Hello, everyone!
Here’s another episode of #FamiliesOutside and today we are interviewing Erlaine from Glamma Momma.
We’ve been hearing from families from all over the world but not so much from those coming locally, here in the Philippines. Here is Erlaine, a work from home mom, who talks about how they incorporate travel into their family life. Take it away, Glamma Momma!
1. Give us a short background of your family.
We are a family of three (for now) from the Philippines. I’m a passionate work-at-home mom to a lovable and creative 6-year-old daughter while my dedicated husband works for a foreign company that’s into race cars. We love to relax, enjoy life and spend quality time as a family.
2. Do you travel full time or part time? When did you start and why?
I wish we could travel full-time but for now it’s only part-time. My love for travel is because of my parents who have been to different places in and out of the country during my childhood years and up to now. When I had a family of my own, my goal is to at least travel once a year either locally or internationally. The main reason for this is to make good memories with my husband and daughter and capture all the fun and unforgettable moments in photos and video. That would be something we would be looking forward to look back when we grow old. Aside from feeling relaxed during vacations, we want to learn about different cultures and keep an open mind on what it’s like to live in different parts of the world.
3. How do you afford to travel as a family? Do you also work on the road?
We have a travel fund. I allot a specific amount monthly to a dedicated savings account for travel. I can work on the road since I’m a WAHM, but for me, vacation time is family time so as much as possible I take a leave from work.
Tinago Falls, Iligan City, 2015
4. How do you plan out your trips (and for full time travelers, are you always out or do you have days where you just stay in)? Do you particularly choose those “family-friendly” or “kid-friendly” destinations or are you flexible and just simply adapt to the place?
We love budget fares so I usually watch out for airline promos a few months before our desired date of travel and do mock bookings to check if it’s within our means. I love to plan our itinerary such as where to stay comfortably but practical when it comes to location, where to eat especially must-try food and what activities to do that would be fun for all. I prefer family-friendly destinations since we travel with our daughter. But if it will only be my husband and I (maybe in the future to celebrate our 10th or so anniversary) to travel, I think it would be exciting and adventurous to try other places that only adults can do.
5. What is that one item you can never travel without when you are with kids?
I always bring a first-aid kit. It’s highly-recommended, actually it’s a must, to bring one. But that’s only one item…I actually need a lot more like activity books and art materials for my artsy daughter and most important of all, my digicam and charger.
Hongkong Disneyland, 2012
6. There are varied opinions when it comes to learning while traveling VS. formal schooling. What is your stand on this? Does travelling really give an advantage to your kid’s education, based on experience?
My daughter just finished pre-school and now in first grade. I’m amazed that they already have a Geography topic in class as early as pre-school. She learned about the different places, people, animals and culture from different continents. I find it very helpful. But it would be more realistic and she will be able to understand more when she’ll experience and see in person those places she only saw in books, television and magazines. I saw how happy she shared her travel experiences to her cousins, classmates and friends. So I guess, traveling and formal schooling can go hand-in-hand.
7. What advice would you give to families who want to start out a travelling lifestyle?
8. Where else can we guys read about your family adventures?
You can check out our family adventures in my blog. I still have a lot of backlogs of our travels but will take one day at a time to post them all and share our experiences.
Universal Studios Singapore, 2013
Follow Erlaine and her family adventures at:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Happy Travels!
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#FamiliesOutside is an interview series to help encourage families to go out and explore places, near or far. Bi-monthly, we feature families who love travelling – full-time or part-time – or who simply love including the outdoors in their daily activities.
