Hellowie Everyone!

My name is Juana B. Wais. I am 27 years old (circa May 2009), been running the rat race for the past 5 years (living off my humble monthly salary) and have big big BIG BIG dreams for myself.

One uneventful day, I woke up and this thought popped in my head and then REALLY shook me to my core:

“I wanna be wais.”

 So, what is the story behind the “WANNA BE WAIS” mantra?

I grew up rather privileged without having responsibility for anyone else but myself. So life was pretty much about my studies plus extra-curricular activities (which then became work) and my social life; nothing more, nothing less. And then one day: BOOM!

In 2005, my mama left us to find greener pastures in the United States since business was not doing so good at my papa’s office. My papa was so shocked and devastated (to the point of immobility) at the state of the business and our finances so I was left to manage a household of 6 siblings (the youngest then at 5 years old then).

On top of managing my stress-laden work (I was barely starting my advertising career back then), I was faced with managing the household budget, grocery shopping / marketing (and I don’t mean the work / industry but the place: the public market), paying utilities and the household help, dealing with parental duties, etcetera, etcetera. I was so bitter knowing that my peers (I was at the ripe yuppie age of 23 then and the bitterness pretty much went on and on and on…) were out and about, busy with their own lives, while I had no choice but to deal with more responsibilities for my family.

Fast forward to 4 years later, I realized that this tragedy was actually one of the biggest blessings of my life because I learned SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much about moving out of comfort zones and living the real life.

And why blog about it?

I decided to make this blog to share the tips, tricks and strategies I have picked up along the way (and still am actually learning more). I know that there is a whole lot more to learn from my fair share my day-to-day struggles and I’d like you, my dear readers, to become a part of my transformation from Juana B. Wais to becoming SUPER WAIS. Oh, how I wish I could be like Darna: swallow a pebble and shout “SUPER WAIS!” Hehehe! Don’t we all wish it was that easy? But I know that through this blog, I won’t be alone in this journey: you’d be able to help me and more importantly, I’d be able to help you. Now, that makes it all worthwhile 

And so now, does the blog help solve world peace?

Well, maybe, at least peace of mind one person at a time. Hehehe! But Seriously, my dream is that one day that other people would not go through the same ordeal I did (and am still) to live the wais life:

• Properly equip themselves with practical knowledge through tips, tricks and strategies for day-to-day real life living and take pleasure living independently and within their means
• Saving for the future and for the rainy days PLUS making money work for them through investments
• Making sure they get their money’s worth in all purchases (no matter how big or small), but at the same time splurging occasionally to truly enjoy their hard earned money.

Naks! It’s a quite LOT but I know I can do it! We can do it!

I’d be super duper glad to hear any of your Wais experiences so please, please, please, do not hesitate to drop me an email at juana.b.wais@gmail.com or add me up on Twitter (juanabwais), Plurk (juanabwais) and Facebook (Juana B. Wais).

Live Wais-ly,

Juana B. Wais