I, Aksel, take you along for a night that was full of firsts, a little bit of fear, and a lot of typical Filipino New Year’s energy. It was our very first New Year’s Eve together in Ginatilan, and let me tell you, celebrating in the mountains of Cebu is nothing like the organized fireworks displays I grew up with in Norway.
The night started with a lot of anticipation. In the Philippines, New Year is all about family, food, and making as much noise as humanly possible to scare away the bad luck. We had a modest selection of "cheap Philippine fireworks," as I jokingly called them, and I’ll be honest—I was a little nervous! I have no idea how these things are manufactured, and lighting them in the pitch-black mountain night felt like a bit of a gamble. At one point, Jessa even left me alone in the dark for a second, and I didn't mind admitting I was a little spooked. There’s something about the mountain at night that really plays with your imagination!
We had some Roman Candles that were actually quite impressive once we got them going. The colors were vibrant against the dark sky, and it felt like our own private light show right there on our porch. Jessa was her usual simple, happy self, enjoying the moment and the noise. Even when the lighters were struggling and things weren't going exactly to plan, we were just laughing through the chaos. One of our viewers actually gave us a great tip for next time: use a long piece of wood with a cloth on the end to light the fireworks instead of a small lighter—it’s much safer and easier to keep your distance!
Despite my nerves about the "unknown" fireworks and the occasional jump-scare from the darkness, the night was incredibly sweet. It was a milestone for us as a couple, marking our transition from 2019 into 2020. We stood there together, looking out over the quiet mountain (well, quiet except for our fireworks), feeling grateful for the life we’ve built in Ginatilan.
It wasn't a fancy party with hundreds of people; it was just the two of us, a few sparks in the dark, and the beginning of a brand-new year. It’s moments like these—the raw, unpolished, and slightly scary ones—that make our life here so memorable. We’re just a couple of people in the mountains, navigating a new culture and new traditions, one firework at a time. It was the perfect, slightly chaotic start to a year that we already knew was going to be full of big changes for us. Cheers to new beginnings and to facing the darkness together!
