I already forgot her name but I always remember her #SSStory. This photo somehow fuels me to keep reaching for my current goal, a vision and purpose that's bigger than myself, which can be summarised in #3Ts.
Tourism.Technology.Training.
SI ATE. This young mother from the rural area was the very first person I taught about "Facebook Marketing" outside my formal and part-time job. It was a spur of the moment thing that happened after I had my meal in her resto. She owns several cottages in #Bantayan #Cebu where I met her during my first ever #SoleSearchingSoul journey.
Don't get me wrong... I had a very good career, actually, it was great coz I had a very trusting and supportive boss in my time full-time job as a marketing manager. I also had this different sense of fulfillment knowing that I'm honing future media practitioners and marketing professionals in and from Bicol when I was invited and hired by my dear Alma Mater as a part-time faculty but you see I was still looking for more... somehow deep in my heart, I don't feel at peace. I know there's something MORE that I can do but I just couldn't pinpoint it yet so I started wandering while wondering and found my sole searching for my soul...
Ate doesn't know how long it's going to last before she throws the white towel over the rising cost of maintenance, rebuilding after the typhoon and provide for daily needs of her family and employees. I saw her frustration as well as determination so I asked her if she's willing to learn, I can somehow show her how to use social media to promote her hospitality business and accept room reservations on Facebook. Given my little understanding of "bisaya" and my poor use of the local dialect, we still managed to communicate while I demonstrate to her how to use #technology to boost her tourism-related establishments.
During those time, I'm not yet very familiar with the #tourism industry aside from my experience as a traveller which also served as my foundation for giving my best as the marketing manager of the homegrown hospitality brand I helped to build online and offline.
Looking back, that impromptu #training moment with ATE could have triggered my desire to learn more about tourism beyond the promotions. That very moment reminds me why I should not give up now on my big dream of "studying" and learning more about sustainable tourism for development.
To all those who personally know me and believed in my capacity to be an agent of change and influence, THANK YOU.
It is written in my name #Allison and with full confidence in God's Divine Direction, I know that #ThyWillBeDone. <3 Fly with me and let's make this world beautiful and sustainable!