By Robbie Pangilinan
Vancouver, Canada - Cariss Abigail Salas or Abi wears many hats. She is first and foremost a certified Zumba fitness instructor, active co-partner and entrepreneur at Diamond Zumba Fitness and Nutrition Club Canada, a singer, a telemedicine coordinator, and now a travel investor.
Busy as a bee, Abi says she never ever gets bored in a day.
“Monday to Saturday I work in Telemedicine, either at the head office or at my home office. Tuesday and Thursday nights are my active private Zumba fitness classes. In between those days are my dancing or singing rehearsals. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are my typical travel investment meetings. Saturdays and Sundays are my favorite since these days are for my family, my child, friends, events and of course, Sundays are strictly for God,” says Abi.
Abi, who finished a degree in physiotherapy, is a Telemedicine Coordinator at Viva Care Telehealth. Her responsibilities include working with sick people; interacting with doctors, pharmacists, patients, and health care specialists; organizing; dealing with technology to deliver excellence in creating an outstanding health care service from their needs in Rx refill, results discussion of laboratory tests, x-ray, ultrasound, and others; and counselling and giving general health advice.
What she likes about working in the health field is feeling the purpose of life. She also likes that she can work full time at the head office or at her home office which gives her more time for her loved ones, friends, and doing what she loves.
She got her Zumba fitness certification in 2012, and says that her favorite part of being a ZIN is being part of a community known for its positive energy and generosity and connected by a common passion for music, dance, fitness, and helping others to value our greatest asset, health.
Abi will do a big Zumba fitness event in Canada called Zumba Fitness Color Fest, an annual fest for Zumba fitness that brings the community together to emphasize the importance of health and fitness for a more productive community.
“Above all else, working as a Zumba instructor provides opportunities to do what you love and share it with the world. Instructors inspire their students to be joyful, healthy and fit. I believe that health is our greatest wealth,” adds Abi.
Abi also likes her talent-turned-career in singing. She calls it an adventure to go to new places and meet new people, inspiring lives by her music.
“Songs explore human stories and emotions. By singing happy songs, love songs, yearning songs, we get to role-play and step outside ourselves for a few minutes,” she says.
Recently, Abi ventured into another thing that she likes – travel. When her now business partner told her about travel investment, Abi did not hesitate.
“Travel business is a win-win situation for me. I save money, triple the money and book travels in the most memorable way. Travel is one of the greatest memories money cannot buy especially when you are travelling with a loved one, your children, family or friends,” says Abi who has gone to Hollywood and Universal Studios in Los Angeles, California; Santa Monica, Malibu; the Grand Canyon in Phoenix, Arizona; and the Luxor Hotel, Chocolate Factory, and Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Next year, Abi is already booked to visit Disneyland in Anaheim and go on a Bahamas Cruise. In 2019, she would like to explore Palawan, Boracay, and Cebu or Tacloban in the Philippines.
“I believe that traveling will give you a better view of life, you meet people, you see places, you will learn cultures, you will be wiser on how to save and spend for those trips you dreamed of. I want to share not only the beauty of health and fitness but also the beauty of lifestyle. Traveling as a lifestyle will create memories with your kids better than toys as presents. When you go to a beach with a nice sunset and great music and good food and service, this will make you and your loved ones happy. And being happy and peaceful and relaxed after meeting heavy deadlines is very important to a long, happy, healthy, younger life,” Abi shares.
Abi says that in the future, she wants to continue working as a full time Telemedicine Coordinator at her home office so she has more time for the things she is passionate about -- Zumba Fitness after office hours, organizing more fitness or singing events during the weekends, and traveling.