Open Pages

A Tiny Strip called Dannevirke

2012-12-12T11:24:00.003-08:00

The first time I arrived in Dannevirke, my heart was pounding. A new place where I know no one. Not even one soul. And I have to live here for more than a month. It was a feeling I didn't care to have, but a feeling that was inescapable nonetheless. And to make matters worse, it was so small it made my hometown look like an entire country! Of course, since a long time ago, I've become a master at disguising my emotions, and disguise I did.

Slowly, one by one, I got to know the people of Dannevirke, and as pinoys tend to stick closely to their own kind, especially in another country, I got to know the pinoy community of Danne too! And let me tell you, they're an awesome bunch! I guess the loneliness of the place and the homesickness bonds everyone more than any other feeling. Missing your home country makes one want to spend more time with people who have the same background as they do. It makes the "missing" part so much more bearable.

At first, I hated the place. Or, wait, "disliked" might be the proper term since "hate" is so much stronger and my discontent isn't anywhere close to that strong a feeling. But you get the picture. I didn't like how there was so little to discover. How there were so few people in the town. It was barely a town. Almost ghost town-ish. That's how quiet it was. And being a girl who grew up in the big city, well, this was deafeningly silent for me.

But then, I started to really know the town. How the people, though scarce, are friendly. Yes, they ignore me, but that's because they don't know me and I tend to ignore them too. =) And of course, I got to go to some gatherings with the help of Allen and Mercy. If you want a party, these two are the go-to persons. They are on top of all Pinoy social gatherings in Danne. =D And I was fortunate enough to have been a friend of theirs.

And so even for a short time, Dannevirke felt like a happy place.

xoxo

-hny-

Waikanae

2012-12-12T10:59:00.002-08:00

It's been a roller coaster ride from the very moment I step foot in this country. It's been fun, yes, but it's been lonely too. Of course, no one really appreciates true happiness until one experiences the bad things, and not having my family and friends here? That's definitely a bad thing. So I guess I'm more appreciative of what I had before leaving my home country, I guess.

Anyway, the upside to all this is, to name a few, meeting new friends, visiting new places, eating good food and experiencing new things. Letting my adventurous side loose, I am definitely enjoying the nature and greenery that surrounds, almost hypnotically, the entirety of New Zealand.

And Waikanae definitely proved a good place to have all of those. Tracy, June and Ate Recy invited me over to have a wee good time with them post-CAP (that one short time where stress piles up on you more than you could imagine and you get to feel like a student again), before I head off to Hamilton to spend my Christmas holidays and my lull whilst job hunting.

It was just an overnight thing. But it was definitely one of my best here, so far. =D Of course, as they say, a place is only as good as the people in it (remember I Am Number Four?), so maybe because I was with new crazy, adventure-hungry friends that's why I enjoyed my time there so much. =D

We went river trekking (well, sort of. It was supposed to be a jog but then we were "us" so it became a slow walk around town and taking lots of picture and a little freezing, numbing, cold dip in the river), photo ops here and there, walked around all the good parts of town, and I admit, there were a lot, and a whole lot of talking all the way. It was a blast!

xoxo

-hny-

2012 Christmas Wishlist

2012-11-29T20:00:00.002-08:00

My 2012 Christmas Wishlist. Just some of the things I wish I had but I don't. A few wishes and dreams can't hurt anyone. Especially if someone somewhere out there is willing enough to answer your prayers. <3

PS: These are in random order.

1. Samsung Galaxy Camera

One of the first of its kind, its a product that incorporates all good things about a digital camera and Samsung Galaxy SIII Android system. It's not just awesome, it's AWE and then some. =D

2. Pink Lamborghini Murcielago LP460

I recall having this same car as part of my previous Christmas wishlists and I have a feeling it's gonna be part of many other wishlists in the years to come. But hey, what can I say? It's my dream car. <3

3. Pink Trenchcoat

I'm not really big on the designer outfits and I could care less on who made that. But if I get a pink trenchcoat this Christmas, I would be in cloud 9. =)

4. Tramping Shoes

I'm not the most athletic person in the world, but since I'm going tramping with a bunch of friends in a few months, I'd better get prepared and not mess up the uber awesome adidas shoes I got from sisterette. =D

5. My Family

Because I miss them more than I miss anyone else in this world. There's a void in my heart that only their presence could fill. And thinking about them not only makes my heart ache and my tears fall, it also makes me realize how incomplete I am without them. I've been to every Christmas tradition for the last 24 years and now, I'd have to spend my first Christmas holidays far away, in a new place, away from home, away from warmth, away from noche buena, away from the crazy pictures we take, away from them. I miss them every second of every day, and if I could wish for anything, it would be to spend Christmas with my family.

So there you go...have the most awesome holiday season everyone! <3

xoxo

-hny-

Squiggles and Long Walks

2012-11-28T20:26:00.002-08:00

I don't really have anything sensible to say right now. Except maybe that I'm bored and want to go out but haven't bathed so I can't and it's too cold outside anyway even if it is summer and I still have to get my watch fixed and some batteries on it and that I need to get my hitachi flashdrive from nanay which I was supposed to get 2 days ago and I am getting the urge to buy something but I'm trying to save money and I have to finish writing my critical analysis on all my clinical skills for my workbook and a bunch of other stuff that seems to escape me right now. So there. Whew. That was a mouthful. =p

Things are going slow and yet somehow fast too. It's that kind of day when you know you have too much to do that you just freeze up and end up not doing any of it and then at the end of the day realize you just wasted an entire day thinking of what to do first. Yeah. It's a bummer. But I can't help it. My lazy bones are at its prime and I can't put up a fight.

