Episode 76: Angelo Lorenzo Interview

Rasta
Hello cinnabar moths or any kind of moth you’d like to be welcome to the Writers Triangle, Cinnabar Moth’s podcast about all things publishing and books. Today we’re here with international author Angeo Lorenzo. Angelo, how are you doing today?

A
I’m great. Thank you for having me Rasta and cinnabar moth. It’s amazing year. I’m currently based in Spain and it’s sunny today, but we’re in the winter season. So we expect a lot of cold weather during this these weeks. Yeah. So it’s amazing. And I’m glad that we get to have this conversation Rasta.

Rasta
Yeah, I’m really excited to have you on. I wanted to interview you, because of your recent move from the Philippines to Spain, I wanted to explore kind of how moving different countries and entering into new culture has impacted your writing. So how long ago did you move? And how did that move? come about?

A
Yeah, it’s a great experience so far. I first arrived in Spain in September of last year, because I was able to take the opportunity of teaching English here. Back when I was still studying my masters. In the Philippines, a professor encouraged me to take a program that allows Filipinos to teach English in Spain. And knowing that I haven’t been to any other country. Well, aside from my own from the Philippines, I think that it was a great opportunity for me to, you know, explore the world and to, you know, take a step out of my comfort zone. So I decided to apply for the program, and I got accepted. And then when all the process went through, and when everything was completed, I moved abroad, it’s my Spain is actually the first country that I visited abroad outside the Philippines. And it’s been amazing so far, when I first because I was assigned in, in a region that is located south east of Spain, and it’s in Benidorm in the Valencia Region. And the weather is nice. We, we also experience four seasons here, but somehow my body has been adjusting, but to the temperature. But overall, it’s amazing, I have a great coworkers, I have a great, I have great classes, the students are interested to learn in speaking and improving their skills in English. And it’s been great so far. And apart from that, I’m also taking the time to you know, explore much of Spain, much of Europe and to learn the language and to learn about their culture.

Rasta
Sounds wonderful. And like you really started to delve into the country and the opportunity. I know that when I’ve traveled to other countries, it’s really helped to kind of open my eyes to different ways that people think and approach life in general, just based off of cultural differences. And have you experienced something similar with your experiences in Spain and with your students and the people you’ve gotten to know?

A
Oh, yeah, um, so far, the majority of my experiences have all been positive ones. And they actually treated me better. I mean, well, better than what I expected. Because I know that I come from a developing country and like, a part of me was like, having this conception that somehow if you’re from a developing country, and you move to somewhere that’s considered a first world in general, there, there might be some instances when people would look down on you and stuff. But in my experience, here, people have treated me equally fairly and let you know, we treat each other with respect. And it’s amazing here, because as a first time traveler abroad, it took a lot of courage for me to take this next opportunity take this next phase in life, and learning about the culture is also a bit of a challenge, because they’re, even though the Philippines was once like a territorial, or a colony of Spain back when we were still colonized. But somehow our cultures are very different from each other. Like a part of the biggest factor is probably the language and the perspective because if there are people who are who live in first world countries, somehow they have that perception that everything’s going to be alright and stuff and, and it’s a different it’s a bit different perspective from us. We’re living in developing countries where everything we need everything to be secure. We need we need to make sure that everything will be alright or something like that. So yeah, moving from from the Phillip Beans to Spain has given me that space to learn about how people in this country think and experience life in general. So it’s pretty much laid back. And it’s pretty much amazing as well.

Rasta
It does sound like a really rich experience that you’re having. I can only imagine how much you’ll be able to explore even further as you continue to live there and continue to really get to know the people they’re now moving to your writing a bit, I know that your writing is generally pretty personal. For example, your your story epiphany of a man in solitude, which is published in our winter anthology was inspired by experiences of being in the Philippines during the pandemic, how did living in Spain impact a spectacle of liberty and Lisbon?

A
Well, it’s true that some of my writings have really veered towards my personal perspective and personal experiences in life. And I think that for, for me, as a writer, that’s where I get encouraged to write more because I get to, for me, writing is always a learning experience. And we get to know ourselves more when we delve into our personal experiences and what we have learned from them. And it’s when I was writing the epiphany of a family man in solitude, which was, I felt honored to be part of the winter anthology that was published by cinnabar. Moth publishing, back in December 2021. It was about the pandemic and how people cope. And I think that a lot of our readers, a lot of fellow writers in general, are, like, have experienced at some point to celebrate, you know, special locations such as Christmas, or birthdays, or Thanksgiving, or other like special occasions that are annually celebrated. And then when the pandemic happened, you know, a lot of like, things have come to a stop, and everything was in a pass. And a lot of like, factors have contributed to us not celebrating with the people we love. So that’s, that’s basically the theme that I wanted to bring up in, in epiphanies, of family men in solitude. And it’s something that is relative, or like, related to all of our experiences. In my case, in moving to Spain, I took the idea or the inspiration from for a spectacle of liberty in Lisbon, based on a travel experience I had when I went to Portugal, in the early weeks of December, because, like, coming to Spain has been like a life changing experience. But a lot of people have encouraged me to explore new places, meet new people and get immersed in new surroundings and environment. And my family has been supportive about it, my mother and sister had been very supportive about it. My co workers in the school where I teach English have also been very supportive about it, and telling me to go out there and explore and to like, you know, basically learn something new every day. So I took the opportunity to schedule a trip with fellow Filipinos who are residents of Spain, in going to Lisbon, Portugal, in the first week of December. And when I was there, I learned a lot of like, great perspective about, like how moving to a new country can really be liberating for a lot of people, because I come from a very tight knit, conservative culture. But when I first arrived in a new place, I learned that some perspectives that we used to have back in our hometown or back back back in where I’m from, is very different from how people view in a different place. So I wanted to make sense of that difference of those differences, and wanted to balance them out. So I wrote a spectacle of liberty in Lisbon, not as a way of just writing creatively, but it’s a way of making sense of learning something new of what I wanted to, like how I wanted to balance the differences between where I’m from and where, where I am now. So it’s basically a work of fiction, but it’s based on a true story. And there are some factual elements in it. which I believe a lot of creative works are geared towards like, most most literary works are not just a works in literature, but in other artworks as well. There’s some elements of truth in them. So it’s based on a personal experience. And it’s based on how I transition from being a tight and conservative guy to being to exploring the kind of liberty that is being relished or enjoyed or being faced or encountered by people in in Europe everyday. So that’s how it came to be.

