It was on the base of Mt. Manabu, with a young man and his dog named Saber, where I was graced with the opportunity to be truly humbled and experience a lesson I will never forget.
Getting Lost…
It was just a sliver of a moment.
If I wasn’t paying attention, I would have missed it.
If I wasn’t completely exhausted from the day’s hike and elated with wonder from the adventures I encountered, I wouldn’t have appreciated it. Continue Reading →
“Expat.” That word sometimes rings funny to me. It reminds me too much of Exterior. Excluded. Exit. An outsider. And with nearly 200,000 of us living in the Philippines, we expats are just as diverse and different as the as the big wide world from which we came. Continue Reading →
Backpacks, nipa huts, and mosquito nets; Dusty bus rides, uninhabited islands, and sunken ships.
This might sound like the making of the next Survivor season, but it’s exactly how I spent my wedding anniversary weekend. Surrounded by friends and drenched in sunlight and laughter, it was just the way I wanted to celebrate our marriage. Continue Reading →
Giant.
Red.
Ants.
These three words don’t go so great together, especially when latched to my sunburned back. Still, it’s a price I willfully accept for the opportunity to get out of the city for a day and visit the beach. And, oh, Philippine beaches are such a delight.
“Sorry, Maldives… We love you, but we’ve got a new flame,” raves a Condé Nast “Top Destinations to Watch in 2013″ article. Continue Reading →
I grew up in a small town in Northern California, surrounded by a barnyard of goats, chickens, pigs, sheep, a llama, and the occasional turkey, duck, or guinea hen. We took family trips up the Oregon coast and through winding redwood forests. My dad coached my Little League softball team and we were never short of fresh fruit and veggies from my mom’s garden. This was my world.
Dirt. It tastes much like what you’d think it’d taste like.
Like…dirt.
I learned this while scaling the tropical-foliage-filled mountainside of Makulot in the Batangas region of the Philippines. Already sweaty and huffing for air, my fall was not a pretty site. I continue onward, and while tugging on a vine to pull myself upwards, wonder, “Now, why again did I sign up for this?” Continue Reading →
Baguio is the City of Smiles.
The City of Pines.
The City of Light and Clouds.
The City in the Sky. Continue Reading →
“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.”
– Tim Cahill
Just a night’s drive from Manila, Baguio City sits atop a mountain in the tropical pine forest region of Northern Luzon. It was established in 1900 by Americans during their colonial rule to provide a summer playground for government officials. At nearly 10 degrees Celsius cooler than the rest of the country, its chilly climate and relaxed atmosphere still refreshes the soul for today’s travelers. Perhaps even more inviting are the friendly faces visitors encounter in this cheery town. Continue Reading →
source: virtualtourist.com
Fries and chips. Crisps and cookies. Mozzies, kelpies, neddies, and roos.
From Americans to Brits to Aussies, not all English is created equal. Especially when it comes to slang.
Last year when I announced my impending move to Asia, friends and family expressed their concern about the language barrier. I’d tell them not to worry, since most people speak English in the Philippines. Continue Reading →
I recently wrote about a Cebu City boxing program, founded by a businessman who aims to keep at-risk youth off the streets and bring hope to those who need it most. When I shared the story on Mango Mornings, I saw that its message impacted others, too. That alone was enough fulfillment.
And then I get the email: “Congrats, you’ve been Freshly Pressed!” Continue Reading →