So the bad thing is, I've spent majority of my day lounged up in bed, watching Gilmore Girls (yes, a marathon. I'm on Season 4) and not one of my work is being done. Well, except for the laundry which I did the other day and my food supply for the next few days (I cooked a massive amount of adobo this morning so I can just heat it up whenever) which was good. A little experimental on the food and a little late doing the laundry (which was about 2 weeks worth of stinky clothing) but things turned out pretty well. =)

I'm thinking I only have a little over a week left in Dannevirke so I should really be making the most out of it, but seriously, I've pretty much toured the place my first week here so I don't think there's anything more to see. But oh well. =p Also, I'm supposed to have called someone and asked them ever so kindly to give me a ride tomorrow but somehow, no one's answering their phones so I guess I better start preparing for a 45-min walk at 6 in the morning. Tsktsktsk. That's gonna be fun. *Note the sarcasm there?*

Anyway, I just thought a blog would make the time less boring than it needs to be but I guess my mind's working overtime because this particular blog got done in a jiffy. And I didn't have to think about anything. The fingers just did their thing. Huh. That's odd. A product of boredom, definitely. Well, at least I still have Squiggles to keep me company. (I must say, I'm so getting addicted to these biscuits!)

Righty-oh. Might as well get tomorrow over and done with. A long walk on a cold Friday morning will probably do me some good. Somehow. I hope. =p

xoxo

-hny-

The Light From Frozen Graves: A Repost

2012-11-21T10:46:00.000-08:00

"But I just want to stop feeling."

"As far as I can tell, there's only one way to stop feeling and that's to die."

"That seems a bit drastic."

"It is drastic. Perhaps the most drastic thing there is. There are other ways to kill feelings, like drinking a lot or working hard, constantly, pushing those around you as far away as possible until there's no way for you to reach out to them but ultimately, the only way to completely stop feeling, forever, is to die."

"I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

"Good. You'll be a better person for it."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that the most interesting, amazing people I've ever met, the ones who influenced and shaped the universe itself, are the ones that felt too much but lived through it."

"That sounds hard."

"It is. It involves living."

: A repost from I Wrote This For You

Across Boundaries

2012-11-20T21:37:00.000-08:00

It's not easy being the new girl. And being the new girl in a different country is even harder. But if you find the right company, no matter the challenge, no matter the hardship, the journey will always be fun. =D

It's my last study day with them today and I found it imperative to right something to show them at least some gratitude for sharing the experience with me and making the situation more...acceptable. =D If it weren't for these group of people, I never would have survived the many weeks of studying and bookworming (yes, I know that's not a word. It's called neologism. ^^), so I am extremely thankful to these beautiful ladies and handsome gents (I think an "s" in this case is appropriate =D) for having shared some of its burden and making the entire time more fun. =D

I never knew that knowing about people can be so much fun. But I found that finding out their cultures, how different their way of life is from me, their food, and even their clothing is an interesting way to fill my time.

It's funny how we find something in common that we share with someone who not only has a different sounding name or a different skin color, but someone who also has a completely different background and life experience from you. How interesting life is, don't you think? =D

Anyway, I'm sure someday, somehow, our paths will meet again, and when that day comes, it will be a blast! See you when I see you UCOL CAP October 2012 Intake!
I will miss all your crazy stunts!
Hugs and kisses!

xoxo

-hny-

Breaking Dawn Part 2

2012-11-15T12:10:00.002-08:00

This blog has me standing on edge. Not because I'm scared, terrified and whatnot, but because I'm just too excited my finger muscles are tingling and my mind is working overtime that my fingers just aren't typing fast enough. =D Yeah, the title alone gets me excited. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2. *SPOILER ALERT*

So okay, first things first. This movie is the second part of the book "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer. It's the culmination of the entire Saga. The story of Bella's "afterlife" and having Renesme and finding out that the Volturi is out to get the entire Cullen coven. If you're ever a twilight fanatic at all, you'd surely have read the book so I don't have to tell you everything that happened. If you are not, or somehow have not read the book, well, read it.

With all my bias intact, let's start with my comments on the story and the book. I found it interesting. I was always a coward when it came to horror stories, but this particular vampire story? Horror, it is not. In fact, it's more of a fantasy than anything else. I found myself wanting to be in their world, mid-read, which is silly of course, but that's just how it is when you're too enraptured by the world you're reading about. If you're a bookworm (as I am), you'll feel like you've transcended to the life that is being written about, you'll feel like somehow, in some corner of the universe, the story is not jut a story; that it did exist. It's interesting because the story itself shaped a new way of looking at "vampires". It gave a sudden mysticism and "want factor" (for lack of better word) about them that hasn't been tackled on before. Suddenly, they became "beautiful". A word which has never been associated with their kind in the years past. And that made them desirable to us, mere humans, mere readers, even if they are just a figment of our imagination. So Ms Meyer did a great job in creating a world of poetically heavenly creatures that make your heart thump and your mind mush. Yes, if you like books that have more "depth" in them (like I usually do, save this one), you won't be much of a fan. But hey, I love any book that would get my imagination working in overdrive, and this one did more than extremely well.

Now on to the movie. What happened was, my new friend, Mercy, was going to Palmerston with her hubby, Alan, to watch the movie. I wanted soooo badly to watch it too and I told her. She asked if I wanted to come and I said yes (of course). In the end, I got a free movie. Awesome friends are awesome, yeah? =)

So anyway, I totally loved the movie (yes, my biases are still intact, forgive me. I just can't let them go)! Mercy and I were sooooo noisy (oh the Pinoy in us) in the theatre the other Kiwis might've become irritated. But we didn't really care. I was all curled up in my seat the entire time because I just couldn't contain my excitement. =D

Obviously, in the movie, Bella (Kristen Stewart) had to look gorgeous. And somehow, she did. I mean not gorgeous per se, but more like, she finally fit that role (?). She was made (and somehow became) beautiful so kudos to the make-up team. But more than her facial transformation, her wardrobe was to die for! I loved every single bit of outfit she wore in the movie! And yes, I admit, her acting was a wee bit better than in the other movies (which is great because it saves you the time to criticize her every acting faux pas).

