The Thought Junkie

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Finding the Real Adventure in You

I belong to a generation in love with traveling and unlike generations before me, it’s not just traveling for leisure, but traveling as a way to get to know one’s self and have an adventure.
Vibrant and brimming with life, my good friend from high school, Anna Faustino has long committed herself to a life of adventure. I have always admired Anna’s bravery to drop just about anything and explore life for what it is: raw, challenging, and adventure filled. When she first told me about her desire to quit her day job to travel the world, I was scared for her, but she did it, conquered, and then some.
This is the reason why I wasn’t surprised when Anna’s blog, www.adventureinyou.com, which she started with her boyfriend, Tom Rogers, is quickly gaining traction as one of the Philippines’ most visited travel blogs. Anna is the epitome of a person who breathes travel and you can see it in the way her eyes sparkle.
And it’s also interesting to note that Anna and Tom’s love story began with a travel story. Anna recalls, “We met while we were backpacking in Vietnam. Tom was literally rolling down the sand dunes in Mui Nei when we met. I was on the tail end of my yearlong trip and Tom was 6 months into his. We ended up traveling together all over Vietnam and Thailand. I had to go back to the Philippines for work while Tom had the rest of the world to see.” But unlike other travel love stories, this wasn’t meant to be short-lived, Anna continues, “After a couple of months apart, Tom arrived in the Philippines and never left! He ended up getting a job here until we take off to travel again.”

When asked what made him risk it all to stay in unchartered territory, Tom was quick to say, “As mentioned we met when we were traveling and when I got to the Philippines; I wasn’t even half way through my planned 2 year trip to see the world. When I arrived, we spent all our time together exploring when Anna wasn’t in work and soon after that, we began dating. After traveling together through different countries, we got to know each other really well. With that being said, within the first week of being here and spending time with her, I knew I was going to be here for a long time. Being that both of us are travelers, we were both quite skeptical of love, both having been hurt before. This time though it was different, and we both knew it. I flew back to the UK as a surprise for Christmas. After almost a year of being away, I turned up on my doorstep (wearing a santa hat), knocked the door and was shockingly greeted by my mum with, “Where is Anna?” I couldn’t stop laughing. My mum was so overwhelmed and confused to see me that this is what came out first. I had been talking to her when I was away and she was keen to meet the reason why I stopped moving around. So yes, my first reason for risking everything was Anna. I was later luckily approached and asked to join a great start-up business where I currently work. I’m continuously surrounded by positive happy people and I love it! I don’t regret my decision at all.”
The love story soon led to a joint travel blog, when asked how it started, Anna explains, “ Our blog was the brainchild from one of our many conversations about traveling. Both of us are wildly addicted to traveling, in fact, we met while we were both backpacking around Vietnam. We wanted to write about our many (mis)adventures to get others inspired to travel as well.  When we travel, we like going off the beaten track. This way, we get to see what other people don’t normally get to experience. During our recent trip to Palawan, instead of hanging around Coron town like most people, we rented a motorbike and drove along the coast, stopping in small beaches, sleeping in local fishermen’s houses and living the way they do. We even tried our luck in fishing for food, except that only ended with me falling in the water and almost capsizing our tiny fishing boat.”           
Their blog aims to look at life from a different perspective, the way traveling does. It’s more than just having a vacation but truly allowing one to experience life.

Traveling, Anna says, is what truly molded the person that she is, “Traveling has changed us in ways we both cannot describe. We have become happier people who live to make the most out of each moment. I think this is one of the main reasons why we started our blog, to motivate people to inspire and unleash their inner adventurers. Best part about traveling is getting out of your comfort zone. You gain a wider perspective of how people live, which in return, makes you more grateful for what you have around you. Aside from that, traveling gives you a complete sense of freedom. Freedom to live and enjoy life the way it’s supposed to be. We were both blown away when we realized how much more there is to experience. It opens up your world to endless possibilities which gave us a clear perspective on what is really important in life.”
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For more visit www.adventureinyou.com
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Rebirth

As a child, Easter was the time the entire country jolted back to life. You see, a few years ago (okay maybe more than just a few years ago), Holy Week meant an entire week of silence. And by silence, I do mean silence, there were no TV shows, malls were closed, and streets were basically empty. Easter was joyous because it was finally time to get back to the streets and feel alive again after days of being in the dark.