Rasta
Wow, that’s an anchor, that’s something that I definitely resonate with is that idea of coming across just completely different ways of moving through the world and different opportunities, reviews or the ability to kind of break free, but not really just move, perhaps move away from Yeah, gain some perspective on the thought processes that we’re used to, because it’s just expected and understood in the culture that we’re from. Right, exactly. I know that when I moved from America to Japan, my experience that that was quite eye opening as well, because even though they’re both virtual countries, they still have very different cultures. Yeah, and Americans and Japanese people culturally have very different views of like, how society functions or how family functions, or even what’s natural and friendship. So he’s details of relationships with people or how we move to the world, or what we expect from the world are very different in ways that it’s kind of hard to ever explain to somebody until you experience right.

A
Yes, I totally agree with that. It’s, it’s the experience that really helps us, you know, change our perspective or worldview, about life in general.

Rasta
And so, with the experience of going to Lisbon, and with the experience as well of living in Spain, you’ve come across several different cultures. And you’ve mentioned that you’ve traveled a little bit through other parts of Europe as well.

A
Yeah, just for now, just in Spain, and well, other cities in Spain and Portugal. So the other two countries that I’ve been to so far in my life has only been Spain and Portugal, but I’m planning to take a trip to Denmark this February. And I’ll see how that goes.

Rasta
That’s, that’s wonderful. Sounds like you’re letting yourself be free with your exploration of the world. And that’s wonderful.

A
Exciting.

Rasta
So with your experiences of Lisbon, and your experiences, Spain and the different cities, and cultures and subcultures and views of the world, would you say that that has impacted your writing as a whole, not just a spectacle libertarian husband, but your writing overall?

A
Well, in general, I would say that my style has changed ever since I moved here, I guess one factor is well, the everyday experiences that I gained here, the openness to a lot of like, like, learning different cultures is also impacted it. But technically, it’s more like, right now, because I’m still in my adjustment period. So I still find time to designate a schedule for writing. Because, you know, when you move to I think you’re asked as also experiences in in adjusting to time zones. Because in the US and Japan, they’re two opposite countries and others on each side of the globe. So it’s the timezone is really different, like the time zones are really different. And it’s the same with in my case, like from the Philippines, to Spain, I didn’t really get a lot of writing done in when I first moved here because I was partly because I was still you know, taking the process step by step in, in finally settling down and to finally like, finding apart find a good apartment, getting adjusted to my work schedule, meeting people and getting to know them and also doing groceries and stuff. So it’s more like being independent and at the same time. Learning how to manage my time, more wisely. So right now, my goal in 2023 is to really fix a designated time for my writing schedule the same way that I did when I was in the Philippines. Because I’m living in the Philippines for all my life, I’ve already been like familiar of how to, you know, designate a time for like a specific time of the day for writing, and designate a time for doing other other things. But in my current relocation in Spain, it’s more like, I’m still getting adjusted to the timezone and still, like adjusting to the new culture and to the way of life. And I think that has also impacted my writing a bit because, like, I know, ideas are always there, ideas are everywhere. But it’s the sitting down and write and actually writing them and putting them into words. That’s been quite a challenge lately, but I was glad that there are some instances when I just take the time to like, pull up my phone instead of my usual laptop. And just like, whenever I have spare time, or whenever I’m in a bus, and waiting for, for the bus to arrive at my destination, I just take some time to put down the things that I wanted to write about. And that’s how part of the process of writing a spectacle of liberty in Lisbon has been that way. During my I stole some spare time that I had like during classes. Whenever we have breaks during recess times, we call it recreo. Here in Spain, I sit at the patio or I sit at the law school lobby and just pull up my phone and wrote the narratives that I wanted to write. So in a way, the schedule has been an impact. The the shift in timezone has also been an impact, but the ideas are always there. And I always keep this mental treasure like treasury of ideas, where I revisit them, and then I pull some of them out to make them as inspiration for my next creative projects. And I have a few in mind right now. But I’m still looking for a specific time of day to really get serious when it comes to writing them.

Rasta
So the actual moving process, in a way is kind of disrupted your usual pattern of process.

A
Exactly. But I’m learning to cope.

Rasta
Yeah, it definitely does take some time to adjust, especially because it’s not just the times are moving, but also you’re doing new stuff, right, you’re working as an English teacher, your schedule is inherently very different. These with those changes, I can only imagine the difficulty with getting adjusted to all of those things getting adjusted to the new culture, and then going, Okay, I settle all this down now I can actually figure out when to write.

