My Life, In Print

Well, actually just a small part of it. Remember that article I was writing?
Well it's now in the latest issue of Sidetrip Magazine! :)

 I am so excited to see the published story and the photos! Just in time for my island anniversary too!

You can grab this issue in newsstands next week or you can get advance copies at the Manila International Book Fair at the SMX, SM Mall of Asia, starting tomorrow until September 16.

Just visit the Side Trip/A-Z Direct/A-Z Publishing booth near the entrance of the book fair grounds. :)

I'm excited to get my copy. As soon as I do, I will post photos of it here.

Happy Island Anniversary - The 4th Year

Today is my 4th Island Anniversary! Yay! And what great timing it is because, just this week, I welcomed an old friend as a new island resident!

It feels almost ceremonial to pass on some island tips to an island newbie as I am celebrating my 4th year. It's just like highschool! So-called wisdom from the senior to the freshman.

My high shchool friend Marge worked for a hotel in Manila and got transferred to it's Boracay branch. So now she's here! She's not sure about staying long, much more staying as long as I have, but we both want her to enjoy this island experience as much as possible!

So the past few days have been lessons in where to eat, where to get the cheapest beers, some Bisaya or Aklanon vocabulary and most of all how to make the most of her time here.

Tip No. 1

The best and cheapest coffee will always be at a friend's place.
(That's my friend Marge enjoying my coffee AND company! hehe.) 

Tip No. 2

Angol - one of the quieter spots on the island and a good place to watch the sunset or spend a day off.

Tip No. 3

This is how to spend a day off. Not watching TV inside the staff house (which some of her officemates do).

The newbie puts on her Puka Shells. An accessory you will spot on lots of locals and residents.

Tip No. 4

Exit Bar - the best bar in the whole island! :)

Tip No. 5

Make friends...

...lots of them.





(Marge you've got some serious tanning to catch up on :P)

Tip No. 6



Dance. Because it's (almost) always ok.

Tip No. 7



Laugh.

Get involved only in discussions, activities and relationships that make you feel good. Because that's what a beach life should always feel like. It may be tough, it may be crazy, but it should always make you feel right.

Should you have a choice, choose good vibes.

Speaking of good vibes. I had a good anniversary day. It started with yoga class, then a yummy homemade brunch, a little work on the side (as it's a weekday), sunset beer and billiards and a skype date. ♥

But the celebration doesn't end here, I may have a little surprise tomorrow or in the days to come. :)

Happy anniversary to me and welcome to the island, Marge. :)  

Skills to Avoid the Bills

I just got back from a looong vacation. When I say vacation, that usually means with my family in Manila - where somebody else takes care of my food and laundry. And while I was enjoying liberation from daily chores, it made me think of some important skills to have if you want an island life. 

Living in Boracay isn't cheap, but you can keep your life pretty simple and inexpensive with these few tips. Consider it a must if you are - like I once was - a sheltered city girl. 

No. 1: Doing Your Own Laundry - Laundromats on the island charge a little more than the ones in Manila at an average of 35 - 40 Pesos per kilo. Sadly, after trying all the major laundry shops here, I haven't experienced one that has not lost/ruined an item of clothing or returned someone else's clothes in my pile. If you value some of your clothes and like me do not like the idea of having your undies mixed with other people's undies in one machine, then I suggest you channel your inner labandera and start scrubbing your own clothes. 

No. 2: Cooking - One of the hardest parts of living in a tourist destination is the tourist-priced food. Eating out everyday is way too expensive. Eating in carenderias on the other hand, can be tiring or nakakasawa and offer very limited choices if you want to eat healthy and not-so-greasy. So, it's better to know how to cook, even just the simple stuff like pasta or omelettes. It will save you A LOT of money and save you from getting stuck with cheap-but-unhealthy food. Believe me, you don't want to eat Choriburger everyday.

No. 3: Swimming - You would be surprised how many locals and residents don't know how to swim. Sometimes I wonder what they stay here for (after all, standard island salary isn't big). It's simple, you're on an island, you are surrounded by water - learn to swim. If you can't then you can't enjoy (the very thing that surrounds you) to the fullest. Plus, it would be harder for you to survive a tsunami. Just kidding -- but not really. Swimming is also one past time that you can do here for free. :)

Simple tuna and tomato pasta - could save your life.

At least wash your own swimsuits, they may not survive the laundromats.

Learn to swim, because it's fun.

Mind you, I didn't come to the island equipped with these "skills" - not the first two to be exact. I remember "washing" my clothes once outside my old place, and a group of tambays nearby were watching me. I thought: Mga manyakis (What maniacs)!!! Staring at me, while I wash my clothes and underwear!" Until, one of the shirtless, big-bellied manongs go: "Marunong ka ba talaga maglaba? Kulang yung pagkusot mo." (Do you really know how to do laundry? You're not scrubbing well.)

Sorry naman.

