<description>&lt;p&gt;"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: &lt;strong&gt;Love. &lt;/strong&gt;I cringe but itā€™s true!šŸ˜†&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A Night: A Chance Encounter in Siargao&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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 couldnā€™t make time to meet, fate intervened on my last night out.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ā€œAre you Janine?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ā€œYup! Mikel?ā€&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ā€œSi!ā€&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ā€œShot?ā€&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ā€œNo no noā€¦ā€&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ā€œHalf a shot? Go!ā€&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A chance meeting at a bar, a shared tequila shot, and the spark was lit.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A Day: A Magical Layover in Manila&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From stuffing surfboards into my compact car to exploring Manila's traffic jams and &lt;em&gt;dampa &lt;/em&gt;gems, we laughed, spoke broken English, shared music, and kindled a connection over roti and curry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It was fun. It was easy. It felt comfy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After giving each other piggy-back rides on MOAā€™s Baywalk, we watched the sunset while sharing a Razonā€™s Halo Halo and acknowledged the mixed feelings of joy, melancholy, and &lt;em&gt;sayang&lt;/em&gt;. We may never see each other again.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As I dropped Mikel off at the airport, my heart droppedā€¦ Then fired up like a &lt;em&gt;kwitis&lt;/em&gt;! I didnā€™t think Iā€™d ever feel this giddy again. How silly of me to think that I'd be less prone to &lt;em&gt;kilig&lt;/em&gt; moments of infatuation in my 30s!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dampa:&lt;/strong&gt; A seafood market where you pick your fresh catch, bring it to a restaurant next door, and choose how you want your feast cooked.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sayang:&lt;/strong&gt; An expression of regret or disappointment over a missed opportunity or a loss, often used when something valuable is not fully utilized.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kwitis:&lt;/strong&gt; A traditional Filipino firework rocket that shoots into the sky and explodes with the sound: Eeeeeeeew pak!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kilig:&lt;/strong&gt; The exhilarating and giddy feeling associated with romantic excitement.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Palengke:&lt;/strong&gt; What we call our bustling markets.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Libreng Kolehiyo: "&lt;/strong&gt;ā€œFree Collegeā€ and the most popular law we passed during our term in the senate.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A Break: Getting Kicked Out of Tinder&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As if to slow down my dating life, Tinder decided to give me the boot in the middle of a fierce political campaign.šŸ˜‚&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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 &lt;em&gt;Libreng Kolehiyo&lt;/em&gt; jingle through &lt;em&gt;palengkes&lt;/em&gt; in every corner of the Philippines. My life revolved around the campaign and so did my Tinder profile.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;"Swipe left or swipe right, itā€™s all good. Iā€™ll be fine! Just vote Bam Aquino. Ibalik sa Senado!" šŸ˜œ&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not everyone appreciated my political fervor. Iā€™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?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Itā€™s a funny story I share with pride.šŸ˜œ&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Iā€™ve made the most of the platform.šŸ˜†&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* I met Mikel.šŸ˜‰&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* There was Bumble.šŸ˜‚&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A Trip: San Sebastian and Van Life Together&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After the exhilarating campaign season and the heartbreaking loss after elections, I decided to escape and travel. Thankfully, Mikel was still available šŸ˜…, and even planned a van trip that shaped our understanding despite language barriers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Iā€™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!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tea in Hondarribi. Motorcycle ride to Igeldo. &lt;em&gt;Pintxos&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;en&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;lo viejo&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;em&gt;Txuleta&lt;/em&gt; dinner at a gastronomic society. A day trip to Biarritz and Saint Jean de Luz. Then off we went in his ā€œnewly furbishedā€ van. Oh man! Iā€™ve never slept outside the comforts of a room before.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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 ā€œlivingā€ in a metal cocoon together for a few days brought a new dimension to our connection.šŸ¤£&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I asked, ā€œHow do you see our relationship progressing?ā€&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He answered, ā€œIt would be great if you moved to Europe! We could see each other regularly and see where it goes.ā€&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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 citizenshipā€”a privilege I have thanks to my French grandmother.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A Pause: Solo Traveling&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After living in a van together for 4 days followed by mountain trail torture, meeting surf friends, and running into Mikelā€™s mom (Yikes!), I left for ā€œme timeā€.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Madrid, Valencia, and Barcelona. Then Budapest, &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://janinayramirez.substack.com/p/palibhasa-babae"&gt;where I was traumatized by a pervert&lt;/a&gt;, Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam. Traveling solo has always been a passion of mine.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ā€œYou have to come back,ā€ said Mikel.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ā€œOk. Should I look for an apartment?ā€&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ā€œThat doesnā€™t make much sense. You can come live with me.ā€&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A Lifetime?! šŸ¤­&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ā€¦ And they lived happily ever after! Or so they say in fairytales. In real life, itā€™s the beginning of even more adventures, like a global lockdown during a pandemic!?! Who saw that coming?šŸ¤Æ&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Can tequila bring true love? I won't deny that a bit of liquid courage does help. But thereā€™s also openness, confidence, and self-love. Thereā€™s humility, honesty, and finding calm when together and when apart. Thereā€™s also a whole lot of fun and oh so so so many more things and learnings.ā™„ļø&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So whip out the poison of your choice and join me in a virtual cheers. Hereā€™s to love, however it may find us!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thank you for reading. Felt the &lt;em&gt;kilig&lt;/em&gt;? This post is public so feel free to share the butterflies!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit &lt;a href="https://janinayramirez.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&amp;#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1"&gt;janinayramirez.substack.com&lt;/a&gt;</description>

