocket but it is always good for the soul.