yellow slip

Those who have applied for a US L1 (Nonimmigrant working visa) know that walking away from an interview with the Consul officer with a yellow slip means your application has been approved.

This morning I was up at an ungodly hour (4 AM!) to wait it out for my L1 application. Apparently, having a 7 am appointment doesnt mean you'll be entertained first. It means you're inside first, but with just as much chance as being called last.

I shouldn't complain. After all, I got my yellow slip. What follows after that, I am leaving up to fate.

...reflecting

I was on the plane waiting for the other passengers to board so we can all head back to Manila.

I've just spent a day and a half in Cebu with Steph, Grache and Bart and I was looking back at the silly conversations we had the previous night (earlier that morning actually, since it was around 4:30 am and we were still up). It wasn't entirely silly I guess, since it made me think. I was grappling with my thoughts and thinking about who I was, who I've become,how I've become who I am now, where I've been and where I'm heading and where I want to be...

Just the usual questions you want to ask yourself really, if you want to drive yourself insane thinking.

And then I looked out the window, and saw this...




...and I thought then that maybe, it doesnt matter where I've been and where I head off to next, who I was and who I will be because in the end, I'll always come back home and I'll always be me.

the year ahead

If the first few weeks of the year foretell how the rest of the weeks within the next 365 days, then I think is bound to be a very tiring and expensive year ahead.

First week of January, I was in Boracay for a much needed beach trip.
The week after that, I was in Cebu for Sinulog.




And then the week after that, I was in Mt. Makiling to help document Carl and Kuya's Father-Son camping trip.



This coming weekend I think I'll take a breather and NOT go out of town... because by first week of February, I'm heading out again :)

WTF???!!??!!?? !#@%#!

I dont know if it was the one week vacation, but I think I'm getting dumber by the hour...

I simply cannot figure out this thing I'm working on!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!

i needed to blog that out of my system.

Recap

Ten days into the new year and I suddenly realize I have taken more photos in the past two weeks that I did in the past months of the previous year. I guess Holidays are always good for everyone's hobbies (but I can't say much for my budget!)

Like a kid again

cinderella dancing til midnight

We went to see Disney On Ice last Jan 1 with my seven-year-old niece, ten-year-old nephew, my brother and my brother's friends. I was just as fascinated with the show and the effects as my little niece was. While my brother insists that I have seen one of those "On Ice" shows as a little girl, I honestly can't remember anything, so I'm adamant in claiming that this was a first for me. I can't believe how much magic Disney can cast on young and old people alike...now I'm hooked! I have to see next year's production!

Finally hitting the beach!

Jan 3 was THE day for me, the day when I would travel to Boracay on my own to meet up with friends for a 5 glorious days of white sand, blue skies and 'summer' sun. I had my plane ticket and absolutely no idea how I would make it to Caticlan from Kalibo...well, okay, I did a bit of research and found out that I could arrange for shuttles at the Kalibo airport.

Day one / Day two
So there I was, up early on a Monday morning to start my vacation, while the rest of the city were up early to head off to work. I took five days off since I knew I deserved it and headed to my much needed and much awaited vacation.

After the entire morning of travelling, I finally made it to Boracay! Lo and behold, there was Grache with a friend from Ateneo, and four other people I've never met before. One of them was from Finland, the other from Japan and the other two from Sweden. It was then that I thought, hell, this is going to be interesting...and it was!

tam,frida,arki,sara and grache

Day one and day two were pretty much the same. We'd lounge under the sun, gleefully roasting and reading our books, and then sometime during the day we'd have our fill of Jonah's famous shakes. By 5 pm some of them would be taking their fill of Boracay's Happy Hour (except for me since I can only take so much alcohol). And then while everyone was waiting for their turn at the shower, there'd be rum cokes and stories to tell. Later in the evening (or early in the morning) would be party time, where we'd all troop to a bar/club and dance til we can't dance anymore. While I was there, Cocomangas was our chosen venue. Lovely music, lovely people and plenty of dancing...what more can I ask for?

Oh yeah, second night, I had to have an early evening…. found a coffee place serving Lavazza, had one before heading off to Hey Jude for some beer with Marlon and company (they were there too! Talk about perfect timing). A few gulps later, the rain started pouring...hard! We had to run inside the bar for cover. When the rain stopped, my party mood has already been dampened. Oh well, early night for me, but not for my housemates. When I got back, they were just leaving for Cocomangas. Oh well. I hit the sack with the promise to party the following evening to make up for it.

Day three
Spent more time with Marlon and his friends. We went around on a boat (dare I say island-hopping? Not really, but something that should've been like that) and Marlon, at one point, got off with rented snorkeling gear and swam with the fish. Why I didn't go too is something I'd rather not post, but trust me, my reason is very, very valid. In the end, I went back to the island a bit darker and with new bracelets to show for the afternoon.

marlon

After that it was time for a massage...beachfront no less! Anyone's who's been to Boracay would know that there are manangs everywhere offering their massage services, and for 250 bucks (it really should've been 300), I gladly submitted to a relaxing massage on the sand for an hour, under the shade. Last stop before partying, Jonah's of course! For some shakes and the very decadent Army Navy sandwich (not for the non-cheese lover).

As promised I went partying at Cocomangas as well. It was hip hop dance contest night and Grache was in it! Kudos to Grache! You did it girl! So what if you didn’t win? (and we didn’t have that Lobster dinner, sayang!) We persistedly pestered Marlon to join in too…in the end Grache put him on the list and he looked just about ready to kill us! All for fun though.

Sometime in the morning, when I could no longer walk straight and we were all too happy and loud, we found ourselves at Hey Jude …. With Bart, Steph and Grache roaring to go for a swim. Ahh…I had to pass on that one too..it was too friggin’ cold! After being chased around , I finally escaped then and made my wobbly way back to the cottage.

Day Four
As it was my last day, I went pasalubong shopping. If that’s what I can call it. I actually just bought stuff for the kids and a lamp for myself. On my way back, I find out Steph and Bart wanted to rent bikes for the afternoon….Oh boy..bikes? Flashbacks of Versailles and the French guy I ran into while on a rented bike flashed before my eyes. No way am I getting on a bike! I don’t want to kill anyone…but then they said motorbikes are it, and that I don’t have to drive (like I can drive those things??). After several prayers, we got the bikes and were off.

It wasn’t bad. Not bad at all. I was with Bart and Grache on one bike while Mon and Steph were on the other. They got into a little accident (no serious injuries thank God, but it was scary still). Photos! Lots of them! Only a handful of them I really liked though. Made it to the peak and to Puka beach and then back to the cottage in time for dinner.

steph,bart,socs and mon

Dinner was a chori-burger from Bora-BQ and a BBQ. With rum cokes of course. Slow night. We decided to just chill at the cottage with our drinks and some chips. Randomly talking, listening to music. Nice slow night. Perfect way to end my vacation. Sigh.

Day Five
Got up early while it was dark and fumbled around in the low light in the cottage while everyone slept. I actually missed a step on my way down from the Loft on my way out. Nobody woke up thank god. I did wake grache to say goodbye and she waited with me at Station 1. Sunrise! Lovely to see Boracay slowly waking up. Just the thing to make me sad and not want to leave. But then the real world awaits.

By afternoon I was home and I slept the whole day away. Sigh. Boracay. Someone please take me back.

boracay sunset