I Suck (at Smalltalk)

[email protected]

Can Tequila Bring True Love? šŸ˜‚

DEC 13, 202310 MIN
I Suck (at Smalltalk)

Can Tequila Bring True Love? šŸ˜‚

DEC 13, 202310 MIN

Description

<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 itā€™s true!šŸ˜†</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 couldnā€™t make time to meet, fate intervened on my last night out.</p><p>ā€œAre you Janine?</p><p>ā€œYup! Mikel?ā€</p><p>ā€œSi!ā€</p><p>ā€œShot?ā€</p><p>ā€œNo no noā€¦ā€</p><p>ā€œHalf a shot? Go!ā€</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 MOAā€™s Baywalk, we watched the sunset while sharing a Razonā€™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 droppedā€¦ Then fired up like a <em>kwitis</em>! I didnā€™t think Iā€™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>ā€œFree Collegeā€ 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.šŸ˜‚</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, itā€™s all good. Iā€™ll be fine! Just vote Bam Aquino. Ibalik sa Senado!" šŸ˜œ</p><p>Not everyone appreciated my political fervor. Iā€™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>* Itā€™s a funny story I share with pride.šŸ˜œ</p><p>* Iā€™ve made the most of the platform.šŸ˜†</p><p>* I met Mikel.šŸ˜‰</p><p>* There was Bumble.šŸ˜‚</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 šŸ˜…, and even planned a van trip that shaped our understanding despite language barriers.</p><p>Iā€™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 ā€œnewly furbishedā€ van. Oh man! Iā€™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 ā€œlivingā€ in a metal cocoon together for a few days brought a new dimension to our connection.šŸ¤£</p><p>I asked, ā€œHow do you see our relationship progressing?ā€</p><p>He answered, ā€œIt would be great if you moved to Europe! We could see each other regularly and see where it goes.ā€</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 citizenshipā€”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 Mikelā€™s mom (Yikes!), I left for ā€œme timeā€.</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>ā€œYou have to come back,ā€ said Mikel.</p><p>ā€œOk. Should I look for an apartment?ā€</p><p>ā€œThat doesnā€™t make much sense. You can come live with me.ā€</p><p>A Lifetime?! šŸ¤­</p><p>ā€¦ And they lived happily ever after! Or so they say in fairytales. In real life, itā€™s the beginning of even more adventures, like a global lockdown during a pandemic!?! Who saw that coming?šŸ¤Æ</p><p>Can tequila bring true love? I won't deny that a bit of liquid courage does help. But thereā€™s also openness, confidence, and self-love. Thereā€™s humility, honesty, and finding calm when together and when apart. Thereā€™s also a whole lot of fun and oh so so so many more things and learnings.ā™„ļø</p><p>So whip out the poison of your choice and join me in a virtual cheers. Hereā€™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&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">janinayramirez.substack.com</a>