A
Exactly, yeah. And I think we all can relate, especially for other writers who are like planning to move abroad, like not just abroad, but in a new city in general, it can be in the context of within the same country, but moving into a new city or like a new place. That’s also the adjustment theory is also a bit of a challenge. But once one gets really to in tune to it, then one can become like, the one can achieve fulfillment with it. So it’s a rewarding experience as well.

Rasta
I definitely agree. But there’s that positive experience of achieving that adjustment, and then having that more natural flow and finding with new life that you’re currently creating for yourself. Right, exactly. And so I want to ask you a bit about that, when it comes to your experience of moving and creating this new life. Do you feel that it is expand? You talked a little bit about, you know, exposure to new perspectives and new ideas? Do you feel like these new perspectives have also changed your views of writing?

A
I would say yes, because, well, I always believe in the mantra that learning never stops. And we get to learn something new every day. And it depends on where we are from, where we’re at, and where we’re currently wanting to go. When I was in the process of when I was still in the Philippines. And when I was working on the process of moving here. During the application period. I learned quite a few things about Spain. But it wasn’t until I moved here that I realized that Oh, there are plenty of, there are plenty more, there are more things to learn about Spain than what I have learned back home, like when I was still preparing for my move here. So it’s like, there’s always a lot of things to discover. And I think that as writers, we always stick to that mantra that writing is not just a process of, of expressing ourselves or expressing our thoughts. But it’s also a process of learning, relearning, and unlearning some of the things that we knew back then because I’ll share an anecdote. One time when I was in the Philippines, I was researching about, like, what Spain is. And well, I did have a few ideas about what Spain is already because we learned quite a bit about Spain when I was in high school because of our history lessons, where we touch the subject on how it’s been used to colonize the Philippines and how the Philippines, you know, achieved our independence. And then we got colonized again, by the US and then by Japan. And yeah, we’ve been colonized quite a bit right now, the Philippines is an independent country, but I learned about modern Spain. So I learned that Spain right now is also practicing, like, monarchy and in their government, but their, their monarchy doesn’t really have power, like, or direct power on, on governing people. And when I asked that, because my perspective about the monarchy is based on like, the British, how the British revered their monarchy, like they’re, they’re quite popular in Britain right now. I mean, if we had seen the, the funeral of Queen, Elizabeth, and then there’s, like, populate the drove a lot of people to, like, mourn for her and to grieve for her. And that’s, like it, it gave us a gist of what of how the British still respected and adored their monarchy. But when I when it came here and and asked people about, what do you think of the monarchy, and and most of I’m not gonna, I’m not going to generalize, but most of who I talked to said that they don’t really agree with, with their monarchy, because they said that it’s been controversial, and it’s waste of taxes and stuff like that. So it’s a controversial topic to lean on. But that’s one of the things that I learned. And, you know, as a writer, it also gave me a new perspective that if I were to write a subject about Spain, in general, I would have to relate it to the view of the people. Because if, if we’re like, especially if we’re outsiders of our culture, and if we’re going to write something about that culture, or about that place, or about that, people, we can’t just write it based on the information that we received, from the internet or from from books, although that can help that can give us a an outline, or a, an initial knowledge of, of how those people think. But we have to get to know the people, we have to get immersed with them, we have to learn their ways for us to for our writing, to be authentic, to be more authentic, especially when our writing or when our creative projects involve feet featuring the place where they’re from, or their culture or their identities. So I think that how we view ourselves as a writer is to always learn and never, never fear in in learning, relearning and unlearning the things that we have to gain knowledge from so that we can create a more authentic and genuine piece of creative work

Rasta
I definitely think that’s a really wonderful and positive view of the writing process and being a writer and

A
Yeah

Rasta
And I definitely agree that the we do have to take care to understand and respect the living culture of the people that we try to represent in our work and to make sure that we’re always being accurate and true to their reality rags Astley using small experiences or second hand knowledge that we exactly, we have the especially in the modern day, right we have the, the access to the internet, or to other means of communicating with people who are from these places, or if we’re there like you are in Spain currently, you can just talk to the people around you and really get a deeper and more honest representation of what it looks like and feels like to be in that space

A
Exactly, and also, if I may add Rasta, another thing that I learned here is that, um, you know, the dance flamenco. It’s pretty popular around the world, and some people would directly associated with Spain. But one thing I learned here is that Flamenco is just practically famous in just one region. And it’s in the south, the Andalusia region. And it doesn’t really, when I when I was talking to other locals here as well, especially the region where I’m based at in Valencia, some people say that, Oh, Flamenco is just in Andalusia. So it’s like, it’s kind of like, a relative topic to what we discussed earlier about, like how like outsider’s view a certain culture of a country where they thought that or like, at least I thought that flamenco was, like, famous all over Spain, when in fact, when I came here, I learned that it’s just famous in one region. And then other regions have their own dances have their own cultural performances or cultural like, like traditions, and, and, and works of works of art. So it’s really interesting how, like, a factor or like a one element of culture from from a country can be associated with it based on the perspective of people who, like, haven’t visited here yet, or something like that. So and now we’re learning like, it’s always like a learning experience to know the differences, even even in countries or even in a specific country. There are differences in regions and then other places as well.

Rasta
It’s definitely true. And I have experienced it as well, like in Japan, and obviously back, I’m sure for you in the Philippines, different parts of the Philippines have their own cultural experiences. And the United States are very similar in that each state itself and even within each state, there’s different cultures. And so that understanding that something that we can generalize be like, oh, yeah, that’s from Spain, like flamingos from Spain. Yeah, that doesn’t mean that it is all over Spain, Spain, right?

