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My Schengen Visa Experience at the VFS Netherlands (Philippines)

Posted on December 22, 2020 | Leave a comment

After reading several blogs and forums to get tips on having a successful Schengen visa application, I thought I should also give back by posting my very own Schengen visa application experience. For us in the Philippines, getting a visa is always a tedious process since we need to spend time and money on collating several documents, paying fees, and actually submitting the application and /or attending the actual interview. (Most of the embassy does not require interviews anymore, though.)

At the beginning of 2019, I decided to spend my Christmas break overseas. I thought that a South American trip would be easier because I won’t have to get any visas to enter a few countries. Still, upon realizing that the flights are way more expensive there and with last year’s tragic Amazon fire and the economic turmoil in the region, I opted to just push through with a European getaway.

I will also be sharing some stories on my month-long mini-Euro vacation but before that, para sa mga Pinoy who are also looking for some tips, I will list down what I’ve submitted for my Schengen visa application.

First off, What is a Schengen visa?

A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows a person to travel to any members of the Schengen Area. It is valid for 26 Schengen member states and is for short stay for a maximum period of ninety days within a six months period. A Schengen visa allows the holder to travel freely across the Schengen member states.

The following 26 countries have implemented the Schengen Agreement: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

The Schengen visa application goes through VFS Global –

VFS Global, also known as “Visa Facilitation Services Global,” is an outsourcing and technology services company that serves governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. The company manages visa and passport issuance-related administrative and non-discretionary tasks for its client governments.

I applied for a short-term Schengen visa mainly for tourism so this post is only applicable for those who will be traveling for leisure in and around the Schengen states.

The general requirements I’ve submitted are the following:

1. Valid Passport

2. Round-trip flight reservation.

(Remember, you just need a reservation. Please don’t buy your tickets without an approved visa yet.)

3. Travel insurance policy with a with a minimum coverage of 30,000 euros (I got mine from Malayan)

4. Proof of Accommodation (I booked all of my accommodations via booking.com which are all cancellable – again, do not pay in advance if you’re not sure that you’d actually be getting a visa.)

5. Proof of Financial Means

I’ve submitted a bank certificate indicating my account number, its daily balance and account balance.

I’ve also submitted the following:

Employment contract.

Bank statement from the last 6 months.

Leave permission from the employer. (The one that my employer provided includes the start date of my leave and the date I was expected to return.)

My latest income Tax Return (ITR) form or the 2316 form.

6. My Trip Itinerary (I included the places that are on my bucket list of course, but I also did a lot of research on what I should see in each respective places – I think it helps that you personalized your itinerary as much as possible.)

7. A cover letter which really helped, I think.

The submission of application is by schedule through the VFS Global website, just register, log in and select a date and time of your submission. The Netherlands Embassy does not require any interview, at least as far as I know. You will be evaluated by its consul based on all the documents you’ve submitted.

I had my schedule on November 15, 2019 – about a month before my intended trip, and I chose the earliest time available – around 07:00 AM. It was very straight to the point. You will be instructed on where to line up and just follow the procedure and give out the documents and pay. There was no interview, although the lady who collected my documents asked about the purpose of my application (tourism was my answer) and the date of my intended departure from the country and the date of my planned return and that’s it!

I’ve paid around P4,876.00 which includes

Logistic – 901

Courier – 400 because I cannot afford to pick it up myself due to work but you can choose to personally claim your passport or have a representative pick it up for you.

SMS – 150, I thought this was a good idea at first but it turns out it’s just a waste of money. I’ve only received one message saying: Visa Application MAKA/********01 has been forwarded to the Netherlands Regional Support Office in Asia on 11/15/2019 and never got an update. I even had to call the office because I cannot seem to track my visa status online regularly because it’s not working all the time.

So the whole two weeks, I was paranoid because I was second-guessing my chance of getting approved since I’ve read horror stories of some Pinoys who are well-traveled and well-funded still getting rejected for some reason. I’ve only been to eight countries before this application with two visa-requiring territories, so I’m kind of hoping that would give me a bit of an advantage, but yeah – it was a nerve-wracking two weeks for me.

