STUDENT DIARY: From Sari-Sari Store Dreams to Hotel Keys

Early in 2026, we decided to follow the career progress of a young Filipina whose lifelong dream has been to become a Hospitality professional.

A young woman from a modest family in Iloilo province who had overcome her parents’ objections, empty pockets, and years of doubt to enroll in a Bachelor of Science Degree in Hospitality Management, proving that passion, persistence, and a little help from the government can unlock even the heaviest doors.

Follow her personal narrative on Discovering Hospitality every month to see how she navigates the highs and challenges that appear in her Hospitality journey.

Part 1

From Sari-Sari Store Dreams to Hotel Keys:

How I Finally Walked Through the Door of My Childhood Dream

I still remember the exact moment the email arrived. It was a sticky Tuesday in May, and I was restocking instant noodles on the lowest shelf of our sari-sari store in Iloilo. My phone buzzed in the pocket of my old denim shorts. When I opened it, my knees almost gave way.

“Congratulations, Elena Santiago. You have been accepted into the Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management program at St. Paul University Iloilo for Academic Year 2025-2026. You have also qualified for the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) and a supplementary university grant for financially deserving students.”

I read it three times. Then I sat on the plastic stool behind the counter and cried quietly, so my younger brothers wouldn’t see.

After everything;  the family meetings that ended in raised voices; the year I worked instead of studying; the nights I studied for the entrance exam by the light of my single little bulb, while the store was closed, I was finally in. I made it, and the flood of pent-up emotions completely overtook me. 

This is the story of how a girl who grew up watching other people’s vacations from the sidelines, finally got to undergo the training that helped her fulfill her vacations for herself.

The Spark at Nine Years Old

It started in a small resort in Guimaras. My lola had saved for months to bring me and two cousins for a weekend treat after I topped my grade three class. We stayed in a simple air-conditioned room, which was the first time I had ever slept with real air-conditioning.

While my cousins played by the pool, I wandered into the lobby. I watched the Front Desk Officer greet arriving guests with a genuine smile, even the ones who looked tired and grumpy from the ferry ride. I saw the Housekeeping Staff pushing a cart with quiet pride, the way they arranged fresh flowers and folded towels into perfect swans. They were all working hard, but also smiling.

A kind Receptionist noticed me staring. She gave me a small notepad and a pen with the resort’s logo. “For your future notes,” she said with a wink.

That night I wrote in my new notebook: “I want to make people feel welcome like this.” I was nine, and that dream has never left me.

In high school, I joined every tourism and hospitality activity. I volunteered at the Dinagyang Festival information booths. I had researched on cruise ship careers and boutique resorts in Boracay until my eyes hurt. When our class visited a heritage hotel in Iloilo City, I asked the General Manager so many questions that he finally laughed and said, “You should study this for real.” His meaningful words really stuck with me and gave me added inspiration during those times of doubt whether I was doing the right thing.

The Word That Hurt Most: “Practical”

When I told my parents after graduation that I wanted to take BS Hospitality Management, the silence at the dinner table was heavy.

My pop, who has been driving a bus for twenty-two years, put down his spoon. “Anak, hospitality is just smiling and carrying bags. Your cousin is a nurse in the UK, sending money home every month. That is practical. You should follow her example.”

My mom, who has been running our sari-sari store since I was little, and still sews school uniforms at night to make extra money, looked worried. “The tuition is expensive. Dormitory or boarding house, food, uniform, projects… How will we manage? And you will be standing on your feet for long hours. Your back will hurt like mine.”

I tried to gently explain that hospitality today is different; it’s not just smiling at people. It's a career in operations, revenue management, event planning, learning about sustainable tourism, and guest experience. The Philippines has thousands of trained professionals, as Tourism is important to our country. I also told them that one day, I will manage a resort in Boracay or even work on a luxury cruise line, and I would still be able to send help home.

They listened. Then they said the same thing almost every Filipino parent in our situation says: “We’ll think about it.”

I knew what that meant.

The Year I Worked Instead of Studied

Want to read more?

Subscribe to discoveringhospitality.com to keep reading this exclusive post.

Subscribe Now