My First Travel Abroad: Singapore & Malaysia

My First Travel Abroad: Singapore & Malaysia | Guisel's Crib

Whats up Madlang Pipz. It's me again, your storyteller for the day. Today, I just want to share with you my experience during my first travel abroad and some tips to pass the immigration officer.

I never thought I would have the chance to travel abroad. My heartfelt gratitude to my previous company for giving me a lifetime opportunity. Of course, there were some conditions, but the fact that it was free, I grabbed it.

Last 2018, I was allowed to attend an international training in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Since Malaysia is adjacent to Singapore, I traveled first to Singapore before proceeding to my training in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Before leaving the country, I needed to secure the required documents for immigration, which included:

• Hotel Bookings and Travel Itinerary
• Company ID and Signed Leave Form
• Show Money
• Letter of Invitation
• Return Ticket

As this was my first international travel, I sought advice from colleagues who had experienced it before. They gave me some tips, which I followed:

• Be confident in answering questions from the Immigration Officer
• Answer only the questions asked (be brief and concise)
• Present only the documents requested by the Immigration Officer

In my case, I traveled to Singapore via a connecting flight from Kalibo to Cebu, and then Cebu to Singapore. I chose to travel via Cebu because my sister works there, and I wanted to meet her first. Additionally, there were rumors that Cebu airport had a low percentage of passengers being offloaded. I met my sister, had dinner at a nearby restaurant, and she accompanied me to the airport. She gave me some advice and bid goodbye. I went to the check-in counters to check my baggage and proceeded to the immigration area. I felt nervous and tried to calm myself while practicing answers to potential questions from the Immigration Officer. When I reached the counter, my heart was still pounding and my hands were cold. I handed him my passport and company ID, and he scanned it. The first thing he asked was my destination and if I had my travel itinerary and booking. I presented the documents. Then, he asked why my Company ID was newly printed since it was indeed new. I explained that I had been promoted and proactively informed him about my training in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, presenting him with my invitation letter. After that, he stamped my passport.

 

Kudos to Ate Alevith for making my stay in Singapore a memorable one and for freeing my ticket to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Thank you so much Ate Alevith! 

Cheers to these amazing persons who completed my short staycation in Singapore (Lucky Plaza and Bedok Mall): Ate Alevith, Auntie Lelany, Nene Belle, and Auntie Encarnacion.

 

The highlight of my travel is meeting these wonderful people. We had our best training moments to be a trainer. Our bonds are exceptional until these preset times. 

Indeed, traveling outside the Philippines is a tough process. But for me, it is better to undergo the proper process before leaving the country for safety and security purposes. 

Thank you for reading my blog. Stay tuned for more.

-guisel's crib-