Why I Do What I Do

Most young professionals wouldn’t think to call a travel agent to book their vacations for them. It is so easy to just hop on the internet and book online nowadays that no one even thinks twice about it. People either don’t know what a travel agent can do for them or don’t know that travel agents still exist.

My senior year in high school I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and it was time to fill out college applications. I researched and researched and stumbled upon a program at AIB College of Business called Travel and Tourism. I started looking at the class list and found that no accounting was required for the major. YES!!! I am good with numbers but not good with accounting. Travel and Tourism it is!

I started college and I actually enjoyed all of the classes that centered around the travel industry. I took classes on hotels, cruise lines, and geography. When it was time for my internship class I found a small home-based travel agency. I didn’t really know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. During the internship I learned how to find the best possible vacations for people while working around budgets and each person’s individual values. I was taught how to build a vacation from the ground up based on what each family or couple was interested in. After interning with this travel agency I knew I wanted to be a travel agent.

Five years ago I took this position with Travel and Transport Vacations. When someone contacts me about booking a vacation I get to know them as much as possible. I ask what their interests are and if they are active or relaxed people. I want to know what kind of food they like and what activities they enjoy. I build a value-based vacation for them that no website could ever compete with. Travel agents provide that personal touch that makes vacations even more memorable. We have strong relationships with vendors and suppliers and can provide clients with special amenities they can’t get anywhere else. The best part about working with our agency is that if you are booking a total vacation package, there is no fee to use us. We take all of your information and plan your vacation so that you don’t have to stress over it. You can be confident that all of your flights, transfers, and hotels are in order.

So, before you book your next vacation online, remember there are still travel agents out there who are dedicated to making your travel dreams come true!!

 Sarah Roach

Travel Consultant

sroach@tandt.com

Turning dreams into reality

For years, I would pass storefronts with “For Lease” signs in them and my mind would instantly evaluate the space to see if it met my criteria to be a martial arts school. Most of the time something about the space didn’t fit, so I would nix it from my head. On other occasions, it was about the time; it wasn’t right. For a variety of reasons, my martial arts school wasn’t meant to be…Yet.

Since I moved to the Des Moines area, I have been training primarily in backyards and basements with a few people. During this time, I have fine tuned my teaching skills along with seeking new avenues of learning for myself. 

In retrospect, I had set the stage for opening the school long ago and the pieces finally fell into place in 2010. In April of this year, I opened the doors to Kapatiran Suntukan Martial Arts.

This isn’t to say it was easy.  I needed to figure out if I could afford it and did a lot of jumping through hoops to make it work, but I made it happen. I believe wholeheartedly that when we set our minds to reach a goal, we have it within us to achieve them.

The expressions of the martial arts I teach have a balance of understanding our surroundings and what to do when the fecal matter flies. These skills are transferable from physical aspects to conversational skills; however, both take practice to gain that understanding.

The basis for both styles I teach is movement. This movement is a combination of evasion and body english to put you in a position that will be advantageous to you while breaking down the structure of your opponent. This translates into a conversation of understanding the dynamic that is established, as well as what your goal is. This will show how you need to approach the discussion.

 Depending on the situation and the goal, you may need to confront it head-on, or you may need more subtle tactics to deflect attacks to get your point across. 

I offer one free class (in either style), so you can try them out and see which is better suited for you.

Drop by the school and give it a go.

To explore a little more, visit: http://www.ksma.us/desmoines.html

Email me at:mailto:%20jay@ksma.us

Or give me a call at: 515.255.9698.

There is a West Des Moines Chamber Ribbon Cutting at the school on June 22 at 5:15. We are located at 4930 Franklin Ave. in Des Moines. Stop by to check it out, have some food and soft beverages and ask questions.

Jay M Carstensen
Director: KSMA
Jay@ksma.us