Where is Tony – Asia trip 2 12 December 2009

Recovering big time, from 2 days traveling, or was it from an operation?

Just in case you wanna keep track of my wherabouts:

• WANTED - new SALTO Inclusion colleague to work with me (apply before 31 January 2010)
• NEW - funny Pinoy things & pics
• Christmas atmosphere is really setting in here – even though it’s 30 degrees and running around in swimwear – strange. I even got invited to my first Xmas party already

• we bumped into a photographer doing an art project – so all of a sudden I find myself in an ‘universal love’ bubblegum photo shoot.

Halo halo - best & weirdest desert ever

• 8 December: working away in the Pandan internet café, the owner all of sudden brings me coffee and crackers because I was there for more than 3 hours and missed lunch – how sweet – lunch should not be missed here
• 7 December: Visiting the neighbouring island of Panay for a few days: more paradise beaches…
• 5 December: Saint-Nicolas brings me a present – my first freelance copywriter job: So how do I set up my office on the beach?
• Every evening is ’show time’: I can’t help but sigh when i see the mind-blowing sunsets here in Boracay

Protected: Bubble gum photo shoot (xs) 14 December 2009

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Xmas at the beach 12 December 2009

Strange to have Xmas on the beach 30°

In my (limited) head, christmas will always be associated with christmas trees, snow (if we’re lucky) and a wooden fire roaring in the fire place, sipping on some gluewein (hot mulled wine).

Not here in Boracay paradise beach though. Besides the fact that there are no christmas trees (firs, conifers) growing in tropical climates, the sweltering temperatures and a beach doesn’t really go together with Xmas in my head either.

So what does Xmas look like in the Philippines then?

SALTO Inclusion colleague wanted 10 December 2009

Looking to replace the 2 SALTO Inclusion girls

2010 will be the year of change for me. I’ll be back at work for SALTO Inclusion (besides occasional freelancing on the beach, I hope) AND we’re looking for a new SALTO Inclusion colleague (full time, starting March 2010):

• someone with experience and vision on Social In/Exclusion and operational skills to run training courses, meetings, a website, PR & communication.

In return you get an exciting international job, making a difference for young people that need it most. You will be working in Brussels (at the heart of the EU) but there are lots of opportunities to travel and a competitive salary for Belgian standards.

• And of course, you get me as a colleague – hehe ;-)
• Deadline to apply 31 January 2010 (procedure attached & below)
• JobVacancySALTOinclusion2010

Punny Pinoy things 8 December 2009

Dangerous life at the beach

The Philippines are weird or ‘punny’ (as they don’t have the letter F in Tagalog). At first you think that it is a nice mix between Asia, Spain & the US (familiar elements) but the longer you stay the more unfamiliar funny things you come accross. The Pinoy definitely speak a special language – and it’s not English (even though many say the Pinoys are good at English). They must mean they’re excelling in Phinglish or Tagalish ;-)

• Pics & funny items below
• See also the Funny Pinoy Pics from my previous Asia trip

Office with sea view 6 December 2009

My office on the beach

I completely forgot that it was Saint-Nicolas’ day today (the saint that brings children presents, in Belgium at least). And he also had a present in his sack for me: my first freelance copywriter assignment. So I had to set up my office on Boracay beach. Easier said than done. There were some local sunny challenges to deal with.

Sea & sunset sighs… 3 December 2009

The sun setting in my hand

I found out while traveling that the orientation of the beach and sea matters. If you have the option, you should definitely opt for a sea that lies west of the beach. In other words: there’s nothing more breathtaking than the sun plunging into the sea, turning the sky all shades of yellow, orange and red…

• Boracay sunset pictures below (I could add hundreds more)
• More sunset pictures of my travels

Birthday on the beach 2 December 2009

Birthday on the beach - 1 Dec 09

Coming to the Philippines was a birthday present to myself, but when my birthday arrived, there were a few surprises waiting for me – both positive and negative. Someone invited me for a beach dinner, live serenade included. But nobody else seemed to be thinking of me on my birthday ;-( till the day after…

