Can Tequila Bring True Love? 😂
<p>"Soy Janine y soy de Filipinas." Every introduction in this city brings forth the inevitable question, "So what brought you here?" My response is simple: <strong>Love. </strong>I cringe but it’s true!😆</p><p>With this blog revealing how my life and self is unfolding abroad, I thought it fitting to share what brought me to my new home. So I'm embracing my cheesiness to share the love story that doubles as my Donosti origin tale.</p><p>A Night: A Chance Encounter in Siargao</p><p>Swiping through Tinder after much prodding from my enthusiastic girlfriends, I matched with surfer Mikel Martija while on vacation in the beautiful island of Siargao. Though we couldn’t make time to meet, fate intervened on my last night out.</p><p>“Are you Janine?</p><p>“Yup! Mikel?”</p><p>“Si!”</p><p>“Shot?”</p><p>“No no no…”</p><p>“Half a shot? Go!”</p><p>A chance meeting at a bar, a shared tequila shot, and the spark was lit.</p><p>A Day: A Magical Layover in Manila</p><p>Surprise, surprise! The green-eyed Basque man had a full day layover in Manila and, true to his word despite my lack of faith, he spent it with me.</p><p>From stuffing surfboards into my compact car to exploring Manila's traffic jams and <em>dampa </em>gems, we laughed, spoke broken English, shared music, and kindled a connection over roti and curry.</p><p>It was fun. It was easy. It felt comfy.</p><p>After giving each other piggy-back rides on MOA’s Baywalk, we watched the sunset while sharing a Razon’s Halo Halo and acknowledged the mixed feelings of joy, melancholy, and <em>sayang</em>. We may never see each other again.</p><p>As I dropped Mikel off at the airport, my heart dropped… Then fired up like a <em>kwitis</em>! I didn’t think I’d ever feel this giddy again. How silly of me to think that I'd be less prone to <em>kilig</em> moments of infatuation in my 30s!</p><p></p><p><strong>Dampa:</strong> A seafood market where you pick your fresh catch, bring it to a restaurant next door, and choose how you want your feast cooked.</p><p><strong>Sayang:</strong> An expression of regret or disappointment over a missed opportunity or a loss, often used when something valuable is not fully utilized.</p><p><strong>Kwitis:</strong> A traditional Filipino firework rocket that shoots into the sky and explodes with the sound: Eeeeeeeew pak!</p><p><strong>Kilig:</strong> The exhilarating and giddy feeling associated with romantic excitement.</p><p><strong>Palengke:</strong> What we call our bustling markets.</p><p><strong>Libreng Kolehiyo: "</strong>“Free College” and the most popular law we passed during our term in the senate.</p><p></p><p>A Break: Getting Kicked Out of Tinder</p><p>As if to slow down my dating life, Tinder decided to give me the boot in the middle of a fierce political campaign.😂</p><p>I went from apolitical to a-believer while working for Senator Bam Aquino for 4 years as his speechwriter and, later, communications director. Battling trolls, disinformation, and the odds, we chanted our <em>Libreng Kolehiyo</em> jingle through <em>palengkes</em> in every corner of the Philippines. My life revolved around the campaign and so did my Tinder profile.</p><p>"Swipe left or swipe right, it’s all good. I’ll be fine! Just vote Bam Aquino. Ibalik sa Senado!" 😜</p><p>Not everyone appreciated my political fervor. I’m guessing the many supporters of rival candidates found my profile too bold. Whatever the reason, I was reported and promptly shown the exit door from the Tinder platform. The silver linings?</p><p>* It’s a funny story I share with pride.😜</p><p>* I’ve made the most of the platform.😆</p><p>* I met Mikel.😉</p><p>* There was Bumble.😂</p><p>A Trip: San Sebastian and Van Life Together</p><p>After the exhilarating campaign season and the heartbreaking loss after elections, I decided to escape and travel. Thankfully, Mikel was still available 😅, and even planned a van trip that shaped our understanding despite language barriers.</p><p>I’m smiling right now remembering how he picked me up from the airport and how we laughed at the strange feeling. We were practically strangers!</p><p>Tea in Hondarribi. Motorcycle ride to Igeldo. <em>Pintxos</em> <em>en</em> <em>lo viejo</em>. <em>Txuleta</em> dinner at a gastronomic society. A day trip to Biarritz and Saint Jean de Luz. Then off we went in his “newly furbished” van. Oh man! I’ve never slept outside the comforts of a room before.</p><p>He surfed. I read. We ate. We explored. From Langre to Somo in Cantabria. From Oviedo to Covadonga in Asturias. You can only imagine how “living” in a metal cocoon together for a few days brought a new dimension to our connection.🤣</p><p>I asked, “How do you see our relationship progressing?”</p><p>He answered, “It would be great if you moved to Europe! We could see each other regularly and see where it goes.”</p><p>I took note. I was weighing the option of accepting a great job offer in Manila against the opportunity to reside in Europe, leveraging my French citizenship—a privilege I have thanks to my French grandmother.</p><p>A Pause: Solo Traveling</p><p>After living in a van together for 4 days followed by mountain trail torture, meeting surf friends, and running into Mikel’s mom (Yikes!), I left for “me time”.</p><p>Madrid, Valencia, and Barcelona. Then Budapest, <a target="_blank" href="https://janinayramirez.substack.com/p/palibhasa-babae">where I was traumatized by a pervert</a>, Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam. Traveling solo has always been a passion of mine.</p><p>“You have to come back,” said Mikel.</p><p>“Ok. Should I look for an apartment?”</p><p>“That doesn’t make much sense. You can come live with me.”</p><p>A Lifetime?! 🤭</p><p>… And they lived happily ever after! Or so they say in fairytales. In real life, it’s the beginning of even more adventures, like a global lockdown during a pandemic!?! Who saw that coming?🤯</p><p>Can tequila bring true love? I won't deny that a bit of liquid courage does help. But there’s also openness, confidence, and self-love. There’s humility, honesty, and finding calm when together and when apart. There’s also a whole lot of fun and oh so so so many more things and learnings.♥️</p><p>So whip out the poison of your choice and join me in a virtual cheers. Here’s to love, however it may find us!</p><p></p><p>Thank you for reading. Felt the <em>kilig</em>? This post is public so feel free to share the butterflies!</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://janinayramirez.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">janinayramirez.substack.com</a>