I then figured if I can't fool a tambay, then it was time to learn to be a big girl and take care of myself (and my budget). Nowadays, I'm too lazy for my own laundry so I spend on laundromats BUT I do wash my own bikinis and undies. 

I never liked cooking because I don't enjoy the idea of holding dead animals or dead animal parts. But after getting simple vegetarian recipes from vegetarian friends, I've learned to feed myself and can proudly say that I can make a pretty decent Eggplant Mozzarella, thank you very much. :) 

For those who always dreamed of living here, now you know what to prepare. I imagine the first 2 rules apply to anyone moving out of their home anyway. I wrote these tips down so you can enjoy the island life more and worry about it less. Trust these tips and you will survive.

So yeah, it's been almost 4 years of doing my own laundry and preparing my own food. It sure is nice to know that I am capable of taking care of myself (pat on the back), and equally nice to know that I can also take a break from it, whenever I'm home "on vacation".

*This article is the 2nd installment of my Island Anniversary posts. :) Hope you like it. 

It Ain't Easy Being A Hippie

I used to think that living on the beach would be so carefree. I used to think I wouldn't need anything more than the sea and my bikini--you know, like a hippie.

I imagined a life without layers of clothes, shoes, make-up, hair or skin products. I thought I could simply step out the door (sans shower or grooming) and magically look like those stereotype island girls: sun-kissed skin, toned body, perfectly-tousled hair with flowers on it.

Hindi pala, more of taong grasa.

Lesson number one: It's not that simple. Behind the romantic image of a beautiful, bronzed island girl is actually a meticulous set of habits and regimen. Because--let's be realistic--if you're going to live in your bikini, then some basic health and hygiene practices are in order. These include: regular shaving, waxing, application of sunscreen and sometimes, bug repellant.

Here in Boracay, we live under the sun, and so we sweat... a lot! The sand is beautiful and powdery but it always finds its way into our scalp and other crevices of our bodies. Lastly, life amongst nature also means life amongst other creatures like sand ticks and mosquitos--and they just looove our skin!

Yeah... it's not so low maintenance after all, sorry to break it to you. I mean if you don't mind looking and smelling like a Sasquatch, by all means, ditch the razor and the shower. If you don't mind crumpling up like a prune by the time you're 40, then skip the sunscreen. But I do believe that there is a thin line between being carefree and stupidly putting yourself at risk of skin cancer and other skin infections. I'm not even talking about using stuff like toners and moisturizers--now those are just a little too complicated for my life.

                  Hippies of the 60s, they were the real deal.

Sure looked like fun, but I wonder what it smelled like. :)

Shower, anyone? 

Hey, no making out in the public bathroom!

Call me old-fashioned, but don't you think she needs to shave? :P

I have friends who still call me a hippie though. They use the term loosely, they use it on me because I live by the beach, I'm unemployed, I like using organic and natural products. They also probably imagine that I sit on the sand all day, flashing smiles and peace signs to everyone. I even have a friend who insists that I do nothing but tie-dye shirts and string bead necklaces. BUT If you look at the REAL hippies--and I mean the 1960s subculture of extreme liberalism, sex, love and altered states of consciousness--you can tell (at least I hope you can!) that I don't share their hygiene practices, among other things. I can't even grow my hair the way they can because I feel hot, sticky and weighed down. So, I feel a bit poseur-ish when I'm called one. These guys were hardcore, and I believe in a lot of things they believed in, just not the part where proper hygiene is optional. Di ko kaya eh. :) 

Hippie/bohemian/island girl… they may be totally different things but the stereotypes tend to overlap. And even if the look seems so effortless and unconcerned, it's not easy. Well not if you still want to look pretty... or human. :P

Countdown to My Island Anniversary

In exactly one month, I celebrate my 4th straight year of living in Boracay Island.

That means it's been 4 years since I packed my bags and set out for a different scene and adventure. 4 years since I said I would be back in a year. 4 years of living according to the weather, the tide and the moon. 4 years of bikinis, slippers and sunscreen, boat rides, tricycles, beach hunting, river escapes, island sports and yoga. This also means 4 years of music hunger, overpriced groceries and fear of skin infection (I'll explain these later). And most of all, 4 years of meeting some of the most beautiful people I've ever met.

So I've decided that in celebration, I will make a weekly post sharing the different quirks and realities of island-living. I've learned recently that I have a handful of readers who are interested in moving to the island, so let me share my personal experiences with you. Before moving here, I tried looking online for articles like these (to help me decide) but didn't really find any. Obviously, I went anyway. But it would have been helpful. It would have saved me some hassles and embarrassment. It would have warned me of some extra stuff to pack before moving here.

So starting this week up to the day of my island anniversary, expect some stories - fun, magical, painful, funny and hopefully inspiring. If it encourages another person to move here then great! If not then at the very least I hope it sheds some light on the stereotype that is an island life.