“Investment in travel is an investment in yourself.” ~ Matthew Karsten (A travel blogger and photographer).
As what most individuals and families love doing on long weekends or on their spare time, to travel (within the regions of the Philippines or in a foreign land) is always on top of my to-do things, along with many other activities. And that pretty much explains my animated and cheerful personality with family, friends, and colleagues in the executive recruitment industry.
For every city or country that I visit, it always excites me to meet new people (locals or tourists) and having short discussions with them, taking a chance on their must-try local dishes, visiting famous and recommended spots, experiencing their respective cultures first hand, and of course capturing every detail and the moment itself.
The passion for traveling started at a very young age (feeling very fortunate and thankful to my mom and dad), as my parents share the same interest, and even allowed us to experience it when we were small. I would literally make sure that my friends from our neighborhood, classmates, and teachers are made aware of all our trips, and would even cry with happiness every time we enter the airport. Since then, I have never outgrown that emotion until today.
As I grow old, my inspiration for traveling has evolved. Now, I travel, because I want to explore. I travel because I want to learn. I travel because I want to discover. I travel because it gives me peace of heart and mind.
I consider all these experiences to be very instrumental in my career life, since I mostly worked in a global environment, where it involves a lot of stakeholder management, here and abroad. Because of the exposure I gained from travelling in terms of dealing with different nationalities and culture, it was not difficult for me to communicate and get along with them.
My passion for travel aligns well with my passion for work. Operating in a global market and being a Consultant (Oil and Energy, Railway, Industrial, Construction, and Logistics), most of my clients are from the multi-national sector or based offshore, and that is the same with my candidates sometimes. Understanding their requirements and qualifications is one part of the Business Development and/or Recruitment process, but appreciating and being educated of their traits and way of life and thinking also plays a huge consideration in building credibility, more so, long-term partnership.
For that, I will continue exploring new worlds for as long as I live. There are still a lot of places, people and moments to be seen and to be experienced.
“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.” – James Michener (fictional American author).
To read, watch and listen to stories about places is a good start to unlearning them, but nothing beats experiencing it yourself.