Edward (Robert Pattinson) was gorgeous, yet again. It seems like he just keeps getting better and better in each franchise. Or is it just the I've-got-butterflies-in-my-stomach-swooning-over-you part of me that's talking? Well, whichever part of me it was, they adored him. And it helps that he's a talented musician too. Oh how I loved the part where he played the piano. It just seemed so...romantic. *sigh*

Alice (Ashley Greene) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner) were the other 2 most favorite characters for me (truthfully? Every single one of them is a favorite). Alice is a bombshell. She's so endearing and pixie-like that she had me believing in fairies for a sec. I loved her, book or movie. =D And Jacob? Well, just look at that body! And that to-die-for smile! Need I say more? Isn't he just...yum?! =D

One of my most favorite part in the movie was when Emmett (Kellan Lutz) and Bella were having an arm-wrestling match. Cool, aye? =D

It was great because I kept relating everything that happened in the movie to the ones I've read in the book. Scene after scene, I knew exactly what was going to happen and filled in the ones that they cut out. And then, suddenly, bam! That one particular scene hits you front and center. Carlisle dies (which almost put the lights out of me!), Jasper gets his head cut off, wolves yelping in pain, and the rest of the vampires obliterated, including the very beautiful face of Ms Dakota Fanning getting torn off quite un-delicately by wolf fangs. Yes, it was very interesting indeed. Somehow they managed to fit a fight scene onto a story that had none in the first place. And then mixing it into the scenario effortlessly. Superb. =D

Okay, biases aside, which person (reading or watching) doesn't want an ending like that? I mean, a happy family finally beating all the odds. I guess that's the greatest draw for me. That idea that one can beat the odds, no matter how impossible they seem, and finally getting the happiness that they rightfully deserve. It's a touching ending to a story that's unlike any other. And an ending to which I'm keeping my fingers crossed for. =)

So there. I've finally ended my Twilight tirade and now I bid ye all a good day.

Happy vampire fever! =)

xoxo

-hny-

Life and Death

2012-11-13T23:29:00.003-08:00

Let's face it. We see death all around us and we are either too scared we ignore it or too wound up we overemphasize it. Either way, it's not really living.

I'm not saying that I've lived a full life, because frankly, I'm not sure if I've lived it to the fullest, but looking back, I can say that, yes, I do have regrets (I mean, who doesn't right?), but generally, I'm quite happy with how my life has turned out and with how my past and present has shaped itself to be. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for the future to be the best that it can be. =D

Moving on, what I'm getting to in this blog is that, in my line of work, we see death more often than the average person that it becomes almost a "monotony" to a point. And it's the worst feeling one could ever have. Because who want's to feel numb with death facing you in the face? Nobody wants that. I'm pretty sure my patients and their families don't.

I'm getting out of topic again, so let's get back to my point. As a nurse, you see death but can you really relate to it? Can one really feel what the other is feeling? Can that nurse seriously say that they are "sorry for the loss"? We all have different answers to these questions, some stronger than others, and I respect that. So let me present mine.

One can never really relate to the death of another unless they have experienced something like that before. So no, I don't really know what death is like and I can't relate to what the dead is experiencing (that would be the craziest thing, would it happen, yeah?). But I do relate to the family. I've lost a loved one before. My grandparents. And it was the single most painful memory I've ever had, more than my boyfriend going out of the country, more than being scolded by my parents, more than all the physical pains I've ever had combined. Losing someone makes you feel like you've lost a part of you. Like you've been ripped apart and somehow wasn't put back together the same way. It's a hollow, devastating feeling and I'd never wish it on anyone. Not even on my worst enemies (which I am glad to say I don't have. I think). So yes, I can honestly say to the family that I am sorry for their loss but more than that, I can say to them that things will get better some day. That somehow, they will find a way to live life and move on. Yes, it will be hard. But life is always hard. That's part of the package.

So now, why am I talking about something so gory? Well, one of my patients is deteriorating and he literally is just counting the days. I'm feeling scared and sad for him, so I can only imagine how much anxiety he must be in. Even worse than death, waiting for it to come tortures the life out of you slowly and painfully. And my heart aches for him.

xoxo

-hny-

Movies I'd Watch Before 2012 Ends

2012-11-09T20:09:00.000-08:00

MOVIES I WILL WATCH BEFORE 2012 ENDS:

1. TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN PART 2

Who can resist that vampire love? Especially when they make vampires look so...tasty. =D

2. The Hobbit
Always been a fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. But more than that, I've read the book "The Hobbit" so its interesting how they would portray it on screen. =D I got invited to the premier at Wellington but was told we could only see the actors and not the actual movie. Not one for all that crazy scenes, I decided against going. Although sometimes, I do think I'd end up regretting that decision. =p

Penny for My Thoughts

2012-11-08T11:30:00.001-08:00

In life, we don't always get what we want. But we do get what we need. That has been a line that's been passed down from several generations ago and I've tried researching who the originator of that line is, but all to no avail (as is the case for most "words to live by" we encounter daily). But regardless of who that was, it's interesting how selfless he got. How much of the world and that of beyond he sees that he is able to grasp the concept of just getting what you need and then being contented with it.

As humans, we aspire to have a lot of things. We want. Always want. Sometimes, greedily. Getting it and then wanting even more, always not having enough. I'm not sure if you can call that human nature, but if you want to, then so be it.
I will declare, here and now, that I am one of those people. The kind who wants, gets it (eventually), and then wants even more. A typical by-product of society and all its superficiality. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, to want something. But there are limits. And we should know them. That's being part of being responsible.

I've read a speech made by a doctor who recently passed away due to terminal stage cancer and everything he said in that speech made me think, really think, about how I'm going about with my life and where I expect to see myself to be 10 or 20 years from now. Here are some of the things he said...

