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A Journey Down Under: We live. We love. We stay.
‘Don’t limit yourself to what you are now as the possibilities in life are limitless. The boundaries in your life can only be defined by the horizons you have set.’Ace has always thought that nothing is impossible as long as there is the willingness to succeed. At a very young age, he always wanted to migrate abroad to escape the horrible working condition in his country, especially as a nurse. With the help of his parents, he travels to Australia to make himself better. However, little does he know that life will not be as easy as he expects it to be. He is confronted with family expectations, questions about his sexuality, and personal dilemmas. With conflicts and troubles building up, he is to make decisions that will soon change him forever. The problem is that everyone thinks they know him, but no one has ever seen past his smiles and laughter. He has pretended to be someone else to make everyone around him happy, but does he feel the same way?A Journey Down Under is a heart-wrenching and a heart-warming story of family, love and success. A novel based on the colourful life story of a young guy who triumphs over all his difficulties. A mixture of comedy, romance and drama. An inspiring book that will definitely give you a real-life a motivation to see life more positively and many more.
247 pages, Paperback
Published October 21, 2019
17 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 11, 2019
Actual Rating: 3.5 / 5
Review to come soon. I'm still gathering my thoughts
UPDATE:
Moving away from one’s comfort zone is never an easy task and oftentimes, requires an immense amount of sacrifice. In A Journey Down Under, witness as a young adult braves migration while dealing with personal and professional issues and be part of his growth into an admirable adult.
I received a digital ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. I accepted the offer to review the novel because I knew Ace personally in high school and I’d love to read about the adventures that people I know go through and support them in their endeavors. Going into the book, I felt a sense of pride knowing that I went to school with the author and seeing him grow out of his shell and into the great, big world. With regards to the story, the book showcases the different struggles of a new adult in their life’s journey. Couple that with a move between countries, struggles with identity, and acceptance of diversity and you have a range of emotions biographies and autobiographies are known for. What I love about the book is its relatability because it’s able to convey the right emotions that many new adults face in their 20’s. I like how the struggles are chronicled in every chapter mixed with realizations for every one of them. I greatly appreciate reading about: identity because of its relevance to self-acceptance, social awareness, and destigmatization of hate culture, faith because it displays Filipino culture and where it’s grounded, and resilience because it’s a characteristic that’s almost lost in a time of social media and instant gratification. These are just some of the points I admire the most and I’m sure the experience is different for every reader. As for the points that need improvement, I feel like while the story talks about important points, the book only glazes over them and I wish there would be more in-depth discussions on them. The brunt of the messages is already present and I wish there to be more concrete instances in order to solidify the point being conveyed. Nevertheless, I am highly satisfied with this tale and all its heart and I hope many people will be inspired to stick to their true selves instead of hiding behind masks and closed doors.
It’s not easy to write about the details of one’s life especially in a manner that bares oneself and renders themselves naked and I am extremely proud of Ace for this success and everything he has accomplished. For his writing, I appreciate Ace more because he writes in a way that reflects his personality. His words are filled with so much sincerity and authenticity that I can’t help but want to preach his sentiments. The move to make a debut book an autobiography is extremely brave and I wish more people could be this courageous because this is what the world needs more of. My only critique is that I hope several passages packed a little more punch. I understand the level bravery it takes to write this story but I wish the emotional effects of the chapters vary from entertaining to painfully honest instead of maintaining a level of honesty all throughout. A little push and pull on the reader’s emotions does wonders for any novel but I understand the difficulty of divulging some details of one’s personal life. While I may have some reservations about the writing style, I do see Ace’s immense potential when it comes to writing and I encourage him to write more fearlessly, boldly, and simply just write more and more stories that many will be able to relate to.
