Hi all, Jalisa here, Founder of BOOKED Trips. On the heels of Mother’s Day, it’s important to highlight the legacy of women who paved the way for this business. BOOKED Trips wouldn’t be possible without my mother’s encouragement of my love of reading. She let me spend hours reading without interruption and trusted me to spread my wings and explore places she never dreamed of. She made her first international trip at 69 years old for the BOOKED Trips Cape Town, South Africa experience and I got the chance to talk with her about it. Highlights from our conversation are included below.
How did you foster my love of reading growing up and how do you think that contributed to the development of BOOKED Trips?
To foster or encourage someone in anything I believe you yourself have to have a desire or love for it. I had that love of reading, but it wasn’t always easy or affordable. When I had a child that showed a love of knowledge I wanted to make sure that I would do anything that I could to encourage that growth. I encouraged your reading by making sure you had books and that you were on a schedule and got different types of books so that you wouldn’t get bored or tired of reading.
I talked to the librarians to get their thoughts on ways to keep up your interest. In a sense we became a community. You would read to other youth on Wednesdays. Not only did you read to others youth, you would line up your dolls in your room or even in the living room and read to them.
The way I think I contributed to the development of BOOKED Trips – the way you put so much thought and detail in your delivery of service. You don’t leave any questions unanswered. Even your details at lunch and dinner. How you made personalized menus for each occassion. You make sure that you get the best of the best. The people you get as speaker sare people that are well respected and educated in their fields. Like a good book you leave everyone wanting more.
As someone who hasn’t traveled internationally before and is not doing it in your late 60s, what would you say to others who think it may be too late for them to travel?
Get the thought out of your mind. It’s never too late to start. You’re not too old either! Sometimes it’s just a mental adjustment. I look at it like a book. You never know what’s in it if you never open it to read it. Start getting ready. Read some books on travel. If you know someone ask questions. There’s never a silly question. Then start a journal writing down things.
Looking back at all the experiences you had on the trip, what do you think will be the most cherished memory or takeaway from your time in Cape Town?
I will cherish all the ladies that were with me on this trip. I couldn’t asked for a better group. We all came together as a family even though most of us all met for the very first time first time. Because that could have been so different. It was so important for my first international trip to be the motherland. I loved the people and the views. I’m making plans for the next one and reading books on travel.
As a mom, what is one of your hopes for me as your daughter and this business?
My first hope is that you enjoy the business – not the business enjoying you. That you feel yourself in the business. That you can still breathe. That you’re doing something you LOVE for yourself and not for others
but that others can feel the love from it.