"See the irony is that all these things that I have, the success, the trophies, my cars, my house and all. I thought that brought me happiness. But i was feeling really down, having severe depression. Having all these thoughts of my possessions, they brought me no joy. The thought of... You know, I can hug my Ferrari to sleep, no... No, it is not going to happen. It brought not a single comfort during my last ten months. And I thought they were, but they were not true happiness. But it wasn't. What really brought me joy in the last ten months was interaction with people, my loved ones, friends, people who genuinely care about me, they laugh and cry with me, and they are able to identify the pain and suffering I was going through. That brought joy to me, happiness. None of the things I have, all the possessions, and I thought those were supposed to bring me happiness. But it didn't, because if it did, I would have felt happy think about it, when I was feeling most down.."

"...when I start to accumulate, the more I have, the more I want. The more I wanted, the more obsessed I became."

"A lot of times we forget, whom we are supposed to be serving. We become so lost that we serve nobody else but just ourselves."

" I'll just end of with this quote here, it's from this book called Tuesdays with Morris, and some of you may have read it. Everyone knows that they are going to die; every one of us knows that. The truth is, none of us believe it because if we did, we will do things differently. When I faced death, when I had to, I stripped myself off all stuff totally and I focused only on what is essential. The irony is that a lot of times, only when we learn how to die then we learn how to live. I know it sounds very morbid for this morning but it's the truth, this is what I’m going through."

"Also most importantly, I think true joy comes from knowing God. Not knowing about God – I mean, you can read the bible and know about God – but knowing God personally; getting a relationship with God. I think that’s the most important. That’s what I’ve learnt."

Those words really hit a spot. Just because I see myself going in the wrong direction, going in the direction of the misled. I aspire for things and generally, that's not a bad thing. It's a good thing to want to be successful, you just have to learn how to control your success and not let it control you.

I've often talked to my Mum and she often told me how material things are not the most important things in the world. And I pretend to listen, but I don't really hear. Now reading these words from a person who has had a first-hand experience with all that success and still felt nil about it, it's only now that I got to understand what my Mum said and what she hopes I would realize.

Hopefully, this new realization takes me to a different path, away from the path to destruction and unhappiness. Truly, mothers know best. =)

xoxo

-hny-

Quit Complaining

2012-11-08T11:12:00.000-08:00

In the last month that I've lived here in New Zealand, I've noticed how much I have complained and got depressed about my situation. I keep saying things about being homesick, being lonely, feeling isolated, and generally just being unhappy. I have an insecure side I just can't seem to rectify. And then, one day, someone told me this: "You have got something others could only dream of having." And that got me thinking straight.

A year ago, I could only hope my application pushes through with little obstacles. I could only dream of being able to travel and experience these "greener pastures" everyone's been raving about. I, too, was complaining then. Of how unappreciated I was at my job and how unhappy I was with my place in life. And then, the good news came, and finally, after a lot of hard work, I got to be here. To be able to step forward and start realizing my dreams of the future.

So I realize, I have no right to complain. Because, given the opportunities that I have been presented with, I could and should only thank my lucky stars for them. And I owe Him that much to fight through these and show Him that I can survive and make the best out of the things He has given.

xoxo

-hny-

Dannevirke - Week 1

2012-11-02T22:26:00.003-07:00

Notice how my movement in New Zealand has been from a populated area -Auckland-, to a lesser populated area -Palmerston North-, to a barely populated area -Dannevirke-. Funny, actually. It's like, I'm being sent to a place with less and less people everytime. Tsk.

Anyway, my first week here in Dannevirke hasn't been as eventful as one would think. Yes, its a new place to explore, but well, with Dannevirke's size, there really isn't much to explore. And because of a lack of public transportation, being in Dannevirke has limited me to either being at the rest home where I work, being at home, or at New World for some emergency shopping needs. And that's about it.

It's funny how much I've changed in just a couple of weeks. 4 weeks ago, I never would've thought I'd muster enough courage to ask someone I haven't met yet to give me a ride to work. And yet, somehow, I did just that. Crazy how this place changes you.

And work has been interesting, really. I've practically become a student again, going by how things have gone through the past days. I really am clueless with how they run things, and their "organized" system has me pulling all the roots of my head. I'm just confused, and practically overloaded with information. Too much information than my brain can handle in a day. So thank heavens that I don't only have a day (and thank my lucky stars I don't have longer than half past a month! I don't think I can handle much more of this "isolation" any more than I should). Learning all those new things, learning the routine, learning all the paperwork, and juggling all that with the stuff that the school is making us do is no easy task. The others just made it look easy, I think.

But I'll quit yapping about that because people might think I'm complaining, which I'm not. I feel really lucky to have been given this opportunity. It's just that I realized how much hard work is put up to retain it. But no matter, my motto has always been "If others can do it, why can't you?" so yes, I will myself to do this. I can and I must. =)

Tomorrow's another day.

xoxo

-hny-

Palmerston North - Week 3

2012-11-02T02:27:00.000-07:00

So, my third and last week at Palmerston. It was uneventful, to be honest. No pictures (new ones anyway) were taken because, well, we've pretty much seen what we can see. =)

The same routine as the week before were done this week. Wake up, go to school, attend lectures, go home, go on the internet, freeze to death, sleep...and the cycle goes on everyday. =p

However, we were getting a bit restless because since it was our last week of lectures, it could only mean one thing. Practicals. Placements. And work. More work. Which is fine if not for the fact that we were being sent away from Palmerston to some places we didn't even know existed until then, to workplaces where we knew no one, and to do work we weren't even sure how to do. So yes, it was a struggle.

And as if that wasn't trouble enough, we were told of our placements at the last minute so finding a house to stay in was a pain in the bum. But yeah, pulled some strings here and there (and by strings I mean the few people I've known since I've been here) and by some miracle, somehow, I found a really good place to stay in. =) Lucky I got friends who've been to the same placement I have. They did all the hard work looking for a house. I just sort of went with wherever the wind took me. =)

Anyway, Saturday, we kind of were in a rush to finish what we had to so we went to UCOL (yes, schoolwork on a Saturday. I know. I still can't believe it myself. Funny how this place changes you. =p) for the last minute printing, research, and whatnot. And would you believe it, something fun (finally!) in The Palmerston North Square is happening.