A
Yeah. Yeah. It’s true. It’s true. I mean, like, if we put it in context in the Philippines, I mean, like, some people would say that Tagalog is all over like the official language of the Philippines, Tagalog, it’s all over the Philippines. But where I’m from, we don’t speak Tagalog where I’m from, we just learned Tagalog in, in school in Academy because it was a prerequisite for us to learn. But conversationally, we have the language. So why not, which is unique to where I’m all unique to my hometown, and to other cities nearby as well. And I think it’s the same with the USA, like the dance, the cowboy dance, it’s not also practiced in, in the northern states, I believe, because it’s pretty much in in the southern states. So yes, it’s those things that are the same with the flamenco dance in Spain is just in one specific region, and not all over the country.

Rasta
Yeah, and I think another good example is like swing dancing, for example, there’s actually east coast swing and west coast swing music. Yes. Those are very different styles, even though they’re both called swing dancing.

A
Exactly.

Rasta
I definitely agree with you the exposure to these things and exposure to even perhaps things that we don’t necessarily associate with the culture that’s surprisingly popular. For example, right down, I do Latin dance here in Japan, salsa, and actually has a pretty thriving community here. Oh, that’s nice. Yeah, it’s really nice, but also surprising, because it’s not something I ever really associate with Japan is, you know, salsa dancing. But there’s this wonderful community of lovely people. They’re so friendly, and they’re willing to learn and help different skill levels. Some really amazing dancers are here. And I hadn’t explored it and been here to explore right.

A
But how long have you been dancing salsa?

Rasta
Geez. How long has it been, I think, on and off or maybe seven years.

A
That’s amazing. Well, if if I if I want to try it and I at least I know who I can talk to to

Rasta
Yeah, for sure. Yeah. So with these exposures to, you know, things that you might not expect, or these generalizations and having them kind of be broken apart and realize these nuances within a culture and these nuances within different regions, have you found that that’s helped you to provide more detail or nuance to your writing, or the way that you describe your characters?

A
Definitely, you know, when we write, we have to be like, as accurate and authentic as possible. So the things we learn everyday is that they can be utilized or become the basis as inspirations for creative projects. So it’s definitely a helpful experience in like learning here. And to be able to use that as you know, a resource for for a creative project is something that, in a way, gives back to that genuine experience, that fulfilling experience of, of experiencing new things or like living through new new things and gaining new insights.

Rasta
Definitely makes sense to me. And with with your experience in Spain, you mentioned that this was a program, right? Yes. How long do you plan to stay in Spain?

A
All right, now I’m planning on renewing, so we’re generally allowed to stay here for two years. And the program is offering us that opportunity to beach at the school, where we’re assigned for two years as well. So this year, I’m planning on renewing for my second year, and I’ll see where it goes. Because I’ve been exploring some artist communities here. I’ve been to museums, I’ve been to book shops and bookstores that also offer events for artists. And if I find other opportunities for me to, you know, gauge on my art with these people, with with artists who are located here, then I might take that as another opportunity for me living in Spain as well, or not just in Spain, maybe in different parts of Europe, just my endgame has always been to, you know, publish a book one of these days and continue writing stories continue with my creative passions, but I have to be realistic or like not, well, I have to be practical when it comes to planning out the opportunities that will help me stay in, in in in areas because you can’t just say that, you know, I wanted to become a published writer, you have to take through certain steps in order for you to, to become one. And I think that connections, networking, and, you know, building like acquaintances is also one way to thrive. And I’ve been doing that as well. And there’s always an opportunity to pursue higher education as well, you’re here in Spain. After probably the program after I spent my two years here, I might, you know, explore other opportunities where I pursue higher education or where I focus more on my passion in literature, or like, I don’t know, that meet new artists where we can establish projects that will you know, help us collaborate or work together in the future.

Rasta
Okay, so it sounds like you have long term plans with not just necessarily living in Spain, but also just experiencing more of the world and connecting with people around the world.

A
Yeah. And it’s, it’s one thing that drives me as always, you know, I always believe that each piece, each person has a story to tell. And it’s not like I’m, I’m doing it as a purpose. Like, I will meet as many people as I can just to read stories about them. No, it’s more like, I always have this drive for, like, knowledge of like, getting to know who they are, where they’re from, because I believe that each person has a story of of our own. And that makes us unique to everyone. And I think that uh, meeting new people or learning about the place is one thing that will help us you know, I experience life to the fullest. Because I always believe that learning will help us improve to become better individuals. And if we learn from other people, we learn from their perspective, and we learn from the the experiences that we live through each day, then that will help us improve to become better persons and who we are yesterday. So I always touch on that goal, to always learn and then everything follows the writing stuff, the passion, the pursuits for my passion, and the pursuit for higher education, and collaborative projects that will follow after we realized that there is so much to learn in this world. And we have to have that goal to learn as as much as we can, one at a time. So it’s, it’s that

Rasta
That’s a really lovely goal. And I think that there’s a beautiful view of the world. I want to follow up on that as well, that my experience with traveling, I’ve been to several different countries throughout my time. And obviously, I’ve moved to Japan to live here. With my experiences, not only do we get the opportunity to learn more about other people learn more about other cultures, but I also think that when we move or when we go to new places, it gives us the opportunity to sort of try out different forms of ourselves or to explore ourselves in a way that might be harder to do with people that already know us, right? Because there’s that sort of understanding of who we are that and that kind of expectation of how we’re going to be when we’re always in the same space and always around the same people. And we can have the opportunity if we go to like a new city or new country to say, I’m going to try and be more confident and assertive, or I’m going to try and explore these new ideas and concepts that I have about how I want to move to the world, and not be worried about mostly damaging the people around us, but maybe causing confusion, or just not being able to communicate with them like we used to. And be able to have kind of some privacy with it as well to explore ourselves and be like, Hey, I’m going to be this new version of myself. And I wanna see how people