But the odds are definitely in my favor as I’ve received my passport with an approved visa! It took 14 freaking calendar days! I was thrilled because I was given a multiple entry visa, with 45 days validity and 30 days duration of stay!!!
I thought it’d be challenging, but it’s really just straightforward. You just have to ensure that you have the resources, the right intention, and the correct documents.
Hit me up privately or through the comments, if you have any concerns or questions that I may help you with!!!
When this pandemic dies down, I would definitely apply again because I really had a blast visiting parts of Europe for the first time, and I wanted to see more!!!

P.S.

Because we have this on-going pandemic and we’re now living the new normal, I am not sure about the changes when it comes to the visa application but I reckon it will still be the same, but with more precautionary measures to prevent the spread of Covid19.

I wrote this article a few months after the Pandemic hit the Philippines and I didn’t think that it would be so catastrophic that even now that the year’s about to end, the cases are still getting worse particularly in Europe. I hope the vaccines that were approved recently will give us hope to move forward from this darkest year of our generation.

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Review: Ordering Anime Figures from AmiAmi

Posted on March 15, 2020 | 1 comment

I’ve ordered Anime figures from AmiAmi three times now, and I thought I’d let you know about my experience ordering from their website. First, you should know that AmiAmi actually has a physical store located in Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan.

Address: Akihabara Radio Kaikan F4, 1−15−16, Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0021, Japan (source)

I’ve only been to Japan once and I never got to visit Tokyo so I really missed out visiting Akihabara in general but I found out about the store from friends who are fans of anime figures and have been ordering from amiami.com for a while now.

Being one of the  largest shops in Akihabara, they offer a lot of figures – brand new, on bargain sale, pre-owned, as well as pre-order items! Take note that their shop is separate from their online shop which may offer different rates!

My first online order with them was May of last year. I thought I’d try ordering four Nendoroid first. I’m a fan of Bungo Stray Dogs and I just couldn’t resist ordering the Osamu Dazai and Chuya Nakahara Nendoroid figures! I was so glad that the Good Smile Company decided to rerelease them and I got them with discounts from AmiAmi! Such a sweet deal!

The ordering process is easy. First, you go to their website: https://www.amiami.com/eng/ – this is the English version, and it’s also in Chinese. I didn’t create an account first, but once your check out – it’ll prompt you to create an account which is easy peasy too!

The website is very easy to navigate and is very straightforward. There is a category list which includes: Figures, Toys Categories, Scale Models, Character Goods, Book & Games and a lot more. And there is a ranking for New Products, Sale Items, w/AmiAmi bonus, Pre-Owned Items and Bishounen Items. I regularly check the Sale and Pre-Owned items haha!

I haven’t tried pre-ordering from them but they have an FAQ in case you’d like to try it yourself. Of the three instances (so far) I’ve order from them, I chose to combine the shipping of each order since they’re “In-stock.”

In ordering, all you need to do is add your chosen items to your cart and once you’re ready to check out, fill out the necessary information that includes your mode of payment, shipping method and contact information.

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My Blogging Resolutions for 2020!

Posted on January 15, 2020 | Leave a comment

Looking back, 2019 was a very eventful year for me. I went through some changes and had some unforgettable trips where I met new friends. Professionally, I couldn’t ask for more from my current job! With all of this happening, I feel like I’ve also missed doing some things that I used to do. Most notably, I wasn’t able to read enough books. I think I’ve only read fewer than 20 titles compared to the last five years, during which I always read at least 50 titles a year. This means fewer book reviews from me. I guess I just didn’t have enough time to do it, or I really need to manage my time wisely! Hah!

My trips overseas were the highlights of last year, and I forgot to share those with you. I may find the time in the coming days to do that, since I’ve just finished my month-long trip to Europe where I spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve! Oh, I’m dying to share the pictures with you too.

I guess my top blogging resolution this year is simply to write more and share more. I know that I’m not obligated in any way to do that, but I just love being able to practice my writing and share all of these experiences with the world—the new books I’ve discovered, places, TV shows, and basically everything in my life now. I’m also considering actually consolidating all of my “blogs” into this blog, where I can share everything under the sun.

Another resolution is to be more active on the forums I used to visit regularly. I know that we’re in an age where everything is in pictures, videos, and social media, but I believe that blogging is still a valuable way to remember the past in a more detailed manner! For me, even if nobody reads my blog, I’d love to have something to look back on in the future and see the changes I’ve made or what I did or wrote at a particular time in my life.

