"What practice you desire to get?" My mother asked me this when I was seven years sometime.  It's a question I call back everyone has been asked at least once.

I accept thought about becoming a painter, a marine biologist, and even a professional circus performer. And well … instead I was told I should be a lawyer or a medico. I grew up in a bourgeois Asian family, and they would certainly not corroborate of me becoming a painter, marine biologist, or a circus performer.

And about definitely not a writer.

During college, I struggled with this question. I loved the idea of creating something of value. I wanted something akin to becoming a scientist and a designer at the same time. But that'south not actually seen as a concrete career path. It'due south just not something yous're allowed to become.

Realizing this gave me the type of sucker punch I needed to figure things out for myself instead of heading straight to constabulary or medical schoolhouse. Instead, I took the opportunity to travel around Europe for the summer after my college graduation.

Europe is vastly different than the Philippines. From the climate to the food, and all the history and art everywhere yous went. Corking ideas were always being shared, the coffee was amazing, and I was introduced to a different way of living.

The last stop on my summertime itinerary  was Barcelona — a city I thought virtually visiting because I was a fan of Antoni Gaudi's work. But non much else drew me there — I didn't know anyone who loved to vacation in Spain as opposed to Paris or Rome.

Barcelona was a complete surprise in the best mode possible.

There was beauty, there was glamour, and at that place were a lot of tapas. Beyond that, information technology was a city that was so … live. Information technology had spunk and spark, it was fast-paced and relaxing at the aforementioned time.

At 11 p.m., you could still  hear children laughing every bit they gallivanted through the streets. You'd be greeted with court jesters, bubble blowers, and authentic Castilian turon. There's a wide array of wine to choose from, restaurants to try, and people to meet.

Popular tourist spots similar Las Ramblas had a mix between foreigners and locals, trying to bargain their mode into good deals. You lot'd have a gustation of fresh fruits at La Boqueria market and still have fourth dimension to taste exam chocolates in between.

Aside from their dear of football game, the Catalans (people from Barcelona and the Northeastern region of Spain) are loyal to their ain national identity. They love living in Barcelona. You tin can easily tell by their like shooting fish in a barrel smiles, mischievous eyes, and boisterous laughs.

Going around the metropolis gave me a sense of belonging I never experienced dorsum home.

Was it because I am Filipina? Was information technology because our language and civilization was highly influenced by the Castilian? Did our entwined history brand Espana the closest thing to dwelling outside of the Philippines?

Maybe. I don't merits to know. Non at present, anyway.

There was merely something well-nigh existence in Barcelona that drew me in like no metropolis had before.

Information technology felt like coming home for the first time in my life.

Since then, I've made it a mission to detect my manner dorsum. I didn't go to law school or medical schoolhouse, despite those things being the elevation priority for my family.

I wanted to find a way to travel the world. To keep chasing that thrill, to notice new cities, and in plough, observe myself.

That'due south how I became a writer and have been working to continue traveling, something that many of my female parent's, and even my colleagues notice hard to believe.

That summertime trip was the first pace on many great adventures .

Many months of linguistic communication and life lessons after, an aunt of my begetter'southward called me for my altogether. That morning she regaled me with stories of my grandfather, who was born in Barcelona. He spent the commencement 10 years of his life in that location before moving to the Philippines.

That was the day I started thinking near my own family unit's history (and that many Filipinos'). I idea well-nigh the places nosotros'd been, the people we had encountered and how I've always felt a kinship towards the metropolis. I thought about how it felt when I arrived in Kingdom of spain.

I understood my feelings a little better and then, and a footling more than of my history, too.

I've come to learn that by understanding my ain family unit'south roots and constantly chasing what I'thousand passionate about, I'll be one step closer to answering my mom's question.

"What do y'all want to go?"

But you know? Throw information technology away. Forget that question and any answers nosotros're told to say.

Instead, let me offering a better one:

" Who do you want to go?"