A
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I do agree with that. And one thing I’m also learning right now is speaking the Spanish language. Because what if, if I really want to get immersed here, I don’t just impose my English language to other people. I have to learn their way. So I have to learn how they communicate as well. So I know a little bit, just a little bit of basic Spanish before I came here, just mainly greetings introductions. But right now I’m taking Spanish classes every Monday and Wednesday evenings. So I hope that by the end of my goal is by the end of the sixth month of this year, that’s probably in June, I’m going to be fluent in speaking Spanish, so that I so that people won’t have to adjust in shifting their native language in speaking to me, and for us to communicate properly. So it’s also a challenge. But I always believe that every challenge is a rewarding experience.

Rasta
That does sound like an exciting, challenge to have. And I think that with the passion that you have, and everything that I’m confident that you’ll be able to be successful and reach your goal with that. And, you know, I can only imagine how much more you’ll be able to experience pain, knowing the language as well. I know that thank you Rasta. I know that my experience in Japan changed significantly after I learned Japanese that that’s amazing. It really is because you can. It’s, I mean, it goes without saying that you’re only brushing the surface if you don’t speak the language. But I think just even the surface level things can change so much with no language. Because I’ve experienced, for example, like just going to the convenience store something really simple, like everyday activity, right? When I speak Japanese was when I didn’t want to speak Japanese. It was just I get in, I get out and that was it. But it is. I’ve experienced times when people have tried talking to make some foreign and lay Hey, you’re foreign. I’ve never seen you Before or I see the cash register the person working the cash register off, and I say, Hey, how you doing? And I can have like connections with people and get to know them a bit more. And it’s small. But even those small changes are significant

A
They go really, they go really a lot of steps in your learning experience journey. So it’s amazing. Yeah. And you get to connect more with the locals, you get to think how they think as well. Because I think that one advantage in learning a new language is that you sometimes the, I guess, I think that you also experienced this while learning Japanese that there are some terms that are specifically associated with their language, but you can’t really find a direct translation out of it in English, like, or in another language that we’re familiar with. So it’s the same with with Spanish that there are a lot of concepts and contexts in the Spanish language, or like, they’re only fully explained better, or more accurately in the Spanish language than they do in, in when they’re translated in English. So it’s, it’s, it’s those things that really, you know, help us like the drivers to get interested to learn the languages the context and the the some concepts that they have specific to their way of life or to their culture and how they think or how they speak or how they view things in, in life in general.

Rasta
Yeah, I definitely agree. learning language has it, there’s so much to it that has so much amazing value for growth as people. Yeah. And so with you and your experience with the with being in Spain, learning the language, getting to know the people making these connections, have you found that it’s helped you as a writer when it comes to opening any doors or providing new opportunities?

A
Oh, yeah, um, well, I think that since I’m in Europe, now, I think I’m more closer to, or like I’m closer to publishers that are based here. So I’m, like, if there’s a specific opportunity that I would like to take is to connect with agents who are possibly located here, and to, you know, tell them about my work and the stories that I want to publish in the future and stuff like that. So because when I was in the Philippines, most of the publishers we have, and this isn’t to demean any publishers in the Philippines, it’s just most of the distribution is just locally. So it’s amazing that if if one moves to a new country, then you get to experience that a wider distribution of publications that that go out, not just in a specific area, but also in different places as well. So I think that moving here would offer that opportunity. But then again, it’s not a guarantee because it takes it takes a lot of like drive a lot of focus a lot of attention to really get committed or like to have an unfavourable commitment for that goal. Because at the same time, like, aside from getting adjusted to the timezone here, like finding a good time to write, I’m also working as an English teacher in in a school. So it’s more like weighing the balance between priorities, but I’m getting there and hopefully, it would be an opportunity as well for for European citizens or most citizens in the western world to learn more about Filipino stories from Filipino writers. So that would be a great experience.

Rasta
I think it’d be amazing if you’re able to have that opportunity for to open up to you and for you to be able to take it to have your writing be read and accessed by people around the world.

A
And another thing, Rasta, the book, that winter anthology that we had before like the one that my story was in it the dark.

Rasta
The Cold Christmas and the Darkest of Winters.

A
Yeah, The Cold Christmas and the Darkest of Winters. I brought a copy with me here in in Spain. And I let my co teachers Read it. And they love it. The stories in it are they say that it’s amazing. So, kudos to cinnabar moth publishing, for publishing really great stories from talented writers. And, yeah, it’s, it’s a rewarding experience. I mean, like to have, that this has the power and impact of literature, to have that piece of writing or like to have creative works be read by people from all walks of life, and having them and seeing them enjoying it and relating to some stories. And, you know, getting connected with the characters is, it’s one thing that is fulfilling, to, to learn about or to experience because all of us have different experiences, like all of us, humans, are coming from different walks of life, and literature, or stories in general, help us get connected, like, despite our diversity, we always find our common ground or anything that makes us you know, that we can we can relate to, and we find them in stories. So I saw that in, in in cinnabar, moth publications, and not just the ontology because the ontology is just one project that Cinemark cinnabar moth has also fulfilled or produced, but in all the books and magazines that cinnabar moth has also published and released out into the world. And I believe that each story has a purpose, and they might as well have changed our readers life as well. So that’s a rewarding experience.

