Boracay At Last

JG took me to Boracay as a gift for my 25^th birthday. And I have to say that its one of the best birthday gifts I’ve received in my life because I have always had this thing about beaches and has always fantasized of life on an island. Another reason is that since I’m a summer baby, most of the time, I spend my birthdays going out of town for a swim. But we rarely go to the beach, mostly just pool resorts, because my parents neither had the time or money to take us to a good beach, let alone fly us to Boracay. In fact, there was a point in my life that I didn’t see or got near a seashore for almost a decade. Which is why, growing up, I have always had this idea that going to the beach is the ultimate summer activity, my rare visits has left me longing for it.

And since everybody knows that Boracay is one of the best beaches to go to here in the country, it has always been a dream of mine to be able to get there. But like a lot of things in my life, there are more important things that I should attend to. And I have accepted that I might not be able to go there, I was even starting to sour grape, and tell myself that Boracay is over rated.

 

Even when JG said that he wanted to take me there, I was a little hesitant, and told him that we could just use the money for more important things that we might need, or just put in our savings account and save it for a rainy day. And I thought that he would agree since JG isn’t a big fan of beaches, he’s more of the cold places guy like Baguio and Tagaytay. But he insisted, and argued that it would be a shame when we get to other far off countries and not be able to see what we have in our own backyard. And he also added that I really have issues when I get expensive gifts.

 

So off we went.

 

The trip was also my first plane ride, my first trip out of Luzon. I’m not very demanding so we got tickets to the most affordable plane we can afford, so lets just say, it wasn’t first class experience.

At Boracay, we strayed in a small resort called Jony’s located at Station one. I recommend that you try staying there when you visit Bora, because the staff are incredibly nice, the room and their amenities are really good; and their prices are really reasonable.

 

There were still a lot of vacationers, which most people say lessens the vibe of the place. I guess some people really prefer the secluded areas. But I didn’t mind, I was just glad to be there in a beautiful island walking along a beautiful beach.

 

Another thing that happily surprised me when I got there, was that everything wasn’t that expensive as I thought it would be, especially with food.  But the price range wasn’t that jacked up, and you get enough of what you pay for. And if you’re really in a tight budget, bring some instant noodles and for dinner try the grilled foods sold by local teens by the shore. JG highly recommends the Churi Burgers.

 

JG who is usually very thrifty with our budget cut loose and arranged for us to go island hopping.

We went snorkeling, which was good and bad for me because as much as it was amazing to look under the sea, it frustrated me that I was at the mercy of my life vest because I can’t swim and wouldn’t be able to dive deeper with the fishes and touch the corals and have a closer look.

 

There was buffet for lunch on another island where I met a little local boy, who offered me some nice shells. I told him I didn’t have any money with me so I wouldn’t be able to give him any coins. He said it was okay, and gave me the shells anyway. As we walked he talked about the sourrounding islands and bragged about how a good swimmer he was; I asked who taught him how to swim and he proudly said, “Ako lang.”(Just me). He kept asking if we wanted him to take our picture for us, but eventually left me when I said no. As we walked back I wished I had taken the picture of my little tour guide friend.

 

My least favorite part about the island hopping was the visit to Crystal Cove. The two caves wasn’t much for me especially when you had to pay for something you can only see for a few minutes and take longer to get in and out than actually enjoy the place.

 

The last stop was at Puca island where except for a few vendors and locals, the beach is still pretty much hasn’t been touched and the best place for a swim. The water is deeper than the beach in the main island. But its also clearer and have less waves which is great for floating around and enjoying the moment.

 

However some people there really just treat Boracay as a social status, especially the teenagers and pretend teenagers who walk around talking in Paris Hilton english wearing tiny bikinis and over priced flip flops, taking pictures with their long lensed cameras, that they carefully carry around afraid that it might get wet, taking pretend pictures of their pretend tattoos and inhale as they smile so their tummies would look slimmer.

 

The rest of our stay was spent eating, swimming, and relaxing. And as I sit on the sand beside JG, I decide that the beach will always be my favorite thing about the whole trip, because its just perfect, a place that God intended for people to go to at least once in their life, especially when you have a thing for beaches like me.

Jobless And Looking Forward To It

I’m back at the unemployed list. The last time I lost my job, it was really unexpected and there were a lot of uncertainties. But things are different now, I decided to resign from work a couple of weeks after JG told me to because we could be posted soon. Its still a bit uncertain, JG’s posting isn’t official, and things could change. But he seems sure about it, otherwise it would really suck that I had to quit my job.

 

It is okay though, like I said the circumstances a little over a year ago when I suddenly had to leave the company I worked in for four years were a bit on the downside for me. That time, I really didn’t have anything ahead of me, nor do I know how am I going to be spending all the time that I have. Even if I didn’t really liked the type of work I was doing then, I needed the money, I didn’t have a hobby, and was scared that I might never find a job that would help me find a little sense of fulfillment.

