The good will always outdo the bad

Today was an opportunity for me to look back and remember why I stayed after all this time, and why it was and still is worth it.

Long Distance

There will be a time...

When see you soon

won't mean a facetime call

When a goodnight kiss 

Won't be a tiny emoji

When 3 months worth of movie dates 

Won't be crammed in one weekend

When my good morning message is a whisper

Not read but heard

There will be a time...

When I will know what you're having for dinner 

Because we cooked it together

Not because I saw it on a picture

When a proud moment is shared

With a squeeze of my hand

Not by the like button on instagram

There will be a time

When i will be the last face you'll see

before you fall asleep

And you'll be next to me 

as the sun rises

I know that time will come

But for now, 

This will have to do

If The Ground Moves

O

Saturday night situation:

Enthralled by the beautiful poetry and artwork of my cousin Tanya while enjoying a bowl of fettucine alfredo with that sinful buttery slice of donut on the side.

Para kanino ka bumabangon?

One would think that after doing this for seven years, i would be immune to it by now- the coming and the going, packing and unpacking, the hug that leaves a lump on my throat, holding back the tears while driving to the airport. Well I can say that I have somehow gotten used to it. Normally the separation anxiety lasts about 3 hours max. The drive to the airport, the waiting at the pre departure area, the actual duration of the flight. As soon as as the city's skyscrapers come to view and the tires hit the runway, I'm over it. It's like something switches me back to being a citygirl and I feel happy to be back.

It's different this time though. The sadness lasted longer than expected, like my system forgot to reboot to a different mode. Even after walking around burgos circle, taking in the polluted air and walking past the call center crowd on yosi break, I still found myself clinging to the idea of being back home. And it stayed with me until I dozed off.

When I woke up the next day, I was finally okay. I looked forward to seeing my team, and to putting my plans for 2015 into action. It wasn't just that. A huge part of me was excited to get to work because there are bigger and bolder dreams to achieve this year, for my dad and my whole family.

Para kanino ka bumabangon? Para sa kanila 

Within me, there's something stronger, something better, pushing right back

I wish I found this poem before I wrote my 2014 year-ender entry. It pretty much sums up everything.

Today is my first working day for 2015.

I am all geared up and ready to begin my quest for #goodtogreat.

Thank you, 2014

For the most of this year, it felt like the world was spinning at a pace that I couldn't quite keep up with.

There was always something happening somewhere, events to attend, people to catch-up with, friends to support, places to visit and long overdue to-do list items. And up to the final month of the year, when things are normally expected to slow down (except for the Christmas shopping), time continued to rush at the same pace. Dinner after dinner dinner, one party came came after another; the weekends just weren't enough anymore for my exhausted body to recover.

Fortunately, i got to spend the last eight days of the year in my hometown and I finally got my much-needed downtime. The laid-back life in the province allowed me to get lots of sleep, and the hours I spent inside my old room was the perfect chance for me to clear my head and reflect.

As with every other year, I capped off 2013 with a sense of conviction that I was ready for anything that could happen in the coming year. (But don't we all?) Life or course never fails to surprise me as it has impeccable timing in shaking my world right exactly when I'm feeling so "chill" and complacent. I consider myself as somewhat a risktaker and I do like pushing myself, but the emotional rollercoaster ride that 2014 laid out for me was something I never would have signed up for. Sharp turns, dive drops and inverted loops filled my days until there was no other choice but to simply go along with the ride. Let go and Let God take control, as most people will say, and I learned just how true that was from first-hand experience. It wasn't all bad though. There were tears, lots of it, from frustration, from sadness, but there were also those that were triggered by pleasant surprises. And it was those moments that got me through, because with every disappointment and with every painful experience, I felt God working his miracle through people He intentionally placed in my life to help me keep the faith.

In the past four years, I watched myself go through various kinds of heartbreak, emerging as stronger and wiser after each one, convinced that I wouldn't mind going through it all again because it made me a better person. This time I'm not gonna lie. The type of heartbreak that I experienced in 2014 is not something I would want to experience if I had a choice, in fact I wouldn't wish it for anyone. But it happened, it's there and I can't deny it, sometimes I still see traces of it which I just choose to ignore. I have learned to look the other way when necessary because if there's one thing that 2014 taught me, it's that forgiveness doesn't happen overnight; it's a long process, a decision that you commit to every single day until you can finally say that you are completely healed.