Rasta
Thank you for these words of praise. I’m really glad that the people that you’ve shared the book with have enjoyed it and enjoyed the stories. And we are lucky enough to have contact with wonderful writers who are very talented, such as yourself.

A
Thank you. I wouldn’t say the same to you as well, I love your story.

Rasta
Thank you. Thank you. And so it’s working. As for cinnabar moth, we’ve had a lot of wonderful opportunities to meet people like you and other authors that we’ve worked with who have a variety of experiences, like you mentioned, and how the stories that we can connect with in some way or that reach out to other people and can have that we do really believe in the power of the writing and literature to connect the world. Yeah. I’m happy to hear that you also see that in the book in the work that we’re publishing and the stories that we’re putting out. That’s very heartwarming to hear. And I’m sure the rest of the team would be happy to hear it as well, when I share it with them later. Thank you.

A
Yeah, as they should like the deserve all the praise and acclamation that cinnabar moth should receive for all the hard work that you put into in producing a genuine works of stories out there.

Rasta
Thank you. And that’s that’s not just our work, but also the work of the many talented writers and authors that we work with yourself. Yes, they did. And we’re really appreciative of all of you and you coming to us and being willing to share your orcas with us. Thank you. And going into that conversation a little bit about authors and talking about writing. You have experienced now of writing both while you’re in the Philippines and while living abroad, right? Yes. And you have these experiences of meeting new people and seeing other authors and seeing other writers. With your experiences. Do you have any advice you’d give to authors who are looking to make that change, like you did of leaving their home country and trying to live abroad?

A
It’s always never take a lead, or I should say differently. It’s always Is it okay to start again? Oh, yeah, go ahead. It’s okay. So my advice would be, never fear in taking that one step in pursuing your dreams, because one step can be life changing, and it can lead you to your destination. And all it takes is that one step, whether you decide to move abroad, or whether you decide to create something, a creative project in your community, or, you know, write that first word, or to connect with people that you’re that you you want to collaborate with, or did you want to get to know with a first step is the most important step of all, so decide What’s best for yourself and always continue to learn. So that’s it.

Rasta
Thank you. That’s wonderful advice and very self affirming, which I think is important. And so with you and your experience, I know that you you’ve moved relatively recently, right back in September. And you’ve, you’ve had the time now to start adjusting a bit more. Looking back, is there anything that you think you would have done differently? Either in your preparation, or maybe after you’d arrived that might have made things smoother for yourself?

A
I would have to say learning Spanish more fluently. I mean, like, learning Spanish more regular, rigorously before I came here, but other than that, I have no regrets. Because I think there’s, there’s always a purpose. I think life always has a predict whether one believes it or not, like, there’s always, like, what comes next in every decision we make. So I think that all of us deserve to be where we are. And all of us deserve to be, like, basically achieving the things that we’ve worked hard for. Because when I was in the process of the application period, I was focused on all the paperwork in like, for example, getting the visa, like, coordinating with the ministry, that is sponsoring this move, and then all the, you know, the systems have have kept me quite pretty much be occupied when when I was still preparing for my move here. But, um, so I didn’t have time to take Spanish classes back then. I just like, research on the internet, some introduction words are like introductory statements that is common here. So I think that’s what happened. But right now I’m here and I’m taking Spanish classes. And I think there is a time for everything. So I always believe that. Like, I’m taking things when I’m taking things one step at a time when it when it when I for when now that I’m still in my adjusting in my in my adjustment period. But it’s just that, like, my regret is not being able to become fluid before I moved here. But at the same time, it’s always a learning experience. So I’m learning day by day, and I’m attending the classes. And other than that, I have no regrets.

Rasta
I think it’s wonderful that you feel happy about maybe you’ve gone process. And I definitely agree learning language before you go someplace. makes things a lot easier, easier.

A
Exactly. Yeah. I mean, who never knows, really? Maybe someday I wait, I might be able to write something in Spanish. But for now, I’m taking one step at a time.

Rasta
Yeah, I think that’d be an exciting experience being able to perhaps do something bilingual, even with Spanish English, or, or maybe do a purely Spanish story. And that would be amazing. Right? Yeah, kind of a true sign of the mastery of a language in a way exactly be able to do it in an artistic fashion.

A
Exactly. It’s true.

Rasta
And so you mentioned a bit about feeling like very comfortable with where you’re at and where you’ve come in your life, right? So would you say that you feel deserving of the opportunities that you’ve had that you’re embracing? I know that a lot of writers that I’ve talked with in the past or gotten to know, and just people in general kind of struggle with that feeling of worthiness, further opportunities? How do you feel

A
There are days when I had doubts, and there are also days when I’m sure that the opportunities are as they are and as as they’ve been given to me. But I would say that since I mentioned earlier that everything has a purpose of its own. So I would say that I’m grateful for these opportunities that have been like given to me or that have been passed to me, ever since I made the decision of moving abroad and some one major thing is there are challenges along the way. Every opportunity is always a weighing scale. One opportunity offers like promising prospects, but at the same time, there are also hurdles and challenges like for example, moving abroad. I also felt a bit homesick sometimes because it’s my first time to be far away from my family. And it’s my first time outside the country outside the Philippines. So everything is new to me. And but I Learn every day. So there’s always a challenge and a promising prospect. At the same time, I would say that I deserve it as well, because I’ve worked hard for it. And if you know that you deserve an opportunity, if you’ve put your heart to it if you’ve done everything you could to achieve it. And I think that I would, I should say the same for all writers out there who have been tirelessly working hard to get their works out there to connect with other writers to connect with, to get acquainted with, with writing communities and to submit their works to publishers or agents, if they receive an acceptance, or if they receive the opportunity to have their stories being shared in the world, I don’t think they should feel I don’t think they should feel a bit fearful or a bit, I should say, like, a bit, I don’t think they should have a doubt about themselves in receiving those opportunities. Because each effort will ripple to a great prospect. So whatever work they put in, and then when they receive a great opportunity that is equivalent, or like a result for that effort, then they know fully well that they deserve that. So it goes to all people out there who are hardworking, who are persevering and persistent.

