Singapore | Philippines
I act on impulse - it bites me in the ass at times or it ends up working like magic.
This time around, I really couldn't tell you how this decision will end up. But I believe that I'm destined to find out.
In case you're wondering, I'm not a writer. Though, in my fair share of writing experiences, there was nothing more fulfilling than being able to see people gain a sense of inspiration by the words you can convey and the stories you can tell through the power of perspective and visual storytelling.
I created a blog in the most cliche-I-swear-this-was-a-movie-plot-um-hello-eat-pray-love type of way:
- I am a recent college graduate struggling application after application to find out what's next. Discovering it takes lots of patience, persistence, and annoying weeks to process but never losing hope for opportunity.
- I find that I identify myself as a creative more than anything else and was inspired to find another outlet to serve that.
Life tip: I definitely recommend creating a blog as an online portfolio for your passions whether it's writing, photography, music, or whatever else to show case your skills & execute them. - In other instances, I constantly crave meaning in life and ponder the very idea of it. I am also eager like most people, to travel the world and experience different cultures outside your own.
They always say to travel while you're young and able. My credit card and I couldn't agree more.
In trusting the timing in my life at this point in time, I am searching for something. I grew up struggling to identify my roots as a Filipina-American.
My dad was the only person in his whole family to come to America in 1979 with one suitcase and one purpose - to make sure to raise his kids to have a better life than he did.
Growing up, I never realized the many sacrifices he took in starting his own business, working hard to provide for his five children, and the process he went through to change his birth name Sotero, honored by his late father, to John Paul in order to be more "American."
As I am able to understand and discover that harsh reality that I took for granted, I've decided to go out of my comfort zone and honor that.
With this second journey to Philippines, I am stepping in with my eyes a bit wider and with open arms. I hope to immerse myself in culture more than ever now and bring some of my first loves of fashion and photography into the midst of it all.
My mom became such a tremendous influence on me and showed me that living your life with a good eye and good taste can take you places - literally! I am completely overjoyed to join my mom with her in this trip over the next few weeks.
Whether my story is eerily similar to your own or very unique to you, I hope to encourage everyone to explore what makes them tick, what their passions are in life, to constantly question, and to stay curious.
I hope you can follow along and be inspired with me.
xo A
Thank you to the support of my family and friends for encouraging me to make this happen.
A very special thanks to Daniel Vanrachack (Dvanrachack@gmail.com) for the banner!