"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: Love. I cringe but it’s true!😆
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.
A Night: A Chance Encounter in Siargao
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.
“Are you Janine?
“Yup! Mikel?”
“Si!”
“Shot?”
“No no no…”
“Half a shot? Go!”
A chance meeting at a bar, a shared tequila shot, and the spark was lit.
A Day: A Magical Layover in Manila
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.
From stuffing surfboards into my compact car to exploring Manila's traffic jams and dampa gems, we laughed, spoke broken English, shared music, and kindled a connection over roti and curry.
It was fun. It was easy. It felt comfy.
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 sayang. We may never see each other again.
As I dropped Mikel off at the airport, my heart dropped… Then fired up like a kwitis! I didn’t think I’d ever feel this giddy again. How silly of me to think that I'd be less prone to kilig moments of infatuation in my 30s!
Dampa: A seafood market where you pick your fresh catch, bring it to a restaurant next door, and choose how you want your feast cooked.
Sayang: An expression of regret or disappointment over a missed opportunity or a loss, often used when something valuable is not fully utilized.
Kwitis: A traditional Filipino firework rocket that shoots into the sky and explodes with the sound: Eeeeeeeew pak!
Kilig: The exhilarating and giddy feeling associated with romantic excitement.
Palengke: What we call our bustling markets.
Libreng Kolehiyo: "“Free College” and the most popular law we passed during our term in the senate.
A Break: Getting Kicked Out of Tinder
As if to slow down my dating life, Tinder decided to give me the boot in the middle of a fierce political campaign.😂
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 Libreng Kolehiyo jingle through palengkes in every corner of the Philippines. My life revolved around the campaign and so did my Tinder profile.
"Swipe left or swipe right, it’s all good. I’ll be fine! Just vote Bam Aquino. Ibalik sa Senado!" 😜
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?
* It’s a funny story I share with pride.😜
* I’ve made the most of the platform.😆
* I met Mikel.😉
* There was Bumble.😂
A Trip: San Sebastian and Van Life Together
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.
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!
Tea in Hondarribi. Motorcycle ride to Igeldo. Pintxos en lo viejo. Txuleta 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.
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.🤣
I asked, “How do you see our relationship progressing?”
He answered, “It would be great if you moved to Europe! We could see each other regularly and see where it goes.”
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.
A Pause: Solo Traveling
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”.
Madrid, Valencia, and Barcelona. Then Budapest, where I was traumatized by a pervert, Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam. Traveling solo has always been a passion of mine.
“You have to come back,” said Mikel.
“Ok. Should I look for an apartment?”
“That doesn’t make much sense. You can come live with me.”
A Lifetime?! 🤭
… 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?🤯
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.♥️
So whip out the poison of your choice and join me in a virtual cheers. Here’s to love, however it may find us!
Thank you for reading. Felt the kilig? This post is public so feel free to share the butterflies!
