As the year 2011 is coming to an end, I decided to write a blog on how this year went. I remember as 2010 was coming to an end, I said that 2011 will be an awesome year. So let me write down the 11 highlights of my 2011.
This year started with me finishing our THESIS. I will never forget the stress that this caused me and at the same time the fulfillment I felt when I finally saw the hardbound copies with the signatures!!! OMG. I wanted to throw a party!!! But seriously, the process of making our thesis, tested my patience and tolerance towards people. After everything done and countless of sleepless nights I'm just proud of me and my group mates that we we're able to write and defend our thesis. :)
This has just to be said, part of the best things that happened to my year was the AZKALS, You see, with the rise of the Azkals, it also came with papers and finals and lots of them. And I have to say thank you to the Azkals, for keeping me company and sane at the same time during this tough time. In what way did they do this, well you have to be Tiffany Uy or if not get to read our 100++ paged conversation about school work and yes, the Azkals. Ibang klaseng makabaliw ang last hurrah for school and Azkals were keeping us sane, at least thats what we want to think! Aside from this, it was also fun watching the Azkals live! Hooray to me, I got to watch 2 matches. One vs Sri Lanka and the other versus Kuwait. :D
What's the best way to detox from the loads of school work but to have an out of town trip! This was perfectly timed since this was scheduled right after my finals week. Although, I still have a deadline by Saturday morning, I did all my best and submitted early my Media Laws paper! My family decided to fly to SILAY (BACOLOD) to visit my Mom's family there. It was also the first time after almost 11 years that we get to visit them again. The last time we were there we spent the holidays with them and sadly, my lolo died. We got to catch up with my cousins. We stayed there for the weekend after my finals week and that means when I got back here in Manila I'm on a one month break just waiting for my grades and rehearsals for Graduation. But you know what sucks is that after three weeks, we had to fly back because my lola died. No one expected this and my mom, sister and I had to rush back to Bacolod. It was such a heartbreaking moment especially after seeing my mom super indenial of what happened. And in this trip my little cousins got super fascinated with me and my sister that they want to come with us back in Manila or atleast we go back there and went back there we did. My sister and I went there for the 40 days of my lola and got to really bond with my cousins! So you see, we made bawi the 11 years in just 3 months!
One of the biggest things that happened to me during the year 2011 was my COLLEGE GRADUATION!!! Finally after 14 years of studying I am DONE with that chapter in my life. This was really the end and the beginning. This has to be the most bittersweet of all since I super love my block mates, we've been through a lot and we've seen each other in our worst and of course our best. But we all have to move on and continue our journey independently keeping in mind we have each other.
This year was also a year of DESPEDIDAS. I had two of my friends leave to study abroad. First is PJ, I knew of his leaving just a few weeks before he actually left and good thing he got a week or I think even a month delayed so it gave us more time with him. We even had a surprise despedida for him which sadly he found out, and mind you this was one of the more stressful things I had to do this year. Its not just throwing a party but we had to secretly do that we sometimes have to do in his place and we had so much to do and we're only four and to top it was also scheduled during the week of my defense!!! I'm such a good friend sometimes. HAHAHAHA. Anyway, it was also fun to get to see all of our friends just sad that it was because one of us was leaving. Oh well, that's life and life has to go on. My other friend which is now based in San Francisco is Nina. We all knew of Nina's plan to study abroad in 2010 and she always always gets delayed and we always always take advantage of the time we get to spend with her and we were even telling her, she wouldn't push through and when she finally had to leave for the states, what's funny was she even went to watch a quarter of a PBA game before heading to the airport, devoted lang eh. HAHAHA During her despedida, we had so much fun as well. It felt like it was my party since I had friends who were also her friends that were there. I didn't even get to hang with the people I always hang with. That's how intense it was.
Next on the list is ILC in CDO this year. The trip maybe be short-lived but it was worth it. Aside from it being the ILC, and ILC's are always fun, it was the first time that I went to a YFC conference without my sister and Dea. It seemed like the start of a new ere in YFC. And apart from that, we all got the chance to be silly and bond hardcore! This may also be because we had few delegates this year giving us more chance to bond. Late night bonding with the cluster was ofcourse beyond worth it. I just wish that I could back to the city and try their tourist attractions. Yes, as lame as it may sound, I wasn't able to go try White-Water rafting and the Zipline in Bukidnon, but I believe that in time I'll get to go back to that beautiful city. And while I'm on it, lets all continue to pray that CDO and Iligan can rise above the recent flooding and that they may slowly get their lives back.
