5 Things I Gave Up For Travel

Most people asked me how I can afford a travel lifestyle and most likely they will always say I have a lot of money. It’s just that I’m one of those people who was bitten by a travel bug and it’s incurable. Ever since I embrace the nomadic life, I find it hard to settle for one place. Traveling is my life and for most people who think I’m too lucky to travel often. I think it’s just a matter of priorities and choices. I travel by choice and not by chance. Every penny counts. I sacrifice so much for the sake of traveling.

Here are the things that I graduated after becoming a traveler:

•  Fear of the known and the unknown

I’ve always dreamed of being a hobo and change the course of my life for better living through passions. I experience being afraid to go out of my comfort zone, of getting lost in unfamiliar territory, of trying out something that scares me, of getting sick on the road, of traveling independently, of running out of money in the middle of nowhere and of getting myself into a wanderlust known to danger zones and the list could go on and on. These are the things that frightened me that only I overcome by traveling. And as cliché as this may sound but travel taught me that it is good in seeing things in a whole new different perspective and the world doesn’t orbit on me alone and that there is so much to see and explore.

I realize that overcoming fear is a skill and the only way I conquered it was to defeat the thing that scared me the most.

• Life of a Starbucks Addict.

Gone are the days when my body was composed of 90% Macchiato and 10% croissants. I had severe coffee and tumbler obsessions back then that I rather had a Grande espresso topped with steamed milk at Starbucks than getting a full meal until I realized it just doesn’t only creates a hole in my pocket but putting my health in jeopardy.

I had to let go my addiction little by little. It wasn’t easy until I received a call from Rustan’s Coffee Corp offering me a part time job as a Barista. I became a partner (partner is what Starbucks call their barista) and not only that I have free coffee every shift and free coffee bean bag of my choice every month, I also had the opportunity to make frappuccinos pull a good espresso shot, giving coffee tasting sessions to customers and of course extra income to fund my travels.

When I left Starbucks, I had to get myself a French press coffee maker and customize whatever flavors I want for my everyday coffee.

•  Gadgets

Who doesn’t want fancy gadgets? As much as I would like to be a gadget freak and overindulge myself to the latest fashionable electronics on the planet I rather save the money for my next destination. My whole life I’ve been studying how electronic works and currently supporting gadget issues. I have an old laptop, it’s not a touchscreen, it gets overheated most of the time and the fan gets noisy intermittently and I am still using Windows XP. Sure, I’ll replace it, only when the motherboard fails. I used to save money for gadgets and when I have it I no longer want it. I ended up selling, giving or losing them. None of them lasts. It is only a matter of time where you can utilize it, a temporary bliss. Gadgets aren’t for a lifetime and I can’t just keep up with the electronics trend. For me, it’s just impractical. Perhaps this is my excuse because I can’t afford to spend my money on a Mac book for an instance. The only reason I will buy a new cell phone is if it will die or lost only. Let’s just say that gadgets aren’t in my priority list.

• Metro Bars

This is a confession of an ex johnannae. I can’t live a Saturday night where I don’t wear my eyeliner and my Smokey eye shadows and bear on my party dress and knee high boots in a guest list party name it Encore, Republiq, Lax, Icon et al. We all know that drinks are not free especially if you’re on a GL. Couldn’t help but order some drinks on a soiree Friday night where I could, in fact, buy a glass of Mojito and laze on the beach on a hot afternoon sun. I never missed any Halloween Ball and if there will be an award for it, I can say I got a trophy and a sash for perfect attendance. I didn’t force myself to actually withdraw from clubbing it just happen. It’s just that there comes a time in your life when you had enough. I know there is no pension for this kind of retreat but I can say I am a proud retired partyphille.

• Graveyard Job

I have made professional sacrifices for the sake of nourishing my itchy soles. I backpacked a couple of provinces in the Philippines. I just can’t stand working on night shifts anymore. It was like I was bitten by Damon Salvador and made me sired to him for 6 years. I am finally free from lurking in the shadow of darkness and I cannot be compelled anymore. Not in this lifetime. Sure, there is night differential and hazardous pay but nothing beats a healthy day shift. It wasn’t easy to leave a career where you already established yourself and especially if that career is giving you enough money to acquire most of your needs. When I gave up my previous Job, I convinced myself that it was just my job not my entire life at stake. I know I can get a better job. In fact, while I was basking myself in the charismatic island of El Nido I got an offer to work in Malaysia. Quitting the night shift job was somehow a blessing in disguise.

Did I ever regret any of this? Not at all! Like what they say “Life is an adventure, I can’t wait to live it some more”.

This is my entry to Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival for
March 2013, with the theme: ““Things you graduated from after becoming a Traveler”.” Hosted
by Kaiz Galang of Missbackpacker.