Rasta
I think that’s a wonderful positive message to be to say, Hey, I put in the work to get here. I’ve been trying, I’ve been I know what I’ve been doing to try and get this to happen. And using that to keep yourself feeling okay with saying yes, when the opportunity comes. Right. And that it’s important to not hold yourself back. Yeah, to, to actually take the opportunity when you when you receive it.

A
Yeah. And also, rest, I would like to add that while in the process of doing hard work, it doesn’t hurt or it doesn’t, we shouldn’t feel sad to take a break or to take some rest as well. Because we all need that. You know, we’re humans, we get tired, we get frustrated, sometimes we we burn out. So in order to avoid all of these things from happening, it’s okay to take a rest to to have a break and to, you know, enjoy life. Like there’s not there’s not a deadline for for all of us. Like there are successful writers out there who, who got really successful at an advanced age. I mean, I think it was Richard Adams was was it the one who wrote Watership Down. He got really successful after he reached the age of 50. And there are other writers as well, who, who, quite in the like, really advanced age that they got internationally recognized or, like, I mean, it the international recognition shouldn’t be like the basis for success. It’s more of like, I’m sorry, I’m breaking up because I got emotional a bit. But anyway. It’s more like, um, you know, being able to write and being able to finish your work is already a success in itself. So there’s no, there’s, I think success is, in a way, some subjective, and it’s not. There’s no deadline for it. So as long as we put in the hard work, and we work with integrity, and we work with, with honesty and truth, then we deserve the opportunities that come our way.

Rasta
I definitely agree. And I do think that message of taking time to take care of yourself through the process and not just Yes, burning yourself out trying to get things done faster, is that balance is important for all things not just writing. Right? Have Yeah, balance in your life is important. Not just to get by, but also thrive. Right.

A
Exactly. Exactly.

Rasta
And so, for you and your opportunity, one of your opportunities was being able to leave the Philippines and go to Spain, right. Yeah. And so when you were first, I think you you talk to the professor first about this, and they suggested to you when you first heard that about the opportunity was your immediate reaction to say yes. Did you have to think about it? Did you talk with somebody else? That’s about it. What was your process for that?

A
Oh, yeah, it was the funny thing is, so my professor open the topic. And, um, it was, it was in 2021, when the pandemic was still prevalent for all of us. And I was like, still hesitant about it. Because moving abroad in the middle of the pandemic, that’s quite a bit daunting to say the least. But I would like, there was one time when my friend contacted me, and she was going to meet me at a cafe. And that was after my professor told me about this opportunity. And we met at a cafe and we talked for a bit we caught up because that was the time when we didn’t see each other for like, two years, or like, one, one year because that was when the pandemic happened. It was 2020. And it was in 2021, when we when we met again, so more or less, at least a year, we didn’t see each other, but we contacted through text, voice calls and stuff like that. So and then she gave me this book. And then and then she told me, I’m giving this book to you, because I’m moving to Spain. And then I knew that, oh, my gosh, what a coincidence. She, she actually, she applied the, for the program, way, before I did. And then right now I know that, oh, my gosh, she’s, she’s moving to Spain. So she got accepted for the program, the application has been successful for her and stuff like that. So and then I was like, why don’t I try it. So that’s also one of the factors that drove me to, to take courage in applying for the program. Before I went, when my professor told me about it, I was like, Okay, I’ll think about it and stuff. So it’s like, the chances of me applying for it was, were basically less then after I talked with my friend. So you know, we never know where life goes. So, when the pandemic happened, I didn’t know that I would be in Spain. Back in 2020, I didn’t know that. In 2022, I will be in Spain. But now I’m here and it’s 2023. And we’ll see where it goes next. We never know what happens in life. Right?

Rasta
For sure. I think that’s that’s a interesting coincidence of you having that conversation with a professor and then you meet with a friend who’s taking that same opportunity to go to Spain. Yeah. And so with your, your experiences of talking with your friend, and then having this discussion with the professor, who, and after that, you I imagine you told other friends and family that you are going to be moving to Spain, who had the most surprising reaction to your decision, thought or perhaps the best reaction.