Recovering in the Sun 1 December 2009

Coconut trees to protect me

What’s a better place to recover from an operation, than somewhere sunny. It took me 2 days to get here but finally I came to peace and paradise from Brussels > Abu Dhabi (good thing they didn’t keep me there) > Bangkok > Manila > Kalibo > Boracay…  and 4 flights, 2 buses, 1 taxi, 1 boat and 2 tricyble rides…

• The world is no bigger than a hankie (as the Spanish say: el mundo es un pañuelo)
• Boracay beach pictures below
• Also have a look at the superb sunset images or the surreal views of Xmas at the beach

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Protected: Abu Dhabi, more boo than be bi (xs) 27 November 2009

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My kingdom for a shit! 24 November 2009

If only I could do that...

Having an appendicitis operation is one thing, getting back to normal life (or back home) is another. Actually the most painful is not the little hole in your tummy, but rather learning to walk, sleep and to eat again… And I won’t mention the most difficult of all: learning to shit again (forgive my French).

From food poisoning to appendicitis 22 November 2009

The ideal solution for a few extra holidays

Anything to stay longer in the sun, although… It started with food poisoning but a few days later it turned out to be appendicitis. A good way to test the European Health Care system, and get a few extra days under the sun from the insurance. Even though my departure to Asia is coming closer more quickly than I’d physically manage…

German Carnival on Spanish Gay beach 11 November 2009

They actually ran around like this all day...

It’s a quite funny mix of circumstances: pile heaps of gay guys together on a Spanish nude beach – add to that the German Carnival which starts on 11 November 11h11 am – add an incredible number of bottles of bubbles (anything from German Sekt to Spanish Cava) – and you get surreal scenes of drag and drinking…

Life’s a beach 9 November 2009

Funny bunch at the beach

Some people say, life’s a bitch – others not. It’s like the glass which is half empty or half full. To support this adage, I took off with some friends to Gran Canaria. Some would think this is part of Spain, but actually it’s rather German or British…

• And some pictures (avoids us sending postcards – the digital age has well arrived!)

We’ve been many times before, so life went its way, as it does on holidays at the beach, not even trying to kill ‘old habbits‘. Sorry, no ‘cultural’ holidays this time – ‘intercultural’ all the more with all the ‘foreigners’ on the beach…

Bad hair day: Before > After 30 October 2009

I'm still "Same Same ... but Different"

Sometimes it happens… It comes from deep inside… CHANGE. In my case change exteriorised itself in my hairdo. Why not do something compleeeetely different…?

• So not sure you’ll recognise me when we meet next ;-)

There’s more and more of my friends who opt for a hairstyle defying the definition of “short”. Often their hair affair is not dictated by style, but by nature. Let’s say that I belong to the same age-group.

• More pics Before & After below

Working hard, (soon) traveling hard 23 October 2009

• I’m writing a few publications (big time), in quite drastic conditions: a kitchen table, a hard chair and an office lamp stuck to a cupboard because no lamps on the ceiling yet (see pics below)
• At the same time I’m moving house (again) from the cramped windowless shoe box in Louise to a huge room, with window this time but without furniture, nor curtains… (and lots of opposite neighbours). Thank buddha for cardboard boxes (see pics below).
• And I’m organising some ’serious’ traveling before I start working at SALTO again in January (that will be tough!). But first 2 weeks of relaxing in Gran Canaria to be rested for another month of a concentrated sequal to my Asia trip: Philippines, Cambodia & christmas shopping in Bangkok ;-)

…so that’s why I’m a bit offline… Soon back with more stories.

Third world Belgium 1 October 2009

You thought Belgium was in Europe?

Big sigh,… I have my moments of fighting the system… Sometimes Belgium just looks as if it were a ‘third world’ (developing) country. When travelling through Asia, I saw many things more developed than in Brussels…

Some examples:

Protected: Precision poo’ing and peeing (xs) 28 September 2009

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Protected: Dieting for a cause (xs) 24 September 2009

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Protected: A clinical language of their own (xs) 23 September 2009

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