TER: Tricia Ting
Where are you from and what defines you?
I am from Hong Kong and I am a traveler. I enjoy traveling to different places to get a taste of the local culture and people. I am also a foodie so I enjoy different cuisines while traveling in different countries.
What are you goals?
So I have several goals in life and the list will probably keep adding up. For now, I am trying to understand my purpose in life. Meanwhile I am meeting new people and I am happy that we can share our positivity and kindness with each other. I feel that I can do that though traveling, especially when I travel alone. That is when I get to meet and connect easier with locals, see the world with my own eyes, and share my stories to let people know that the world is not such a bad place as media portrayed. My ultimate goal though, is to become a bridge between developing countries and modern society. Create a group or business that helps people who want to be helped to develop skills to make a living by learning what modern society is lacking. A win-win situation is what I want. Instead of just donating money to poor, I think education and skills are more important and effective for the needy in developing countries.
Who do you live for?
I used to live for my family a few years back but now I live for myself. This is my life and when I think about the flashback I will have when I die, I will regret to have live my life for someone else other than myself. I want to have flashback of being proud of stepping out of my comfort zone, pursuing my dreams, being who I want to be without caring what other people or my family may think, and really making use of and enjoying all the moments in my life instead of regretting them and continuing to think, "If only…” I just gotta take the step and go find out what the world has to offer.
What are you most afraid of?
I am most afraid of a possibility of choosing to end my life someday because I felt that I have done all I could and have nothing else to live for.
What are you most proud of?
I am proud of myself for leaving my comfort zone and becoming independent. Also I’m proud of making the hard decision to leave my family even when they really wanted me to stay. It wasn't easy to say no and leave the "nest" in a Chinese family. It is actually not easy to be selfish and say goodbye to people you love.
What’s a piece of advice to your younger self?
Don't be a chicken. Instead, be selfish for yourself. Do something for yourself. This life is yours, just go and pursue your dream. Don't wait, don't say maybe. Just go and do it. Everything will work out somehow either way. Be yourself and enjoy your own life.
Are you close to your family?
I am still kind of close to my family, but not as close as before. Since I left home and started traveling around, I have become a lot more open minded through understanding different culture and perspectives, which conflicts a lot with my family's traditional Chinese values. I had many fights with my aunt, who is like a second mom to me. I was really close to her, but I don't listen to her anymore and I want my own way. We still talk once in a while but she is definitely not used to this new me of saying, “No.” My family is still trying to convince me to move back to Hong Kong but I am not sure if I want to go back to what I consider a "cage" rather than a "nest". Don't get me wrong, I love my home, Hong Kong. I do believe I will go back in the future for several years, but I am not settling down; nor will I ever settle down. I am going to keep traveling because I am a world citizen.
