Last March 1 was a momentous occasion in my life, an end of an era – which I privately call “Living Life Vicariously through Friends Era”.

I quit my job to travel.

Finally.

I’ve been working for an investment bank in Taguig for about three years now, while pursuing my Masters Degree at Ateneo De Manila University. On the side, I edit books, doctorate manuscripts; write research papers for my college professors – to have extra income for schooling expenses. Did I mention that I am living independently, paying utilities, doing groceries and spending my own money for almost about everything you can see in my house?

The past years have been very hard on me. The word hard may not even capture all the sacrifice I’ve made to be here today. As a full time working employee by day, and a self supporting student by night, I had lived very frugally for the past years. All my spending regulated, food expenditure limited to a certain amount per day. I had to endure sweaty summer nights because I flat out refuse to turn on the AC (I know I’d financially suffer at the end of the month because of a shoot up in utility bills, so no thanks, I’d endure the heat), I trained my eyes to focus only on the “need” items while doing the groceries. I had to sigh in front of display windows while longing for that pretty mailman bag from Debenhams, or that cute peep toe pumps from Charles and Keith.

That was my life after college. That was the life I left the moment I resigned.

 Because I’ve been very frugal, I managed to set aside some amount of money for tight times – supposed to be my times of drought and for emergency cases.  Not until recently when a good friend reprimanded me for being so cheap on myself all these years. This friend had been a traveler even before he can walk and talk. He spent his summer vacations on different parts of the world – from Europe, Americas, Asia and even Africa. All these experiences molded him to become one of the smartest, wisest people I know.

 Let me share with you a snippet of our normal conversation:

C: Go travel.

Me: I have to save first.

C: You already have your savings, why not use it?

Me: Its not enough.

C: live by your means.

Me: what is there’s an emergency?

C: you know what? You have A LOT of excuses! You say you don’t have time, you say you don’t have money, you say it’s not a bad time. Maire, you’ve been working so hard, why are you depriving yourself the opportunity to see the world? To actually live?

Me: *speechless*

C: I understand your point, but time is running fast. We are growing older. When you have a family of your own, all your money will be spent on them. When your kids graduate from college, your knees are to weak to travel. When will you start to travel? Travel why you have the time, the energy and some money.

Me: but..

C: No buts. You love taking pictures, why don’t you go out there and actually see the world with your own eyes? You have to make mistakes. You have to learn. And most importantly, you have to take risks.

As always, he’s right. He had been right all this time.

I remembered a line from some book I read, and it goes like this “In order for a ship to sail and see beyond its horizon, it must leave its dock and set forth”.

And, as what my Hallmark bookmark says -There are new paths to be traveled, roads to be taken, dreams to be turned into reality. Set your spirits free and soar into the great unknown.

This is my dream. And now, I’m starting the journey.