"I Have Been There"

This is a very delayed and long overdue post but it's just now that I found the time to "write" about it. I had  a  very quick vacation in Singapore with my sister and my guy friend, JV. We were there for just about 3 days (including travel)- super quick trip but a very memorable one since it was a first time for me and my sister to go out of the country!

I have been wanting to go outside of the country and to finally be able to do it was super special to me albeit it may be short. My desire to travel have been fueled by many travel posts on the web, especially my friends on facebook who have been posting travel photos (local or abroad) that makes me itch to just go somewhere foreign! LOL Don't get me wrong, I love living here in the Philippines especially in my hometown Iloilo City. There is just something about traveling that is so appealing to me. It's not something to boast about, no. Although it's uplifting or it might give you confidence to say "I've been there". Traveling offers you lessons. You get to immerse yourself in to the culture of that tow, city, state, whatever it may be. You get to understand why they do what they do and how they're doing it.

For some, traveling is expensive and exhausting- i agree. But that is already given. As they say, travel is the only thing you pay for to get richer. You get richer by witnessing a new culture, lifestyle and understanding; plus points also if you gain new friends along the way! I promised myself to travel more this year- locally or internationally.

Since I am not a daughter of a wealthy businessman, I always choose to travel cheap. I wait for good airline deals and I find hotels/inns/bed and breakfasts that are budget friendly. I have been working for a total of around 4 years with different employers (and going for 1 for Avida) and I know how hard it is to earn money! That's why when traveling, find a place that is worth your hard earned money. Just because you're on a budget, it doesn't mean you'll settle in a filthy hotel room!

For our trip to Singapore, I was blessed with a lot of help from my dad and my not so big savings. My sister and I booked our trip 5 months before our travel date hence the cheap round-trip fare. We got a little help from her close friend who works for a travel agency to secure our tickets. I also had one of my closest friends, who is a resident in Singapore help me with my letter for the immigration. I booked our hotel 2 to 3 months before our departure. Months before our trip, I was not getting "butterflies in my stomach" yet since I was thinking that it was a long way to go. On the day of our departure though, I was so excited and was inexplicably happy. To me, it was a realization of a dream. It was just a motivation/mantra to myself that "I will travel. I will go places." The flight was awesome and I super enjoyed it because my guy friend, JV, kept on entertaining me with music and we even got to act crazy on the plane with our cheesy dance moves which I think embarrassed my sister! Haha!  Touchdown, Singapore! I seriously wanted to kiss the ground but I begged off- I might have people think I'm a lunatic or something! Hehe  Good thing my dad was also in Singapore that day, he picked us up at the airport with his friend and they drove us to our hotel.

Upon our arrival at the hotel, we were all so tired that we just had to change clothes and go to sleep. We woke up around 8 or 9 the following morning. We bought breakfast at the Cheers store, which is like 7eleven or mini stop here in the Philippines. Our agenda for the day? Shopping at Orchard, of course! Well, not the high end stuff. Just a few affordable thingamajigs at Takashimaya mall, which is located at Orchard Street. After the tiring day, we went back to the hotel and rested for a while since my sister had planned for us to go see Marina Bay Sands and she was insisting on seeing the "Merlion" which I agree since it's an iconic symbol for Singapore. Only thing wrong about it was it was drizzling! We were not able to bring umbrellas! So we had to brave the "rain" so we could just go and sight see the bay at night. We met up with my friend and had dinner at Marina Bay Sands. The structure alone is gorgeous as it is but the inside is much better and they have a variety of shops and restaurants. After dinner, we went to Sephora because I really really wanted to buy a few beauty loot but I begged off and we bought perfumes instead. After our stroll along Marina Bay Sands, we finally decided to go back to the hotel at around 10PM or 11PM so we could rest.

The following morning, my sister and I woke up earlier to buy "pasalubongs" (treats/gifts) for our loved ones at home. We came back to the hotel before 10AM and packed our stuff to check out. We went straight to the airport after check out so we could have our things checked-in at the baggage drop in or something. It's actually a cool way so if you still have a few hours to spare, you can just leave your luggage there, pay for it and claim it when you get back before you check in. We looked around the airport and found a stall selling tickets to Universal Studios which we got at a cheaper price! After buying the tickets, we headed straight to the Universal Studios and it was the best experience ever! It was a great way to end my Singapore trip. I really had a lot of fun. I did not expect to really have fun in the Transformers ride but it was THE BEST RIDE EVER! We also tried Madagascar, we got in the Steven Spielberg sound studio, we saw the Monster Rock, got to see the Jurassic Park set up as well as the lost world; we also witnessed the drama/play/excerpt of the movie water world by Kevin Costner;  we even got to see Shrek 4D! Too cool! BEST EXPERIENCE EVER. The kid in me was super rejoicing, I'm sure of that. The whole day we got to roam around Resorts World Sentosa, unfortunately we weren't able to see the whole of Sentosa. Maybe in the future, when I go back there. ;) We left around 8 or 9PM and went straight to the airport and waited for our early morning flight. I guess the whole day we spent on USS took a toll on us that we slept all throughout the three-hour flight! LOL 

It has been a dream of mine to visit and see Singapore now I can cross it off my bucket list, but I will definitely come back. It is such a livable place and the people are so well-disciplined! I wish to experience Sentosa more and of course, more shopping! It's the best there. I can now officially say "I have been there" or "I have been to Singapore!". Now thinking of which place to visit next...