Farm Day, or so the banner says. I'm not quite sure what exactly that was about, but there were booths all around selling cheap (well, cheap for the Kiwis, still expensive for me) goodies. June and I even got a free taste of some chocolate and it was quite appetizing. =) Speaking of, I was hungry then so I was sorta forced (ok. I forced myself. =p) to buy chips (Kiwi's slang for huge fries). They are fattening and not really good for you which is why I've made a pact with myself to eat them super sparingly (and yes, I will make good on that). =)

Walked around a bit, bought some school supplies, and then headed home. And that was it. The cycle of my days at Palmerston North were now coming to a close. All that was left was the last Monday where UCOL scheduled for us to have our final orientation and then leave for our placements. I was fortunate enough to have the greatest of friends (old and new alike) because a Kiwi CAPmate, Kathleen, after hearing my dilemma a few days before regarding transportation and luggage problems, offered to take me and another Chinese girl to Dannevirke. And as if that wasn't kind enough, she even gave the entire class a box of homemade cookies each! =D How great is that, huh? =D

It's true, what my Aussie CAPmate told me..."Sometimes, it's not what you know. It's who you know." Does make sense to a point, doesn't it? =D

xoxo

-hny-

My Birthday Weekend: Hamilton, Hobbiton

2012-10-31T01:10:00.001-07:00

I've been meaning to write this for a while now. It's been more than a week ago since I had my birthday weekend, and still, all the details are fresh in my memory like it was just yesterday. Maybe because the past weeks have been far monotonous than I expected that the sudden change of pace, and not to mention place, was a welcome sunshine in my world.

So, 19th to 22nd October 2012. My Birthday Weekend.

Since my birthday fell on a friday, I had to endure classes for the entire day and take a Drug Calc test (which I passed with flying colors, thank you very much). Later that night, I gathered my stuff, hopped on a taxi and then a bus, and was finally on my way to Hamilton.

It was a loooong night. It was freezing, but it was endurable. Let me tell you this, though. A 7-hour bus ride is no joke. So if you don't have anything important, or urgent, or whatnot, don't bother trying it. If you've got the money, just buy a plane ticket and be on your way. Saves you a lot of back and bum pain. =)

Finally arrived at the wee hours of the morning, and after a few minutes of walking around the bus station to keep myself warm, Elbert, driving this borrowed car, arrived. Oh gosh, how I missed him! It felt like months and not weeks since I last saw him. Seeing him always made my heart skip a beat. Like I had premature ventricular contractions. =)

Slept through the rest of the morning and finally, at almost-lunch-hour, I greeted Kuya Inggo, his landlord who is absolutely the best kind of person you'll ever expect to meet in your life. He's just so....generous! I'm too lucky to have been able to meet such an awesome personality in my lifetime. =) One thing he said to me that shocked me? And I quote "Kumain na kayo. Ubusin nyo yang lahat na pagkain sa ref. May cake saka pizza at kung ano ano pa jan." ("Please eat. You can eat everything that's in the fridge. There cake and pizza and whatnot."). How cool is that? For the landlord to just practically give away the keys to the fridge to someone he's just met! Ha! Awesome! =D And of course, who am I, a mere mortal who has not eaten anything proper for the past half a month, to refuse? =D The best things DO come for free! =D

Moving on, spent the afternoon walking around Hamilton City Centre with Elbert. He took me to the lake which was incredible! He's such a great company to be with. Our wavelengths just match, you know? He understands me, even when I'm being difficult. And he puts up with all my nonsense, supports me, and always pushes me to do my best. In actual fact, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have been able to go abroad. I mean, yes, I'm doing this for my family and my future, mainly, but because he pushed me (sometimes, pressuring me even), he made me pursue my dreams harder than I ever thought I'm capable. Even if sometimes, he had to remind me what they were when I lost focus. He's a catch. That I know. =)

So we toured around the place, saw some kids ice skating in broad daylight outside, walked a few more, and then shopped for groceries before heading home. On the way, instead of riding a bus, we did some river trekking. It was marvelous! I never thought I'd enjoy so much walking, and I actually did! We took lots of pictures, naturally, camwhore that I am. =D And then of course, we made some pasta that night to bring with us for our roadtrip-outing the day after. =) It was funny, coz experienced as I was at making pasta, he did all the work. I just did the tasting. Hahaha =) It's nice to know my guy can cook. I love guys who can cook and play guitar. And he does both! =)

Next morning came and I was up early. Elbert told me the night before that we had an early day today so I woke up at 5:30am. Still groggy from sleep, I went ahead and showered the sleepiness off. Prepared for my day, picked the lightest but warmest clothes I can manage (in New Zealand, you never know what the weather is like, so you just have to be prepared for all kinds of things) and ate some more pizza and pasta for breakfast (best meals I've had in 2 weeks! It was mouthwatering after all the bread, meatballs, sausages and noodles I've eaten. =p). And then I was done by 7am. Only, the others weren't.