I wish everyone a happy new year, and I hope to meet more people who blog about their pets, favorite films, TV shows, Hillary and Donald, climate change, their latest thrift store hunts, and just about everything in the world and beyond!

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PSA: How to Request for a BPI Credit Card Limit Increase?

Posted on October 9, 2019 | 3 comments

Since the launch of the new BPI website, access to request an increase for your credit card limit is no longer available online. You would have to call their hotlines to request one.

Metro Manila: (all areas with “02” area code) 889-10000

Domestic Toll-Free No: 1-800-188-89100 (available for PLDT)

Mobile phone and International Access: +632 889-10000

So today, I called their hotline to request an increase and was assisted accordingly, but that was after being on hold for 11 minutes.

The following is the information the customer representative asked me to provide for the request report.

1. Credit card number.

2. Your name, date of birth, Mother’s maiden name.

She asked me how much my desired increase is and the reason behind the request. I simply told her that I would be traveling this holiday, and I feel that my current limit isn’t sufficient since I mostly conduct my transactions online.

She then advised me that I would need to email my payslips from the last two months and the latest COE stating my monthly compensation to documents@bpi.com.ph.

Once I sent the required documents, she mentioned that there would be a minimum of 5 banking days for verification and an additional 5-7 days on top of the initial five days for the credit card department to process it.

I’ve already sent the required documents, and today marks the beginning of the waiting game. I will update this entry once I receive confirmation of my desired request or information on the speed of their process.

Stay tuned!

UPDATE: I forgot to provide an update on this matter. My apologies. It’s been over a year, and I believe they still follow the same process for requesting a credit increase. They granted my request after almost two weeks; I received an email and a text message confirming it. Although the approved amount wasn’t what I desired, I was grateful that they still approved the request. Some acquaintances who are clients of BPI told me that the bank is conservative when it comes to these matters, so I wasn’t too concerned. Just last year (2020), they automatically increased my limit, which was significantly higher than my initial limit, so I’m quite pleased about that. I assume I’ll just wait for them to automatically adjust my credit limit this year.

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Nendoroid Doll and Obitsu 11cm Body Comparison!

Posted on July 31, 2019 | 1 comment

I accidentally discovered the Nendoroid world last year when I searched for some local Obitsu stuff sellers on Facebook. It led me to Nendo Farm – a group created by one of the Philippines’ local Nendoroid and Obitsu distributors.

As per its Wiki definition: The Nendoroid series is a brand of plastic figures created by the Japanese Good Smile Company in 2006. They typically depict anime, manga, or video games and are designed with a large head and a more petite body to give them a cute appearance. Their faces and other body parts are exchangeable, giving them a range of different expressions and poses. The Nendoroid brand spans a variety of different products: the original 10 cm figures, smaller Nendoroid Petite figures, additional display tools known as the Nendoroid More series, as well as plushies and playsets. Several video games have also been released based on Nendoroid designs.

In 2018, Good Smile Company introduced the Nendoroid Doll series. It is the latest addition to the Nendoroid series, which features the same Nendoroid heads, but an alternate doll-like body that is highly articulated and can easily be dressed up into different outfits while remaining a palm-sized action figure!

Obitsu (doll) body meanwhile are a type of ball-jointed body manufactured by the company Parabox.

In this post, I will show you the comparison between a Nendoroid Doll body and an Obitsu doll body. See, you can use the Nendoroid heads to Obitsu 11cm bodies, resulting in a hybrid doll popularly known in the toy community as Obitsuroid!

This photo shows a male Nendoroid Doll body and an Obitsu 11CM body (non-gendered).

Nendoroid doll bodies comes with three different colors – cream, peach and cinnamon while Obitsu is more varied with its Whitey, Pure White, Natural (Fleshtone) and Pure Black color.

Their height is just about the same with the Obitsu body just a tad bit higher. They can usually share clothing although Obitsu tends to be a bit bigger.

Edit: I’ve just realized that the rest of the article I wrote about this topic was not fully uploaded when I visited my site this morning! I was so busy that I usually do auto-posts, so imagine my horror when I saw that the entire article I’ve been writing for so long was nowhere to be found.

I accidentally discovered the Nendoroid world last year when I searched for some local Obitsu stuff sellers on Facebook. It led me to Nendo Farm – a group created by one of the Philippines’ local Nendoroid and Obitsu distributors.

