About Me and Tita M Wanders

From the Boardroom to the Backroads

Work with Tita M

I am a retired CEO, an eternal student, and a believer in the power of slow travel. Tita M Wanders is where my corporate discipline meets my creative soul—a space where heritage meets adventure, and storytelling bridges understanding.

For many years, I served as the President and CEO of a pioneering IT company in Makati City, working with some of the Philippines' top corporations. My life was defined by strategies, supply chains, and bottom lines.

But in my late sixties, I decided to trade the boardroom for a backpack (well, a sensible suitcase!). I realized that while my career built my resilience, travel fed my spirit.

I don't travel to tick boxes. I travel to listen. Whether it's a quiet conversation with a weaver in a rural market or witnessing the resilience of a community after a storm, I believe the best stories are found in the pauses, not the rush.

Travel and Storytelling Blog

Tita M Wanders is a patchwork of all the things that capture my heart. It’s where heritage meets adventure; where cultural stories are told through meaningful travel. Here, I explore traditions, amplify Indigenous voices, and celebrate the quiet magic of human connection across borders.

I've never quite warmed to being called Nanay or Lola. To my nieces and nephews, I have always been the "Gentle Tita"—the one who listens, spoils them a little, and shares stories.

I bring that same energy to this blog. I am not here to be an influencer. I am here to be your Tita: the one who tells you which local fruit to try, reminds you to be respectful to the locals, and encourages you to look up from your phone and see the world.

More Than Just a Blog

Recently, I realized that the skills I used to build companies—strategy, clarity, and management—are the exact same skills needed to tell a good story online.

Today, I don't just write for myself. I help other non-profits and purpose-driven leaders and CEOs find their voice.

Work With Me

"This isn't just amateurism—it's homage. It's softness. It's me.

— Marie (Tita M)🌸

The "Slambook" Aesthetic

Imagining, watching the moo.

You might notice this site doesn't look like a sleek, minimalist corporate brochure. That is intentional.

🖌️ Tita M Wanders is designed as an homage to the "Slambooks" of the early 2000s and the nostalgic opening sequences of the Asian dramas I love. It is meant to feel like a scrapbook—hand-curated, personal, and full of texture. It is a rejection of the "perfect" Instagram feed in favor of something that feels like a handwritten letter.

📚 Slambook Aesthetic with Depth: Just like a slambook invites you to reflect on friendships, favorites, and fleeting thoughts, Tita M Wanders is a scrapbook of soulfully narrated journeys, cultural memories, and contemplative pauses. It’s not about chasing polish—it's about offering honesty and warmth.

🎞️ Embracing the "Amateur" Spirit: There's something deeply human about unpolished storytelling. The hand-curated feel, the poetic image choices, the amateur graphics—all reflect a longing to preserve intimacy. If mainstream travel blogs are glossy travel brochures, Tita M Wanders is a diary left open for kindred spirits to read.

Tita M Wanders, the Scrapbook of soulful paths, nostalgic whispers, and culturally-rooted wonder

Tita M Wanders is a travelogue, memory box, and quiet advocacy space nurtured by someone who loves handwritten letters, cinematic montages, and the wisdom of rivers.

Created by a storyteller who sees travel not just as movement, but as memory in motion. This blog is shaped by the places I’ve loved, the people I carry with me, and the footnotes scribbled in journals during layovers, ferry rides, and quiet sidewalk pauses.

Expect to Find:

🌏 Culturally sensitive travel narratives inspired by visits to Chinatowns, old ancient towns, riverside towns, and heritage enclaves

📝 Reflections on memory and loss, often tucked into photo essays and journal-like prose

🎴 Aesthetic whimsy—yes, this blog looks like a slambook on purpose. My design sensibilities draw from anime openings and Chinese drama credits, where emotion and visuals merge in soft, lingering ways

🛤️ Community-rooted advocacy like learning spaces for Indigenous children

Whether you’re here for a poetic pause or a cultural deep dive, I hope Tita M Wanders feels like a handwritten postcard waiting to be opened. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Summing Up, Here in Tita M Wanders, I'll (not only me but friends, too!) be sharing a collection of stories....

    🌍 Whimsical

    Wandering with wonder, writing with heart.
    Where stories bloom and borders blur.
    Tales from a Tita with a suitcase full of soul.
    🧭 Heritage & Cultural Depth

    Journeys that honor memory, heritage, and hope.
    Exploring places, preserving stories.
    From zarzuelas (memories of my Nanay Mameng) to travel journals—cultural footprints across generations.
    💪 Resilience & Reflection

    Wandering wise—six decades, countless stories.
    Traveling light, living fully.
    Where every trip is a lesson, every memory a legacy.
    🎒 Mixed Texture

    Tita tales from a well-worn passport and a resilient heart.
    Old souls, new paths.
    Tita M Wanders: storytelling stitched with heritage, humor, and healing.

So join us! Explore with us! Find these collection of stories in my Blog (I hope you enjoy the little learning and fun in them), or Contact Us, to share your stories! Get updated as well. Subscribe to Tita M Journals!

Warmly,

— Marie (Tita M)🌸