Posted on: 2nd of July 2008 | Under: Life & Love
Things I miss about Manila:
- My family. Although, I am actually in constant contact with them through the internet. My mom bugs me almost everyday about finding and buying her nice shoes and bags! LOL!
- Gucci! I miss coming home to her waiting by the door, ready to fetch my slippers. I was actually on voicechat with my family the other night, and I was calling out to her so she could hear me. She was crying out loud when she did and was running around the room trying to find me. The poor thing misses me too! =(
- My pillows! I must remember to pack them in my suitcase when I go home in December.
- My entire closet (clothes, shoes and bags). I could only bring so much when I flew here. I always have days when I feel as if I have nothing to wear!
- Cibo! I want some of my favorite Manzo Panini!
- My books. Sometimes I find comfort just staring at my bookshelf. =P
- The rest of my art supplies.
Things I love about Singapore:
- Finally being with the boyfriend. Just as he say’s it: “We’re finally Together Again!”
- Being independent.
- Cooking breakfast, cleaning, doing the laundry, and feeling all domesticated.
- Riding the MRT everywhere. I do miss driving around in my own car, but being just a passenger is quite relaxing. :)
- Clean toilets with tissue everywhere! Something that you’ll rarely, if not never, find in Manila. =P
- Going to the gym and hearing several people speaking in Tagalog. Makes me feel like I never left Manila at all.
- JR’s band (En-X) and finally being able to watch them play, even if it’s just during their jamming/practise sessions.
- Yummy food! I love, love Chinese and Malay food. =)
- Shopping! But, I must really take control, because I am going broke! =P
- Living on the 4th floor, with no elevator. Going up and down the stairs everyday serves as my quick exercise when I’m too lazy to go to the gym. XP
Posted on: 20th of March 2007 | Under: Thoughts & Emotions
Things are finally back to normal. My MacBook’s alive again; I picked it up from the Service Center last Thursday. My grandmother also checked out of the hospital and has been back home since Saturday. Things are good. :)
Anyway, I was reading through my archives and saw what I wrote 4 years ago. I liked it, so I’ll share it now.
I’ve always believed that everyone we meet in life, we meet for a reason. I believe that there’s a purpose behind why certain individuals were made present in our lives. Some are there to make living a pain, and torture us emotionally. Some to keep us sane and happy. Some are there to show us what life is about and let us feel their unconditional love. Some are simply there to help and teach us life’s lessons. Some enter our lives only for a few minutes, while some enter and stay for quite a while. Either way, each and every person we encounter will leave an effect on us in one way or another.
So, if someone comes into your life and after a while leaves you with a feeling that you’ve been stabbed in the chest, don’t be disheartened; that person came into your life for a reason. If you have someone that keeps you sane, that never fails to make you happy, be glad; that person is in your life for a reason. If you have someone who loves you unconditionally even if your flaws are more than the good things about you, rejoice; that person is in your life for a reason. If you have someone that helps you understand the ways and realities of life, who shows you that there’s always something to look forward to, take great pleasure; that person is in your life for a reason. And, if you meet people who stay only for a minute and meet others who remain a while, be delighted; all of them came for a reason.
The reasons may be vague as of the moment. Some reasons may even take a while to understand. But, in life, nothing was put by chance or by mistake. They all come to transform and mold us into the person we were created to be. =)
Posted on: 5th of January 2007 | Under: Life & Love
2006 passed quicker than I had imagined, and just as I had predicted, the whole year was definitely full of wonderful memories.
- Early on in 2006, I finally got my driver’s license. I had been putting it off for years, and pushing myself to take classes was indeed one of the best things I did. I enjoy taking public transportation (learning how to commute when we moved back here was something I was really proud of), but I also enjoy having the comfort of driving myself anywhere I please.
- 2006 also gave way to numerous reunions with old friends from Brunei, including this one. Of course, more pictures can be viewed in my Multiply account.