How about you, where are you headed to next? :)

P.S.
Will post photos soon! xx

Birthday Week

It's my birthday week! I am turning a quarter of a century! Geez. I'm getting old. I'm actually really scared to turn 30 but I shouldn't worry about that for now. For 25 years, I have been through a lot- personally and professionally. In spite of all I have been through, I believe I am much more braver and stronger now. There are a lot of things I am thankful for.

I will take this time to thank everything/everyone who has influenced me and helped me become a better person.

1. God.
    I used to be a really "religious" person. I was an active participant in Church, I was even on the praise and worship team. I don't know when exactly I started to drift away. It's a shame since three of my mom's siblings are pastors and my mom now has become one. I'm trying to make amends, as my personal relationship with God is concerned. In spite of my disobedience, God has showed me His faithfulness. He has extended to me all favors- especially with my work right now.

2. Parents
    This is such a no-brainer! Parents are our first teachers, friends, and occasional enemies. They are the first one to provide or demonstrate unconditional love. They guide us, motivate us and mold us to become the best version of ourselves. I have a really close relationship with my parents. Even though we may not see eye to eye, we have a deep understanding and respect for each other. I love my parents PERIOD.

3. Family

I'm very very close to my family, especially on my mom's side. We're a tight knit family and I've had fun growing up with them. Even though some of them have gone to marry and have kids or abroad, we still maintain a good relationship and open communication. I think God has gifted me with a very dynamic family and that's one of my family's strengths. Even though we have very different personalities, we maintain the respect due towards each other, especially to the older ones. Family is everything.

4. Friends

Be it friends from elementary, high school or college, I am thankful for their presence in my life. Although I have had a lot of "groups of friends" in the past, I have maintained a good relationship with a very trusted few and I am happy that I did. I can proudly say I have friends who do not judge. If they doubt my decision or ideas, they tell me right away and encourage me even more. I don't have "frenemies"- my friends are non-pretentious and do not befriend me just because they need me for something. True friends are treasures we should keep because no one or nothing can replace them.

5. The Love of my life, PJ.

Almost 7 years and this guy stuck around! Haha! But really, I'm not the easiest person one can deal with and it still surprises me up to this day that he's with me. He's the only one I've been with longer than 2 years. He knows everything about me. He's my best friend, brother, lover and everything rolled into one! He's such a great guy and now that we're actually planning on having a future together excites me. I love him so dearly- we've both seen each other not only on our best but even during the worst times, and we're still here. No turning back.

Happy birthday, to me! :)

Gone Too Soon

Flashback:

The year was maybe 2002 or 2003- I was in high school. I was hanging out at Chaiz Cafe with my then- boyfriend and a few friends when a chinita girl my age approached me and asked: "Hi, did you go to Sun Yat Sen before?" (Sun Yat Sen High School is well, obviously a Chinese school that catered to preschool, elementary and high school. I went there for my preschool education.) I told her yes and she asked me if I recognize her friends since they still go to that school and I politely said no that I only went there for preschool. She then smiled and her eyes sparkled as she did. She then said "nice meeting you" and I said the same thing. That time on, I remembered her. We used to have a picture together, I think before or after our school performance that time. She was the chinita girl who had short black hair with full bangs and always wore a headband. Her name is Lenny Ann Celiz. Since then, whenever we see each other, we both made it a point to greet each other.

Forward to year 2011

I forgot when I joined facebook but since I joined, my former classmates, relatives abroad, and even friends abroad have been communicating with me and it's a great way to keep in touch. Lenny and I have been communicating through facebook and even got each other's numbers although we'd rarely really text. Facebook has always been either a bearer of good news or bad news. I never thought I'd receive one through it two Mondays ago, May 30, 2011. I saw a friend of mine comment on Lenny's facebook a sad-faced emoticon. I wanted to know what happened because Lenny ha s always been a bubbly and cheery person. When I checked her profile, I saw everything. I was getting really cold, I was trembling and I was almost about to cry. I ran to my mom and told her the news. We were both shocked. I immediately asked my friend what happened to Lenny. Although it would've been a bad joke, I hoped it was just a joke. I didn't have the details of her death but I immediately asked where the wake was, etc. I didn't know what to do or think. It was surreal. I said to myself "No, she can't be! She just turned 24! She's healthy. She even had a trip with her boyfriend to Boracay before he left the country for work." I was in denial. I was heartbroken. We weren't really close but she's a friend and it hurts to lose a friend forever. That night I cried so hard before going to sleep. I wanted to ask God "Why so soon?" but I know I don't have the right to ask that because whatever that has happened, it's His will. I know  our lives are just God's gifts and it can be taken back. I just resolved to praying for her eternal rest and peace, as well as for her family and loved ones to stay strong. I went to her wake one time with my sister and I was able to held back the tears but I cried a little after talking to one of her sisters. My sister and I stayed there for about an hour I think before heading home.