As I reflect on what Easter used to mean to me, I couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of it all. How many times have we lost ourselves in the dark, wanting to be found by the light? As we grow older, we realize that Easter has nothing to do with traditions and has everything to do with shedding light on the dark places of our lives. Sometimes finding the light only takes a week, but most of the time, finding the light takes weeks, months, and even years.

Most of the time, we don’t even realize that we’re in the dark. Not until light comes through the cracks of the pit that we’re in and we see that life could be better than it currently is if we only to follow the light.

Easter has always had a powerful meaning. It’s a symbol of a powerful Father rescuing his beloved children who are the most undeserving of all by sending his own child who did no wrong. When you’re in the harvest season of your life, it’s easy to celebrate this gracious gift but it when you’re down on your knees that you realize its true significance.

As I grew older and did away with the superficial traditions of Easter, I grasped a deeper understanding of what it symbolized – forgiveness, and most importantly, redemption. Redemption from old habits, past hurts, and even offense we personally carry within us that we can’t seem to shake off.

Offense is often targeted at those who have hurt us – whether intentionally or unintentionally, sometimes it could also be directed at ourselves but more often than we would like to admit, it’s often directed at life and how bitter we can be over the fact that it didn’t turn out the exact way we wanted it to be.

Easter offers us a time to reflect on all the things we must let go of in order to finally let the light in. No matter how much pain we carry inside of us, we are collectively brought together by our desire to have more light. To finally let go of what could have been to usher in something better than we have planned out in our heads.

Easter always feels like a restart, a rebirth but first we must be redeemed from everything that happened or didn’t happen in the past. It comes with accepting certain realities but not giving up on the hope that tomorrow’s reality could radically be better if I just learn to let go.

And in doing so, in breaking cycles, in releasing hurts, and most importantly, in accepting the greatest sacrifice of all, His love, we allow ourselves to not just accept the light, but be the light.

And it is in being the light that we finally escape the dark places, never to return again.
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Meeting Jesus at the Walkway


Most people would be quick to admit that getting to know Jesus is a personal journey that involves no one else. In as much as we would like to have rules to what is probably the most important relationship of our lives, it is often intimate and personal.

That doesn’t mean however that we can’t collectively acknowledge what He has done, especially during Holy Week. Holy Week is sacredly celebrated in the country and one of fastest rising ways to do so is by visiting Walkway in Bonifacio Global City. Walkway was jumpstarted by an independent organization, Church Simplified, six years ago and has been attracting people from different walks of life, regardless of their own personal beliefs. The Walkway allows one to rediscover their faith through art installations, interactive stations, and even concerts by international Christian artists like Jars of Clay.

When asked what drew crowds to Walkway, Church Simplified founder and lead pastor Bebo Bharwani says, “The thing that is so powerful about Art is that it has the potential to make us think, feel, and experience that which we already know is true about ourselves but can’t express. Art also has the ability to breathe new life into ideas we know are important but have forgotten why they’re relevant.”

He continues, “The cross for example is such a powerful symbol. It tells us so many things about what God is like. It tells us that God is committed, He doesn’t give up, He doesn’t take the easy road, that God fights for love and that He loves us extravagantly. It also tells us about the broken condition of our hearts, the broken condition of the world, what we’ve made it to be– that it would take God to humble himself, to stoop down and experience the worse we had to offer – he did this so he could heal us.”

The Walkway allows one to rediscover this glorious gift on the most important week of our faith, “Because we’re so used to the image of the cross, because we see it everywhere, we have the tendency to become too familiar, the message of the cross flies over our heads. Art has a way of stopping us in our tracks and remind us why this matters. That’s what Walkway is – it’s using art – in this case, installation art and music to help us get a fresh vision for what we’ve known and embraced to be true.”

The Walkway also attracts agnostics and atheists and for Bebo the attraction could be because of the great love story displayed on the cross, “Even if you didn’t believe in God or Jesus, it’s still such a great love story, at some level it will still ring true because deep inside everyone wants to be loved the way God claims to love us.  I think that’s why even non-Christians are still attracted to Walkway.”

