SHE’S stricken with wanderlust.
And, so far, Richelle Anne Manalad has already visited 40 countries. Places that are still on her bucket list include Patagonia in Argentina, Greenland and Faroe Islands. The 30-year-old also plans to tour the Eastern African countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe for a “great safari adventure.” Manalad also lists hiking in Macchu Picchu, Peru, and watching football and the Iguazu Falls in Brazil.
The marketing management graduate from the University of Santo Tomas says the driving force of her travels is discovering new cultures, new cuisine and new ways of enjoying life.
“Traveling helps me find my purpose in life,” Manalad said in an e-mail from Scandinavia to the BusinessMirror.
Manalad believes traveling has always been in her DNA. She points to her father who worked for a cruise ship and inspired her to travel and see the world. She said her father used to tell her stories of his adventures.
“There would be times that we would look together at the world map.”
Manalad’s passion for traveling played a major role in her career shift. It was actually one of the major reasons she left her previous jobs in one major automotive brands and biggest bank in the country.
“In fact, my original plan was to quit my job and to travel for three months to escape the stress of the corporate world. But I was quite lucky to get an offer from a tour company that allows me to work and, at the same time, travel the world,” Manalad, currently Light Miles Travel Inc. account executive, recalled. “You wouldn’t believe me but I actually wrote my resignation letter on a postcard. Of course, I still had to submit a formal resignation letter afterward.”
Her job includes creating unique tour programs, marketing new destinations and making sure these tours are implemented. Although Manalad’s work allows her to see the world, she makes it a point to maximize free time during holidays to travel alone or with friends at least once a year.
Aside from possessing the zeal for traveling, Manalad said her job requires a lot of skills. Her previous work experiences became helpful as she is able to use her public relations and events management skills.
Now that she is dealing with different cultures and time zones, Manalad said she learned to overcome language barriers and jet lags.
“I have become more flexible in terms of my work schedule as I deal with several partners from different parts of the world. Regardless of the country, I always make sure that I learn basic cultural mannerisms and etiquette so I can communicate with the locals better,” she said. “In the end, I always keep in mind how I represent my country to the world. It’s always been my goal to promote the Philippines one destination at a time.”
For Manalad, traveling helps her get to know herself better. Although every trip places her outside her comfort zone, it also helps bring out the real adventurer in her. She said traveling, mostly alone, has developed her confidence, independence, openness and patience.
Furthermore, Manalad believes the most important part of traveling is the lesson an individual earns from every trip.
“I did my first solo trip when I was 25. I wanted to be somewhere not too far from home but far enough that it frightened me at first. I decided to go to Thailand and Cambodia for two weeks and it was life changing,” she said. “Traveling by yourself teaches you how to trust yourself, build your confidence and shows you that you’re stronger and smarter than you thought you were.”
Manalad said one of the best things she likes about traveling “is that it teaches you to widen out and make genuine friendships.”
“It feels great when you go to a place where it feels like home. Before, when I traveled, I used to send postcards only to the Philippines,” she said. “Now I allot more time writing postcards to my friends from Brazil, Canada, Spain, etc. I feel more connected to the world.”
So far, Manalad has positive experiences in her interactions in her travels. Upon learning that she was from the Philippines, they told her they love the country’s beaches and hospitable people.
During a trip in Thailand, Manalad’s Thai host was so concerned she was traveling alone that he volunteered to pick her up from Bangkok airport and tour her around during his free time. She said he also helped her in transferring to the bus station for her Cambodia trip for free.
“Those moments made me realize that people can be genuinely nice without asking for anything in return,” she said. “That moment also reminded me that if we could spread more love and kindness, then this world could be so much better.”
For Manalad, working and traveling at the same time is both fun and challenging. She said a travel agent must always be prepared for the unexpected, from a client getting ill to passports and valuables getting stolen.
“It takes patience and an open mind to survive this kind of work.”
Manalad said she envies influential people sometimes when they make it appear easy to process visas. Nevertheless, she realized she could inspire more Filipinos to travel more and be proud of their passports despite not belonging to the elite.
“It can be difficult at times, but having a passport filled with different stamps gives me a sense of fulfillment. It’s like having your own book filled with stories and adventures. As the saying goes, ‘The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page,’” she points out.
Image credits: Nuvolanevicata | Dreamstime.com