As per its Wiki definition: The Nendoroid series is a brand of plastic figures created by the Japanese Good Smile Company in 2006. They typically depict anime, manga, or video games and are designed with a large head and a more petite body to give them a cute appearance. Their faces and other body parts are exchangeable, giving them a range of different expressions and poses. The Nendoroid brand spans a variety of different products: the original 10 cm figures, smaller Nendoroid Petite figures, additional display tools known as the Nendoroid More series, as well as plushies and playsets. Several video games have also been released based on Nendoroid designs.

In 2018, Good Smile Company introduced the Nendoroid Doll series. It is the latest addition to the Nendoroid series, which features the same Nendoroid heads, but an alternate doll-like body that is highly articulated and can easily be dressed up into different outfits while remaining a palm-sized action figure!

Obitsu (doll) body meanwhile are a type of ball-jointed body manufactured by the company Parabox.

In this post, I will show you the comparison between a Nendoroid Doll body and an Obitsu doll body. See, you can use the Nendoroid heads to Obitsu 11cm bodies, resulting in a hybrid doll popularly known in the toy community as Obitsuroid!

This photo shows a male Nendoroid Doll body and an Obitsu 11CM body (non-gendered).

Nendoroid doll bodies come in three different colors – cream, peach, and cinnamon, while Obitsu is more varied with its Whitey, Pure White, Natural (Fleshtone), and Pure Black color.

Their height is just about the same, with the Obitsu body just a tad bit higher. They can usually share clothing, although Obitsu tends to be a bit bigger.

UPDATED: Here’s a Nendoroid Doll of Deku celebrating the new year! He can actually stand on his own but it’d take a bit of time to achieve it. The Obitsu body may not be perfectly fit with the Nendoroid head but it could easily stand on its own.

As you can see, he’s perfectly perched on top of my luggage looking oh-so-cute!

Another thing is that Nendoroid body all comes with magnetic sole, while for Obitsu you can choose to buy with or without one.

This is a Nendoroid Doll: Boy Archetype.
And this one is the Natural Skin Color of an 11cm Obitsu Body.

They’re actually pretty enjoyable to play with, to display and to look at buy they could be very expensive. So, make sure to check them out at your favorite toy stores!

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Binbining Pilipinas 2019 Review: Winners, Heartbreaks and Vindication!

Posted on June 17, 2019 | Leave a comment

I wasn’t able to closely follow this year’s edition like the previous year because I’ve been so busy with work. So, I pretty much got my updates through social media and from my pageant-fanatic friends. A week and a half leading up to the coronation night, I decided to watch most of their videos, check out their photos, and even visited forums to come up with my top favorites. Below are my top 10 favorites based on everything I’ve seen and read about them.

1. Vickie Rushton
2. Gazini Ganados
3. Samantha Lo
4. Aya Abesamis
5. Leren Mae Bautista
6. Emma Tiglao
7. Patch Magtanong
8. Julia Saubier
9. Hannah Arnold
10. Samantha Bernardo

The Coronation Night AKA In partnership of Miss Universe Philippines and Binibining Pilipinas *rolls eyes*

“I absolutely loved the very Pinoy theme of the opening number with its own song, ‘Raise Your Flag,’ inspired by Catriona’s answer during Miss Universe 2018. I loved the vibrant lighting of the stage and the very simple stage design, but from afar, it looks a bit dark.

The introduction where the girls are wearing all-white looks really good with the Philippine Flag on the LCD behind them.

Hosts Richard Guttierez and Anne Curtis are back as this year’s main hosts, while Binibining Pilipinas – Grand International 2015 Nicole Cordoves serves as the segment host, and she was just fantastic as usual!

Richard somehow redeemed himself here after receiving flak from his 2018 gig. He was more relaxed, though he forgot Leren Mae during the Q&A, but it was easily edited on TV so all’s good.

Anne, meanwhile, was such a joy to watch! She’s very professional and very charming at the same time! I’d love to see her come back next year!

What’s so prominent about this edition is its pacing! From the first cut up to the question and answer, everything was done quickly. I was also checking Facebook and Twitter while inside the Big Dome and learned that the live audience was just a segment ahead of the telecast!

Swimsuit and Evening Gown Competition:

For the swimsuit round, a reggae band played while the top 25 sashayed in their blue swimwear. The girls were given a choice to wear either one-piece or two-piece swimsuits. Binibining Bataan, Bea Patricia Magtanong, surprisingly ended up topping this round of the competition. My personal pick during this round was Emma Tiglao from Pampanga.

