Seacity Museum which houses artifacts from Titanic

Aside from IKEA, the Southampton Bar Gate, and museums, Southampton was the place where my Sister lived throughout her years in the UK. Staying there felt different among the rest of the cities I've been to in the UK, mainly because my sister showed us all the places she would frequently go to.

She showed us around the supermarkets where she would buy her fruits and vegetables, and even all the thrift shops that she went to, especially her favorite ones. She showed us the neighborhood where she lived, and the hospital she worked at. These things were a big deal for me and my parents, because all the places and things my sister would enthusiastically share to us about through phone calls and videocalls, they all came to life. We were with her physically, and there were no more screens in between us.

Walking along the Southampton City Center

Living life abroad is never an easy feat. It all feels so glamorous whenever we're travelling to someplace new, but it is fleeting. No one ever mentions the physical distance away from loved ones, the overtimes at the workplace, nor the displacement felt while adapting to new cultures. But even through all that, I will always admire and be proud of how much my sister has grown, exponentially if I may say. She's never been one to boast of what she has, and has always taken time to keep in touch with us. Every phone call is like a party, literally, because we're always sharing updates with each other, about anything at all.





Showing us around the UK was definitely a big milestone for her, and I understand why that is. We never really took much family trips before. My parents always set aside their own personal agendas and interests so that they can ensure my sister and I were always well taken cared of and well provided for. Now since my sister and I are working, they still won't take trips unless we go with them haha! Our parents have aged. They don't want to be out of their comfort zones anymore, they love familiarity and routine. They are happy knowing my sister and I are figuring out our lives (with their guidance of course), and perhaps that may be enough for them.


So now my sister and I encourage them to take more trips, and most of these trips involve visiting my sister. This makes the travel all the more meaningful, because in a way, this is how we become a complete family now. I know going places with family can feel quite restricting at times. Most of the time it'll be with a tour group, or they would most likely want to stick to the tourist spots. And there's me, who wants to explore a bit more. There was that one time we went to Taiwan together last 2018, to celebrate my sister's 30th birthday. I remember being an absolute brat while I was there, since while we were at Jiufen, we had around an hour or so before we had to go back to the van that would take us to the next destination. My parents told us that they were already tired, but I insisted on walking around more. My sister then reminded me that I had to be considerate this time around, since we were with our parents. This experience definitely taught me how to be more selfless and to look beyond my own interests. It made me ask the real question: What was this trip all about? 

A few things that stuck with me throughout the years would be that through our trips together,

We Get To Know Each Other More 

Sometimes we think we know our parents well enough already, since we've been living with them our entire lives. But it's true when they say that when you travel with someone, you're bound to learn something new about each other. This also applies with family! You're not at home, nor are you in the same familiar spaces like the malls and restaurants you frequently go to, so it's definitely a new experience you'll share together.

We Learn New Things Together

Whenever you're in a foreign country, you're bound to learn something new. May it be a new phrase, or figuring out the train lines, or even handling a new currency. Usually by the end of the day when we're together in our accommodation, we sit down and talk about what we've learned and observed. It could be as simple as the recurring themes in paintings we saw in a gallery, or what we thought of the live performance of performers that hopped on our train cabin. Knowing how our parents have lived more years than us, we can surely pick up a lot of insights from their observations.

The Bar Gate, a medieval gatehouse in Southampton's city center

We Rediscover Our Values as A Family

Family trips are the perfect time to reflect, to talk, and to sit down together. I'm blessed to have supportive parents, and a very driven older sister. We always get to talk about what's going on each other's lives, on how we make decisions, and what our future plans are. In the process, we're able to ground ourselves back to what's truly important, which is why I believe family is an important foundation.

We Make Memories

Going on family trips now became less of what I personally wanted to do, but more of spending that time with the people I love most dearly. Making memories by taking my parents' photos, taking shameless selfies with them, and walking with them while they're still able; these are priceless moments I wouldn't dare trade for anything. I learned that these moments need to be cherished, and that I need to understand that my parents are not as young as they used to be. But even so, getting to see what we can together and sharing the moment is ultimately what matters.


As we grow older, so do they. Gone were the days when we were still babies and we depended so much on them to teach us about the world, now it's us showing them the world. Let's never forget to bring them along with us as we figure out life.


I look forward to my next trip with family, wherever it may be!

Hope you're having a great week so far, dear reader. I'm glad it's Friday already tomorrow; this week flew by, and I'm grateful.