The Magic Stays With You

          This is a special place I thought I will never get to visit during my vacation in Manila. I have been wanting to go back here for the past two years and only this year that I was able to fulfill this adventure trip. Theme parks will always be one of the best getaways and I, being a kid at heart, cannot contain all the thrill and excitement whenever I am at one- all the time. Finally, I am here. So many memories came rushing in and I must say, my childhood was truly filled with magic.

          There were a lot of new rides and of course, who could forget the old ones? They were still as exhilarating as it used to. You could feel the adrenaline rush of each person in the park. All the smiles, laughters, and screams gave such great memories for everyone and anyone who has been in the park. For a ride-all-you-can ticket that is worth 600 pesos, you really are never too old when you are in a theme park.

          Enchanted Kingdom may have changed a lot and yet, the moment I stepped in the park, it felt like I was my 10 year old self who used to drag my Poppa in this magical world of Eldar. Only this time, I was with the person whom my future kids would drag to this enchanting place one day. (Fingers crossed! Haha)

The Year The World Was Supposed To End

For all the blessings that God has bestowed upon me,

For all the love and care 

my family, co-teachers, and friends have showered me,

For all the encouragement and dance & life lessons 

the Philippine dance community has shared to me,

 And, for the freedom and faith that I have found in me,

I am truly grateful and contented.

Thank you all super much.

2012 has taught me well enough and has made me a better person.

I may have shed a thousand tears,

cut myself to the quick a gazillion times,

or wasted my effort on irrelevant things,

I can head-up high say that GOOD and HAPPY things happened
more than the bad ones.
I have grown and learned so much

from all those things.
Since the end of the world did not happen at 2012,
I am going to make 2013 count and
waste not a single chance of bliss and love.
After all, we only live once.

2013, I am more than excited and ready for you! 

Eat, Pray, Surf

My first solitary adventure is just too fulfilling and spontaneous. It was awesome to the highest level. I did not plan any of it and yet, it turned out REALLY good.


For me, this is the right time to say "You Only Live Once."
There are far too many good things in life to let the negative ones even pass by your thought.
After all, those things will make you stronger and wiser.


The initial get-away was to go to Singapore alone, but then my budget could not handle the hotel expenses and my friend's landlady did not allow me to stay at her flat. And so, I searched for an alternative place. Baler was my first choice. It is a 6-hour drive from Manila  and the thought of just sitting in the bus for that long made me think twice of going there. Finally, with the help of Jay and Roz, I went to Liw-liwa, Zambales, Central Luzon- nearer and "more familiar."


The Circle Hostel is the BEST place to stay at in one of the best surfing spots here in the Philippines- Zambales. I also love their belief: No one is a stranger here. Really, I made friends with everyone! It's really such a small world that I have a bunch of mutual friends with my new found acquaintances. Say, this trip is not so lonely after all. The location is far from the busy city and polluted air of Manila. (Of course, I had to say that!)  The place is secluded and locals are very hospitable and warm. Food is cheaper than usual and VERY good. Got to love that Bagnet! The Circle sure is a safe place to stay at and plus, it is eco-friendly. A bunk bed costs 350php a night. The vicinity is pleasing to the eyes because there are paintings everywhere! I left the place with smudges on my shirt and dirty hands. I also love their bunk beds and hammocks. In a nutshell, when you want to clear your mind and unwind, GO HERE. 


That's what I did, actually.


I set myself free and let the wind take me to this place. It was scary at first and I did not know what to do. On the way to Zambales, I kept my eyes open in discovering new things. I saw an elder praying with her rosary, a man in his early 40s staring deeply out of the window, and a couple cuddling in their seats. There I was sitting on the fourth row, by the window, with my iPad on, and thinking on what I will do first when I reach my destination. Thank God for the free WiFi in the bus that I was able to track down where my location was. Hooray for the GPS! I went down at San Felipe and took a tricycle to Liw-liwa. It was a bumpy ride and rain was pouring a bit hard, but I finally managed to arrive at The Circle safe. Surprisingly, just as I reached the place, the rain has stopped.


I quickly changed to my bikini and headed to the beach. Waves were crazy and it was very sunny. I was alone in the beach. While walking down the shore, I saw a small nipa hut and stayed there for hours. Yeap, I did what I have to do- cried my heart out till rain started to fall again. I went back to the hostel and slept for a few hours. When I woke up, there were many guests already. One of them approached me and invited me to hang with them. My trip and itinerary for the day changed. I still did some though, but thanks to Marc for welcoming me in the group. Ateneans and a Lasallian merged together! Later that evening, more friends joined in- Benildeans. 


