Starved

Recently, I've had this unquenchable thirst for knowledge and I've been so hungry for some stimulating conversations with inspiring people. I'm sure friends who have been around me lately are tired of hearing my incessant rants about my desire to travel, but its so awesome to find people with that similar thirst. I've never been so sure of something I've wanted in my life, and I have to admit I'm pretty excited to see how ambitious I can be about doing something I'm passionate about.

The fact that I want so badly for other people to understand why I want to travel only directly feeds into another passion of mine, photography. It's my chance to try to show people another world, through my eyes. To me, travel photography is about finding beauty in the least likely of places. It's about finding art as opposed to creating it. Its about trying to evoke and to recreate the same raw emotion that was experienced first hand in a simple photograph. Its about seeing something someone else may have missed or about exposing new ways to view the world. It's about happenstance, that chance unplanned moment when the wind blows just right, your aperture is set perfectly, the lighting is ideal and you capture that amazing shot. And that's probably partially why I love travel photography so much, because so much of it is serendipitous, and to be able to capture that exact moment in a photograph is... perfect.

Paris, France








Chicago, Illinois




Cavite, Philippines




I just booked a trip to China today, and I couldn't be more excited.

Books

I just bought two more books to feed my wanderlust, as if its existence is reliant on my ability to nurture and satisfy it.

The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac and Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck.

Boracay Photo Diary

I'll admit, I was a little bummed when we first got to Boracay. I had heard so much about the amazing nightlife, but the only companions I had were all over the age of 50. Not to mention any time someone found out who I was going with, I was usually greeted with a sympathetic "sucks to be you" look, and even once received a semi-sarcastic "good luck."

I thankfully ended up having an amazing time. We took a tour of the island and I managed to convince my mom to Zipline, and she loved it! Our tour guide somehow turned into our personal photographer and the 4 of us ran around like little girls and took way too many pictures. It was pretty reminiscent of my high school memory catching days.

I laughed way too much on this trip, which to me is the best sign of a good time. I had so much fun watching my mom zipline, taking her out to bar hop at night, watching my great aunt refuse to come out of the water for half an hour because no one would bring her her shorts to cover up her bathing suit and she was too embarrassed (mind you, she was laughing the entire time while she was yelling for us to bring her shorts). She also insisted on changing her outfit at every photo stop (she had a purse with at least 4 hats and 3 shirts in it), and we would laugh everytime I asked to use her senior citizen discount. She was the cutest little lady and one of the main reasons I can't wait to make it back to the Philippines.







Even though the island is littered with tourists, its still not too commercialized. Proof of that is the fact that everything is still so cheap! The beach doesn't get too crowded and since all the hotels, restaurants, and bars are just steps from the shore, you can literally be barefoot the entire time you're there.

Every day at sunset, countless sailboats would come up on the shore and offer to take people out for a sunset sail.





What better entertainment than a couple of fire dancing gay filipino men









Tricycles for days



I was addicted to the mango juice

Happy New Year

I honestly could not think of a better place to have spent celebrating the beginning of a new year. I am absolutely convinced that this year is going to be amazing. I have new goals and new plans and the start of a new year is the perfect excuse to get started on my life, and maybe even be brave enough to follow a few of my lifelong dreams.

For me this year is going to be about a change of scenery, new places, new people, new experiences and a surfeit of pictures that will document all of it. And that is exactly why spending New Years in the Philippines was perfect, because it's exactly what I got.

Nica

I was never bored with Nica around. She was way too funny and had so much energy. I also learned most of my Tagalog from her, but she loved talking to me in English... oh and along with the rest of the Philippines, she was obsessed with Angry Birds.





She discovered the new bed for her dog, Fish (yes, Fish), and immediately claimed it for herself. She even insisted on showing us that it was just her size.





The "Angry birds please!!!" face.



And even though she could be so tigas ulo!, she was still incredibly sweet, and so smart. I ate my eggs with her every morning and often times woke up to find her standing outside my door waiting to play.

Sidenote: I was OBSESSED with the eggs in the Philippines. We are seriously missing out on what eggs are supposed to taste like with our genetically manipulated chickens. And..another Philippines fun fact, aside from Angry Birds, everyone LOVES fried chicken!! It was everywhere I went. And speaking of chickens, I'm still a little upset I didn't get to watch a cock fight. Okay, end tangent.

The point of that sidenote was supposed to be that I loved the eggs in the Philippines, so much so that when I skyped with Nica last night, she wanted to show me an egg so badly, but since there were none in the house, she ran to the market to buy one.

Pups

I probably tried to take a picture of every dog I encountered in the Philippines.

Imagine

...waking up on the beach and opening your eyes to see this.



Boracay sneak preview.

Pogi

One reason I loved having so many kids around all the time: all the pictures! This handsome, "pogi," little boy was so intrigued by the camera, it made for some awesome pictures.











Because who doesn't love baby feet.

Lanzones

So many different kinds of fruit in the Philippines, including a yellow watermelon! that I didn't get a picture of.

Green

Orphanage

Before I found out I wasn't allowed to take any pictures. Little kids speaking Tagalog might be the cutest thing.

Sepia-toned Life

Currently Reading

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

"...begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism... The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun."

Words

My two favorite words

1. Wanderlust: n. A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel

and

2. Happenstance: n. A chance circumstance

Philippines - Angono, Rizal Photo Diary

I spent the first two days of the trip getting settled in and spending time with one of my best friends, Bola! who's in medical school in the Philippines. And because I don't always make the wisest decisions, I neglected to bring my camera and thus, have no evidence of all the fun we had. I had a blast hearing stories about caterpillars and making friends with chatty 4year olds, skyping with her family before getting an in home massage, and of course, riding a tricycle with a tv inside of a duffel bag on my lap.

I spent the next day visiting my dad's hometown, Angono, Rizal.

I fell in love with this small town. And seeing for the first time where my roots were was an incredible feeling, especially upon discovering that Angono is charmingly known as the art capital of the Philippines.

These little boys LOVED the camera, and they wouldn't stop posing for me. They were so fun. We told them they were going to be on channel 7.

Philippines 2012

Balikbayan boxes packed and ready to go.

Wanderlust

n. A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel.