“Our ambition should be to rule ourselves, the true kingdom for each one of us; and true progress is to know more, and be more, and to do more.”
- Oscar Wilde
Regine is a traveler. A young woman strapped onto a black backpack, unsure of her surroundings, making sense about life, curious about the world. A baby learning how to walk and finding her way around the house, hopeful of making those first steps, hopeful of discovering the way, hopeful of starting a journey. She is a little girl who draws the Earth with her blue and green crayons, placing herself atop, embellishing her triangle fuchsia dress with glitters and pompoms – a girl forever envisioning her dreams.
Regine is a practical traveler. A child who is unafraid to barter a set of sticker collections to buy a pink bicycle with training wheels. A small wonder who exchanges excellent exam grades to a trip around the zoo, petting a giraffe for the first time in her life. A girl who finds a way to get what she wants without throwing any tantrums. A young woman who works around the internet industry, utilizing artistic talents to purchase plane tickets. A young adult who does not easily abandon her life plans.
Regine is a friendly traveler. She is not a confused, adolescent, rebel. She is a girl who holds on to her companion firmly, never letting go. A little toddler who screams out your name when she finds herself lost in the middle of a department store. A pre-pubescent girl who shares tales about her boy crush sitting across her in Social Studies class. A young woman who seeks companionship, who loves interesting conversations, who never stops being a sociable human being.
But Regine can be a perplexed traveler. She is a girl who could not find herself, constantly seeking for directions, and expecting you to teach her about life. A young girl who is confused about her options of watching a boy band concert or heading to a white-sand beach. A child ever so careless about making mistakes. A young woman who does not know where she’s headed to. Uncertain about the future.
And Regine is intermittently a growing traveler. A child who learns. A child who spells the word “qualm” correctly without missing the silent “L.” A chubby girl who stops walking after seeing a blinking red light along the pedestrian lane. A young, innocent child who listens intently to the instructions of her grade-school teacher. A young woman who embraces change. A young woman who readily opens a new chapter of her life, everyday, every month, every year. A young woman who nevertheless, seeks for humble and new beginnings after a lesson-filled end.
Then Regine is a traveler starting anew. A child reaching a new level of development and maturity. A girl now prepared to ride her pink bicycle without the training wheels. A young girl ready to have her first kiss. A young adolescent all set for the school year. A young adult starting fresh. A young adult ready to be free again, ready to share her discovery, ready to learn, ready to jump of a cliff and dive onto the blue waters. A young, inspired, traveler excited to dwell into a world of mystery, an archipelago full of charm. A young traveler who will carry a year’s worth of learning to a whole new level. A young, passionate, artistic, traveler who will constantly ask this question: “Where to next?”
So, Regine is a traveler who still dreams, a traveler who aspires, and a traveler who has a great deal of ambition…
I love ambitious travelers.
This particular post is my entry to the Pinoy Travel Blogger’s Blog Carnival for January 2013. The theme for this month is “New Beginnings” proudly hosted by my friend, Roj Braga of Adventuroj.
** This is a feature article I am experimenting with. It is more of a creative entry rather than the usual “I hope my 2013 would be better…” post. Indeed 2013 will be a new beginning of everything. A hopeful year for me as a newbie traveler and blogger…