- Graduating was my biggest achievement of the year. Walking up on stage made me feel so good, especially since I had a medal pinned on my toga for an honorable mention. :)
- As a graduation gift, my parents bought me my MacBook, which actually still keeps me up all night. I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of it! XP
- Our Singapore Trip was probably the highlight of 2006. Ten days spent with JR, sight-seeing, shopping and meeting up with my dear friends. It was one big adventure that definitely tops all the adventures that we’ve had as a couple. <3
- Family occasions are something that I love, and my parents’ 25th Wedding Anniversary was a family effort that we all enjoyed. Despite the obstacles that popped up along the way, we still managed to push things through beautifully. :)
- 2006 was also full of love, and celebrating our 3rd year together was fun. Probably the best anniversary spent together. <3
Greeting the New Year was extra special, because JR spent it with my family and I. He came over early in the morning of December 31st and tagged along as I did my errands the whole day: shopping for bathroom fixtures with my mom and dad, doing the groceries, mass at 7pm, and then making tacos and onion rings for dinner. By midnight, we were out on the street watching pretty fireworks. We don’t buy fireworks/crackers, so our New Years are always spent watching our neighbors light theirs.
We watched….
Posted on: 10th of August 2006 | Under: Life & Love
Living majority of my teenage years in a different country from where I am now has quite a lot of disadvantages. For one, all of my closest friends are scattered all over the world, making it quite difficult for me to find someone to run to when I need comforting. Don’t get me wrong, I do have a handful of really wonderful friends in the country right now (the boyfriend included), but really, there’s truly nothing like being with old friends.
Another disadvantage is seeing other people with their own set of barkadas, and being envious that they have friends they can hang out with anytime they want. I get jealous of my sister when she hangs out with her Highschool buddies, because it makes me miss Brunei even more.
But if there are disadvantages, of course there are definitely some advantages too. Like having the perfect excuse of flying off to another country to see one of your friends get married. Waiting almost 7 years just to see each other again made everything more wonderful.
And there’s also the opportunity of organizing reunions everytime old friends fly into the country.
Last month, on the day we arrived back from Singpaore, I had to rush off to ATC for a mini-reunion with some people. Two of my guy friends were in the country on vacation, and even if I was exhausted from my flight, I went to see them anyway. Jeremy and Tan treated the bunch to a late night dinner at Sinangag Express.
Cheap food + great company = fun!
The only picture of the night: Michelle, Marck, Jeremy, Amador, Tan, my sis and me.
Then last Friday was another reunion, because Matet (who’s getting married next month!) was in the country to fix some papers. She had to leave early, and because I arrived late I only got to see her for 10 minutes. I still enjoyed coffee with the rest who stayed. No pictures of the night, because I was too tired to take pictures.
Another opportunity to get together happened when I got a text message from Sean (who’s actually the first-bf-slash-ex) that he and his girlfriend were on vacation in Manila.
Posted on: 22nd of May 2006 | Under: Thoughts & Emotions
If there’s one thing that I still dislike about having to move back to the Philippines almost 7 years ago, then it would have to be the fact that I could not bring along my close friends with me.
In spite of already having made quite a number of friends back here (I’ve been to 3 different schools since we moved back and I have made considerable amount of friends in each school), there are still days when I long to see my old friends. Studying the last 2 years of Primary and all 5 years of Secondary in a different country makes it difficult, especially on days when I just want to spontaneously head out to the mall to meet up with a friend. It’s not that I don’t get my share of happy moments with current friends. No, not at all. I just envy those who have barkadas whom they can literaly reach every day and any time.
Most of my friends here live up north of the metro. The distance just makes it difficult to meet up, unless we plan ahead of time. I just miss having friends who are literaly within my reach.
It makes it even harder that my real/close friends are scattered all over the world. The disadvantage of studying at an International School, really!
