Nice People

Oh, Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Hope it was awesome and filled with love and appreciation for family, friends and SO’s.

In the recent days, I have lost count of how many times I have said “You are so nice. Thank you!” Here are some stories of nice people:

Nice Family #1: Marjorie, her son, Leon, and her brother:

I found a great coffee shop called Brown Cup to do some reading and catch up on emails. I asked the barista if there was a gym nearby because I was itching to try Zumba in the Philippines. The waiter didn’t know, but the woman next to me chimed in with a suggestion. We started chatting and I met her son, Leon, who is 5 years old, has curly hair, and kept saying, “Mommy, I love you!” What a good little support system. 

Then Marjorie’s brother came and suggested a yoga place in town, and then Marjorie called her cousin who gives hiking tours to see if he could give me a tour, and then she gave me her number in case I needed anything! 

Nice Person #2:

My Zumba teacher in Cebu!

This guy was great and danced to "Rodeo Romeo!"

Nice Family #3: 

Allyssa Camiso and her parents. My good friend and T-Rex leader, Josh Gross, introduced me to this family that he was close with when he lived in Cebu. I ended up celebrating Valentine’s Day with them at the Radisson Blu and they are amazing people. They took me to an incredible nature hike/playground because they knew I like active outdoor activities with fresh air. 

One of the few negative aspects of the Philippines is that the air is quite polluted because the majority of the vehicles emit potent fumes. But not at Uncle Rick’s and Auntie Nelda’s nature getaway. Rick and Nelda are the Camiso’s good friends, and they are developing a pristine plot of land in the mountains of Cebu. They didn’t know we were coming, but they were so excited when they saw us,  saying “come in! I have cake. try this banana and go explore the playground!” Their warmth and hospitality are traits I hope to develop and emulate in my lifetime. 

Uncle Rick, Auntie Nelda, Mr. and Mrs. Camiso, Allyssa and me

What's that??

On a related note, I feel strongly that everyone should have a community where they can share their success and confide any conundrums weighing on their minds. The research on the positive effects of strong social support systems on health, crime, economics and every aspect of life is undeniable. I like being the place where friends think to go when they want to talk or just read/sit quietly with company. It’s always an honor when a buddy knocks or calls or emails randomly and I feel that people encourage this where I've been traveling.