Sun, 2 for 1 margaritas, snorkeling, white beach, palm trees, mangoes… I had a picture perfect image of what my spring break was going to look like. I booked a flight to idyllic Boracay, the Philippines, well in advance, so I was all set, right?
The day before I left, I told my friends “Uhm.. you might want to check the news”. Visions of sun, cocktails and sarongs were replaced by warnings for earthquakes, tsunamis, nuclear catastrophes and evacuations of the Philippino east coast. Worried phone calls from parents soon followed. It is interesting how difficult and strange it is to worry about how our week of fun is in jeopardy, when you put it in the global perspective of how many people lost their lives or homes. It is impossible to balance the two.
Another interesting aspect of how everybody looks at these situations differently. Alex’s parents were the most worried and wanted him to stay put because they remembered Chernobyl and its effect on Germany. Carmen got the low-down on when and when not to grab on to something in case a tsunami hits. Kira’s parents thought everybody was overreacting and laughed at the idea of not going. I got some down-to-earth advice: “Watch the news and be careful. Have fun, we’re jealous”.
Fears set aside, we all decided to go to our paradise for the week. But surprise, surprise, upon arrival we had to deal with another depressing fact: rain. All of the above lead me to conclude that Mother Nature is in a funky, funky mood. So what you do on an island that revolves around sun, beach, cocktails and outdoorsy activities? YOU SHOP. Deciding it was too depressing to buy an umbrella in Boracay, we were soaked after fifteen minutes.
Apart from retail therapy, the incredibly friendly staff at the resort provided a lot of comfort as well. They tried their hardest to refer to everybody by their first name and had nothing but smiles for all of their guests. When we said our goodbyes at the end of the week, we were genuinely sad to leave them. They made it incredibly easy to focus on the great things in Boracay:
- Death by mango overdose is more likely at this point than a tsunami. They are the best I've ever had.
- A girl-talk gossip sesh over tea and mangoes, while the rain is dripping on the roof is actually a very relaxing, mellow and easy morning.
- A group of stranded travelers from all over the world, having the amazing local beers at night caused for a great ambiance.
Despite the initial set-backs, I had little trouble keeping my spirits up. I was convinced the weather would turn around before we left and if not, I would not let rain stand in the way of having fun. I know how to handle a moody Mother Nature. Come on- I was born in Holland.
Keep an eye on my blog for part two of Spring Break, in which I’ll report back to you on how it all turned around for the better – causing me to fall in love with this beautiful country.