A
I would go for the best I guess. It was my mom. Because my mom has always been like, like, I’m always close to my mom and my sister. I grew up with her. And she’s a single mom, she, she’s supported us all the way. When I was a child until, until I graduated college, and, and yeah, basically, she’s, she’s always been there for for both me and my sister. But um, when I told her like, after I received the acceptance email, because I was sent an acceptance email back in January 2022 for the program, and then I sat down with her after our dinner, and I still remember the exact words that I told her. I told her MA, in September 2022, I will be in Spain. And I literally could see like a film of tears forming in her eyes. And I thought that she was going to cry. But I like it was basically a tears of joy because he was like, wow, and, and she was so happy and and we were we were both happy. And we called my aunt and because my aunt has been through your Well my mom has already been to Europe once but that was just for vacation. She went to France, but she hasn’t been to Spain yet, but they’re planning my sister and my mother are planning to visit Spain in April this year. So we’re gonna be reunited again my family. But um, yeah, so she was she got so happy. She was like, yeah, and then she’s always been supportive of me like, during the application process. We discussed about which region I should like, I should decide to live in because after I was after I received the acceptance to Letter from the ministry. They let me choose which we had to go to this website, where we had to choose which region we would like to live in. And yeah, basically. And then it goes from there. So my mom and I discussed about it, like, during the visa application in the capital city of Manila, my mom went with me. And she actually was there, outside the Spanish embassy to wait for me while I submit my while I was submitting my requirements to the console for this for this program, and then when I received my visa, for to live in Spain, then she she was also overjoyed. So it’s my mother, Catherine. But I recently also saw some, like surprised reactions from my friends as well. But it’s my mom that has become the most memorable for me.

Rasta
I think that’s wonderful to have the those moments share with your mother, who you’re close with. I’m also my mother. So I totally understand. Yeah, someone who has supported you through your life, and that you share things with. It’s so like, imagine how much how much warmth that brings to the process, right?

A
And then these days, I still gotta factor. Well, we have this group chat with me, my mom and my sister on Facebook, on Facebook Messenger. And we just update each other about how we’re doing each day. And yeah, it’s been, it’s been good. So far, it’s amazing how technology can still offers us the opportunity to connect with people from the other side of the globe. So it’s amazing.

Rasta
Yeah, I think that’s one of the wonderful things about the modern day really, is the ability to stay connected, even when we’re physically so far apart. Yeah. And so you’ve now you’ve gone through the process of, you know, going to the consulate and getting your visa getting the application, and you’ve moved to Spain, you’ve written works from your experiences living abroad, and you’re now and you’re an international author. What’s next for you?

A
Well, I can’t be sure for now, but um, I guess I would have to say I might be living here for quite a while and trying to write as well, in my spare time. Probably in the near future, I can only say, in the near future, I’m going to renew for this program. So I’ll be teaching English here and in Benidorm for quite a while for another year. And then maybe, like in the process of doing so, like in the process of living here, I’m also going to, like, try out to submit manuscripts to agents and publishers, and hopefully that they will accept my work and to, like distributed globally as well. Because it’s, it would be an amazing opportunity. And then also, basically to maybe someday I will pursue higher education. Because other than being a writer, I see myself working in an academia. So I already had that experience working in a school here. But I am also interested in taking up taking masters, another another master’s here, maybe here and you’re here in Spain, or in Europe in general, and then pursuing my PhD. And then Yeah, who knows, though, getting published someday? So doing book tours, those are like, those are for long terms already. But right now, it’s teaching English in in the school year in Benidorm and submitting to other publishers for my manuscripts.

Rasta
Sounds like some wonderful plans for your writing. Do you have any upcoming projects beyond writing that you’re working on that maybe you could share with everybody or not?

A
Oh, yeah, I’m right now I’m experimenting with film. I am writing a screenplay. And I’ve also, like, touch the ground on drama on place. playwriting. I actually got into playwriting in 2021 when I was associated with a Filipino centered theater group in the Bay Area in California, and they’re called more mass marami arts and I got connected with them after I submitted them, my, my manuscript for my play for full length play. And the I was lucky enough that they staged it. So it was amazing. And I’m focusing on play, right? Aside from writing fiction, I want to try writing, film and explore more in the field of theater as well. So, aside from sending works to publishers, I’m also putting an eye on sending works to potential producers or potential directors, or theatre companies like in you whether Europe or the States or anywhere that’s that are willing to accept my work. I’ve also submitted some stuff in back in my hometown, and back in my home country, the Philippines, but I’ll see where it goes like I’m having my fingers crossed on them. And I hope that I receive acceptances. Well.

Rasta
I think that’s wonderful that you have this variety of projects that you’re working on, and I I’m very hopeful that you’ll be able to get those connections and have people who enjoy your work as much as we asked cinnabar moth to do and connect with you as much as we did. And it’s been wonderful talking with you, and everybody, be sure to check out all of Angelo’s work and projects in order for them to do that. Angela, can you tell us where we can find you for social media?

A
Yeah, I’m mostly active on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. So I’m on Instagram I am at jello duck. Right? Right. W r i t s and jello. G L O and and then there’s a dot between jello and right so that’s my main handle Instagram handle. And on Twitter I can be found on Twitter as Angelo underscore, Lorenzo. So that’s a n g l o underscore, l o r e n zo. And on YouTube, I have a YouTube channel where I interview various people as well. I’ve interviewed Chad music one time for a YouTube vlog and it went really great. He got to talk about his writing and his projects as well. So it was an amazing experience interviewing with interviewing Chad for for a vlog. I can be found on YouTube as Angela Lorenzo. So I think it’s it’s, that’s just my name on on YouTube as well. And on Facebook as Angela Lorenzo, so is the same. So I’m active in those social medias. And I’ll be posting future projects in in my social media handles these days as well.

Rasta
I think that’s wonderful. Thank you for sharing. And thank you to all of our beautiful moms for listening. And, Enzo, it’s been a wonder full time. Thank you and rest. And I’ve enjoyed it a lot. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me.

A
Thank you, it’s been a great opportunity to talk with you as well and to learn from you and to be able to have this time to converse and it’s really great. I wish everyone the best. The writers and all the team behind cinnabar moth publishing. I wish all of you the best of successful outcomes in the works that you do. Thank you so much.

Rasta
Thank you. Bye bye.