The evening gown portion was another highlight – that segment was just mesmerizing! I loved this presentation even better than last year’s. There were a lot of standout gowns here, making it anybody’s ballgame, but it probably boiled down to presentation, with eventual Miss Universe Philippines winner Gazini Ganados from Talisay, Cebu, nailing it from head to toe with that alluring smile! Her aviary-inspired Cary Santiago gown was to die for! My favorites here are Gazini, Aya Abesamis, and Samantha Lo.

Face of Binibini
This is one of the three major awards given that night, and I really thought that this was locked for Vickie who earlier in the night amassed the majority of awards from the pageant’s sponsors. So, what a pleasant surprise it was when Gazini snatched it, looking very surprised herself..

The Farewell Walks of the 2018 Queens!

The 2018 Queens did really well internationally, with the obvious ring leader being the reigning Miss Universe, Catriona Gray, getting the spotlight during the farewell walks. I loved her speech after her AVP, although a bit long, it was really a touching moment. She really is a one-in-a-million queen!

What I was hoping to happen in this segment, though, was a little more acknowledgment for Karen Gallman, who made history as well as the country’s first Miss Intercontinental winner. The farewell messages and final walks of the five girls felt like mere afterthoughts compared to Queen Cat.

Announcement of Winners!

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray crowning Miss Universe Philippines 2019 Gazini Ganados of Talisay, Cebu.
(photos via normanorman)

The New Miss Universe Philippines 2019!
Gazini Christiana Jordan Ganados made her mark in the latter part of the coronation when she sashayed onto the stage with her Cary Santiago neon pink evening gown. She was just breathtaking during her turn, stealing the thunder from the night’s favorite, Vicky Rushton, who strutted after her. Her pasarela wasn’t the strongest, but nobody could deny that face! Her awards for Best in Evening Gown and Face of the Binibini (Miss Photogenic) are truly well-deserved wins! She may not be a Catriona during the Q&A, but she was charming and had grace under pressure. Even if some would argue that her answer isn’t the best, it is undeniable that she was the most mesmerizing, ensuring the top plum for Talisay City, Cebu!

The Pride of Bataan is going International!
Patch is one of the most hyped contestants this edition, and for a lot of good reasons – statuesque beauty, impressive credentials, and good communication skills. Everyone inside the coliseum knew that after she delivered a very convincing answer during the Q&A, she would end up winning one of the crowns. Some fans were disappointed that she “only” nabbed the Binibining Pilipinas – International title, but I honestly feel that she’d do well in the Japanese-based pageant and may even end up winning it all. It’s also clear that Gazini outperformed her all throughout the night, so she should be thanking her lucky stars that she even ended up second in ranking, with other girls like Lo, Tiglao, and Saeed trailing behind fiercely.

Resham is now on my radar!
Resham Saeed wasn’t even on my radar prior to the finals night. I had seen her free-speech delivery and was duly impressed by it, but I was blinded by the early frontrunners and didn’t pay her a glance or two. Lo and behold, though, the girl cemented her status as a crown-worthy contender with her sultry swimsuit catwalk and gift of gab. She may need more polishing and better styling, but that’s what Binibini is there for, and I’m pretty sure she’ll be explosive come Miss Supranational in Poland later this year.

Samantha Lo is a Miss Universe Philippines in the making but…

This was Samantha’s first national pageant, and she made it all the way to the winners’ circle by clinching the Binibining Pilipinas – Grand International title. I’m still not sure how to feel about her winning the said title, but given Samantha’s assertiveness, I know that she’ll be fighting hard and will represent our country well in Venezuela later this year. It’s a shame that the owner of her international assignment has an ongoing beef with Filipino pageant fans and seems to be in revenge mode. And hosting his pageant in Venezuela? What the hell was he thinking?!

Enough of that for now, this is about Samantha, so I’d just like to say how impressive her performance was during the finals. She was so-so during the swimsuit round, but she was definitely one of the best during the evening gown portion of the competition. Her pink evening gown with a black silhouette accentuated her boxy (no pun intended) body and made her look every inch like the queen she is. And of course, it is without question that she provided the best answer during the Q&A – it must have been a very difficult deliberation for the judges!

