Wander Where There Is No Path

About Mark Paul

(Founder, Wandering Marco Polo)

I grew up in a small town in the Philippines.

 

I’m 25 now, and still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. (No! I’m just playing but, uh — sort of.)

 

Some days, I want to be a marketer, a famous rapper (yessir!), a flight crew, a Hollywood actor, street photographer, and a music producer, among others — ugh! That’s a lot! But… I also want to go to the moon. I want to be a business magnate and be featured in Forbe’s Top 10 Richest. Chill! Aren’t I trying to be everything at once? I know! I’m so caught up in life. But who knows? One or two might come true someday, to say the least.

 

Well, I’m so fond of exploring ideas from all walks of life. I’ve never felt settled because I know, I AM MEANT FOR MORE.

 

I started doing freelancing jobs online while at college. Essentially, to earn extra, to be able to buy the things I couldn’t buy, If only I were to rely on the weekly allowance I get from my parents (bluntly, to satisfy my impulsiveness haha!)

 

Frankly, I knew that I was just wasting my time then, that I wouldn’t even be able to pursue my major because I know how vast the opportunities are on the internet. The world is getting digital now. In my opinion, college is not worth the cost and time anymore — but to an extent. It depends on what you want to do. If you want to be a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, or something — yeah, it is. But if you wish to travel the world, make a lot of money, and live life in your own terms, then it’s a complete waste of time. (Again, this is just me!)

 

But I didn’t close my door right quick and still gave myself a shot to work in the corporate.

 

I worked as an HR Assistant in recruitment. It was a fun job and I enjoyed my whole experience to be fair. But the long and stressful commutes to and from work exhausted me. So I decided to just put up a business and submit my resignation letter by the end of that year!

 

… then 2019 caught me off-guard and punched me right in the face!

 

That was the year I wouldn’t ever forget cause… it SUCKS!

 

It started out great. I was so hyped up and optimistic. I was working from 12-16 hours each day, 7 days a week, with no complaining.

 

But days started passing like ablur. It’s as if I was rushing every day with no idea where I was headed to.

 

All year round, I just took L’s, and as soon as I could manage to bounce back, I immediately get smacked down by another one.

 

I couldn’t stress enough how much I suffered mentally that year. But it affected my daily life.

 

Nothing seemed interesting to me anymore.

 

I had a hard time doing my daily tasks.

 

I was feeling tired all the time, even if I was doing absolutely nothing.

 

And I was stuck in that endless loop.

 

Every time I got invites from friends to travel, I was always with bells on. As cliche as it may seem, “money returns, time doesn’t” has become my mantra. I didn’t care about how much money I still have. The most important thing for me that point was to FEEL and to LIVE.

 

But regardless of how screwed up that was, the silver lining is, I experienced the most growth in my life that year.

 

About Wandering Marco Polo

 

I ask myself, “Will you be the person you want to be 5 years from now if you are YOU?”

 

The answer is NO – in capital letters, all bold, highlighted, black and white confetti in the background, and good dramatic lighting. (f you know, you know) *wink*

 

Not gonna lie. That question has seriously woken my I’m-so-tired-i-couldn’t-function mind up.

 

Travelling has become my amigo! There is this extraordinary feeling I just couldn’t explain when I’m far away.

 

I want to wander where there is no path.

 

I want to wander aimlessly in search of life purpose.

 

I want to be anywhere, but here.

 

Blogging is one of the things I’ve always wanted to do. I just didn’t have the drive then, to do so…

 

Well, my life is being held by so many regrets and self-doubt now, and jeez! I don’t want to add up one more.

 

So… WANDERING MARCO POLO started. (woohoo!)

 

I built and started this blog by myself from the ground up in 2020, but just a few months after, the pandemic happened and it affected not only the way we live and the way we do our daily routines but our mental health as well. I lost my motivation and drive to pursue and continue it.

 

Updating this ‘About‘ page today (December 10, 2022). Thankfully, I have friends that helped me get my foot back in the door again. Now, I am blogging here with other content creator friends that I met along the way! 🙂

 

More fam members. More content. More FUN!

 

Since the beginning, this blog has always been existing not only to share insightful travel & lifestyle content as we wander along but also to use it as a means to reach and help seekers struggling to take a leap in their life and find their life purpose.

 

How cool would it be to say, “The WORLD is my OFFICE” *goosebumps*, right? haha.

 

Okay, that’s a whole PEP talk now. Haha!

 

Phew!

 

Cheers to a whole new chapter of Wandering Marco Polo!

xx

Come say, Hi!

 

We’re excited to meet some of you along the way!

 

“Don’t just wait and sit for what kind of day you’ll have. Create what kind of day you’ll have. Life is meant for spectacular adventures!”