For me, biographies are probably the most difficult books to review because they’re true to life and there is no single way of dealing with the infinite number of struggles any person goes through. While every story has room for improvement, let me just say how perfect the cover is! The color scheme is magnificent and I just love how the colors meld together to resemble how life is meant to be lived just like how we do with waves -- knowing when to ride them or weather them. The simplicity of the fonts is exactly what I look for in any book because it proves that while the cover catches the eyes of a reader, it is the content that captures their heart. I have nothing more to say about the summary because it narrates all that the book represents -- inspiring, entertaining, and life-changing.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I want to immediately read the next book that Ace comes up with because his stories are enjoyable while impactful. I would like to congratulate Ace once again for this feat and I wish him all the best in his career as a medical professional and a literary one.
Review to come soon. I'm still gathering my thoughts
UPDATE:
Moving away from one’s comfort zone is never an easy task and oftentimes, requires an immense amount of sacrifice. In A Journey Down Under, witness as a young adult braves migration while dealing with personal and professional issues and be part of his growth into an admirable adult.
I received a digital ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. I accepted the offer to review the novel because I knew Ace personally in high school and I’d love to read about the adventures that people I know go through and support them in their endeavors. Going into the book, I felt a sense of pride knowing that I went to school with the author and seeing him grow out of his shell and into the great, big world. With regards to the story, the book showcases the different struggles of a new adult in their life’s journey. Couple that with a move between countries, struggles with identity, and acceptance of diversity and you have a range of emotions biographies and autobiographies are known for. What I love about the book is its relatability because it’s able to convey the right emotions that many new adults face in their 20’s. I like how the struggles are chronicled in every chapter mixed with realizations for every one of them. I greatly appreciate reading about: identity because of its relevance to self-acceptance, social awareness, and destigmatization of hate culture, faith because it displays Filipino culture and where it’s grounded, and resilience because it’s a characteristic that’s almost lost in a time of social media and instant gratification. These are just some of the points I admire the most and I’m sure the experience is different for every reader. As for the points that need improvement, I feel like while the story talks about important points, the book only glazes over them and I wish there would be more in-depth discussions on them. The brunt of the messages is already present and I wish there to be more concrete instances in order to solidify the point being conveyed. Nevertheless, I am highly satisfied with this tale and all its heart and I hope many people will be inspired to stick to their true selves instead of hiding behind masks and closed doors.
It’s not easy to write about the details of one’s life especially in a manner that bares oneself and renders themselves naked and I am extremely proud of Ace for this success and everything he has accomplished. For his writing, I appreciate Ace more because he writes in a way that reflects his personality. His words are filled with so much sincerity and authenticity that I can’t help but want to preach his sentiments. The move to make a debut book an autobiography is extremely brave and I wish more people could be this courageous because this is what the world needs more of. My only critique is that I hope several passages packed a little more punch. I understand the level bravery it takes to write this story but I wish the emotional effects of the chapters vary from entertaining to painfully honest instead of maintaining a level of honesty all throughout. A little push and pull on the reader’s emotions does wonders for any novel but I understand the difficulty of divulging some details of one’s personal life. While I may have some reservations about the writing style, I do see Ace’s immense potential when it comes to writing and I encourage him to write more fearlessly, boldly, and simply just write more and more stories that many will be able to relate to.
For me, biographies are probably the most difficult books to review because they’re true to life and there is no single way of dealing with the infinite number of struggles any person goes through. While every story has room for improvement, let me just say how perfect the cover is! The color scheme is magnificent and I just love how the colors meld together to resemble how life is meant to be lived just like how we do with waves -- knowing when to ride them or weather them. The simplicity of the fonts is exactly what I look for in any book because it proves that while the cover catches the eyes of a reader, it is the content that captures their heart. I have nothing more to say about the summary because it narrates all that the book represents -- inspiring, entertaining, and life-changing.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I want to immediately read the next book that Ace comes up with because his stories are enjoyable while impactful. I would like to congratulate Ace once again for this feat and I wish him all the best in his career as a medical professional and a literary one.
