Hey, travel friends! Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and Guide Collective wants to be your Valentine!

The founders of MASS ended up taking what they learned at Harvard and melded that with what they learned working with locals in Rwanda. It prompted them to develop an ethos for all their projects: design beautiful buildings, help as many local people as possible, source local materials and labor, and provide smart, natural air flow for a healthier environment.

San Sebastian’s beach certainly has something special about it: it has driven to its shore royals, dictators, Hollywood stars, writers, and even me, a person who prefers the freshness of the mountains over the hot, sticky sand.

My mom and dad emigrated from The Philippines to the United States in the late 1960s to work as as chemists/researchers at the University of California, San Diego. A few years later, I was born in La Jolla, California. I’ve been fortunate to travel to my parents’ native land with them three times, and on our last visit, we were treated to a cultural experience that had a deep impact on me. Re-watching a video of the event recently has brought up some strong memories and feelings about my ethnic patrimony.

“Several of us members of GC have shared some photos and tidbits about special women in our lives—women who have influenced us, guided us, helped us to evolve into the people we are to they. And to them, we say, ‘Thank you for being you and for all that you do!’”

Hey, travel friends! Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Our guides are feeling full of love, and we’d love to share a bit of Valentine goodness with you!

I realize that I am blessed to have been born in the US (thank you , Mom and Dad, for seeking and working for a better life). I realize that I enjoy great privilege in being able to travel and learn from experiences and cultures from all over the world, and I do not ever want to take any of that for granted.

It’s Christmastime and that means Christmas cookies! You probably have your own traditions and favorites, but might I encourage you to add something new to your holiday treats?

Because of the great ethnic and cultural diversity within each of the countries as well as the interconnectedness of all these countries with one another, there are actually more than 200 languages spoken throughout Europe. How do you bridge political, economic, social, and cultural divides when the mere act of communicating in the same language might not even be possible?

There’s something so evocative to me about pictures of food and the power they have to vividly remind me of mouth-watering meals and moments that I’ve had on my travels.  I can look at my culinary photos and remember exactly where I was, the scent of the dish just placed in front of me, and the way the flavors open up on my pallet. 

Having just spent 3 weeks in Southeast Asia, enjoying jaw-dropping sights, mouth-watering cuisine, eye-opening historical and cultural lessons, and connecting with intriguing, kind, generous, and delightful people all over Vietnam and Cambodia, I am feeling really torn about the need to be vigilant about public health safety and the incessant focus on the fear of contracting COVID-19 and how that’s creating devastating, rippling effects in global economies, encouraging xenophobia, and making people panic worldwide. 

As a woman, I cherish the hard-earned rights, freedom, and respect that my gender enjoys in America and throughout the Western World.  We've come a long way in the last century, but we still face challenges and work diligently to hurdle them.  And because we recognize the value and contributions of women, no matter where they live, we want all women to savor the same opportunities we have.