Elbert and I waited for the rest of them to arrive, and yes, they did...at 10am. Hahaha Could've saved myself a lot more sleep had I known. =) But it was alright. At least I was all ready and itching to go when they arrived. One bad thing though, the weather. The rain was downright pouring buckets! So we decided to wait for a while for the rain to at least simmer down a little. Introductions were done (mostly, me being introduced since I was the only new one in the group) and a little chitchat here and there, and then we were off! =)

I rode with Elbert in one car, and the rest in Christian's. Nifty little gadgets, these GPS are. I'm almost amazed at how we Pinoys find our way to wherever without 'em! Headed down to Hobbiton, Matamata where some of the tiny houses in The Shire (Lord of the Rings) were built. And, like a tradition-in-the-making-everytime-I-go-on-roadtrips, we got lost again. Haha Had to use some of my charm to ask the trusty neighbors to point us the way. Kiwi hospitality is awesome! =) Saw lots and lots of sheep on the way and they were like little maggots from afar! They were sooooo cool! =D

Finally arrived at Hobbiton after a long, winding, nearly-all-little-green-hills-all-the-way scenery. I was so excited I almost jumped out of the car when we stopped! Haha And Hobbiton absolutely did NOT disappoint. We took the 11:00 tour and it lasted for 1hr 45min. =)

With Elbert, Christian, Jep, Loraine, Ate Grace, Ate Rose and a lot of other tourists all scattered around me, the tour around fairytale-land began. It was still drizzling as we walked around so we weren't able to savor the experience as much as we wanted to, but it was indescribably awesome, anyway. Words aren't enough to give you a clear mental picture of the pure beauty that was The Shire. It was as if hobbits might pop out of one corner anytime! Little round entrances of tiny hobbit houses were scattered all around a vast landscape of greenery and there were even realistic hobbit gardens scattered everywhere. It was like a fairytale come to life. And since my vocabulary is failing me in describing the sheer magnitude of the picturesque view, I'll just let the pictures do the talking. Although, seriously? Even the pictures do NOT do the place justice. You really have to go there to experience what I did. =D

There you go. Now what do you say about that, huh? =D Cool, isn't it? =D I know. It was just spectacular! =)

And then...the rain began drowning us again (exaggeration, i know). Thankfully, the tour had ended by then and we started making our way back to the souvenir shop. My friends bought some souvenirs before we headed back down to the main road and toward Hamilton, at Elbert's place, where we decided to have our lunch. Lunch was a feast! The biggest meal I've seen since they took me to that Pinoy restaurant in Auckland when I arrived (sheesh! I sound like a starved woman!). =D We tried going to Hamilton Gardens to visit the gorgeous flowers that began sprouting in the beginning of spring but all to no avail. The rain then was just too much that we can't really walk outside and enjoy a nice day out in the garden so we decided, as an alternative, we'll just spend the rest of the day at Te Awa, Hamilton's biggest mall (I think). Te awa was realatively big but still just a hairlilne compared to the sizes of the malls that I'm used to in the Philippines. I miss going to a mall and just waste your day walking around with friends. =D

The sun soon set and the day ended. The rest of the gang went back to Auckland while Elbert and I stayed longer at Te Awa to shop for his shoes. It was Labour Day weekend so things were on sale. =D

Then the night came and went and the next thing I knew, I was at the bus station trying to fight off tears for leaving, rode the bus bound for Palmerston North, and spent another gruelling 7 hours with back and bum pain. =p This time though, since it was a Day Bus, the bus ride was almost like a tour with the driver mentioning whatever about the places we passed or stopped at. It was fun actually, if not for the length of the ride. =)

Arrived in Palmerston and lo and behold, the town was devoid of life! No cars, no people, no buses. Well, ok, there were a few cars and people, but the shops were closed and there were no buses! So, yeah, in the end, I had no choice but to walk all the way home. Walking from Intercity bus terminal to Kelvin Grove took me an hour and 20min. A feat considering I don't usually walk and I was by myself carrying around this heavy overnight backpack. =D It was an experience I will surely remember. =D

Arrived home in record time and the weekend flew by just like that.

And that's how I spent my birthday weekend. =D
Kudos and many thanks to the best boyfriend in the world, for giving me one of my best weekends ever! =)

xoxo

-hny-

Marae: Experiencing the Maori Culture

2012-10-25T02:55:00.000-07:00

One of the most unexpected moments I've had since I've arrived (let's face it, I've had this a lot for a while now) was being able to go to a Marae and getting to experience a day in the life of a Maori tribe.

For some bits of information, just so we are on the same page, let's get some definitions of these words in (I know they sound foreign). A marae "is a communal or sacred place that serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies" (wikipedia.org). And Maori is the general term used for native New Zealand tribes or people. A marae is typically a small unit of the Maori community that houses a particular Maori tribe (or at least lets put it in that sense just so we understand each other).

Now that we've got that straightened out, let me get on to my story-telling.

So, anyway, as I said, I was fortunate enough to have been able to go to one. Not many people get to, not even Kiwi's, apparently. So it was a great honor. =)

Started the day with a meet-up at UCOL with all the other lads and lasses bustling about, waiting for the go signal to board the bus that would take us to Foxton, where the marae would be held, and boy, the sheer number of Indian lads and lasses just about threw me out the building! They were a staggering number! I estimated them to be about 50-80% of our total number and the gals were all wearing traditional clothing which I thought was pretty cool (except that the day we went to the marae just had to be the same day the wind blew so hard and there was a threat of rain hanging in the distance, so the Indians might've found it colder than the rest of us who were wearing thick jackets).

Finally, the bus was en route to our destination and we were all getting restless, not knowing where we were headed or what we expected to find. When we did arrive, the driver and lecturers told us to wait until the Maori gave the go signal for us to start the "traditional entrance ceremony" held in all marae's.

The way we entered the marae was an event in itself. It was spectacular and, by some degree, also quite terrifying. We had to form a big group, the girls in front, the guys at the back with Dylan and Audrey (Maori girl) leading the pack. A Maori warrior that was wearing nothing but black undies with a straw front covering and a straw cape (I really have no idea how to describe what he was wearing so forgive me if I failed to enrich your vivid imaginations) and carrying a long spear greeted us with frightening facial expressions and attention-grabbing traditional martial arts moves while shouting some Maori words that were too hard to understand. Step-by-step, we proceeded with our slow procession toward the main building (whose name I've already forgotten). The warrior then threw a leaf at us and Dylan picked it up in the most careful manner (we were told later than if you picked up the leaf the wrong way, the warrior would then attack you coz they'd think you have ill intentions toward them. It was either attack, or be attacked.) The older male Maori near the entrance door of the main house kept blowing this huge horn while the older female Maori was calling out to us in their language. Audrey answered her in their language as well. This was apparently the part where the females ask each other's permission and gauge each other's spiritual intentions before we were finally "hoarded" into the main house to sit and wait until all the formalities had been done.

