I don't have a full-time job. I'm just a student, a Steemian, and a missionary with a purpose of inspiring young people attending universities to have a joyful, honorable life with God. I don't have the luxury to sleep in nice hotels or travel with extra comfort. As a backpacker, I do have some tips to share to you:

1. Save some extra cash for some "emergency cases"

2. Pack light.

3. Bring extra food. (Don't get hungry while on the road)

Caption: I was a certified tourist in Tokyo. This was taken at Asakusa, Tokyo. It's the place where you can see the Asakusa Temple. Again, thank you to the Japanese and Philippine government for the privilege.

4. Do some research before you go.

Hmmm. I could still remember the excitement when I was about to book a ticket to Bacolod City. But wait, I couldn't speak Ilonggo (the vernacular of that place). So, I did some research. Where's Bacolod? What's its transportation system? Do I have to be extra careful with the pickpockets? What are some of its delicacies? How much will I spend in commuting? Be cautious. Be alert, backpackers. Well, since I did some research prior to my trip to Bacolod-Iloilo, my sister and I were able to suit our expenses to our budget. Awesome. Thank God.

Caption: I'm into healthy living, so, when we bought some food at a restaurant nearby the airport, we told the staff not to include any meat on the dish. Well, it worked. :)

Caption: Just impressive! It's the forest at Bukidnon, Mindanao, Philippines. Visit this amazing, relaxing nature haven.

5. Talk to locals (but be careful!)

While we were looking for a park in Tokyo, we felt the need to ask some locals for directions. But , oh, some couldn't speak English. I didn't know what to do . Can sign language work for this? Well, we wrote some English sentences and yes, he was able to understand it. But he can't express it in English? (I'm not discriminating any language here. I'm just sharing what happened.) Thankfully, I have a friend whose a Japanese studies major. She can speak Nihonggo and she was able to talk to him clearly. Lesson learned? If you want to talk to locals, learn some of their language's basics. When I went to Iloilo, my sister laughed at me. She said because I was really a trying-hard Ilonggo speaker. I could utter some Ilonggo words but, my accent is just so awkward. Okay now, so if you talk to locals, be careful. :)

Caption: I did some hiking at Nelson Hill, Bukidnon. It wasn't that adventurous but I really had fun conversing with new friends who grew up in Thailand. We shared some cultural insights. It was cool!

Caption: At Mimbalut Eco-Park, Iligna City

6. Keep yourself connected to your family/guardians

Whether you're in a concrete jungle or in the middle of a rustic village, make sure to keep your phone's batteries full. Do not forget to keep yourself connected to your loved ones. Well, in many cities, you can easily access to free wi fi in public areas, restaurants, malls, etc. When some accident happens, at least you can immediately contact your family/guardians and let them be informed. Of course, don't be so public in posting your photos with locations, someone might stalk you. That's creepy!

Caption: We're kind of bored and at the same time amazed at our friend's phone. Sorry. #selfie

Caption: When we visited the MSU-Naawan Campus, I was delighted with the presence of some Korean missionaries. They were friendly and they even taught some basic korean words.

That's it for now. We'll be heading to the 3rd wave of backpacking tips soon!

@abigailloveremo
@gratefulvibes @steemph @steemitiligan @surpassinggoogle