 

But now, personally there are a lot of things that I have ventured in that has really made feel better about myself. Over the course of six months, I have learned how to sew, or is at least trying to learn, and is really enjoying it. They say that a good hobby is something that relaxes you, and pushes you to be good at it until it becomes a skill. I have found that in sewing.

 

I’ve also mentioned that I’m studying to speak French. I have always to learn but neither had the time, nor the resources to pay for the tuition. I’m now on module two, and can proudly introduce myself and say basic phrases like a true…tourist. I can’t say I’m good at it, but I’m trying really hard, even JG says so.

 

Another great thing is that JG likes to travel and because of that I have found the chance to explore our country. Something again time and resource has hindered me to do in the past. And it is a good thing because someone once told me that it is important that you be familiar with your own country before you go out abroad.

 

As for the job I recently resigned from, I really enjoyed my stay there albeit it being short lived. I was able to find the things that I was looking for in a company and in a career. If I wasn’t married to a diplomat and didn’t have any plans of leaving, I would liked to stay longer and learn as much as I can. I picked up a couple of useful skills which I know will be able to help me in the future, plus has made friends with a group of kind and amazingly intelligent girls.

 

So now the only challenge I see in this new experience is how I can be a good home maker for JG. I look forward to it, don’t get me wrong, but it is a challenge because I’m not the domesticated kind if girl. I used to think that if a man loves you, he will accept you no matter how flat footed (as my mom would call it) you may be. I am lucky because JG has always assured me that he doesn’t mind that I am not as good as running a home as his mom is. What I didn’t know then was that when you find someone who loves you as much, you would want to return that love. In my case that would have to be through learning to be a better homemaker for JG.

 

So here’s to looking forward to continuing my quest for self-improvement, life abroad, and striving to be the best wife I can be.

Fans Day

 

While most of the viewers here in our country are fans of celebrities, singers, and boxers; I am a fan of Documentarists. Ask anyone who knows me, and they will say that I am a huge fan of I-Witness (The GMA Documentaries) and their hosts. A few Saturdays ago, I got the chance to meet them in person.

 

one of my favorite shows

 

 

 

Let me first clear that this is the second time that I got to meet and greet my journalist idols. The first time was a year ago, in another autograph signing where I got the chance to have all four: Sandra Aguinaldo, Kara David, Howie Severino, and Jay Taruc; sign all my collected DVD compilations of their show. Unfortunately I have yet to own a descent camera that time so I had to settle with the camera on my phone, which I couldn’t share, print, nor post anywhere since my phone back then isn’t multi-media friendly. But now that I have both a better camera phone and digital camera, I grabbed the chance to once again be a fan for a day, and get my picture taken with the four people that I really look up to in Philippine Television.

 

with Howie Severino

 

 

 

I admire them and their show for a number of reasons. One is that I am a frustrated journalist/writer, and it’s fascinating how the show and their staff can find, capture, and show a documentary about something that really happens somewhere. It’s one thing to make a movie; based on fiction you may create a scene to deliver your message. But in a documentary you only have facts to go on, and if you are still able to deliver your message, provoke your audience to thought and action that is really talent for me.

 

with Jay Taruc

 

 

 

Another reason is that there are very few shows here in the Philippines that neither superficial nor mediocre. There are also very few personalities who are capable of showing us entertainment that is not based on fads or escapism. I know I sound so weird writing this way, but it’s what I have observed. And I can only be thankful that there are still shows like I-witness and their host who brings a deeper watching experience for me every Monday night;  if not, at least a breaker from all the variety shows and fantaseryes.

 

with Kara David, she was nice enough to hold the camera

 

 

 

They never fail to catch my interest in their features, and the show has been a way for me to learn a lot about our country; places, people, neighborhoods, traditions and culture. And they don’t always focus on the clichés like poverty or weirdness; and they don’t always try to catch our interest through sex, drugs and violence.

 

with Sandra Aguinaldo, this was taken by the guard in the store

 

 

 

Of course the hosts have a lot to do with the show’s success. Each of them gives their own style and signature every episode. And I think that the reason that these four broadcasters are able to make good documentaries is that they are all superb writers.

 

the hosts w/ their staff

 

 

Lastly the show and their stories every week has truly been an inspiration for me. There was I time in my life when I felt like nothing good ever happens to me, that I am the unluckiest person alive. But their features on people with rare sickness, who live in poverty in the mountains, especially the ones about kids who are forced into a hard life, and the many problems of our society and country; reminded me that I am still fortunate and that my problems are simple compared to many others.