Philippe Lazaro
OCTOBER 2016

TED Talk!

Oh man, where do I even begin?? This past weekend was amazing, gratifying, and surreal.

Getting to give a TED Talk about storytelling as a force for change was an experience I’ll always smile about. So many people to thank.

First, the TEDx San Diego family. What a diverse, dynamic, and exciting crew to be a part of… can’t wait to see where all your journeys go from here. To Audrey Jacobs in particular for encouraging me to apply after my CreativeMornings talk and pouring a TON of love into this TED chapter… Invitation is your superpower! From the field trips to the speaker dinners, the whole thing was like a love letter to San Diego and the global reach of this city. Also to Jami, for all the speaker coaching, Amy for the marketing, and Olivia for all the support.

THEN… to the people of Burundi, Tanzania, Haiti, Bangladesh, Thailand, and all the other places that were referenced in my talk or influenced my work. This was your stage. Especially Enos and Antwan in Mutsindozi. The world needs to hear your stories. I really mean that. Your posture towards confronting daunting challenges is what we all need to learn from. I don’t take for granted your generosity and vulnerability in storytelling.

Finally, lots of love and thanks to everyone who streamed in, texted me kindness throughout the day, and supported me. Especially to my mom for looking after the littles so Deanna could spend the day in TED Town, and to @deanna.suzanna for unwavering support and keeping three kids alive while I was in Africa getting the stories I shared on stage!

Video should be published in several weeks. Best believe I’ll be sharing!

Event photos: @summerkias_photo_design
Hair & Makeup: @frangeli.na

Is Bohol Too Touristy?

Let’s talk about Bohol.

The smaller island across from Cebu is a beloved destination in the Philippines, and its appeal is fairly obvious. This place is teeming with natural wonders. The coastline gives you access to white sand beaches and coral reefs, and going to the heart of the island takes you to the Chocolate Hills, one of the Philippines’ natural wonders. You’ve got tarsiers and whale sharks and plenty to do.

Having actual family ties to the Philippines means I haven’t really gotten around to some of the big things that attract international visitors, and that’s always felt funny when I would hear people rave about their experiences. I really knew I needed to shift that, so on my most recent visit to the Philippines, I added Bohol to the itinerary.

The kids and I had a great time. BUT, there was a lot I didn’t expect. Like how curated the Bohol experience tended to be. I tried processing that encounter with the reality of ecotourism.

Tarsiers

Tarsiers.

These guys are some quirky creatures.

Tiny primates that still might snack on a bat every now and then. Big bug eyes. Only found in Southeast Asia, with this particular lineage being unique to the Philippines.

Trying to find respectful animal encounters abroad can be challenging and tricky, but my kids are at a golden age for learning about all the different creatures we share our planet with. And suggestions of spots you’ve loved and felt good about?

I Loved Toronto

This time last year I took Daniel on a surprise trip to Toronto and it quickly became one of my favorite cities.

I love that you have nature at your fingertips in pretty much every direction. There were some amazing city parks that I’d love to bring the kids to the next time I visit. I can put up with the cold and it’s otherwise a great spot for spending lots of time outdoors.

There were so many things to do for fun around the city. And a lot of good eats. So much food. If you’ve seen the video I made, you know that in one weekend we were able to taste food from 17 different cuisines.

Of course the reason why Toronto’s food scene is so good is related to my favorite thing about the city. It’s one of the most multicultural hot spots. It kind of felt like a place where I had a portal to just about anywhere else on Earth, and I love cities that feel that way.

It's TED Month

It’s June! And there’s a lot I’m looking forward to. Starting with my TED Talk in just two weeks.

One of the stories I’ll be sharing about is Antwan’s. I tell a lot of success stories of people working on climate solutions and resilience, but Antwan’s isn’t one of those stories. I met him because I saw he was burning trees to turn into charcoal and I saw the smoke from the roadside.

Every three years he cuts down all the trees around him for more charcoal.

I share this encounter though, because his reasons for doing so were simply to feed his family. This was the only activity he’s found that could bring in adequate cash when needed. It was a reminder to me that not everybody involved in deforestation is a greedy honcho with a cigar and gold chain. They’re out there, I’m sure. But the more we can humanize each other and understand causes, effects, and motivations, the more effective our solutions will be.

Storytelling Changes the World

I have an upcoming TED Talk on how storytelling can be a force for change. So I really believe that, right?

