Letmestateatonce,thiswasthemostexciting Inowknowwhatitmeans.Ihad3keyrevela-
trip of my life. I went into it, assuming that I would sim-
tions in the Philippines over my 120-day tour.
ply return to my beach city life in Los Angeles, California
rested and inspired. But, it was eye-opening and ulti-
1 One of the best parts of being an Ameri-
But in addition, The MASA is an amazing
mately life-changing for me ­needless to say, I have yet
can: The Little Blue Passport. I'd already been
lifestyle and culture full of excitement, fam-
to return to LA.
across the world with my family and then the
ily values and a love that can remind you of
United States Air Force over the years. I even
what's truly important to succeed in both life
This `120 Days and 120 Nights as a Filipino' campaign
grew up in Nigeria, and was a product of The
and in business. Just imagine: what would
actually began as a 30-day tour; but, that wasn't nearly
American International School (A.I.S.), but I
you do if you only needed to work 4-hours
enough time. The tour shifted my paradigm: it showed
had taken it all for granted.
a day ­to be happy? Not rich...but wealthy.
me that life could be simple again, it could be exciting,
it showed me both the upside and the downside to be-
2 What life without `racism' would be like:
How would you feel if your color wasn't an is-
ing an American and it allowed me to `appreciate' again.
In America, today, with O'bama and Oprah
sue ­at all? Where would you live if you could
Today, I am able to enjoy life more, make more money,
we've come a very long way towards the
afford everywhere? Then, if you were already
work less and be more generous to more people than I
eradication of racism and prejudice. Howev-
rich, if you already had `arrived' then, what
ever imagined.
er, to be in a culture where the word doesn't
would you `work' for? Or, would you work at
even exist, that was eye-opening.
all? I answered all of these questions for my-
Please, excuse the picture quality; regular Filipinos
self -in the Philippines. So, I urge you to look
don't have award-winning photographers following
3 And, in the same regard, I learned what
at the Philippines as more than a vacation
them around or the leverage of being known as a celeb-
`being an American' truly meant: globally,
spot, or a place to have some fun.
rity where ever they go, so in the spirit of authenticity,
depending on what-side-of-the-table you sit
neither would I. The pictures were all taken with my
on, we are `The Good Guys.'
Enough words...here are some pictures.
personal digital camera ­a Fuji.
Thank you everyone who gave me a warm
Yes. The Philippines is an extraordinary tour-
welcome. Mahal ko po kayo! Salamat po!.
To begin, anticipating my soon-to-be remoteness, my
ist destination with miles of white sand
business partner Leslie, gave me a copy of `The 4-Hour
beaches, oceanfront resorts and world-class
Workweek' by Timothy Ferriss. And, I studied it like I was
restaurants that can easily make you forget
receiving actual college credits or something. I then,
that you're even in The Philippines.
systematically began relentlessly researching data and
converting my business on-line and outsourced every-
thing that I could. I used Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter,
1and1, PayPal, Western Union and even dating sites to
network with hundreds ­and hundreds- of people and
organizations. I was able to build real-relationships
with over 100 of them; including, Trump Towers Manila,
the Philippines Department of Tourism, the Elks Lodge,
the US Embassy, even Hooters. Plus celebrities like Nyoy
Volante, Carlos Celdran, Cory Quirino, Gary V, Vicky Belo
and Willie Revillame, to aristocrats and politicians like
US Ambassador Harry Thomas and Mayor Calixto.
Ultimately, I developed over P500,000 (or about
$12,000) in in-kind investments and OPM. I built an
entire team, organized a conglomerate to execute my
production, acquired very strategic business partners
and alliances, met many new friends, colleagues, a Phil-
ippines-based American personal investigator and even
a couple of clients, all using my laptop, webcam and
Sprint Wifi Stick.
Note: In preparation for my 120-day emersion trip, by
accident or default, I shed the need for nearly 200 team
members in the States during my previous business
model; many of which I had no idea what they did. The
need for my 15,000 square feet of high-priced and even
pretentious office space vanished, as did the `required'
$1,000 suits, ties and cufflinks, and the daily steakhouse
power-lunches expected in my industry. I technically
launched an entirely new business.
Also by default; unknown to me at to me at the time, I
add, I had escaped the `rat race' and had begun to live
"The 4-Hour Work Week." A entrepreneurs goal and the
writers dream.
There is a lot to be said about the simple life. We could
all learn a lot from taking a little `time off' from the hus-
tle and the chase. I read somewhere: "Life is something
that happens while you're busy doing other things."
35 THE PHILIPPINES MAGAZINE | 120 DAYS AND NIGHTS

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