Had her fellow Cebuana Gazini not performed explosively and charmed the whole of Araneta, she’d definitely be a good alternative too!

The Vindication of Emma Tiglao!

Emma’s biggest Waterloo during her Miss World Philippines and first Binibining Pilipinas stints was the question and answer rounds. These girls are smart, but some aren’t just as spontaneous, and this is where Emma keeps falling short, so it was with relief that she was able to sail through the Q&A like a boss and finally bag a national crown! She was flawless throughout the night, and I really thought that she’d be sent to Miss International or Miss Supranational, but I guess SMA wanted a back-to-back crowning in Miss Intercontinental, and Emma’s sheer beauty is an ace that could achieve that.

Leren Mae Bautista Barely Made it…
Leren is one of the girls pegged as possible successors to the Miss Universe Philippines crown going into the competition. Her exotic look was glaring throughout the night, making her a potential contender for the top crown. However, during the Q&A, despite being considered one of the girls with good communication skills, she was just mediocre, to say the least. Nonetheless, her beauty and presentation definitely left a mark on the judges, enough for her to creep into the winners’ circle.

Aya’s One Big Moment
Despite not securing one of the ‘coveted’ six titles, Maria Andrea Verdadero Abesamis will always be remembered as a fighter after redeeming herself from last year’s unsuccessful bid for a crown. Aya came back more polished. She was vibrant on stage and even channeled her mother, Desiree, when she competed for Miss Universe 1984 during the Evening Gown competition. Her readiness was evident last Sunday, and although she fell short of clinching a title, her runner-up finish is still a good note to end her pageant career! She should be proud of herself, for it must have been very difficult to do this all over again!

Samantha’s Sorrow…
Samantha Mae Bernardo may have finished with a runner-up title, but it’s probably a bittersweet moment for her since she also garnered the same placing at last year’s Binibining Pilipinas edition. Many thought that she did well, but she probably just fell short of getting a few more votes from the judges to secure a title. If it’s any consolation, she still has another chance next year to clinch a title as she’s still qualified age-wise. She just has to remember that Pia had to join three times and even went home empty-handed on her second try, and she had to work hard on her journey to win the Miss Universe crown. I have a feeling that this isn’t the end for Samantha’s pageant journey – I just hope that she keeps at it.

The Heartbreaking Exclusion of a Fan Favorite:

Last year’s 1st Runner-up, Vickie Rushton, is one of the fan favorites and frontrunners leading up to last night’s finals. She was on her way to nabbing one of the crowns, if not the top plum, until the dreaded Q&A got to her. She was asked why mental health is as important as physical health. She already started wobbly and was about to recover until the live audience (unheard through the TV) started jeering, and the girl who’s perceived to be THE ONE TO BEAT all night long lost her train of thought and regrettably resigned to the inevitable.

I was really hoping that she’d do a Karen Gallman and still end up winning one of the crowns; alas, the judges deemed the other girls’ answers too strong for them to spare her a title. It was just heartbreaking to see her defeated expression after her turn in the Q&A portion. Online sources are stating that she’s already 27, thus overage to join again next year, but for now, I hope she finds time to rest and be with the people who love and support her. And I also hope that people will stop shaming her for her Q&A performance because I could only guess how difficult it is to be in her position last Sunday.

Conclusion:
Overall, I can confidently say that this is one of the best Binibining Pilipinas editions I’ve watched to date. The pacing was much better, the hosts were excellent overall, and the quality of the contestants was among the best we’ve had in years – I’d even go as far as to say that this is the most competitive edition in the last five years. Although the pre-pageant took months due to the Miss Universe Philippines franchise hoopla, we were still treated to a surprisingly amazing show. The camera work was a bit lacking at some parts, but overall, it was a well-delivered show. Kudos to ABS-CBN and to the Binibining Pilipinas Organization for bringing us another awesome edition of the most beautiful night in the Philippines!

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ICYMI: André Aciman’s “Find Me” – Sequel to Call Me By Your Name

Posted on May 4, 2019 | Leave a comment

Hey y’all Elio and Oliver fans! If you’re still hung up with Elio & Oliver from the book and film of the same name, Call Me By Your Name – then you’re up for a great weekend surprise as the book cover for the sequel to Call Me By Your Name, Find Me, has been revealed by André Aciman on his Twitter account. Aciman tweeted: “Here’s the cover of my forthcoming novel, FIND ME, where you’ll rediscover Elio and Oliver. Coming October 2019.”