It's been one heck of a rollercoaster ride 2014. More than any other year, you taught me how to keep my eyes open to the little miracles in a sea of bad days.

I will always be grateful oh Lord, for blessing me beyond what I can imagine, beyond what I've claimed. 

And I think there's no better way to show my gratitude, than to strive for bigger and bolder dreams, and being a blessing myself to others while I'm at it.

Watch out 2015, my #goodtogreat quest is about to begin. :)

Destination Happy Place: Dumaguete City

“Why do you always choose Dumaguete?” This is what my friend Mae Ann asked me upon learning through my intagram post that I was spending the long weekend in Dumaguete. My response was quick and simple, it is my happy place.

My first trip to Dumaguete City was a little over three years ago, in June 2011 to be exact. My roommate Allison and I flew in from Manila for a quick weekend trip to celebrate Kokong’s birthday and I remember getting attached to the place even before the first day of the trip was over.  It has become my happy place since then and I would try to schedule a visit at least once a year.

It’s not surprising for me to fall in love with the place. Having been born and raised in a small town like Cotabato City, I am used to a laid-back lifestyle that offers fresh home-cooked meals at a cheap price and allows people to move from one place to another without having to endure hours of traffic. Both of these are present in Dumaguete City plus several other things that I consider “pre-requisites” hence this city would be my top pick when I’m ready to leave the corporate life behind. (ooh big words!) But seriously, I wouldn’t mind walking away from skyscrapers and condo-living to settle down in Dumaguete and here’s why-

1.       Hassle-Free Transportation- Riding a tricycle is the most common means of commuting. Because of the narrow roads, it’s also typical to see people riding scooters and small motorcycles to go around. Traffic is very minimal and even the airport is so close to the town proper that one can go there by taking a tricycle. 

2.       Quality Education- Dumaguete City is the home of Silliman University, the first American University that was established in Asia and continues to be one of the top ranking universities in the Philippines in spite of the fact that it’s not located in Metro Manila.

3.       Fresh Food- It’s a coastal city so residents have easy access to fresh seafood that’s quite cheap. In my recent trip, I had grilled squid and shrimps every single day for less than half of the price that people would normally pay  in Metro Manila.

4.       Peace and Order- It’s not nicknamed “City of Gentle People” for nothing. Kokong even shared with me that during his college days, he once fell asleep in one of the waiting sheds after a drinking spree. He was too drunk to realize that his wallet fell on the ground while he was sleeping and when he woke up, everything was still intact! No one even bothered to steal his wallet while he was sleeping. :)

Earlier this year, Kokong and I agreed to make Dumaguete as our destination for my MTA (mandatory time away) from work. August seemed like the perfect time to do it because of the long weekend and coincidentally, Silliman University’s founder’s week and their fraternity’s 50^th anniversary celebration is scheduled on the same week. We arrived in Dumaguete last Friday at around 8 a.m. and since the trip was expected to last for five days, we had sufficient time to visit all the tourist spots and restaurants within the city and even traveled to neighboring cities like Siquijor and Valencia. Here are some of the photos from the trip (mostly taken by Kokong because as much as I love taking photos, I sometimes fear that we forget to enjoy being in the actual moment by exerting too much effort to document it.)

 Bossing's Tempura

 Bahura Resort & Spa in Dauin

Silliman Chapel

  Suman at Tsokolate from the local public market

Graffiti Wall at Silliman University

Though we had an outline of things that we wanted to do on this trip, there were several spontaneous activities that we managed to squeeze in getting a couple massage in a newly opened spa and driving an ATV uphill to visit the Japanese shrine that has a breathtaking view of Cebu, Dumaguete and Siquijor islands. And due to the non-stop rainfall in Manila on the day that we were scheduled to fly back, our flight got cancelled so Allie and I got to stay for one more night. That was a cancellation that I definitely did not complain about at all. 

So, if you're looking for a weekend destination, I highly recommend Dumaguete City. It's just an hour away by plane from Manila. Both Cebu Pacific and PAL offer two flights everyday. I guarantee that it's a place you'd definitely want to go back to. :)