TRAVELING LIKE RIZAL: A HERO'S COMPASS THROUGH THE WORLD
By Marie. July 4, 2025
My first travel abroad was in 1992—a 30-day training in Singapore. Back then, I was wide-eyed and eager, trying to make sense of the world beyond home.
Just behind our hotel stood the National Museum of Singapore. Right next door—a cozy little bookstore that felt like a quiet invitation. And what was foremost on my mind as I stepped into both these spaces? Jose Rizal.
Singapore
This city-state brought a different kind of wonder. The idea thrilled me: to explore this vibrant city as our national hero might have, with eyes wide open and curiosity aflame. So I did the most fitting thing—I dashed into the bookstore and began leafing through pages on Singapore’s story, eager to learn not just as a tourist, but as Rizal would have: as a student of place and people.
That moment sparked something deeper. As I wandered through the museum halls, surrounded by artifacts and echoes of empire, I imagined how Rizal might have perceived this place during his brief stopovers. What questions would he have asked? What would he have noticed that the average traveler might miss?
Like Rizal, my understanding of travel has grown over time. In 1992, Singapore was a landscape of firsts—first passport stamp, first solo journey, first taste of life beyond the Philippine archipelago. Back then, I saw things in fragments: food, photos, places. But decades later, I’ve learned to linger longer, to read between the street signs and skyline silhouettes.
Traveling like Rizal
Rizal taught us that travel could sharpen the mind and stir the soul. His journeys shaped his vision of a freer, more compassionate world. Mine continue to shape me too—quietly, persistently—through pages devoured in bookshops, and conversations overheard on trains.
As I look back, I realize that my way of wandering has quietly evolved—from hurried snapshots to soul-deep moments. Tita M Wanders is no longer just about places I’ve seen, but about how they’ve changed me. Like Rizal, I travel with questions in my pocket and stories waiting to unfold.
So I invite you, dear reader, to travel with that same spirit. Be present, be inquisitive. Step into museums with a mind hungry for nuance. Step into bookstores as if searching for truths tucked between pages. Ask not just,
After all, Rizal didn’t just leave footprints across continents—he left a map for how to see with compassion and think with depth.
🧳 Rizal’s Travel Notes: A Glimpse of His Global Curiosity Jose Rizal wasn't just a brilliant thinker—he was also a prolific traveler. Between 1882 and 1896, his journeys took him across continents, shaping his worldview and strengthening his resolve for reform. Here are a few notable stops on his itinerary:
🌍 Destination Singapore
✨ Purpose / Highlights First international stop (1882); observed colonial life
🌍 Destination Singapore Spain (Madrid)
✨ Purpose / Highlights Studied medicine and philosophy; wrote Noli Me Tangere.
🌍 Destination Singapore France (Paris)
✨ Purpose / Highlights Continued medical training; immersed in intellectual salons
🌍 Destination Singapore Germany (Heidelberg, Berlin)
✨ Purpose / Highlights Honed his eye specialization; admired discipline and efficiency
🌍 Destination Singapore Japan (Yokohama, Tokyo)
✨ Purpose / Highlights Fascinated by culture and cleanliness; fell in love (literally)
🌍 Destination Singapore United States
✨ Purpose / Highlights Observed racial discrimination; took note of civic systems
🌍 Destination Singapore Hong Kong
✨ Purpose / Highlights Lived in exile; provided medical care to communities
🌍 Destination Singapore Dapitan (Mindanao)
✨ Purpose / Highlights Final exile; ran a school, a clinic, and a water project
📚 Tip from Rizal's Playbook: Bring a notebook. Rizal wrote constantly—not just about politics, but about sunsets, strangers, cities, and sensations. Try it on your next trip.