I absolutely loved this cover!!!! It brings me back to that little Italian village when Elio and Oliver met for the first time!

And you guys know what this means!!!! A definite, definite film sequel! Although for those of you who have not read the book yet, (SPOILER ALERT!!!) it was actually already a bit conclusive in my opinion. So in this book, we may have Elio and Oliver just a bit older than the first one and it is still sadly going to be a bittersweet ending for our lovelies… But maybe the movie could end up on a happy note after all? Paging Luca, give us the ending we want please!!!

And for those of you who have not seen this film which should be a crime, tbh – you can now stream it on Netflix!!! Okkkuurrrt

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Book Review: Peter Green and the Unliving Academy: This Book is Full of Dead People (The Unliving Chronicles, #1) – Angelina Allsop

Posted on April 23, 2019 | Leave a comment

Paperback, 244 pages
Published November 18th 2018 by Tck Publishing
Genre & Themes: Young Adult, Humor, Family, Death, Adventures, Magic, Horror
Characters: Peter Green

Blurb:
Fourteen-year-old Peter Green can’t remember how he died.

All he has are his pajamas, a silk tie, and a one-way bus ticket to Mrs. Battisworth’s Academy and Haven for Unliving Boys and Girls, a strange and spooky school for dead orphans like himself. But that’s all he needs: the Unliving Academy has everything, from vampires in the hallways, to monsters in the cafeteria, to ghosts in the basement.

And that’s just the teachers; the students are far stranger.

As Pete learns to fit in with his new supernatural schoolmates, he starts to discover his own uniquely undead abilities, and even begins enjoying his life after death…but he just can’t shake the feeling that he’s forgotten something (or somebody!) important.

Somebody he left behind in the land of the living.

Somebody he loved very much.

Somebody who’s in terrible danger.

Peter Green and the Unliving Academy is the captivating first installment of Angelina Allsop’s Unliving series of young adult fantasy novels. If you like reading about fun-filled adventures, fully realized new worlds, and the most unlikely of heroes, you’re sure to love Allsop’s spirited coming-of-age tale.

Fans of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, the Charlie Bone Series by Jenny Nimmo, and The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton will enjoy this young adult fantasy series.

You’ll love the Peter Green series if you like reading these types of books:

Young adult and YA fantasy novels
Ghosts, zombies, and mythical beasts
Young adult adventure stories (less)

I am a fan of reading fantasy books, especially the ones that involves supernatural adventures. Enter Peter Green and the Unliving Academy which reminded me of the Harry Potter series right off the bat since it involves a school, kids and some sort of magic but this one is set in the afterlife and the school is for dead underage orphans! Pretty intriguing yeah?

The protagonist is Peter Green who cannot remember anything from his past life and finds himself in Purgatory. Being underage and without parents, he must attend school. It’s at the Unliving Academey that he met fellow ‘orphans’ and unique creatures which resulted to a ruckus of adventures and Peter finds himself in a journey of self-discovery.

I absolutely adore Peter. He’s such a great character and I loved how he’s a regular teenager but is polite, brave, loyal and isn’t afraid to show his feelings!

Granted, the beginning of the book for me was a bit slow but once it got to introducing new characters, it picked up speed and the arc for each character such as Mrs. Battisworth’s (the Academy’s headmaster) became interesting! Her story-arc is actually my favorite in the book.

Although it felt that the ending was a bit rushed, I still enjoyed all the elements in it. There was an instance that I tear up a little and I think that how I know that the story is a really good one if it was able to bring forth an emotion out of its readers.

I highly recommended this to middle schoolers and young adult readers – and yuppies like myself who loves the likes of Harry Potter!

Big thanks to TCK Publishing for sending me an ARC of this book to review in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

About the Author
Angelina Allsop is an Amazon Best Selling Author who lives with her husband, Bryce, and their very old and very fat bulldog, Roree, in rural Arizona. She enjoys being outside on rainy days, reading, and of course, writing about all the adventures that happen in her head.

Her debut novel, The Dead Orphanage, now called The Unliving Chronicles, is an award-nominated Otherworld book that hit the top-selling charts in its first month. If you love fantasy adventure, mythical fantasy and young adult book then you will LOVE this coming of age adventure book! Look for the rest of the haunting series coming soon!