For sure. But one thing I struggle with is how romantic the word “storytelling” comes across. I wonder how many people overlook its power, dismissing it as simply pulling up to the town square yelling “gather round, gather round, let me tell you a tale!”

Obviously, what I’m talking about is something bigger than that… though it can definitely include some classic oral storytelling.

Our actions have an impact. They always do. Hell, our inaction has an impact too.

But what guides the way we act? Our understanding of the world, which is shaped by the stories we tell.

On the global scale, you can see how things unfolding in Ukraine, Palestine, or Ethiopia are all related to clashing stories people tell about whose land is whose.

But you’ve probably experienced this on an individual scale, too. Reframe the story you tell yourself about a breakup, your parents, or the place you live, and the way you respond to it changes as well.

One of the most powerful ways to change the world is to change the stories you tell about it.

Chapungu

I took a very fast work trip to Colorado earlier in the month. One of the biggest surprises was this: the Chupungu sculpture garden. This park full of walking trails was adorned with several large Shona sculptures, celebrating the life and culture of Southern Africa.

These sculptures offered these little vignettes into family and village life; their accompanying captions were so short but also so revealing. I always love stories that take you on a long journey and let you see that life is a tapestry of so many different moments. Some beautiful, some horrific, some seemingly mundane. But when you stand back, it’s all breathtaking.

Movies like Boyhood or books like Pachinko do this really well. This might be the first time a city park has made me feel that way, though! Good for you, Loveland, Colorado!

Baby Days Dwindling

Scuse me while I hop in some dad feels for a moment.

I got to spend a lot of time over the long weekend with all three kiddos and while they can be tiring, days where I’m mainly looking after the kids are so richly satisfying.

I got some great babies over here. So many more words now. More complex ways of expressing themselves. Hella personality and curiosity.

Lately, it’s been dawning on me that this baby phase is winding down. I know that the toddler stretch (which I’m simultaneously already in) has its own wildness. More independence, more ‘tude, sure. And while things don’t totally change overnight, they kinda did for Rhys. His second birthday pretty much brought full sentences, a new classroom, a new house, new siblings, all in a whirlwind.

I always end up a little more sentimental around October-November when the reality of all my kids blowing out another candle sinks in. And while there are a lot of challenges of these years I’ll be happy to move on from, I’ll miss a lot too, so I’m glad this is dawning on me a bit early, while I have some months to take it in.

If you roll back the clock to when we learned about Rhys and started mentally preparing, we’ve been doing this baby thing since early 2019. Five years, three kids, that’s a long stretch. And against the backdrop of a pandemic, housing price spikes, formula shortages and all that. I’m sure I’ve changed in so many ways during that window, many of which I won’t totally realize until I’ve had a moment to get used to being on the other side. This chapter has been so full of extremes, but we’ve done so in great company: each other’s.

Chocolate Hills ATV Ride

I think if you’re not regularly discovering things you’re kinda bad at, you might be a little too nestled in a comfort zone.

Happy to report that I am absolutely terrible at driving an ATV.

We had a visit planned to the Chocolate Hills, one of the Philippines’ natural wonders. I thought we could go beyond the usual pull-over-and-take-pics, so I booked us an hour with ATVs. My first time on one of these guys. Kept feeling like I would hit a pit that would send me out of the thing.

Got a little more in a groove after a bit, but pushing on that thumb accelerator hurt!

Making Up for Lost Time

I’ve interviewed a lot of people doing big things for nature. I remember several years ago talking to a South African lion conservationist, learning so much about all that goes in to protecting a species. I asked him where this journey all began and he cited a childhood in South Africa with a lot of time spent outdoors… not with lions per se, but in nature. Gaining an appreciation for the natural world.

This is such a common thread among environmental protectors, but you know what? This wasn’t my experience. I felt like I spent way too much time inside. Part of it was living in a suburban setting with parents who were really limited in their ability to move around a city that prioritized cars over people. I grew up hearing friends talk about their camping trips, and when I finally got the ability to take myself to the national parks and state forests I heard so much about… I was hooked.

All that to say, if you didn’t grow up with the most outdoorsy childhood, there’s still room for you to reconnect. We’re all part of creation, so we can’t ever be all that separated from the natural world when you think about it.

2023: Winter Reads

Last year, I barely read anything, thanks to having two newborns and a toddler. I was really hopeful I’d regain some space to read this year, and while I still don’t read anywhere near the volume that I used to, I’ve prioritized picking things I really want to read.

