There are two kinds of parents, one that may say, “Grow up!” While the other one, “You’ll do as I say because you are still a kid!”

Unfortunately, I have to say, my parents were sometimes the other one. I became sick of just staying inside the house. They are paranoid. I remember when a friend and I already bought a ticket to Ifugao to visit our friend. All were set, until they were like,

“Sasabog yung bus! Wag kang tutuloy!” (The bus will explode! Don’t go!), and was like “Ifugao?? Malambot lupa don ha! Baka mabiktima kayo ng landslide at malibing ng buhay!” (Ifugao?? The soil there isn’t that stable. You might be a victim of soil erosion and will be buried alive).

I know they just want us to be safe. But as time goes by, I noticed something changed in me. I used to be cheerful and energetic during my high school and college years, my friends and classmates used to know me as the goofy girl in classroom but after I graduated, I noticed that I became unsociable, introvert, timid, and felt depressed.

I just want to see what life has more to offer. They even complained one time saying, “what the heck do you get from traveling?” There are things that they just don’t understand.

Now, these are just some adventures and misadventures that they don’t know:

I was alone when I’ve ridden a plane for the first time. My mom thought I was with Mica in that plane lol, but the truth is, I rode alone. It was my first time in airport and I was stupid to be seated anywhere inside the plane. I didn’t know there’s seating arrangement in airplanes! Because it was my first time, I’m such a nursery pupil for paying close attention to the flight stewardess on how to fasten seat belt, where to get the life vest, and how to use oxygen mask. I was seated in the window of course, I was like “WOOOO I’m in the airplane!!” with my hands tightly gripped onto my seat. Happy birthday to me! Yes, it was my 21st birthday that time.

I lost my backpack when we were in Macau. I thought I was going to die in Macau. That backpack-contained survival materials and the most important things like my SLR, wallet with my HKD, ATMs, and passport left inside the bus on our way to our hotel. We just went to the nearest police station, and they were good enough to help me recover my bag. It was already 1:00 a.m. when the police told us that the bus company had my bag. I was able to recover it and almost knelt down!

I almost got lost in Singapore. It happened when I was with my NYOK friends while I was busy taking night shot photos and lost them out of my sight for an instant. I can’t find them! To think that that I have no cellphone and enough money to hire a cab because we pay in share, I was nervous to death. After three to four minutes of search, I finally found them looking at a local Gelato in the street.

I slept in a stranger’s house. This was my first couch surfing in Iloilo. I would never forget my first couch surfing experience, it was fun! This was also the first time I spent P300 per day and eating oysters for 2 consecutive days. Oysters in Iloilo are cheap! Hey, stranger turns out to be a friend anyway.

I snorkeled in 16 to 18 feet deep sea of Puerto Princesa, Palawan without a life vest. I fell in love with corals and it was my first time snorkeling too! I just can’t get hold of myself to remove the life vest as my body is itching to swim deeper and look at the corals closely. I didn’t drown!

They also don’t know that..

I booked a ticket to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia on July of this year.
I will go to Mindoro on March and hopefully have picture with the Mangyans, the tribe where probably my physical characteristics came from.
I will swim with whale sharks in Sorsogon this Holy Week.
I will go on an island hopping in Palawan again.
I am going back to Davao on May.

Being pasaway (stubborn), I manage to go in different parts of the country and encountered unforgettable memories. I committed some stupidness while traveling but I’d take that as an adventure with lesson. The problem with some parents, they are afraid to let their children commit mistakes, and their children will probably grow up coward.

I remember reading a parenting website that if you are a strict parent, “the levels of love and affection will also be decreased on the parents and they will not share any thing with you.. and once negative feeling develops in them, they will not bother you and this negative feeling continues throughout their life.”

Many are asking if I have a strict parents, how do I deal with them when I go on a travel? I sometimes just tell them on the day of my flight that I am leaving and be back after three to four days. Now, as their daughter, the only thing I need to do is to come back home safe.

To my mum and dad if you are reading this:
I thank you for being strict and irritating at times, I know you just truly care. Regarding my itchy feet to travel, you may be against it but you may be wrong, and come on, this is only temporary, I may not be able to do these after 20 years. And come on, I’m already 24 this year what heck I would be like when I turn 30 if I’m still under your skirts and pants. I only seek for your understanding.

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