Tag Archives: philippines
The end of one journey manifests the beginning of another.
Press play first. And repeat. I tend to leave little pieces of my heart wherever I wander. On the last destination of the journey through my homeland, I find that it has always been here to begin with. Over a … Continue reading
When I fell in love in Baler…
People wonder why I lived in San Diego for a decade and never learned how to surf. I ask myself the same. It’s something I’ve always wanted to learn, something I just knew I would end up falling in love … Continue reading
Kultura Kamp
Back in April, I was given the opportunity to experience Kultura Kamp in Manabayukan, Tarlac, Philippines with the indigenous Aeta community. Kultura Kamp is the only travel tour in the Philippines that takes you to the villages of the indigenous communities to … Continue reading
Martijn + Paulien
She was 15 and he was 17. They had one date and kissed. He was floating on clouds. That was it began. They never looked back. Seven years later she was touring Laos in a motorbike and he was in … Continue reading
Why do I do this?
I had my doubts. Sometimes, when times were tough. That’s when it comes. When I’m feeling discouraged and unmet expectations take a hold of me. When people were telling me what to do and what not to do, I asked … Continue reading
On dreaming reality and realizing dreams
Press play. Repeat. I dreamt about this. Literally, just a few months back. Before I flew to this side of the world. I dreamt about walking through its dilapidated concrete structure. I dreamt of looking over the hills that rolled … Continue reading
Chasing waves and rice terraces…
There are people you cross paths with in your travels who float right past you, leaving you as you were, unaffected. Then there are those who seem to come at the perfect time, in the perfect place, as if the … Continue reading
Ten years later…
As the plane began its descent I looked through the window at the tiny shimmering vessels that pulsated through the heart of the city where mine beated for the first time. Before I could decipher which emotion I am feeling tears … Continue reading
Fresh off the journal. Guangzhou, China- November 20, 2012.
It’s been less than a year since I took the big leap. Life hasn’t been the same since in the best way possible. It was just an idea to do all of this. To quit college. Quit my job. And follow my bliss. To follow my dreams and do what I love. To travel on my own. To go back and reconnect with my homeland. Everything started out as a mere idea. In the past few months it was given breath. Now it has fully come alive right before my eyes. As I sit here waiting for my second flight, I observe some former fears that quickly hovered my mind as I fly into the unknown. Then I instantly snap out of it. Three years ago if you told me I’d be traveling alone in Thailand I would have laughed at your face. Because I didn’t have the guts back then. I was too weak. My mental and emotional state was untable. I just wasn’t brave enough. Nor strong enough. And now I feel the complete opposite. There is so much excitement running through my veins. And my courage to wander off on my adventure weighs more than any other worry or fear that has lingered through my mind. I know I need to do this. To travel for the sake of travel, for the sake of fulfilling the desires of my heart. I somehow know deep within my heart that there is no reason for me to be scared. I feel protected by the universe as it helped me pave the way.
There’s nothing else I should do other than to surrender to the currents of the universe. To live in the moment and be constantly present. To flow freely with every circumstance, with each soul I come across, each lesson to be learned. Because everything is always in its perfect place. Everything happens for a reason. All we need to do is to take that leap and let the wind lead.
infinite satori 