Later that night, we all went to the beach. It was dark and all you can hear is the sound of waves crashing through rocks. I can barely see anything without my flash light on. This time, they all let me be. I zoned out, screamed at the top of my lungs, and just lay on the sand. Photographs of yesterday came rushing in and realizations got into my senses. 


The following morning, I went to Pundaquit with the Atenean friends. The locals suggested it since the waves there are more surf-able than in Liw-liwa. Yes, I have finally overcome my fear of swimming in the deep blue sea. I surfed with them and boy, I was hella scared and tired! And plus, my instructor said that I'm pretty good at it. Ha! I fell in love with surfing right then and there- not just because it's on my bucket list, but because I have learned so much from it. It was just a sentence from the surfing coach and it hit me like a bull's eye. "Kelangan mo magfocus kasi kung hindi, tatangayin ka ng alon." (You have to focus or else, you'd be carried away by the waves.)

"Surfing equates to living 

in the very moment of 'now.' 

When you ride a wave,

 you leave behind all things 

important and unimportant, 

the purity of the moment is upon you.” 

- Bill Hamilton.

I went home with a clear mind and satisfied heart. 
Guard's up and no more false hopes.
What does not kill me will only make me stronger. 
Anything is possible. Anything. :)

Thank you to my new found friends 

for making this trip awesome and memorable. 

And for letting me hitch going back home!

Ateneans: Marc, Miggy, Ja, Kev, Justin, Bernice, Joss, Mendel,

Melody, Aloy, Candice, Pearl, Mara, and Ryan

Benildeans: Ciarra, Axle, Marti, Lej, Earl, Miko, and  Jay

Some of the photos are taken by

Kevin Tang and Ciarra De Mata

For more information about The Circle Hostel just contact

this number +63917-8611929.

Unsa Naa Unya? (What's Up Later?) Part 3

13th of May:
My last few hours in Davao were PRICELESS.

Waking up in your arms and good morning kisses from you will surely be missed. A LOT.

This vacation has opened a lot of doors for me. It has taken me out of my comfort zone and really allowed myself to dive into the deep. I have literally taken risks and fought for what I believe is right. There were a lot of loopholes, but I chose to stay and face my fear. I will not love someone this much if I did not allow him to see me inside and out. There were a lot of firsts in this vacation and as I write this and look back, I have truly LEARNED and ACCEPTED a lot of things. I will never understand and love someone this much if I did not open my mind and heart.

I need not look back nor predict the future.
What matters is the present. Just roll with it day by day.

Ah, the things love can do. :')

"By letting it go, it all gets done. 

The world is won by those who let it go. 

But when you try and try, 

the world is beyond winning" 

-- Lao Tzu

The day started with a small talk with Julian. Seeing tears fall down his cheeks made me realize how much this relationship means to him. Some misunderstandings and miscommunication have sprung out of nowhere during those nine days in Davao, but we managed to talk it out and work it through. This is the best part of everything- where you realize how much you LOVE and CARE for each other. I love how we are.

Food will always be a part of this trip. We had a hearty lunch with the Lizada family. This time the food did not come from their restaurants. We had Chinese cuisine and a scrumptious ice cream for dessert. No wonder we all fell asleep after. :)) Later in the afternoon, we attended a mass at Santa Ana Parish. (Made a wish because it's my first to visit that church!)

Last dinner before heading back home to Manila was at Harana. Oh my gosh. Spareribs, FTW! :) Happy tummy was full again. Thank you so much, Tita Aileen, for that awesome dinner! Kasagingan for dessert will always complete the meal, in my opinion.

Then, it was time for me to go to the airport and catch my 9:40pm flight. To lighten the mood, we sang the Miami Dolphins song in the car. Such a catchy and funny song! :))

As expected, my flight is delayed. AGAIN. From 9:40pm, it was moved to 10:55pm. This time, I am happy that it was delayed. I get to spend more time with him. :)

I did not want to go back home anymore. It was too painful to leave. I did not want to let go from his hug. I did what my heart have told me and have taken the BIG STEP. I was very glad I have done what I want. I have fulfilled my promise to myself.  And yes, we got to do what we got to do. We know we have other priorities and commitments. All we need is patience.

FAITH and LOVE will always and all ways be there.

I will see you soon, my love. VERY soon. :)

This summer vacation is the BEST by far. :)