November 30, 2019
A Journey Down Under: We live. We love. We stay., by Ace Campillo is a biography as he matures into adulthood. This book shows the love felt for his family while growing up in a poor Philippine village. Though his parents believed in pushing him to excel, Ace took that drive and pursued a career in nursing. Being a nurse allowed him to find employment in other countries and advance his education. While in Australia, Ace rooms with a co-worker and is added to her family. The lessons he learns about love, friendship, and heartache are touching and interesting.
Ace Campillo writes A Journey Down Under: We live. We love. We stay., with a passion that is felt through the pages. You feel the uncertainty he felt as he moves to a new country and adjusts to a culture that is foreign to him. His fear of failing his family, who are relying on his income, and his attraction to men makes this time in his life difficult at best.
Ace Campillo writes A Journey Down Under: We live. We love. We stay., with a passion that is felt through the pages. You feel the uncertainty he felt as he moves to a new country and adjusts to a culture that is foreign to him. His fear of failing his family, who are relying on his income, and his attraction to men makes this time in his life difficult at best.
November 25, 2019
Is the grass truly greener on the other side? A young man finds out that it might not be when he travels to Australia to immigrate. With the help of his parents, he leaves the Philippines and sets his sights on the land of down under where he thinks life will be easier than he’s had so far. When he gets there, he faces hardships based upon his chosen profession (nurse) and his own insecurities that come to the fore since he is now dependent upon himself. As he grows more comfortable with his life in Australia, he must face the age-old question of: Who am I, and what will I do with my life?
Very easy to read and great editing, I found no mistakes regarding grammar or syntax. That always throws me when reading so this was very well written. I enjoyed the story and laughed and cringed along with our main character as he went through embarrassing and painful situations. A very nice story about finding yourself.
Very easy to read and great editing, I found no mistakes regarding grammar or syntax. That always throws me when reading so this was very well written. I enjoyed the story and laughed and cringed along with our main character as he went through embarrassing and painful situations. A very nice story about finding yourself.
November 12, 2019
A well-written, easy-to-read book. It's inspiring to see someone who has succeeded despite all the hurdles. All the best!
November 12, 2019
It has full of insights that is powerful that could be staying with you long after you’ve even finished reading.
Inspiring and easy to read book. 😊👍
Inspiring and easy to read book. 😊👍
December 8, 2019
A Journey Down Under: We live. We love. We stay.
An Interesting Personal Biography
Ace Campillo recounts his life experience when he initially moved to Australia. Like every young man of his age, the author was in search of greener pasture. His expectations before leaving the Philippines were altogether different from what he encountered when he got to Australia. To start with, he frequently faced questions about his sexuality.
The author had a lot of questions to answer about his sexuality. Campillo was able to adjust his life to fit into his new location, and he also found a job but, life was not as rosy from the beginning according to his expectations.
This story is an interesting one for the topics it deals with. It serves as an example for the younger generation on the path to self-discovery (answering the question—who am I?) and healthy ways of going about their specific career goals. Campillo’s experiences is a good way to set an example for young ones. There are a lot of questions in life that you cannot shy away from forever especially when it borders down on personality.
This is one book I will love to recommend to my adolescent readers.
An Interesting Personal Biography
Ace Campillo recounts his life experience when he initially moved to Australia. Like every young man of his age, the author was in search of greener pasture. His expectations before leaving the Philippines were altogether different from what he encountered when he got to Australia. To start with, he frequently faced questions about his sexuality.
The author had a lot of questions to answer about his sexuality. Campillo was able to adjust his life to fit into his new location, and he also found a job but, life was not as rosy from the beginning according to his expectations.
This story is an interesting one for the topics it deals with. It serves as an example for the younger generation on the path to self-discovery (answering the question—who am I?) and healthy ways of going about their specific career goals. Campillo’s experiences is a good way to set an example for young ones. There are a lot of questions in life that you cannot shy away from forever especially when it borders down on personality.
This is one book I will love to recommend to my adolescent readers.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews