FROM the coastal city of Navotas to a charming Balkan country in Southeastern Europe, young Filipino exchange student Rizagin Paula Ang has come a long way in terms of life experiences: an independent life abroad, career building in the hospitality industry, and seeing snow.
Paula, an International Hospitality Management major at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, flew to Montenegro’s capital city of Podgorica to participate in the Marco Polo Program, which gives IHM students an opportunity to spend one to two terms at a partner Vatel campus.
“At 21, leaving home is rarely easy. Leaving it for another continent is something else entirely,” Paula said.
With excitement, fear and setting foot on foreign soil for the first time, Paula realized she had to stand on her own, miles away from her family and the familiarity of home.
“I had no safety net, no routine to fall back on, and no one who truly knew me yet,” Paula recalled. “The silence was intimidating. But something began to grow. Living in Montenegro has felt like living my best life — not because every day is perfect, but because every day feels real.”
In the following weeks, she felt a sense of freedom and her transformative journey to self-discovery began. “I wanted to experience life independently and fully. Living in Europe, learning a new culture, and spending my 20s discovering who I am have always been a dream of mine,” she said. “Montenegro became the place where the dream stopped being abstract and started becoming my reality.”
Through simple house gatherings and random excursions, her initial homesickness was later eclipsed by conversations and shared memories with strangers that turned into family.
“The encounters unfolded organically. Instead of scheduled itineraries, I found connection through people. Through everyday moments, spontaneous trips, and friendships, I was able to experience Montenegro in an authentic way,” she said.
The Marco Polo Program has provided Paula with hands-on training in her chosen field. It deepened her understanding of international hospitality operations. It likewise strengthened her appreciation for cultural diversity and intensified her passion to pursue a career overseas.
“The program has given me a broader perspective on international hospitality and education,” Paula said. “Being exposed to a different academic environment helped me understand how global the industry truly is. It also gave me the confidence to envision myself to pursue opportunities beyond my home country and to work internationally.”
Along with her newfound friends, Paula got the chance to visit the towns of Budva, Kolašin, Bar, and Kotor.
Her future plans are to complete her internship in the Philippines and opt for a second one in Dubai to explore various hospitality markets.
Paula wants to move to Europe and work in a hotel that will allow her to grow professionally in different environments.
As she carves her own path toward her dream profession, she will always cherish her days in Montenegro, where she enjoyed a slower pace of life, cultivated growth through discomfort, and discovered a braver version of herself.
“It has taught me resilience and self-reliance in ways I never experienced before. I learned quickly that independence is not glamorous at first,” she said. “It’s waking up alone, navigating a new city, and slowly realizing that you are capable of doing more than you ever thought.”