I never usually wake up very early unless I have an appointment. This morning, is Lenny's wake. I woke up early but I had a sluggish morning, plus it was raining. I went to the wake with my mom who wasn't able to visit during the wake. I saw my former classmates from preschool and it was a very bittersweet reunion. It was a really sad day, close to depressing. The image of her dad looking over and kissing her coffin is still very vivid in my head. Add to that, her boyfriend was really crying so much, I felt like he was about to faint from all the crying. I was good with holding back my tears but when I saw her father looking over and kissing her coffin, I gave in. I cried. It was still painful- the pain is still fresh. Her boyfriend was really sweet. When it was his turn to view Lenny for the last time, he said "I love you so much!" even though his voice was already breaking. Before Lenny was finally laid to rest, he would touch the glass of the coffin, as if touching her face. My mom and I saw him hold Lenny's yearbook photo and hugging it. Although it was very sad, it was still filled with so much love.




P.S.
I didn't want to make this entry without our photo from preschool but I've searched our 2 houses and couldn't find it. My mom told me maybe it got lost in the flood, June of '08.

Few pics from the burial (taken with my phone):

Mom and I

Grave site, this is where the mass was also held

Her classmates from college with balloons

Lenny's picture: this is how she looked like before (preschool) except no more headbands ;)

Lenny Ann Celiz (photo from her Facebook)

Lenny, I know you've gone home to our Creator and I know you're happy. I hope you know how much your family, friends, and loved ones love you. Thank you for the friendship. Thank you for  being the first one to reach out to me way back in high school. We'll definitely miss you. ♥ ♥ ♥

The girls plus Chloe

Today, I went to see 2 girl friends from high school, School for the Arts. We all had the same major which was music and we were members of the chorale back then. We had a lot of funny and memorable moments in high school and I really treasure our friendship. It has been tested before yet we remained friends. I thank God for girls like them.

The first girl is Jeanna.

Meet Jeanna (Je-nah)

People would always mistake us as twins or siblings.We were both of the same body type; she was taller than me though. She now lives in Singapore with her family. This the reason why the three of us waned to hang out because she doesn't always come home here in the Philippines. Since she's staying here on vacation for only more than a week, we made sure we'll be seeing each other this time around.

Second girl is Sheila.

Meet Sheila

Sheila is the mommy in our group. She already has one beautiful daughter and one on the way. We would both see each other sometimes since she still lives here in the Philippines and I would see her at school back in college. She was the one who initiated our meet-up since we have never had a date (three of us together) whenever Jeanna comes home.

We all missed each other and had a lot of catching up to do. We went to have our caffeine fix at a local coffee house, Coffeebreak, at Smallville Complex. Our time spent there was filled with too many laughters and a lot of reminiscing about our lives when we were still high school. So much has changed now since we all have graduated from college, Jeanna has been living in Singapore for more than 3 years, Sheila is now a married woman with kids and I have been busy either working or having fun. I think our table was the loudest inside Coffeebreak. Haha! 

I actually did not expect we'd continue bonding over dinner but we did. While we were still in Coffeebreak, we had a hard time thinking of a place to eat. Our classmate and friend, Chloe, called Jeanna and informed he's coming with us for dinner. So waited for Chloe to arrive and made him decide where to eat. LOL

Meet Chloe. Yes, Chloe is a GUY! 

He actually suggested a lot of places/ restaurants to eat at. He wanted to take Jeanna to restaurants she hasn't tried yet since she got back from Singapore. We finally decided to eat at Perri Todd's. It's a local burger joint whose specialty is a BIG BURGER! As in as big as a plate! There was a little drizzle going into the restaurant.   We ordered Todd's Potato (i think better than Shakey's Mojos), Pasta Carbonara and Cheese Burger with Bacon. Here are the photos:

Todd's Potato

King Size Burger!

Awesome dinner. It was funny because it was raining so hard and then the electricity shut down due to power shortage. LOL  Good thing we were done eating! Haha! Too bad though, we had to drop Sheila off because... well, her husband's waiting and he'll be calling her and she's supposed to be home by that hour. Priorities do change when your married! ;) Here are the photos from the restaurant:

After dropping Sheila off, it felt like the three of us didn't want to go home yet. So we went to Starmart Jaro and enjoyed ourselves with more laughter, jump shots and water. LOL  Here are the pictures:

Chloe driving my car. hehe

:P

Ice Cream

Me and Chloe

PUUUURRRREEEEETTTTTYYYYY!

Sorry piddy, I ruined this shot! 

Uh, this was supposed to be a peace sign and a horn sign

Timer mode

Almost there. ;)

Could have been the best Jump SHOT ever but... haaay Chloe! 

Pretty twin! ;)

Nevermind

Piddy says "Rock on!"

How did your Monday go? :)