THE HUNGRY SYRIAN WANDERER: Vlogging With a Heart

From the Hungry Syrian Wanderer Facebook

A lot of people, from celebrities to ordinary people, are into vlogging. And as of late, I am thinking about vlogging as well since obviously this is the “in” thing in this era of social media frenzy and wifi technology. However, my time and resources are not that ripe yet for me to venture into this new online phenomenon.

My serious exposure to vlogs started only last year, when I came across Elle Uy’s videos on YouTube about home make-overs. This has then led me to watch other vlogs like Heart Evangelista’s soshal vlogs, and yes, even Mimiyuh’s crazy vlogs.

And for my first blog article for 2020, let me introduce to you my newest obsession – the YouTube channel of the The Hungry Syrian Wanderer. And so, how did I get to know this channel?

It was only last January 2 when I was introduced to this channel by a colleague (and a good friend as well) during a chitchat about, yes, vlogging. I seriously took note of it and had the perfect chance last Sunday (January 5) to watch some vlogs in that channel.

A Syrian by the name of Basel Manadil is the person behind The Hungry Syrian Wanderer. After watching several of his vlogs, I arrived at a realization as to what vlogging should be all about – it should be about having a sense of purpose in life, extending one’s self to others, and having a personal advocacy.

The vlogs that I have watched (so far) showed Basel’s compassion and generosity towards ordinary Filipino folks – like buying all the baluts of an elderly vendor, buying a bike for his construction worker, paying for the purchases of some people at a grocery store, buying a farmer’s sacks of rice, giving food to street vendors and homeless people, giving money to an elderly male worker at a gas station, ordering food and giving it to the delivery driver, bringing street children to Jollibee, and the piece de resistance – buying an apartment unit for his employee, and the list goes on.

What makes Basel’s efforts more interesting is that he is not a Filipino, and yet, has shown genuine concern for our kababayans who were at the receiving end of his generosity. Were they all for the show? I think not, since he really goes out of his way to help, exhausting all his efforts – both physical and financial. And as what my colleague who introduced me to his channel said, his vlogs are “nakakataba ng puso”.

Basel’s channel already has a whopping 1.62 million subscribers, and his other vlogs are about his travels around the Philippines, food, good-natured pranks, his puspin pet cat (Maui Boy), etc. And to add further, some of his vlogs have even shown his love for the Philippines, his home for five years already.

I take my hats off to this very compassionate and generous individual. It amazes me how he musters time, energy, and resources to produce quality vlogs that showcase his personal advocacy – extending one’s self to others.

The Syrian has two recent vlogs which show him going to areas affected by the Taal volcano eruption - distributing N95 masks and relief goods to the people there.

If only all vloggers could be like him – vlogging with a heart.

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https://www.facebook.com/yavinjen/