I’ve always wanted to fly out of the country just to meet up with old friends, but school was always in the way. I never got a proper vacation time that was in synch with my friends’ free time. It was always wrong timing. But, now that I have school out of the way, I made sure that I would finally make time to meet up with old friends. And what better timing too, because one of my closest friends is getting married in the middle of July!
So, I have finally planned for an out-of-the-country trip in about a month and a half’s time. I am beyond thrilled and I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited in my life! :)
Now I wish I had enough money for out-of-the-country trips to see my friends regularly. =P
Posted on: 12th of June 2004 | Under: Life & Love
I actually have yet to grasp the reality that I’m getting older. Wasn’t I just that little girl who used to bike around the neighborhood every afternoon? That girl who loved climbing trees and running around with her playmates. That girl who would get in trouble for talking too much in class. That girl who loved sitting under the sun with icecream in hand. That girl who would sit with her friends during break time exchanging “kilig” moments with their crushes.
Ahh, I was a little girl. And now, I’m all grown. Or, I’d like to pretend that I am. XP hehe. In a few years time I’ll be done with school, and hopefully, with a wonderful job. If I used to save up money for chocolate, sweets and ice cream when I was younger, in a few years time I’d be saving up to keep myself and my future family alive. A responsibility that will be coming in the near future.
But before pondering over what my future will be like, I still have the present to deal with. =)
Anyway, I just had dinner with my family, my bebe and my bestest on my birthday. Chinese food at Big Budha. Spending my evening with the people I love was just the greatest gift. =)
I wanna thank those who sent their surprise greetings too. I was truly surprised and touched with your messages. I’m truly a very-much-blessed girl who could not ask for anything more in this world. ^_,~;;
Pictures with my sweetie on my birthday…
I’ve been extra busy for the past couple of weeks, and now I’m graced with a runny nose and a slight fever. Perfect, isn’t it? *rolls eyes* I have a stack of balled-up tissue paper flooding my computer table. I’ve been sneezing minute after minute. Not a nice way to spend a Saturday evening, really. o_O;;
Posted on: 23rd of May 2004 | Under: Thoughts & Emotions
nostalgia n. a sentimental longing for the past.
I am by far the most nostalgic person that I know. Well… I used to be.
I was one of those people who used to crave for the past. I used to miss everything that was and often craved for the life I had before. Being always on the move, people assumed that I was great at saying goodbye and starting anew. That having moved to different places 5 times, in my almost 21 years of existence, I’m already used to the whole routine. The truth is, I find it more difficult each time.
The most difficult was our last move in 1999. We moved back here to the Philippines after living in another country for over 6 years. I became depressed for some time. I longed for the company of the firends that I left behind. Longed for the memories and experiences. It was tough trying to fit in the new environment that I was forced into. I became miserable.
But life has turned a great 360 degrees eversince. I’ve moved on. I no longer crave for the past. No longer have bouts of depression attacks. No longer cry myself to sleep, wishing I could wake up and be back to where I was some years before. I’ve been happy and I can say that I’m finally 100% settled in.
Who wouldn’t be happy, anyway? I have a great life here. It’s not as comfortable or as luxurious as my life back in the country we lived in before, but there are more reasons for me to be happy here. I’ve been blessed with a wonderful family, great friends and an ever-so-loving person to share my life with. I seriously couldn’t ask for more. ^__^;;
I used to think that I’d forever be the highly nostalgic person that I once was. But I’ve changed. I’m no longer that person and I’m actually happy about it. ^_,~;;
Oh, I drove to Festival today. I can’t wait to get my actual license! I’m dying to drive around the metro already! XP haha!
Anna. 25. Filipino. Interior Designer. Living in Singapore. Optimist. Gemini. Geek. Bookworm. Frustrated dancer. Mall rat. Shopaholic. Shoe addict. Crazy over flats and flip flops. Adores pointed shoes. Bag-aholic. Travel junkie. Gym buff. 