Finally, we were able to enter this huge, beautiful, native and quite furniture-scarce main house. We sat and all the formal speeches were made by both parties. After almost every speech, a traditional Maori song was offered. Of course, all of these were spoken mostly in Maori language so we really had no idea what was going on. But just being able to witness such a powerful ceremony was a thrill on its own. It was mesmerizing to watch and it was hard to look away (actually, we were terrified to move because we might offend someone so we sat there frozen regardless, anyway).

Soon the formalities were done and all that was left was greeting each Maori tribe member one by one. And get this, the way to greet them is to touch nose to nose. Yep! That's how they do it, and that's how we did it. It was a shock. And it felt very intimate. But most of all, it felt very welcoming. It was as if, after all the formalities, we had become a part of their family. "Awesome" was the only word I could think of that time. It was just beautiful.

They then proceeded to explaining all the stuff in English (finally) and we soon understood what had taken place. They taught us Maori songs which was quite fun, really. Most were action songs and one was a game. I found the Maori girl who taught us the songs really gorgeous. Her beauty was unconventional and it was the type you wouldn't really get tired of looking at no matter how long you stare. Anyway, they also taught us about cultural safety and the Treaty of Waitangi, both of which was a humongous thing here in New Zealand and was held with utmost respect. And in the afternoon, we were taught about the different properties, medicinal attributes and whatnot of some of the native plants in the New Zealand wilderness (of which, none of the plant names they mentioned I remember and I have a general conclusion that most of their plants can be used for medicine. haha).

So we did all that other stuff. Now the fun part. Eating! We had morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. And in all of those times, they served us full meals! Morning and afternoon tea were mostly a variety of drinks (which, of course, includes tea), several bread, fruits, meat, soup (the clam chowder they served in the afternoon was mouthwatering!). Lunch was a selection of viands, fruit, and salads. But the most entertaining and most interesting was dinner. Who could ever forget a hangi? Once you've had it, you'll remember the taste forever. Mighty interesting, that food was. Definitely.

So what is a hangi, you ask? Well, it's a type of food preparation where the food is buried under the ground on top of melting hot sunrocks and left to steam and cook for 3 hours under all that dirt. It's the best type of preparation for a large crowd, and since it requires a ton of hard work (digging, heating, etc), in the Maori culture, it is one of the greatest honors. That fact touched me quite a bit. =) And the taste? Well, in our hangi, we had lamb, chicken, potatoes, cumarra, pumpkin, corn, and peas, and let's just say, the combination of the individual item's taste plus the way it was prepared was very interesting. Certainly nothing I've ever tried before. =)

The day soon became dark and we piled onto the dining area (now turned entertainment area) for the cultural exchange. It's the part where we share whatever part of our culture to the group (be it in a song, dance, or game). Us Pinoys did the Tinikling (and yes, I was the female dancer. Not very good at it, I admit. =p) and the game Bahay-Kubo. I'd like to think they enjoyed our presentations. The Maori sang a traditional song and so did the Lecturers, Koreans and Chinese. The German danced a perky german dance which was absolutely fun and hilarious. And the Indians, who I've said took up majority of our numbers, also took up majority of the cultural exchange. =D They danced, well, Indian dances but for the most part, they did modern dances. They were a rowdy bunch. =D

And as fast as the day had come, it's now drew to a close. The final part was the haka. A traditional Maori way of saying farewell (I think) through a chant/dance/song by the men using the entirety of their bodies (even their eyeballs!). I thought it was amazing! But, deep down, some part of me was probably shocked. =) (To know what a haka is, search it in youtube) After the haka, we left the tribe with another set of nose-to-nose farewells and then we were off.

It was a spectacular day and a day I am sure to never forget. =D It was an experience of a lifetime! =)

xoxo

-hny-

Palmerston North - Week 2

2012-10-25T00:39:00.003-07:00

It hasn't been long since I've been here and I feel like I've been here forever. Yep, that's how I feel. It's been tough, and though my first few days have been great, the next ones were tougher than I expected.

Here's the story of my 2nd week in the land of wind and rain.

Palmerston North.

Monday to Thursday

15th-18th October 2012

So our week as official UCOL "students" has begun. And like the term implies, we went to school, attended lectures, did some homework, walked to and from the bus station, shopped for groceries and other necessities, and all other watchamacallits that students do.

The middle of the week was a whole new experience though. We got to experience a Marae. And what that is will be spelled out it big, black, bold letters in another blog. =D

It's been hard adjusting to this new kind of lifestyle. Being a student again was one thing but the new environment, the abnormally harsh weather, the scarcity of population, and the meager option for clothes, food, and shopping destinations have all shocked me to the core. But that was nothing compared to the homesickness that I began feeling. I knew it was creeping up on me but like what any other girl trying to survive would do, I dismissed it. And then, it suddenly came like a freight train and the next thing I knew, I was feeling terribly distressed and depressed. All that crying did nil to me at school though. And I've come to be good at covering my face up with a smile. Fake or not, it was better than nothing.

So I survived thinking about all the opportunities that I'm getting that others have been striving their bums off for and thinking about when I do pass this not-so-little-bump in the road. This is the biggest opportunity I've gotten and I've had to sacrifice a lot for this, so distressed or not, I'm not stopping now.

Friday

19th October 2012

All that brewing stress piled up majorly high on this day. My birthday. My 25th birthday. And I'm spending it alone. Well, not technically "alone" but you get the picture. So imagine my distraught knowing that not only am I not with my family today but the worst part was, I didn't even feel like it was anything special at all! How heartbreaking is that?

