Meet our Woman of the Week: Jhanz – a woman working full-time but still traveling the world! Jhanz’s comments about over-planning and the struggles of solo-travel as an introvert really resonate with me, and I’m sure will strike a chord with some of you too! Do check out her blog, as it’s a visually beautiful and informative and a perfect tool for all you traveling ladies.
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Tell us about yourself?
Hi! I’m Jhanz and I’m a Filipina Travel Blogger. I write my adventures at my personal blog, The Wild Flower. I am currently a Freelance Writer and Content Creator, with focus on digital collages and photography.
Why do you travel?
I am a naturally curious person. As cliche as this sounds, I love traveling because it lets me see new places, experience new cultures, and try out new food. Being in that place where everything is strange and different is just a humbling yet magical moment for me. It reminds me how small I am and how amazing this world is.
How do you balance work and travel?
I used to have a full-time corporate 9-5 job and that has proven to be a huge challenge when it comes to traveling. Since most of my previous works were office-based and they demand a lot of time, I make sure that I schedule my travels at least a month or two months prior. This is just to be sure that my leaves wouldn’t clash with anyone else from my team. But now that I’m back on doing freelance work, I feel like it’s so much easier to control things, especially because I can pretty much control my whole schedule.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learned from your travels?
The thing about me is that I have the tendency to worry too much. I think about all the things that can go wrong — what if someone didn’t like me, or what if I get lost, or what if I end up feeling so lonely on a trip — and sometimes, this stops me from taking a leap of faith and making the most out of the possibilities.
Traveling has helped me build my courage and confidence. It has helped me understand that things will never go as planned and that when things go wrong, I can always turn it around. Stepping out of my comfort zone has always been a stressful thing for me, but traveling has taught me that it’ll never be as bad as I thought.
Earlier this year, I went to four cities in Southeast Asia for my first out of the country and first solo travel. It was definitely one for the books as it pushed me to go out of whatever I find comfortable. During my stay in Siem Reap, I met a couple of travelers in my hostel. We hit it off and instantly became friends. It was a simple memory, really, but it was definitely one of my favorites because of the people that I’ve met along the journey.
I’m an introvert and partying and making friends are not really in my realm, but on that trip, I was able to go out of my comfort zone and party for nights with strangers turned new found friends. On top of that, I was traveling alone! These were all personal wins for me, and I know that it was definitely something that I’ll remember.
Fear can be limiting and paralyzing but don’t let it run your life. Feel the fear but face it anyway. Travel and believe in the kindness of others. Somewhere out there, there are people who will become your friend. There will be people who will help you out. You can travel alone, but on the road, you will definitely be lonely. It’s an amazing world out there, and it’s time for us to discover that beauty.
THANKS FOR READING JHANZ’S STORY!
Loving the interviews? Head to the Woman of the Week archives for the full library.
Planning a trip, yourself? I’ve created three freebies to help you plan your next adventure:
- 50 Practical Travel Tips from Solo Lady Backpackers (a 6-page PDF)
- 20 Tips for Sustainable Travel (a checklist)
- and 30 Jobs to See the World.
After you join the mailing list up, you’ll have access to all the freebies, AND get the password to the Global Directory! The directory will connect you to my recommended resources for each country and tons of travel topics. All blog posts I recommend are written by traveling ladies. From logistics to inspiration, the Global Directory will help you find the info you need no matter where you’re going.
After you sign up, you’ll start receiving the following freebies: 50 Practical Travel Tips from Solo Lady Backpackers (a 6-page PDF), 20 Tips for Sustainable Travel (a checklist), and 30 Jobs to See the World.
Want more interviews? Head to our Woman of the Week archives for the full library.
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