About

Lakwatsera is a Filipino term pertaining to a female (the male is lakwatsero) that is always going from place to place, traveling. When I chose to become a geologist, I had the opportunity to visit different places…

I believe that life is one great adventure. Our planet is a great place to explore, speaking both as a geologist and a lakwatsera.

I grew up in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. Even then, I liked to try different things. I particularly liked to write, on top of all the things I ventured into. After high school, I left my hometown to study geology at the University of the Philippines, and that’s when my wanderlust kicked in. Geology offered a lot of chances for excursions (fieldworks are necessary parts of our courses), and I discovered the joys of traveling. After graduation, I felt that I still had a lot to learn (the mark of a researcher, they say) so I entered graduate school and started teaching geology. I got to share my passion with bright young minds, and at the same time I had more opportunities to travel. I joined the UP Mountaineers and heeded the call of the great outdoors. I felt that I was on one adventure after another, with fieldwork and climbs alternating with each other. I finished my Masters, and proceeded to pursue a PhD degree in Japan, where I am now working as a post-doc researcher. The nature of my work coupled with living abroad has considerably widened my playground. I am now able to embark on adventures (mostly for free or as budget side excursions to official trips) that not only cover the Philippines and Asia, but the rest of the world as well.

And my (mis)adventures are what I want to share with you.