Freaks and Geeks (Why Halloween in Boracay is So Fun)

Halloween in Boracay is one big, crazy party. Being the first major party after the quiet Habagat season, it's a much-anticipated event. Everyone (well the cool ones) plan, order or make their costumes weeks, days or minutes (depends on how diligent you are) before the evening of the 31st. 

I love it because it's a visual feast. Imagine a packed island crawling with different creatures - colorful, flashy or just plain gory. Every year you have your usual fairies, zombies, the guy in the scream mask, Fred Flinstone, Joker, and the I-just-put-this-together a few minutes ago kind of costume.

The thing about wearing a costume as they say is you can forget about being yourself for awhile. Being in some sort of disguise gives people an excuse to be a little more crazy and reckless… which is the scary part. :)

I have always loved wearing costumes, I enjoy going to themed parties and showing a little creativity and resourcefulness with what I come in. With Halloween, it's no different. Now I'm not the type to take advantage of halloween to look cute or sexy (which to the availability of costumes would be so much easier). I always prefer to be funny or funny scary. Luckily I have someone who is super game for the same kind of costume I want. But working with an equally creative and crazy mind can be hard. It took us HOURS to think of our costume. We would throw ideas at each other during mealtimes, while walking, before sleeping… and nothing grabbed us. We're hard to please. We didn't want anything typical. We wanted something funny, interactive, recognizable by most people, something we shared in our childhood (despite cultural differences)... sounds almost impossible doesn't it?

The idea came during lunch, the day before the party. While finishing our plates of rice and tortang talong. A just blurted it out and I instantly knew it was THE ONE. We immediately went around the island shops to gather our materials and start building it. We had to make it from scratch but we knew it was going to be worth it. :) Oh and it was. But before that, check out some of my favorite costumes that night.

The Bath Sponge (she came with her own bubbles)

Best Execution :) I've seen a lot of Mia Wallaces over the years but not the one with heroin and blood dripping from the nose and the adrenaline shot to the heart. 

Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. I don't know, I just love the design :) 

And now of course, how can I not post OUR costume. Haha!

Tadaaa! Tetris! What do you think? :)

It wasn't the most convenient costume in the world but we loved the idea and so did everybody else! Yay!!! Our costume did get a lot of photos from friends and strangers, it got us free drinks and lots of pats on the back (or should I say pats on the box? :P) Of course everyone kept asking us to "volt in" - which was a bit of a hassle when our "tops" were off and we were drinking - but it was fun to do too, so we didn't mind so much.

We allowed our friends to have a little fun with us.

See, our fronts double as bar tables too. :)

 Due to precise engineering, we can remove our tops and turn ourselves 

into a perfect square.

Unfortunately our costumes didn't make it from our favorite hangout Exit Bar to Area 51 (another bar but in Bolabog) partly because of the inconvenience and partly because a certain wasted Lego man drenched us with water. After a few hours and a few beers, it was game over for the Tetris costume. And so we partied on til morning in our normal clothes. BUT after seeing everyone else's costumes that night, and even if there was a non-existent competition, we the Tetris pieces went to bed telling ourselves one thing - we won. :)  

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.

No Limits

A travel magazine asked me to do a short essay about my life in Boracay or why I chose to move and stay here. I must admit I had a pretty hard time. I was asked to write 400 words yet the story I wanted to tell left me rambling on for... (drumroll please!) 1,025 words - and more, because I was only halfway through.

It made me realize that I had so much to say and so much to share. The stuff I originally planned to put on this blog, the everyday magic as well as the daily comedies. I am so bad at math that I've been telling people I've been here for almost 3 years. Because of the article I was forced to check and realized I will be celebrating 4 years on the island this September. 4 years! That's like my whole high school life, or college degree. You know how many stories and anecdotes 4 years hold?!! But, how time flies. In school terms, 4 years would mean a graduation, a completion, a moving on.

But I'm not done, yet. I've learned a lot but I'm still in love with the island. No matter how many tears, injuries, hassles and inconveniences living here has caused me, it's all part of the adventure. And at the end of the day, all the "not-so-good" is always overpowered by all the love and blessings and good vibes this island gives.

That's why right now I am happy. So happy I want to explode! There are so many great things going on: big and interesting clients, our postcard project on the go, I'm back to my Watsu training plus a couple more BIG things in the works. Then, there is LOVE. That alone is enough to make me burst out the door and sing and high-five and hug people along the way. But I won't, because it scares them. (I meant the bursting out the door.) :P 

Does love attract good things or do good things attract love? Maybe it's both. It should be! All I know is: I'm swimming in a sea of good vibes and blessings, his belief in me inspires me and makes me feel good, and everyday I am given more and more reasons to feel... well, super good!

See? Rambling. 

In the end, I totally rewrote my article (at the last minute, as usual). Still a bit over the word limit pero pwede nang lumusot and with a prayer sent it out to the editor (a distinguished and mutli-awarded writer and poet) who I was trying so hard  not to disappoint.  I asked for feedback, ready for criticism and revisions but this is what he said:

"Saktong sakto iyong mga padala mo. Mga ganito kaganda sana parati naming mailimbag."
 

Okay, now I burst out the door. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! 

P.S. The article, photos and illustrations I made comes out in September. I will post it once it's on newsstands. :) 

3 Years After

On September 26, 2006, after having one hell of a vacation in Boracay Island, a slightly idealistic and burnt-out me promised myself that I would someday live there. It's all in this post, actually.

Battling with the fear of life on my own, away from the familiarity and convenience of the city, I went on with living in the concrete jungle.

Then, 2 years after, something happened. I lost my appetite for the city and found the guts to leave everything behind. One thing led to another and the next thing I know, I'm in Boracay Island, and have been living here for a year. So far it has been, well... surreal. :-)

The universe is amazing, isn't it? Let it know what you want and you will have it, one way or another. It's just one of the many things I've realized and want to share for the rest of this blog.

Soon, I will be sharing snippets of "life on the island". It sounds so good doesn't it? I'm telling you, it is.