The Walkway also allows one to simply stop life’s busy routine to reflect on who God is personally for each person. It’s taking the time out to sit down and simply be aware of God’s presence in an interactive manner.

To end, Bebo how he would define Christianity and he was quick to say, “Christianity is about one message. God is for us. God is for you!  He has always been pursuing us. Jesus is the proof of that pursuit. Everything that has happened to you, your context and life experience has been designed so that we would seek God and reach out for him and that we would find, that he had been seeking and reaching out for us all along.”

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Visit the Walkway at Bonifacio Global City from March 29 – April 05, 2015. International Christian artists Mutemath and Kye Kye will be performing as well, for more details visit Church Simplified on Facebook.
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When Bookworms Collide

Books have always been magical to me. Ever since I was a little child, my love for books has always been a way to escape and often found myself hiding my favorite novels under my schoolbooks during class discussions (yup, I was that student) to keep me awake. Books, in all its shapes, forms, and sizes continue to be a huge part of my life and this is the reason why I always get excited when I meet people who are just as passionate, possibly even more passionate about them than I am.

Books surround Stef Juan every single day. As the acquisitions and book editor at OMF Literature, the largest Christian book publisher and distributor in the country, Stef is in charge of finding and helping writers develop their books, recommending books for importation, scheduling writers’ workshops, and also spearheading the launch of their fiction category.

A graduate of Creative Writing from the University of the Philippines, Stef has had extensive experience in writing and communications as an editor for big named magazines such as People Asia, 24/7, Nocturnal Navigator, Lucerne Luxe, Metro Society, and up until recently, Hola! Philippines.

The switch from magazines to books came as a surprise but when the offer came, Stef grabbed the opportunity as saw it as a chance for her to grow and stretch in her skills as a writer and editor, “It’s not as glamorous as my old job, but I have always loved books and reading.”

Her love affair with books began at home. Her mom previously worked at World Book and as a result, their home was always filled with encyclopedias, books, and magazines. Her family were vicarious readers so as a child she read everything she could get her hands on including Funny Komiks, Marvel and DC superhero comics, and even National Geographic magazines.

For Stef, books provided her younger self with a new reality that was otherwise not possible for her to experience, “The best part of reading when I was younger was the promise of being transported into another world, of living and seeing through somebody else’s eyes and the anticipation of learning just for the sake of learning.” Through the books she has read, she has become different characters and have visited different places.

As an adult, Stef continues to to fall in love with the written word while developing a deeper affection for it “Now that I’m older, words have become my trade, new books are like new friends, some times I learn something new, or learn a new way of seeing things. Sometimes, new books challenge me, or, more often now, articulate thoughts that I have been ruminating on for a long time. And there’s satisfaction in that too. Old favorites are friends and family that I visit and revisit more and more often now. They give me a lot of comfort and reading them again and again is restful for me.”

Despite the many distractions presented to today’s generation, Stef hopes that people will continue to read and devour books, “I believe people need to read more to widen their horizons, to help themselves focus in a world filled with distractions. It takes us out of our own heads and lets us be more aware of the many other point of views in this world. The printed word gives validation to stories outside our own. Reading also helps us think, to challenge status quo and can drive us to keep on making our lives better. I believe good books inspire us to excellence, keeping us from being too self-absorbed, and it’s something that every generation needs.”

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The Woman I Aspire to Be

“Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.”—Proverbs 31:11-12

GROWING up, it was evident to see that my mom was unlike any other moms. She is one of the feistiest individuals I have ever come to know, and with her, there were no mincing of words, no sugarcoating of realities, and most importantly, no coddling.

My mom says it like it is without worrying about what others thought about her. People who are not used to this kind of personality may be surprised upon meeting her but people eventually love and value her for it because with her you never had to second-guess her intentions.
Because of this, my siblings and I grew up in an authentic environment.

There are many people who claim to be real and authentic but were simply lurking in the shadows of who they really were; my mom is and never was like that. So in our household, black is black and white is white. This taught us to be honest in all our dealings despite living in a world that wasn’t as pure or as straight at times.

From an early age, my mom exposed us to the realities of life. She would lay our choices down on the table, telling us the consequences of hastily made decisions and how one wrong turn can impair one’s life purpose.

