My June-July 2017 Manila Visit

I immensely enjoyed my visit to the Philippines this June-July! I met up with my dearest friends, spent precious time and bantered with family, ate all the Filipino food I craved for, drank San Miguel Pale Pilsen (yes, this deserves a special mention), attended my UP graduation and the seventh birthday of my nephew, and hugged/held/kissed/cuddled with our pet cats, oh, and also Martin. I also was the 'model' for my friend who is taking up make-up artistry lessons but I'll save this for another post.

These photos should've been uploaded as an album into Facebook but I wanted it to have a more personal touch and tell a story. My visit in December 2016 was not as memorable as this one, perhaps because I did not meet up with a lot of friends. When I went home last Christmas I just wanted to spend my whole time with family and celebrate Christmas and New Year with them. But this time, it's different. I went to see my mentor and former officemates in PHIVOLCS, met up with my dear high school friends, met up with my beloved choir mates and childhood village friends, met up with my adult mentors - Tita Dina, Tito Jay, Tita Gemma, and Tito Mon - greeted and celebrated with many friends and relatives. All in all, it was a great visit, one that can propel me forward for the last hurrah this semester.

My first meal. Always. Jollibee.

The last time I came home, the first meal I ate coming from the airport was a Jollibee Chicken Joy and Spaghetti meal with rice. Ibang klase tong Jollibee talaga. Sarap na babalik-balikan, sarap na nakakamiss. Because there is no Jollibee here in Australia, for six months I had to just dream about eating this. It finally came to reality when I went home.

Dates with Martin.

Of course my visit will not be complete if I wouldn't go on dates with the person who makes my heart skip a beat for the past six years and seven months (shet ang cheesy). Thank you, Martin, for always being there for me; giving me unwavering support; spending precious time with me for two weeks despite your busyness running your own restaurant; taking in all my craziness and tantrums; unconditionally loving me despite my insecurities and imperfections. I love you with all my hypothalamus and amygdala.

HOHOL with friends.

I have exceeded my socialising meter this June-July much to my delight!!! Yey! I'm not anti-social after all. Maybe people will say that it's not in my vocabulary to be shy but sometimes my introvert personality comes out and I just keep to myself. This time however, partially because of Martin's goading and logistical improvement, I was able to meet up with a lot of friends! YEY!!! I'm so happy!!!

My choir family for 17 years!!! Some here are my childhood friends!!! Inez, Bettina, Anna, Mito, Mabel, Alex, Ate InG, Kiko. I'd take a bullet for these people <3 p="">

Mito, my love, my childhood friend, my running buddy, execom wacky side team leader, promotor ng lahat ng kamunduhan, haha! 

More HOHOL pics with my wonderful and dearest friend, Bian and her husband, Ricky; the architect Christian Aquino (yeah!); and my former Petunia Street neighbors, Tita Carol and Ate Lara (the big sister I never had). :)

And even MORE HOHOL pics with the gang! My grade school and high school barkada, Clang and Gail - I love you both so much - with their husbands, Deo and PJ; Of course, my handsome godchild, Uno and his guapito little brother, Alonzo; the South Pub HOHOL peeps: Ate Tin, Isa, Mito, Angelica, Bettina, Tito Mon, Tita Gemma, and Tito Jay; and of course, one of our mentor couples, Tito Jay and Tita Dina! :)

My nephew's 7th birthday.

So Angelo celebrated last 07-07-2017 his 7th birthday at Kidzoona Ayala South Park, yey! The food was great of course, it was prepared by Martin's Braiser Catering. The venue was perfect for the children and for ME, haha! I knocked myself out in the ball pit, in the inflatable slides and runways, those big balls wherein you can roll inside. I had so much fun playing even if I was in a dress!

Angelo was on the verge of crying in the second photo, top row, because he was too tired from smiling and taking photo with the guests, hahaha. At the end of the shoot he really cried!

Laurice, Angelo's mom and my sister-in-law, together with her super friends decorated the reception area. It's so detailed it even has a candy bar and a table of prizes! She even had a poster and sintra board made for Angelo.

Of course, lolo and lola were very happy and proud of Angelo and wished him many blessings that day, I just have forgotten what they were, haha.

Cat time.

I missed cuddling caaaaats!!! Pets are not allowed here in the dorm and strays are rare in Canberra so I haven't had ANY chance of petting a cat unless PARSA, the student council here, hires a petting zoo during exams week.

