Hello, Hivers!
Marie is my pseudonym and I wanted to be called by that name since it's close to my real name. I am 163 cm tall. People usually ask me if I have foreign blood because of my looks. According to my mom, we have Indian blood, on my father’s side, they have Spanish blood. Our family is originally from Luzon. When I was four we moved to Cebu because my aunt (my mom's twin sister) opened a small business here and they needed manpower, and my late mother didn't want to be separated from her twin 😅. Growing up in Cebu; feels like a vibe of originally from here. This beautiful island welcomed us warmly. And a strong sense of local pride. Our family started from scratch until we were able to buy some properties. This is where I studied, and began to build my own family, and this is where my mom passed away. I have a lot of enjoyable and heartbreaking memories here, But I still love Cebu! I am proud to say that I am a Cebuano by heart.
WHAT I DO FOR LIVING
I am a freelance Singer. I have been to places that I never imagined or planned to go there. I was 22 years old when I first traveled abroad, to Malaysia. I went there to work as a singer in a hotel lounge. I am in a sequencer band where we use musical instruments like a keyboard, guitar, and a laptop to enhance some of the music. The next location is in the UAE. In the UAE, I played with a full band; Four female, and two male singers, and the rhythm section, including a guitarist, drummer, bass player, and keyboardist. Our accommodation is at the hotel. It was the best experience because imagine living in a hotel, dining at the hotel restaurant for free, meeting new people and friends, earning money, and receiving tips and gifts. I feel like a star. I thank God for giving me this talent and opportunity but don't expect too much. As much as I want to sing all the popular songs with high notes, unfortunately, my ability to sing is limited. I am not a belter singer - don't expect me to perform Whitney, Celine, or Beyonce songs, I don't want to murder their piece 😁. According to the pitch detector app, my vocal range is alto. I have a variety of repertoire from love songs, and rock to disco tunes, from oldies to the latest. My forte is Bossa Nova. My voice blends best whenever I sing Bossa Nova or jazzy songs. It's the food of my soul. I can say that it's my comfort genre.
Singing is my passion and I love my job as a singer, but as most freelance singers or musicians say. "There is a limit to everything, when you age you will no longer be relevant especially female singers." And it hit me hard. This career path is good when you are young. After my UAE contract, I decided to pursue a college degree in my hometown. I earned a bachelor's degree in teaching and passed the licensure exam. I've been teaching as a substitute teacher in public schools a few years back. Now, I am a full-time mom. I am still singing as a side gig on weekends 🙂.
MY MOTHERHOOD JOURNEY
I am a mother of three and my children’s age gap is 12 years from the eldest to the second child and 4 years from the second to the youngest. Imagine that long age gap. It is chaotic. The eldest is in his teens and having small siblings is challenging to him. He didn’t want to play with his siblings because he wanted to do his things, while the second child was not prepared to have a baby sister. She wanted our full attention to be with her. My youngest child is still a toddler, playful, needs more attention, and is very clingy, she’s a breastfed and picky eater. Every day is a struggle. As a mother I wanted to give them the best, the attention & their daily needs, I feel drained, and I easily get annoyed with them, well it's normal, I am human, and I get tired but I need to adapt and learn things based on their age level. I am not used to it, my eldest son grew up with my parents while working abroad. I am still learning my motherhood phase.
INTERESTS AND HOBBIES
I love to eat and try new cuisines; food fascinates me. Whenever I try a new dish, I attempt to cook it. I also want to learn to bake, and soon, if given the chance, I will enroll in baking classes. I desire to travel, especially on nature trips: going to the mountains, swimming in the springs, and visiting the beach. I prefer swimming in spring more than at the beach. During my younger days, I explored a lot; I enjoyed adventures. But now, I don't have time; I'm tied up at home with the kids. I still hope to do it again someday with my family.
WHY I'M HERE
I was browsing a social media platform when I stumbled upon a Content Creator, now my mentor @IntoyBugoy. I was astonished to learn that there is a platform for inspiring bloggers where you earn, at the same time. It was one of my dreams to write stories although I am hesitant because I am not a good writer; Well, there is always room for that because Learning is a continuous process- I am grateful to Sir Intoy for patiently explaining the process and sharing his experiences with me. Thank you, Sir! More power to you!
WHAT TO EXPECT IN MY BLOG?
A pure POV of my life adventures. Stay updated. 😉