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About

About

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Mt. Bromo, East Java, Indonesia

Hello there and welcome to my creative space!

My name is Johanna Marie Frejoles. Most people call me Hanna, Ning, or Miss Bean. I’m currently based in Cebu, Philippines, usually at home, occasionally somewhere that has caught my curiosity just enough to pull me out the door.

Bean in Transit is a blog about the places I’ve explored, the trails I’ve traversed, and the people I’ve met along the way, but also about the pauses in between.

My Story

Born and raised in the Philippines, I grew up in a fairly conservative environment. Even then, I knew I had a restless streak. As a child, I spent hours buried in books and travel magazines, mentally hopping from one far‑off place to another, dreaming of a life filled with movement and meaning. That curiosity stayed with me, shaping how I see the world and eventually nudging me to document my experiences.

For a long time, adventure meant going somewhere unfamiliar: tasting food I couldn’t pronounce, learning how people lived elsewhere, and letting new cultures stretch my perspective. I chased that feeling wholeheartedly, convinced that there was always more to see and more to learn.

A few years ago, I realized that the four walls of an office cubicle were quietly draining my creativity. I worked toward a life that allowed me to travel while earning a living and became a digital nomad. At first, it was thrilling. But over time, the constant movement, temporary connections, and endless goodbyes began to feel heavy. Somewhere along the way, I started questioning why I was traveling in the first place.

So I slowed down.

These days, I’m far more rooted. I still work remotely, but I now spend most of my time at the southernmost tip of Cebu, tending to my garden, writing, and hanging out with my dogs (and cats, who very much run the house). I take long walks by the beach or in the mountains and have learned to appreciate the quiet moments just as much as the loud, exhilarating ones.

I’m about 90% homebody now and maybe 10% adventurous, but that 10% still matters. I travel when a place, an activity, or an experience genuinely piques my curiosity and feels worth leaving home for. I’ve become picky these days, partly because I love my life here, and partly because travel, to me, needs to have intention.

I don’t aim to tick off every province in the Philippines or collect passport stamps for the sake of it. When I do travel, it’s because something calls to me. I believe travel should add value to life, not just content to a blog. If I don’t understand the why behind a trip, I’d rather stay home.

Here on Bean in Transit, you’ll find stories about all kinds of journeys, some adventurous, some quiet, some chaotic, and some deeply reflective. One day I might write about an adrenaline‑filled experience; another day, a travel mishap that still makes me laugh (or cringe). Sometimes, the story isn’t about going far at all.

Everything you’ll read here comes straight from the heart — unpolished, intentional, and real.

Why Bean in Transit?

My last name comes from the Spanish word for “beans,” which naturally led to the nickname Miss Bean. And in life, whether we travel across oceans or stay close to home, we’re always in transit, moving through seasons, phases, and versions of ourselves.

This blog is simply my way of documenting that journey.

Awards and Recognitions

AFFILIATES



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