How traveling changed Enchong Dee

MANILA – “Experience is the best teacher.” Enchong Dee can attest to this saying, especially when it comes to traveling.

In a Facebook Live session for the launch of his new book “Basta Trip Mo” on Friday, the Kapamilya star shared how seeing the world has changed him.

A post shared by Enchong Dee (@mr_enchongdee) on Jul 6, 2018 at 2:47am PDT

“Traveling gives me so more education than just reading a book or attending a class. It gives you more understanding in humanity, in culture, religion, and so on,” said Dee.

“Gusto ko 'yung maiintindihan ko 'yung lugar, maiintindihan ko 'yung pagkain, 'yung mga tao, kung bakit gano'n sila,” he added.

The 29-year-old actor started traveling when he was 13 years old, but it was “not real travel” for him, pointing out they were mostly for international swimming competitions.

“My parents allowed me to travel since I was competing outside the country. Every time na nag-ta-travel ako, hotel-swimming pool, swimming pool-hotel lang. Masuwerte na kami kapag may half day [para sa travel], so sabi ko, ‘pag nagka-budget ako, mag-ta-travel ako,” he said.

A post shared by Enchong Dee (@mr_enchongdee) on Jun 17, 2018 at 5:40pm PDT

So far, Dee has flown to three overseas destinations alone.

In 2014, he went to his “dream destination” in Washington D.C., where he visited the National World War II Memorial and the National Museum of Natural History. He then went to Vancouver, Canada for another solo trip. In 2016, he also traveled to Brazil for some “soul-searching.”

“Minsan kailangan natin ng time alone, so ginawa ko siya right after... Alam niyo na ‘yon. Soul-searching. Naintindihan ko na everything happens for a reason,” he said.

In an interview on “Tonight with Boy Abunda” that same year, Dee confirmed that he and his then-girlfriend, model Samantha Lewis, had broken up.

Dee went on to encourage people to understand each other’s differences, which, according to him, is one of the things he has learned from traveling.

A post shared by Enchong Dee (@mr_enchongdee) on Jul 5, 2018 at 4:19am PDT

“When you meet a lot of people, you not just know their name, but encourage people to understand that even though we have different colors, different religion, different race, we’re all one. And I think
that’s one of the most beautiful things that traveling can give you,” he said.

He just has one tip for all travelers, or “budgetarians,” as he referred to them.

“Once you go to a place that it’s your first time, always say a prayer. Say thank you na nakapunta ka sa lugar na ‘to and ask that this will not be the last place that you will see, and then dire-diretso na siya,” he advised.

“Basta Trip Mo” is now available on Shopee and ABS-CBN Publishing Store.