I think 50% of Martin's photos in his phone are our cats! At first, Martin wasn't into cats but I guess I influenced him too much that he's now adopting kittens off the street, haha. These fur balls are hilarious to watch and are such stress-busters. We'll just lie on the bed and watch these critters do their thang inside Martin's room, haha. Look at those black kittens devour the milk from their mother! Guess how many kittens are there. They're too dark it's hard to tell. 

San Miguel Pale Pilsen. Walang katulad.

Enough said.

Visit to PHIVOLCS.

Back in December I was supposed to meet with my mentor, Dr. Solidum. But December really prevents almost everyone from commuting in a peaceful manner. And as I've said, I just wanted to spend time with my family then. Fortunately, I have gathered enough courage (yes, courage) to meet up with RUS to discuss my mini-thesis here at ANU and also show my face to my former officemates, despite the measly pasalubong I gave them, haha! Pramis next time bongga na talaga!

So proud of my mentor, Dr. Renato U. Solidum, Jr., and so honoured to by his mentee.  

Biboy, Rey, Lem, Pau, Eunice!!! Community Team, yey!!!

UP Graduation. Finally.

I waited for a decade for this. I may have fallen short of the expectations, but nonetheless I still earned a postgraduate diploma in environmental science. The journey was long and arduous. Despite that, here I am.

Talagang ANG LAKI ng mga litrato eh 'no, hahaha! Apparently, nakuhanan pala ako ni Papa gamit yung camera ko nung umakyat ako ng stage, haha! Nako teka, mahabang kwento 'to.

So ang assembly time para sa CS Recognition Rites noong ika-24 ng Hunyo, Sabado, is around 12:30pm ata, tapos syempre medyo na-late kami ng alis sa condo. Parang an hour before kami umalis. Eh syempre galing pa kaming Parañaque EDI WOW na lang ang biyahe namin papuntang Quezon City. Dahil hindi na ako ganun kagaling tumancha ng traffic, dahil medyo anim na buwan ako nawala, edi medyo petiks petiks lang ako at medyo confident na late magsstart ang graduation. EDI WOW NA LANG KASI NA-LATE KAMI NG ISANG ORAS SA CEREMONY.

Eto yung feeling na may halong hiya at tuwa na, 'sa wakas, grumaduate ka na'. Hahaha.

Anyway, syempre bilang isang estudyanteng laging late, sinigurado kong isaisip yung program ng recognition rites. Nakalgay dun na kapag late at hindi nakasali sa assembly, hindi na makaka-register dun sa Head Marshall at HINDI na matatawag sa stage. Kumbaga kapag late ka, eh sorry na lang, umupo ka na lang at kunin yung medal, pin, at certificate mo pagkatapos ng ceremony. EDI WOW umupo na lang ako dun at yung parents ko pinaupo ko na lang together with the other parents at the back.

Aba, lo and behold...

Nung tinatawag na yung mga graduates for diploma in environmental science, punyeta tinawag pangalan ko! HWOW! Ako naman 'tong engerts, tumayo ako sa upuan ko at tumakbo mula sa kina-uupuan at umakyat ng stage! And to think lahat ng mga graduates nakapila, TOGETHER with their parents, dun sa gilid ng stage kasi nga aakyat! So ang layo ng tinakbo ko at mag-isa lang ako umakyat. Heto ang proof:

Medyo hindi pala ako naka-feet together dito, hahaha.

Medyo nalungkot ako kasi sayang, sana nakaakyat ang magulang ko. I'm sure they would have been happy and proud to go up there and see their youngest and only daughter receive a degree from their beloved Alma Mater. Pero nagpicture-picture na lang kami nila Ma and Pa sa labas ng theatre. Nakakatawa nga rin kasi isa ako, or ako na, ang pinaka-late na dumating, tapos kami pa ata yung pinakamaagang umalis. Hindi na namin tinapos yung ceremony kasi si Papa hindi na kayang magdrive kapag gabi na dahil sa eye condition niya. So heto kami ni Ma sa mga sunflowers at kay Oble:

Buti na lang at game ang nanay kong mag-posing ng ganito, hahaha. 

I love you Ma. I love you Pa. Para sa inyo ito. :)

So that summarises my awesome vacation! It was such a blast! I feel so blessed and loved by the Lord because of the love and care my family and friends have given me. I am indeed fortunate to live the life that I have and I will do my best to pay it forward. :) <3 p="">