I Met My Virtual Assistant in the Philippines and Performed a Magic Show in the Slums of Manila!

I recently returned home after exploring the mesmerizing landscapes of the Philippines for two whole weeks! The experience was nothing short of extraordinary. Below, I share some highlights that I had before meeting my virtual assistant, MJ Nicasio, and performing a magic show for some people who would likely never have the chance to see one.

My adventure kicked off in Cebu. Although the city itself was intriguing, I was definitely more drawn to the surrounding provinces. Escaping the city buzz was as easy as hopping on the back of a motorbike, allowing me to venture into the serene countryside.

I visited the enchanting Sirao Garden for some breathtaking views.

Then I made my way to the Temple of Leah, where you could see a panoramic view of Cebu City.

I am a big fan of waterfalls and noticed that the Budlaan falls were also in this area. With some help from the locals I was able to navigate my way through the bush to find this hidden gem.

After Cebu I traveled south of the island to Oslob where I had the opportunity to swim with whale sharks. While this docile fish may look scary, whale sharks do not pose any danger to humans. Probably a good thing because I had no idea this giant was behind me at the time!

After that I took the most uncomfortable motorbike ride of my life to catch the Kawasan Falls Zip Line.

This is the 2nd longest dual cable zip line in Asia and served as an exciting mode of transportation to the beginning of my canyoneering adventure.

The Kawasan falls was undoubtedly my highlight of Cebu Island!

The falls consist of a three-stage cascade of clear turquoise water from mountain springs located in the jungles of the island.

The largest waterfall is about 40 meters high...

... followed by smaller cascades and turquoise water pools that welcome swimming as part of your commute.

The canyoneering journey lasted over three hours and was truly amazing. From cliff jumping to rope swinging, every moment was a testament to the sheer adrenaline and natural beauty that surrounded me in this jungle oasis.

If you ever visit Cebu Island, I highly recommend you experience this adventure!

After wrapping things up in Cebu, I hopped on a plane to Boracay Island and this place was amazing!

My original plan was to stay for just 4 or 5 days then fly to Palawan, but by the time I got there I was so sick of airplanes. I was traveling all over Thailand before this. I quickly realized that Boracay island had enough fun things to do for me to extend my stay a little longer.

My biggest highlight of Boracay Island was E-foil surfing. I had seen these electric surfboards on the internet before and was super excited to try one for the first time!

Other activities included snorkeling, boat rides, island hopping, checking out underwater caves, enjoying the nightlife, experiencing the culture, exploring the island on a bicycle, and indulging in delicious food and far too many cocktails.

Finally, the moment arrived to meet my virtual assistant, MJ, in person after a year of working together.

MJ handles all my emails, she runs my calendar, does my invoicing, writes my contracts, edits my pictures, my videos, my website, and she even planned this entire trip for me. She’s amazing!

In Manila we had a little one year anniversary celebration, then prepared for the final endeavor of my trip.

One of the things that I wanted to do while visiting the Philippines was to perform a magic show for people who would likely never have the chance to see one. For this, I felt there was no better place than the slums of Manila.

Our driver dropped us off at a Barangay Office to meet with some officials to escort us into the slums.

Surprisingly, six of us were able to cram into this little motorbike with a sidecar to make our way into the stark realities of urban poverty and inequality.

As a foreigner, this is definitely not a place you want to venture into alone. I was very grateful to have a team by my side for security.

I was nervous when entering, but believed that if I lead with love and had the intention to give, then everything should be fine. We didn’t have to enter very far until the word spread and an excited crowd formed.

There was definitely a language barrier and it was a bit of a rough crowd at times. But like laughter, magic can be a universal language and I was relieved to see that they welcomed the show with excitement!

After the show we made a food donation before making our way out of the area, just in time before dark.

I was very pleased with how everything went. MJ did a fantastic job organizing the event and I certainly could not have done this without the help of her and her husband Miguel.

As the night came to an end I said my farewell to both of them. It was an absolute pleasure to meet MJ in person and I look forward to continuing our professional relationship of working together.

Here, I leave you with the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen. This picture was taken from White Beach at Boracay Island.

My visit to the Philippines was nothing short of exceptional, I certainly hope to return again one day again soon!

Thank you for reading!