New program on MyZen TV : Tropical Home

What if you dared to leave everything behind to live under the tropics? This is the choice made by the Spanish Laura Botella, the Italo-Swiss Gianni Grifoni, and the Japanese Chu Takahashi. In this new program Tropical Home, MyZen TV takes you into the unique lives of these expatriates seeking a new beginning.

Laura Botella - El Nido

The first episode follows the life of Laura Botella, who chose to leave her life in Spain—a successful career, a partner, and the convenience of living in a big city—to live on the island of El Nido, in the Philippines. She considers it the best decision of her life because it allowed her to carve her own path and free herself from the expectations and societal norms about how a woman should live her life. For Laura, there is no one-size-fits-all model. She believes there are many options in life, and she decided to embrace what brings her ultimate happiness: making the Philippines her home.

Gianni Griffoni - Siargao

In the second episode, Tropical Home introduces the Italo-Swiss Gianni Grifoni, who decided in 2010 to settle on the island of Siargao, in the Philippines. Growing up, food played an important role in Gianni’s life. His mother was so passionate about cooking that when Gianni started building his life in Siargao, food became the foundation of his entrepreneurial journey on the island. Today, Gianni owns one of the most successful restaurants in Siargao, where he serves Italian dishes he learned from his mother. He is also able to share his love for cooking with his family and friends. Gianni’s life is a true testament to the fact that food has the power to bring people together.

Tsuyoshi Takahashi - La Union

Finally, in the third episode, discover the life of Japanese surfer Tsuyoshi Takahashi, who for over twenty years has been helping Philippine surfers from the province of La Union achieve their dreams. When he decided to settle in this city many years ago, he made it his mission to provide surfboards and share his knowledge and skills as an athlete with local surfers. He has also helped them participate in international competitions and raised the Philippine flag on the global surfing stage. Tsuyoshi’s life story in La Union represents how one can use their talent and passion to improve the lives of others.

Through their experiences, this series questions our relationship with home, adventure, and unexpected encounters. It invites us to rethink our choices and break free from conventions to build a life that reflects who we are.

These three stories are full of lessons: that the ultimate purpose for each of us is to find the place where we feel most at home; that surprising and enriching new encounters are around the corner; that we can choose our life and ignore the dictates of society. This series shows that home is not defined by where we grew up or by where we come from.

Catch Tropical Home every Thursday at 7 p.m. starting March 13 on MyZen TV, live and on-demand.

Always more lifestyle and well-being content to discover on our platform.