Here are some of the titles I’ve enjoyed this year:

📘 How to Tell a Story by The Moth
📘 How to Stop a Dictator by Maria Ressa
📔 Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman - this one really challenged my way of living!
📘 A Bigger Picture by Vanessa Nakate
📗 Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer - technically a reread, which I rarely do. But that’s how much I love this book.
📙 Insurrecto by Gina Apostol

Climbing Napulak

How to hike Mt. Napulak…

This hike was one of my favorite adventures this year so far, and a big part of it was the fact that simply getting to the start of the hike was an expedition. I found it on Google Maps, and while the pictures were gorgeous, it was unclear how to even get there.

It turned out to be a bit of an obstacle course. First, find your way to the small town of Igbaras.

Get to the town’s municipal hall. It’s on the upper floor of a building across from the public market. When we got there, a woman in the front knew exactly where to direct us.

You’ll sign in and she’ll direct you to Victor’s house. Just an ordinary house in a village.

It’s about 12 miles away. We didn’t meet Victor, but whoever was there let us use their kitchen change into your hiking clothes. By the time you’re done, your next ride will probably arrive.

Motorbikes came to pick us up and take us the to the Bagay Tourism Office- a one room output at the trailhead. That’s where you’ll pay an environmental fee and meet your guide.

And that was just the start of the adventure! It was beautiful, challenging, and definitely rewarding.

A Tale of Two Mothers Days

We are a collective of chaos muppets, but one of the things I’m most confident about is that the kids absolutely have as good of a mother as there is.

I love seeing her come up with brilliant activities for them, helping them develop the tools to handle big feelings, and being real and intentional with every single moment of motherhood.

It’s impossible to overstate how we’re all so much better because Deanna is who she is, where she is.

Swipe to see the difference a year makes.

Thanks Guatemala

One year ago, today, we were on our first journey as a family of five: Guatemala 🇬🇹

Antigua will always hold a special place in my life. I was coming out of a five month stretch of life completely revolving around taking care of newborns and a toddler. It was sweet and exciting, but I was also losing huge parts of myself.

Getting to travel and explore was a huge part of coming back to myself, and doing so with my kids made it more like a step towards the latest version of myself. An adventurer at heart with these young adventurers in tow, trying to figure out how all these pieces can fit together.

That question of presence, balance, and attention is still one I face daily, but this trip helped offer a lot of glimpses of what that could look like.

Thank you, Guatemala.

Dear Guatemala

My interest in Guatemala and the Mayan lands goes way, way back, but mentally I kind of always prioritized going to more distant places, assuming I was “saving” the closest country I hadn’t been to yet for a time when travel would be a little more complicated.

Glad that kinda worked out. I’m not usually one to wait on things I know I want to do. When my twins showed up, travel got a lot more complicated (whether or not they’re coming!) but I voraciously missed exploring new places.

Antigua was a beautiful first journey as a family of five. It’ll always hold that distinction in my memory.

Hiking Igbaras

How to hike Mt. Napulak…

This hike was one of my favorite adventures this year so far, and a big part of it was the fact that simply getting to the start of the hike was an expedition. I found it on Google Maps, and while the pictures were gorgeous, it was unclear how to even get there.

It turned out to be a bit of an obstacle course. First, find your way to the small town of Igbaras.

Get to the town’s municipal hall. It’s on the upper floor of a building across from the public market. When we got there, a woman in the front knew exactly where to direct us.

You’ll sign in and she’ll direct you to Victor’s house. Just an ordinary house in a village.

It’s about 12 miles away. We didn’t meet Victor, but whoever was there let us use their kitchen change into your hiking clothes. By the time you’re done, your next ride will probably arrive.

Motorbikes came to pick us up and take us the to the Bagay Tourism Office- a one room output at the trailhead. That’s where you’ll pay an environmental fee and meet your guide.

And that was just the start of the adventure! It was beautiful, challenging, and definitely rewarding.

Can I Climb This Mountain?

My love for the outdoors came despite not growing up in the most outdoorsy family. Throughout all my childhood visits to the Philippines, I don’t have as many experiences in the ocean or mountains as I would hope from one of the most ecologically phenomenal places.

I really tried to start setting this right with my own family on this most recent visit. I scanned some maps and found some of the most impressive looking mountains on the island of Panay. Then I tried to climb them.

But, figuring out how to even get to the start of this hike was an adventure in and of itself. All the usual maps were pretty useless. Instead I tried navigating using an eight year old blog post, hoping the person’s retelling of their hike was still accurate.