an andalusian bitch |

8 Things I’m Looking Forward
To About Moving To Spain

In just two weeks, I will leave the comforts of home and become a fish out of water. No more Mom’s cooking, my own bed and loo, hugs and kisses from my nephews. Leaving home is not easy but these are sacrifices which come with the choice of pursuing my dream. Preparing for my big move seems to be a daunting task – endless paperwork, managing finances, establishing new connections, the list could go on. Plus, the fact that I have a dramatic breakdown cry once or twice a week when I think about how much I’m gonna miss everybody and how selfish I am to leave them, that doesn’t make anything easier.

There’s definitely no turning back. In spite of how much of an emotional wreck I am right now, I can’t hide the fact that I’m so fucking excited to finally start this new phase in my life. I thought I’d list down a few things I’m looking forward to just to give myself that final nudge.

*Psyches herself up in the mirror*. “It’s winning time, you magnificent son of a bitch!”

September 5, 2015

How to Get a Spanish Long term Visa
for Philippine Passport Holders

After tons of paperwork that seemed to be endless, I finally got my Spanish visa approved!!! I’m going to Spain in less than a month and I couldn’t be any more excited!!! Sorry for the excessive exclamation marks but it just feels too good to be true!!!

I will be moving to Spain to teach English for the Spanish government’s Auxiliaries de Conversación Program. The program starts in October 1 and I had to apply for a visa before my flight in mid-September so I can stay there until the end of the school year. Unlike other passports, a Philippine passport doesn’t allow you to enter Spain without a visa. So whether it’s for a short stay or long stay in Spain, Filipinos should apply for a visa.

August 26, 2015

Laid-Back Weekend in Baguio

I had a pretty solid weekend with my work friends in Baguio. We have always toyed with the idea but never got around to setting a date until this month. I will soon leave my company for greener pastures and I didn’t want to miss this chance to hang out with the gang outside the office.

#BagYOLO was the official hashtag of the trip. No itinerary to stick to and no pressure to tick off to-do lists. For a big group like ours, this is the only pace that works. It’s better to realize up front that a group of 8 people won’t be that nimble. Plus, Baguio weather = all day bed weather. You’d just want to hibernate under the sheets after a long work week. Continue Reading

August 8, 2015

How to do Bali in 3 Days: Day 3
(Tirta Empul + Tegunungan Waterfall + Sanur Beach)

We saved the best activities (or the ones that involve getting wet) in our itinerary for last. We were down to our last whole day in Bali and it hadn’t rain. We hit the road at our usual 10 AM call time and headed to our first destination: Tirta Empul Temple.

10. We had a sort of spiritual experience at the Tirta Empul Temple.

It was a bit of a long drive from Kuta to Tirta Empul Temple but I felt that our Bali trip wouldn’t be complete without visiting this place. It’s not like any other temple. It’s known for its holy waters where both the locals and tourists go for spiritual cleansing.

August 2, 2015

How to do Bali in 3 Days: Day 2
(Ubud + Taman Ayun + Tanah Lot)

If you missed Day 1 of our Bali trip, you may click here to catch up.

We’re now on our second day and down with my 5th travel tip on how to do Bali in 3 days and on a budget.

5. We visited the cheeky monkeys of Bali at the Sacred Money Forest in Ubud.

From our AirBnb resort in Kuta, Agus drove us more than an hour to Ubud. I don’t know but monkeys seem to be a big deal in nature tourism here in Southeast Asia. I wasn’t really looking forward to visiting this park but when I got there and saw all the peaceful lush greenery they had going on, I thought to myself it wasn’t bad at all. It was actually pretty cool how the monkeys have the freedom to interact with humans and even steal stuff from them.

July 19, 2015

How to do Bali in 3 Days: Day 1
(Pura Uluwatu + Jimbaran Bay)

Bali is not a very typical Filipino budget travel destination mainly because even the promo fares are not that cheap let’s say compared to Hong Kong, Singapore or Malaysia. I wasn’t planning on spending a lot on this trip since I have a major one this coming September and I needed to save. Still with my budget woes, I decided to go ahead and book a plane ticket to Bali, Indonesia as my last out-of-the-country destination in Asia before I move to another continent. I have visited many cities in Asia but I wanted this trip to be different. I mostly explored cityscapes in my past trips but now I longed for beaches, waterfalls and sunsets… and Bali is blessed with them.

I spent about P 20,000 ($ 440) on this trip, airfare and accommodation included. This could be actually cheaper if I went with more friends since we could have shared the transportation and AirBnb expenses. Anyway, here’s how we did it:

July 11, 2015