My name is Kate, a milleXial (or as some would say, geriatric millennial) and a solo female traveler (flashpacker) from the Philippines. I work as a writer and commercial model. In my free time, I volunteer as an advocate of mental health and animal welfare. I come home to two rescue dogs and two rescue cats (used to be nine dogs and nine cats, but they crossed the rainbow bridge).

I once had a glamorous job as an assistant fashion and beauty editor, but I realized I was happier to get a ticket to a remote island getaway than front-row seats to Philippine Fashion Week. I grew up in a traditional Filipino society that expected me to follow the straight path of college-job-marriage-children. But I felt something in my life was amiss. I could no longer stand being stuck in an office cubicle for 8-10 hours (no overtime pay!) a day. The traditional work path wasn’t for me.

I wanted to still write for magazines and newspapers, but with the freedom of pursuing other talents and incorporating travel into my lifestyle. I built enough connections to go freelance, quit my full-time job, and decided to travel alone for the first time. I went on a soul-searching trip to New York, back when Facebook was within the confines of Harvard and the social media kings were MySpace and Craigslist. This was way before the era of influencers and content creators. Back then, it was frowned upon to juggle multiple jobs and careers.

Without smartphones or apps, travelers used paper maps and street smarts to get around. It was the scariest and most exciting experience of my ’20s. After that New York adventure, I launched this blog. That same year, I landed multiple modeling projects and my first indie film—all while working as a freelance lifestyle journalist in the Philippines.

Klook.com

Life threw me the biggest curveball in 2012. I lost the love of my life to depression. Months later, I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. I found healing after years of therapy, mental health advocacy, and throwing myself into the universe to find my proverbial self.

I continue to travel—not just as a vacation, but as part of my lifestyle. Around 70% of my travels are done solo; the rest are with friends or family. It’s not always easy. A Filipino passport isn’t exactly the golden ticket to international travel.

But I’m grateful. Traveling has helped me become a more culturally diverse person. My solo travels connect me with fellow progressive people and third-wave feminists. Creatives who don’t work in a 9-5 desk job, empowered single women defying societal expectations, and digital nomads who travel for a living are my kindred spirits.

More than a place for me to dish out travel tips to fellow solo female travelers, this blog is dedicated to other single and thriving Filipinas living their truth. I empathize with the struggles of defying toxic behaviors and gender stereotypes. It’s okay if you don’t follow a straight path. Go ahead and travel solo; it’s not as scary as it seems.

Kate

Disclosure:

When you see something tagged as sponsored on my blog, it could mean any of the following:

1. It’s paid content.
2. It’s an X-deal or collaboration.
3. It’s a comp trip.

When you see something tagged as media event on my blog, it means I was invited to the press conference, event, or launch of the brand, activity, or product with other members of the media. It could also mean I was unable to attend the event but was sent a press kit or press release by my PR network.

Disclosure 1: As an elder millennial whose career is rooted in traditional print media, I adhere to similar journalistic principles I was trained with. I give the same integrity, time, and effort to all my output, whether sponsored or not.

Disclosure 2: This blog runs affiliate ads, but only from sites I personally use. When you buy something through my affiliate links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This blog also runs Google Adsense. I tried to filter out all distasteful Google ads, but if you see something that needs to be flagged, send me a screencap and I will block the questionable ads from my site. Thank you!

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