Andrea Torres dreams of an ‘eat, pray, love’ trip

Andrea Torres has said that her next big goal this 2023 is to travel. The kind of trip she has long been dreaming of is similar to the Julia Roberts starrer Eat, Pray, Love, a film about a woman who rediscovers herself after a heartbreak by traveling alone.

The only catch is that being the youngest girl in the family, it’s not that easy for Andrea to secure the family’s blessing to travel by her lonesome.

“I’m still in that process of convincing my family that I will be safe. They’re a bit worried over my plans to travel on my own. Meron silang suggestion though na isama mo isa sa amin, then mag-ikot ikot ka mag-isa at balik ka nalang dito. Sabi ko hindi. Siempre iba pa rin yung from the very start, you’re going solo,” she told The STAR on the sidelines of the Sinulog celebration in Cebu over the weekend. She and co-stars from Maria Clara at Ibarra (MCI) were flown in by GMA Regional TV to join some of the festivities.

Andrea further said that she already consulted friends who experienced this kind of trip and the impact it had on their lives.

“May mga nakausap na rin ako na mga kaibigan na nagawa (ito) and ang laki talaga ng effect sa tao. Ang laki ng growth kumbaga kasi nga ikaw lahat. Kung mawala ka, ikaw mag-so-solve ng problema mo, ‘di ba?,” she said.

“So, it’s something I hope to achieve,” she added.

Meanwhile, asked about the “status” of her heart, the 32-year-old quipped, “Still loveless hahaha! Super busy at work but I’m open. I’m dating. Lumawak na rin yung mga naging kaibigan ko. But then if there’s no spark, you just can’t force it. Ayoko yung (I don’t want to be in a relationship) just for the sake of being in one.”

She admitted that she has become selective in a sense that once she sees things that make her incompatible with that person, she’d rather not push through with it anymore because “hindi mo mababago yung tao kung ganun talaga siya. Siguro nga (ayaw ko mag-waste ng time).”

Nevertheless, if she gets into another relationship, she hopes to find someone who isn’t from the showbiz world.

Andrea shared, “I’m attracted to the old-school kind of guy, gentleman, loyal. Hopefully, we get to support each other’s dreams, we bring each other up. Also family-oriented. And gusto ko kasi ‘pag nagkaroon ako ng partner, yung mahihiwalay talaga siya sa work. Praying for a non-showbiz (guy) para may iba kaming mundo.”

Meanwhile, in a social media post, Andrea officially said goodbye and paid tribute to her MCI character Sisa after making her last appearance in Friday’s episode. She expressed her gratefulness for the honor to play one of the iconic roles from the hit series based on the Noli Me Tangere novel of National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal.

She recalled to The STAR how she initially hesitated to accept the part out of fear to fail.

“There was hesitation because I was afraid and it felt such a big risk… Of course, never mo na-picture sa sarili mo na makagawa ka ng ganitong role…. parang naisip ko lang na kaya ko kaya? Can I do it? Because if ever not, all my hard work over the years would go to waste because my acting would be marked as not OK,” she said.

“But the thing with GMA… they were also the ones who told me, we have faith in you so you should do this. It turns out, it’s been good for my career.”

Because of Sisa, Andrea is looking to take on more out-of-the-box characters or roles that audiences don’t normally expect her to do.

“Na-inspire lang ako gumawa ng mga bagay na kinakatakutan ko. (I’m just inspired to do things that scare me.) Na parang talon ka lang and (not be afraid of what will happen).”

Playing Sisa was also a welcome breather from previous “sexy roles.”

“Actually, matagal ko na sinabi rin sa network ko… kasi ang goal ko talaga, kaya naman ako nag-artista is because I’m in love with my craft.

“But I also don’t want to close the door on the sexy (image), if ever there’s a good role that requires that. Siempre tulad rin sa nakikita ko sa mga idol ko, parang nag-a-adjust din sila. But mas gusto ko sana makilala na ako ngayon as an actress, more than my sexy image. Feeling ko rin, ang tagal ko na rin tumambay sa ganung image. Maybe, it’s also time (na) mag-iba naman.”

“And I appreciate (followers who are) interested to know me (more). Before kasi, whenever I post, the content they’re looking from me is more on ‘sexy’. But now I’m happy that ever since the pandemic, they’re starting to see my personality.”

As for other career goals, Andrea noted she’s now focused on securing her future. She’s over and done with the stage where “shopping ka ng shopping, bili ka ng bili ng kung anong bags or shoes.”

“Now, I’m more on long-term investments. What I’ve noticed in myself nowadays, mas simple ang mga nagugustuhan ko. Perhaps, aside from the pandemic, it comes with age. I’m already 32. I guess, I’m more calm (less impulsive) and sini-set ko lang talaga na mas maging secured ako in the future.”