Books for Adults and School Agers are coming soon as well! Join my VIP mailing lists for updates, free books, and giveaways at AAAllsop.com.

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Book Review: Return to Sender – Julia Alvarez

Posted on April 3, 2019 | Leave a comment

Hardcover, 327 pages
Published January 13th 2009 by Knopf Books for Young Readers (first published January 1st 2009)

Blurb: After Tyler’s father is injured in a tractor accident, his family is forced to hire migrant Mexican workers to help save their Vermont farm from foreclosure. Tyler isn’t sure what to make of these workers. Are they undocumented? And what about the three daughters, particularly Mari, the oldest, who is proud of her Mexican heritage but also increasingly connected her American life. Her family lives in constant fear of being discovered by the authorities and sent back to the poverty they left behind in Mexico. Can Tyler and Mari find a way to be friends despite their differences?

In a novel full of hope, but no easy answers, Julia Alvarez weaves a beautiful and timely story that will stay with readers long after they finish it.

It’s been a while since I posted something here. It was hella busy for me at work and I didn’t have any access with my laptop for sometime. Anyway, I was at the National Book Store Book Blowout last February when I chanced up this book with an award sticker at the Children’s section. Apparently, the book is one of the two winners of the 2010 Americas Award for Children and Young Adult’s Literature. The awards sticker did catch my attention but more than anything, its blurb is what made me decide to grab it apart from it being on sale.

This story is a timely read especially with what’s happening with immigrants around the world particularly in the United States where immigration and border issues has become one of the focal discussions of the administration.

The story revolves around two families – a farming family and a migrant working family and the friendship that developed between Tyler, a Vermont farm boy and Mari, daughter of illegal immigrants and how this bond will push through the boundaries of their differences.

I loved the way the author took different approaches in telling the story through Tyler and Mari. We get two different point of views in two different styles. I loved how we get a closer glance via Mari’s letter and diary entries and then we have Tyler with his no-nonsense outlook about the faces illegal immigration. I loved that we get to see different perspectives leading us to understand more and be able to empathize with both sides.

I’m first to admit that what’s happening with the Mexican immigrants and immigrants around the world in general and tare things I only see on TV, hear on the news and mostly see online especially with the advent of social media, so I am just basing my opinions on what I see and what I feel towards the matter but in a way, this book made me realized that there’s more to it that we do not understand through the perspectives of the immigrants, on why they do the things they have to do, on why they do these ‘sacrifices.’ The story was quite heart wrenching at times but also hopeful. It tends to be a bit preachy but over all, I though it’s a good representation of what’s happening now. It is a lesson our young ones as well as the uninformed on how we’re all just human despite of our differences. This is an absolute-must read since it’s very timely and the resonance of the story will transcends race whether one is an immigrant or not.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

About The Author
Julia Álvarez was born in New York City. Her parents moved back to the Dominican Republic when Álvarez was 3 months old and she was raised there until she was 10, when the family moved back to NYC.

She is currently writer-in-residence at Middlebury College and the owner of a coffee farm named Alta Gracia, near Jarabacoa in the mountains of the Dominican Republic. The farm hosts a school to teach local farmers and their families how to read and write.

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Quick Post: My 2019 Oscars Predictions!

Posted on February 25, 2019 | Leave a comment

I am sharing to you what I’ve submitted to this year’s Pinoy Exchange Oscars Prediction Pool!

Best Picture – Roma

Best Director – Alfonso Cuaron, Roma

Best Actress – Glenn Close, The Wife

Best Actor – Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody

Best Supporting Actress – Amy Adams, Vice

Best Supporting Actor – Mahershala Ali, Green Book

Best Original Screenplay – Roma

Best Adapted Screenplay – BlacKkKlansman

Best Animated Feature – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Best Foreign Language Film – Roma

Best Documentary – RBG

Best Film Editing – Vice

Best Original Score – Mary Poppins Returns – Marc Shaiman

Best Original Song – Shallow, A Star is Born

Best Cinematography – Roma

Best Visual Effects – Black Panther

Best Sound Editing – A Quiet Place

Best Sound Mixing – Bohemian Rhapsody

Best Production Design – The Favourite

Best Makeup and Hairstyling – Vice

Best Costume Design – The Favourite

Best Documentary Short Subject – Black Sheep

Best Live Action Short Film – Mother

Best Animated Short Film – Bao

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