Because of this, we grew up with a strong sense of self because my mom never let us see life with rose-colored glasses. By dealing with reality at an early age, it was inevitable for us to grow tougher. We were free to make our own decisions because she’s confident in the values she has placed in us when we were younger.

Yes, she was a disciplinarian who often said no growing up but we don’t resent her for it. All the things she kept us from taught us discipline and threw entitlement out of the window. Our college graduations were never celebrated with a big bang or with lavish gifts simply because my mom believed that graduating college shouldn’t surprise anyone because it was only to be expected for us to finish school.

It’s my mom also who taught me, by example, that love languages can be different. While her love language may not be through words or affection, her dedication to our family by first quitting her high profile job with an advertising firm when I was born, to waking up at 5 a.m. to make sure breakfast is served. My mom also taught me to vicariously feel my emotions, to not hide from them, but fully embrace them.

My mom also continues to teach me to fight for what’s right. She never backs down from a battle when she knows she’s right or when someone’s aggrieved. And never, not even once, did she ask my dad to fight for her. Even before feminism became the rage, my mom was already that kind of woman, and I am grateful to grow up with that kind of example.

But more than anything, I will forever be thankful that my mom taught me about God and His grace. My mom, despite her tough exterior, raised my brothers and I to be kind, to be generous, and to be empathetic with people. She despised people who looked down on others and believed in helping the unfortunate no matter what the cost.

She would often remind us that we were not better than anyone no matter what jobs we were in, who we married, or who we were friends with. Those things wouldn’t matter if you were not kind, loving, or sympathetic.

On her birthday, I would just like to say thank you mama for being you, for raising us, and most importantly, for sacrificing your own personal success to do so. And while some people may never understand you or appreciate you, know that we do and know that without all you’ve done, we will never be as tough or as loving as we are.

We love you.

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The Unshading of Misagh Bahadoran

“Really? You’re not a football fan?” Misagh Bahadoran, one of the country’s most popular football stars asked me in wide – eyed wonder. I was quick to defend myself saying I grew up a basketball girl but found football interesting.
With thousands of followers across all social media, Misagh is as charming as people say he is. Speaking with a thick accent that most people find appealing, he is also quick-witted, and refreshingly honest. Having been surrounded by athletes my entire life, straightforward honesty can be quite disengaging and intriguing.
The 28-year-old Filipino – Persian player first caught the attention of Filipino football fans in 2011 right smack in the middle of the sport’s steady rise in the country. His story, however, is an unlikely one.
Born in Pampanga to a Filipina, Misagh was raised in Iran and have been playing football since he was six years old. Football was and continues to be his main passion, however, it took a back seat when his father urged him to complete a degree before pursuing the sport full time. Heeding his father’s advice, Misagh took up Dentistry from Centro Escolar University (his two older siblings have also taken medical related courses) and focused on Futsal first by being part of the Philippine Futsal team. His skills led him to be the two time top scorer in Southeast Asia. Staying true to his promise despite the many offers to join the national team, Misagh only tried out for the Philippine Azkals the day after graduation. Misagh bested out the competition and scored one of the only two spots available on the roster during that year. Misagh has long been known for his quickness on the field and his hard work (the trait that he is most proud of).
For Misagh, who is now the captain of Global FC, the growth of football in the country has been astounding, “There used to be a time when we would pay to play football. I never imagined that football would be televised here and have leagues of its own.” He continues to hope for its continual growth in the country, even suggesting that schools would include football in their programs to encourage more children to take up the sport.
What’s engaging about him, however, isn’t limited to his talent and skills but in how he genuinely interacts with people. Known as the nicest guy on the team, Misagh’s demeanor of being friendly, hospitable, and kind boasts of his Filipino roots. His candidness easily made the conversation enjoyable going from serious topics to more personal ones rather quickly.
He was a no holds barred kind of guy in a way that was instantly refreshing.
There was one question he was shy to answer though and that was when he was asked to describe himself off the field. He said his friends would do a better job of doing so and his long time manager and our common friend, Patrick Ace Bright was quick to say that Misagh is generous and surprisingly so, intelligent.
Without meaning to stereotype athletes, Misagh’s depth proved that he was more than just your typical jock. With more prodding, Misagh said he’s often described as talkative and makulit by those closest to him.
And while he refused to describe himself, the group concluded that the best word to use was charismatic and with the twinkle in his piercing blue eyes, it’s safe to say that he agreed.
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Being a man in a macho world

MANHOOD has always been associated with three words: brawn, money, and power. Men have long been told that in order to be a real man, it’s important to be macho, regardless of how you treat other people.

