PM: Mariangel Sanchez, the Rumor is that you have a Healthy Addiction, Please Tell!
MS: I like to call traveling my healthy addiction, the more I travel the more I want to do it. My passion for traveling keeps me constantly thinking about countries to visit, things to research, and ways to get there on a budget.
PM: When Did This Addiction Start?
MS: For the past 16 years, I have traveled the world in different comfort levels from all-inclusive resorts, cruises, hotels, and Air B&Bs, visiting over twenty countries in four different continents. I have learned ways to save money, utilize different transportation options, and build my itineraries. Recently I started a travel page M&B Travel Addiction on Facebook to highlight and share my travel experiences and tips I learned along the way. My goal is to help others believe in the possibilities of being able to travel the world and start their travel adventures!
PM: When Was Your First International Trip?
MS: In 2007 I took my first international trip to Jamaica. I was taken away by the experience and wanted to continue to explore other countries. I also wanted to be able to show the world to my kids and started to look for ways to make it a reality which led to my obsession of consistently looking for ways to save money and find deals. I uncovered many all-inclusive resorts and cruise lines offering deals where kids stayed free. I also found traveling off-season was cheaper, less crowded, and offered discounted prices on some activities. After a few all-inclusive/cruise vacations I wanted to get more of an authentic feel for the countries I was visiting. I started researching the countries I wanted to visit using a variety of social media and Google platforms and travel and government websites to help me build an understanding of the countries’ customs, things to explore, ways to get around, and laws to be aware of.
PM: Is Traveling to a Foreign Country Scary or Intimidating?
MS: I started self-exploring in Puerto Rico and within the United States before stepping out of my comfort zone giving myself the courage, I needed that I could do this, and then ventured out. I have since visited and self-explored countries like Colombia, Thailand, Italy, Costa Rica, Türkiye, Aruba, and Vietnam to name a few. It was not as intimidating and scary as I thought it would be. I learned many friendly and helpful people around the world are willing to help if you ask for help. I also learned Google Maps and Google Translator were a must for helping me get around and communicate with others and having a few simple words on my phone notes was a quick way to show others my willingness to communicate and learn, which always led to a positive experience. Here I leave you with a few of my tips. Follow me on Facebook at M & B Addictions.
Mariangel’s Helpful Travel Tips:
Google Map: Tags are helpful with keeping track of places of interest and make it quick and easy to see what is around you that you are interested in.
Portable Charger: Using Google Maps and taking pictures will drain your battery quickly, carrying a portable charger will give you peace of mind that your phone will always be charged, make sure to pack the right cord depending on your charger pack.
Different Payment Methods: Credit cards – no international exchange fee is best when using the process in local currency; debit card – for backup cash if needed, US cash – large bills give you a better conversion rate/new is best; foreign currency – order before leaving from your bank, if possible, for a better rate.
Apps: Download beforehand, many places have Wi-Fi but having the apps you need in advance will help in case Wi-Fi is not available.
Water Camera: I currently use GoPro Hero 12 and Insta 360, a waterproof phone case, many locations you travel to have water activities bringing a case along will save you money.
Attire: I normally have two to three staple outfits that I purchase for pictures and pack what I already have for the rest of the time. I also usually pack a black maxi dress, which can be dressed up or down and even used as a cover-up. I also pack a scarf- good for visiting temples, keeping you warm using it as a cover-up.
Rosa J. Parra
Founder of Palo Magazine