From one beautiful destination to another. Next of my highlights is my trip to BORACAY. So this was my first EVER trip to Bora and my family decided to go on this trip to celebrate my parents' 25th Wedding Anniversary!!! So what was supposed to be a family trip turned into a vacation with friends. Okay, let me be clear with this. We were with Nina and Yma to begin with and after a tour around the island my parents gave us the permission to go on our own besides it is Boracay. So my parents had their 'date' while we go around on our own, that we only see each other in the hotel. And the best part of this trip we stumbled upon more friends which made it even a better trip. We even made new friends. Seriously that trip was fun. I would always always look back to May of 2011 and would want to relieve it over and over again. It would be fun to go to Bora to detox and just escape the business of the city. I couldn't really go to details because as what they say, what happens in Bora stays in Bora ;)
This year I've been blessed to ride the airplane numerous times. This time I flew to SINGAPORE and twice at that! :D Let me share to you both trips, and wait for my other blog about the recent trip there but here's the gist of it! The last week of May I flew to Singapore with Reg to join the Cross Culture. In 2008 my sister joined the team that went to Singapore and ever since I've always wanted to visit the country and a few years later I was given the same opportunity and it was worth it. We stayed there around 2 weeks, stayed with a host family, met YFC's from Singapore and most importantly have a one-of-a-kind Jesus experience! I can't really explain what transpired and how I felt during those 2 weeks all I know is that I feel blessed to have been there and given the chance to meet all of them wonderful people. In Singapore I found what I was looking for, it made me understand things more and it made me want more things for my service, for my chapter, for my cluster. YFC Singapore has been an inspiration ever since and what's best is that I found great people along the way. The Cross Culture Experience is actually a tie with my Graduation as the best things that happened to me this year. When I was leaving for Manila, they were all convincing me to go to back on November for the Praise Concert. I was really scheduled to go but for some reason the supposed November trip was pushed to mid-December. This was a different trip, it consisted of shopping and bonding with one of our friends who's now based in SG. It was fun exploring the other side of Singapore and walking around and the best part was we got to meet our friends there and they're still as awesome as ever!!! I think I can always always go back to Singapore. I love SG!
One of the most unforgettable experiences of 2011 for me is the ULTIMATE ALL STAR WEEKEND. If you're a basketball fan this seriously should be on the highlights of your 2011. Who would have thought the the likes of Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul would actually play a legit basketball game here versus selected PBA players and also our very own Smart Gilas. The best thing about this was that I got to witness it live, well the game versus the PBA selection at least. If you wanna know more about this experience you could read it here.
Next thing was this year's METRO MANILA CONFERENCE. You see around this time of the year, I wasn't my best self. I was questioning a lot of things, thinking of my future and what it holds and basically looking for answers. I've always attended every MetroCon since I joined YFC and it seemed like this was no different but it was. This conference spoke to me. I wouldn't go into details for this post 'cause I already blogged about it. But aside from God's message this was particularly a different YFC experience 'cause for one there were only a few of us who came, second is that the YFC's who attended weren't the usual YFC's and so we got to really bond with those who went. What's best was the basaan and Agawan Panyo after the conference.
Last on the list was our trip to EK with my beloved household! Us girls decided to sleepover at Marie's house. We had an ultimate girl bonding talking about different things that mostly centered about boys. We didn't realize the time and the next thing we knew the sun was rising and it was time to prepare so we could still hear mass before going to EK. EK is always fun, the rides may not be as exciting as it used to be but who cares its really the fun that we'll have with each other that would really matter in the long run right? It started with bump cars and bullying Trish, to really lame water ride, to the crazy Anchor's Away moment, to the insanely long line in Log Jam, through Space Shuttle and 'Horror House', to the anticipating drop of EKstreme and finally to getting all wet in Rio Grande Rapids and screaming 'yung bag'. This day was beyond fun, I mean seriously it was not only the chance to be with my second family, but also this binded us even more, yes we are cliquish like that. Allow me to share a blog post written by Mer. Going home was a totally different story and it was a chance to catch up with an old friend. That weekend has been really great, really really fun. Thank you God for this kind of family.
So that's it for my 11 highlights for 2011. This year has been great, it wasn't as exactly like what I had in mind, nothing of MY plans with my life ever pushes through anyway. This year has been tough, emotionally especially. It has been an endless roller-coaster ride, people may have left but at the same time I gained more. Non-stop laughter together with an endless stream of tears, the many days spent by my lonesome and the countless hours spent with friends, of travels here and abroad, of book I've read and movies I've seen. Life has still been good despite everything. There are times I question and at times I suddenly come across the answer. The random 'reflections' in life I've had.
This year has been crazy and this year has taught me numerous things. Despite things not going according to what I planned, I am still thankful after I realized what 2011 really has brought me. This year, God made sure that I am assured with myself and what I want to do with my life. This year, God gave me the chance to know myself even more, to re-discover myself and to re-define myself, by who I envision myself to be. This year, I was given the chance to love, love not only other people but also love myself. To love myself without hesitation and know my worth.
2011, I thank you for bringing out the best in me. I thank you for making me realize what I want to be. And to everyone I spent this year with, from my college blockmates to my A3 family, to my basketball-related friends, to YFC Singapore to my own family thank you. Thank you for making this year as it is. I love you all and I'm looking forward to another year with all of you!
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