As a sister to two brothers, this thought can be quite alarming. Is this all that is expected of men these days? That as long as he has fame, fortune, and brawn he can go around treating people, especially women, with no respect?

Men are supposed to be leaders but lately, it seems like more men are on the endless Peter Pan syndrome: wanting all the perks of adulthood without actually committing to the responsibilities of being one.

These thoughts were on my mind when a good friend, Jodi Sta. Maria, gave and encouraged me to read the book Act Like a Man by Dennis Sy. Dennis, who is the senior pastor of Victory Greenhills, jumpstarted the movement actlikeaman.org in the hopes of helping “Filipino men to become more responsible, accept responsibilities, be productive, and treat women with love and respect.” The blog, which is the leading blog for men in Asia, was created out of the lack of resources teaching men the virtues mentioned above.

When asked what inspired him to create a book as inspired by the movement, he answered, “We live in an age today where men have remained boys. It’s what we call Peter Pan syndrome—boys who shave. The book is an answer and a tool for men to live out real manhood today by embracing their unique roles in the family and society.”

The book highlights the importance of accepting the role given to men, to not simply be passive about the lives they are leading but being active in knowing what their passions are and in living a life that is true to these passions. For Dennis, being a man is more than just what he receives from those around him, but lies in what he contributes to his family and society.

He explained, “Men are to be producers. Men, in our culture, have been defined by what we consume rather than by what we produce. We need to tend our fields and be fruitful in whatever field God has called us. When men start to see themselves as cultivators, it would reflect in our marriages. We would treat our wife with respect and love her exclusively. We would commit to be faithful to her. We would be planners and bring direction to our marriages and family.”

Dennis added that taking responsibility is the first step in becoming the man the society seeks for today. Men who know their purpose, act on it, and surround themselves with mentors who would teach them the truth about being a real man.

That being a man, unlike what society teaches, has nothing to do with what a man gets but in what he can give to those around him.

And while finding men with purpose, passion, and values maybe similar to finding a needle in a haystack, it’s men like Dennis who are brave enough to pursue their purpose prove that there is hope after all. That maybe, just maybe, one man’s bravery would be enough to start a change that’s most needed in today’s generation.

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For more on Dennis Sy and the book Act Like a Man, visit actlikeaman.org.
www.carlabiancaravanes.com

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Love the Leap

IT’S the Valentine’s Day weekend and it is only fitting to talk about nothing but love.
Love, in all its shapes, forms, and sizes should always be celebrated. Love is never simply confined by the relationships we do or don’t have in our lives but rather a virtue that must always be present.
In the midst of the happy chaos of our everyday lives, it is important take a step back and see just how present love truly is. A critical part of love we often overlook is our love for ourselves, which is the foundation of the love we relay to the people around us.
Part of loving ourselves is fulfilling what we do and taking risks to become more confident. It has been said that those who are insecure cannot love and this is the reason why should always challenge our selves to be the best version of who we are.
Ginger Arboleda, also known as Mommy Ginger, had a corporate job when she started Manila Workshops in 2012. Initially, she started it as a sideline but when she got pregnant, she decided to quit her 9 to 5 job to focus solely on taking care of herself and her baby during her delicate pregnancy.
The reason for this was that Ginger and her husband were previously told that they could no longer have a baby due to medical reasons. Her pregnancy came as a surprise, which was why she wanted to prioritize having a healthy baby.
Everything was in perfect timing since Manila Workshops turned out to be a very profitable yet purposeful venture for Ginger.
Manila Workshops is an event management services company that provides a venue for individuals to learn more so that they can achieve their personal and professional goals. In a way, Manila Workshops targets people who wish to improve on themselves and their craft, which really is the best gift anyone can give to themselves. Their workshops include lifestyle workshops like parenting workshops, finance management, freelancing, homeschooling and the like.
Ginger shared, “These are the topics they don’t teach you in school but would love to attend because it will make living comfortable, fun, and rewarding.”
Through her experiences with Manila Workshops, Ginger was inspired to begin “Love the Leap.”
The inspiration for Love the Leap is once again founded on self-love, improvement, and taking the risk, “My personal advocacy is really to help those who are adamant and fully committed to creating their own businesses—to provide them with enough knowledge and to share with them the experiences and challenges that I and my other entrepreneur friends had, she explained.”
Love the Leap is a series of workshops that’s meant to fuel and inspire budding entrepreneurs to take a leap of their own. She noted, “It’s scary, especially when you have no knowledge or no one to guide you on what you’re supposed to do.”
Ginger, along with her team, aim to empower others by giving them the tools and knowledge that they need to truly excel in what they do.
Ginger’s leap is an example of what happens when you encourage yourself to do something new, you create a bigger version of yourself and inspire others to do the same.
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For more on Love the Leap, visit www.manilaworkshops.com or www.gingerarboleda.com.
www.carlabiancaravanes.com.
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The Romanticizing of Christian Bautista

