Who is Vee?
Hi, my name is Princess, although, my family and close friends call me Venus, for my YouTube vlogs & business purposes, I’d like to use the name, Vee. It was my mate Dave who came up with that name, he just started calling me Vee. I like it, it is short and easy to say, VEE!
I am originally from the Philippines. I grew up in a small town in Albay, Bicol Region, with my 5 siblings. After my mother died when I was 11 years old, life had been difficult. My siblings and I were separated. My 2 older brothers went to Manila to find a job, while my 3 younger siblings & I have lived with my father’s other family. As far as I can remember I have lived in 3 different homes within 6 years.
At the age of 17, I run away, I was still a student, studying Bachelor’s in Secondary Education Majoring in Chemistry, I spent 5 years of my life in university, but I did not get a degree. It was very hard for me, I was struggling financially, emotionally & mentally. So, I gave up.
Got pregnant at 21 and moved to Bulacan, a province in Central Luzon Philippines, to work in a call centre in Manila. Got pregnant again at the age of 25. I moved to the UK in 2017 with my 2 kids, Zoe & Yael, with their father’s help, a nurse here in England.
Vee & The Great Outdoors
I grew up in the countryside of Albay, which is far from the city. My hometown has lots of hills to hike, rivers to swim, & forests to explore! Now and then the kids in my hometown will gather and plan a hiking trip, swim trip, and cookout trip for the weekend. Everyone will have to contribute and volunteer to bring either food, water, cooking pots, or money. These were the greatest time of my life.
Growing up with 4 brothers also contributes to why I love being outdoors. My mother bought me dolls, but my sister was still a baby, and I have no one to play with. So, I have learned how to play like a boy; climb trees, make and fly my kite, and built a “Paltok” or bamboo gun. I also tried to learn how to track down a spider that I can use for the “Spider Arena”, but I was never successful in that area. Whenever my brothers will go out, I will follow them and do what they do. Run, climb, roll, scream! Get dirty. The dirtier I got the happier I became!
Vee’s Wild Camping Obsession!
I remember my eldest brother was part of the BSP “Boys Scouts of the Philippines” he was not home for a few days. Back then I have no clue where he was. My mother then decided to visit him at their campsite and brought me along with her. That was the first time I have seen a tent in real life! Smokes coming from bonfires were everywhere! The campsite was huge! I remember, entering one of the tents, it was military-grade, dark moss green and the tent sleeps up to 10 people, it was massive! I was so amazed, I wanted to be part of it. I wanted to stay with my brother and sleep in one of those tents.
My mother said when I turn 8, I can join the Girls Scouts of the Philippines then I will have my camping trip! I could not wait to turn 8 to wear the green dress with yellow bandanas. My camping experience was so far from what my brother had. There were no bonfires, we slept inside the classroom at our school. And the worst of all THERE WERE NO TENTS PITCHED UP!! I was very disappointed. I never had another chance to join camping, I was left frustrated. My craving to sleep outside in a tent was never fulfilled, until today!
Vee & Travelling
My mother travelled to different parts of the country to sell life insurance to people. While my mother waits for the bus to Manila right outside our house, I will be screaming, chasing & begging her to take me with her. Sometimes she will, but most of the time she’ll ask my brother to hold me down. I feel the happiest every time she takes me with her. I knew we will visit my favourite aunt whom I rarely see, then we will go to Jollibee which is like McDonald’s, and then eat at Pizza Hut & Dunkin Doughnuts which we don’t have in my home town. Then we will go to SM which is a very big & famous mall to shop for new clothes & toys! Those were the best times!
My dad, on the other hand, buy & sells livestock. We rarely see him, we were not his only family, so he only visits when he can. But when he does, he takes us with him to buy livestock. We will go to different towns & villages; Sorsogon, Donsol, Cumadcad, Macalaya, Batangas, etc. Then he will introduce me to everyone as his prettiest daughter (Hair flick)! I will always choose to sit in the front next to my dad. I watched him drive his jeep; back then I thought, I would learn how to drive if I watched him drive. I have watched my dad wrestle a bull and load it into the jeep. Weirdly enough, I thought I had the power to speak to animals, so I will speak to them and try to calm them down right after they’ve been loaded.
I am in tears as I recall and write down these events. These are my CORE MEMORIES! Every time I hike, wild camp, and travel, it brings me back the greatest memories of my life. The happy moments sliding down a hill on a coconut leaf. The relief I felt when I saved one of the town kids from drowning. The times when my father was strong and the happy time, I spent with my mother alone. These are the reasons why I want to do what I do. I crave these happy memories. I will travel, hike & wild camp every day if I could to be the happiest! I want to do it and I will start now! I will start with the United Kingdom, here are the places I have visited so far. Here is a list of countries and places I want to visit soon!