To ordinary people, celebrities are perceived as characters instead of real life human beings. Certain labels concocted by how the public sees them usually define these artists and while it’s entertaining to believe that they lead perfect lives, this is often not the case.
Christian Bautista is a name that needs no introduction. Being in the business for eleven years, he has earned success through concerts, albums, TV shows, movies, and even theater. Just like any celebrity, it is easy to dismiss him as just another crooner, however sitting down with him proved otherwise.

For one thing, it is interesting to note that Christian was once an insecure high school student. His rise to fame has been chronicled several times over the years but I couldn’t quite place this information about him.
It was through this unexpected confession the layers of image embedded through the years peeled away slowly. Suddenly, he wasn’t just a performer that headlined sold out concerts but felt just like any regular guy with who went to the same high school as I did. 
I couldn’t help but ask what the biggest misconception is about him and he instantly replied with a candid, “That I’m antiseptic, too light, too formal, too serious. You have to know me ng matagal and sit down with me to know who I really am and not just judge me with 140 characters.” 
Christian went on to share how he had difficulty transitioning into the business after completing his Landscape Architecture degree from the University of the Philippines, Diliman especially since he was naturally an introvert. 
But he said that over time, he learned to crawl out of his shell slowly, “It was more of a smoothening around the edges kind of change. Naging positive siya because I learned to open up more, mas naging relaxed ako.” 
Through the years, Christian has proven his staying power in the business switching from singing to acting and even hosting while appearing to retain what has endeared him to his audience from the beginning of his career, his good nature that seems to be a product of a healthy upbringing.
When asked what inspires him to staygrounded, he quickly credited his family who has been supportive of him from the star and relates it to how he was able to survive the business with his values intact, “Keeping the value for me means going back to my roots in doing the best to be a good example. My family including my friends and family honestly talk to me when I cross the line.” 
It is his family, who has also adjusted to his career that has been the pillar for Christian, especially when it came to making major life and career decisions, “When given options, I will make choices based on my values, kung ano core ko. To some my choices may be impractical or boring but it’s the root of who I am and it is what works for me.”
And in a field where turnover is high, he says it’s his loyal fans that got him through the trying times of his career, “Ang hirap, I wanted to quit, I wanted to stop kasi wala na palang may gusto sa akin but I overcame that when I saw (during my shows) na ang dami pa palang naiinsipre, na kahit hindi 2 million meron parin palang naiinspire na 100,000 or 500,000 and that was what kept me going.”
It is his love for his craft that fueled his determination to stay despite the difficult years coupled with the fact that it is in performing that he finds his purpose, “Ang sarap na nahanap ko agad yung purpose ko so I have to do good so whether it’s a good year or not, at least I know my purpose.” 
In a moment of candid honesty, he was also quick to share that he views success differently these days, “Before when I was younger, it was more of number one album, number one concert, now it’s more of staying power and longevity. Steadiness and resilience.”

And when asked what he would say to hisyounger self who he says would be surprised at how his life turned out to be, Christian broke into a boyish grin and with a sigh replied, “You’ll be fine.”