The day started like all the rest of my days here in Palmerston had. Woke up, bathed, ate, went to school, perfected the drug calculation exam (yey!^^), bus ride, home...and then...like some kind of magic, I was on a bus headed to Hamilton for the weekend! A breath of super fresh air! Although, it wasn't really magic because it was a planned visit, but hey, if your boyfriend offers to treat you some good weekend vacation slash birthday celebration somewhere, then who am I to say no, right? (Yes, I know. I've got a great one right here, aye?) So yeah, spending the weekend in Hamilton! And I'd like to make a blog specific to that so, let me end this with an advice...Don't let today's pain drag you down. It's pain now. But it'll be knowledge and maybe even laughter tomorrow. =D

Cheerios!

xoxo

-hny-

Palmerston North - Week 1

2012-10-23T00:27:00.000-07:00

Sunday, 7th October, 2012

As I said in Auckland - City of Sails Day 2, I arrived to a freakishly cold, barren, ghost-town-like Palmerston North. Not a very good first impression, I thought to myself. But as I had no other choice, I braved the winds, the 2-degree Celsius temperature, and the constant chills I began to exhibit and made my way to my homestay. By this time, I had Elbert (boyfie who so kindly accompanied me in my long journey toward Palmy) and Ishi (roommate who I met in the bus terminal about half an hour after I arrived so I had some company with me to battle the unforgiving cold night air. =D

Arrived in Ate Neva's place, which was still cooler, but a few degrees warmer than the outside, so it was like a breath of fresh air. =D Since it was dawn, we slept for a few more hours and then daylight broke and I had to send Elbert back to the bus terminal coz his bus was scheduled to leave back to Hamilton at 9am.

Met my housemates that morning and the day went by in a blur. I was still a little hungover (not the alcohol-type, mind you) from all the eating and roadtrips that we did in Auckland, so Palmy's quiet neighborhood shocked me quite a bit.

Monday to Thursday, 8th to 11th October, 2012

First day in UCOL. Woke up really early, partly because I was anxious of my first day of orientation, and partly because I was freezing. No, the bed wasn't heated so I slept in a 9-degree Celsius bedroom. =p

Our day was like it was described. Just an orientation. We had plenty of time to walk around the city centre and orient ourselves to the environment. We just met for about half a day for some little information from the UCOL staff, and then were dismissed right at lunchtime.

Did some grocery shopping (as we had to cook our own food, something I'm not really very good at, I admit, but I'm slowly learning. No more mommy to cook my food for me), some sight-seeing, and then all 4 of us (housemates who are also CAP classmates) opted to go home as we just couldn't take the cold weather and the harsh, cold wind giving us a whiplash front and center.

We opened up our bank accounts, did some shopping at a 2-dollar-a-bag store (you fill in a plastic bag with as many items as you want and all that would cost you would be 2nzd a plastic bag...I got 12 turtleneck-long-sleeved shirts...not a bad trade aye?), and caught up with our friends on facebook, skype and kakao. I also got to visit the Cathedral (which was waaaaaay far away from where I was staying) and my first impression? It was lovely, but it lacked people. =p

The week pretty much went by in the same routine and ended fast. The next thing we knew, it was friday, and we were headed for our group outing.

Friday, 12th October, 2012

CAP group outing, let's just call it that. It was great. Got to see lots of sights, and got to experience more of Kiwi life, which is entirely different that the one I'm used to.

We first headed to the Windmill Farm. As you might notice, we are wearing winter jackets in the middle of spring. That's because, being as there are hundreds of gargantuan windmills in the place, the wind was pretty rough and strong, and very, very, very cold. But getting to stand beside a 70-foot windmill was awesome! And since it was high up in the mountains, you can see a vast valley spread all around you, filled with greens, and trees, and just the exhilarating beauty of nature.

Before we got frostbites or at least frozen from the cold, we headed down and on toward Manawatu Gorge. It was a beautiful forest reserve that's got some huge, tall, slim and sometimes wide trees that I've never seen before, and full of the Silver Ferns, one of New Zealand's most notable species of ferns. We walked around the reserve for about 2 hours, taking our fill of the untouched greeneries and taking pictures in between.

It was lunchtime when we finished so our next stop was FishSpot, a famed Fish-and-Chips spot in Woodville, a town some distance from Palmy. I just ordered the cheaper mini-fish meal (5 reasonably sized fish cutlets with a huge serving of chips) because I can afford it and because I knew the servings were generally huge. My companions weren't as lucky and they had to bring their leftovers back with them as it was too much to finish all in one go. =D

Finally, we spent the rest of our day at Victoria Esplanade, a garden in Palmerston North famed for its beautiful landscape and flowers. Pictures absolutely do NOT do justice to the pure and unadulterated beauty of the place. It was spectacular! We rode the train which allowed us to tour around the entire area without over stressing our already-tired-from-the-gorge-walk feet. The place was absolutely beautiful! It was a sight to behold and I am lucky enough to have experienced such a fine scenery in my life.

The day drew to a close, and then we were headed home to contemplate on our coming first official week at UCOL.

Saturday and Sunday, 13th to 14th October, 2012

Spent the weekend generally at home, coz I had no money to spend and I really had nowhere to go. =)

And that was about it for my first week in KiwiLand. =D

xoxo

-hny-

Auckland - City of Sails Day 2

2012-10-22T23:07:00.003-07:00

So it's taken a while before this blog...been quite busy these days. Lotsa things to do in school, and lotsa things to adjust to in a new land. =D Anyway, as outlined in my previous blog, I've just spent my first day in Auckland. First day in a new country EVER, and it was one helluva day. =D

Here's the story of my second day...

Auckland, New Zealand: Day 2

So I woke up to a really warm bed, courtesy of Demi Luv's heated bed (cool aye? =D), and immediately went to preparing for Mark's birthday celebration. What a way to start my first few days here in NZ, right? Thought so too! =D

So we headed off to Mark's house (which was a great, lovely house, by the way...oh how the other half lives... =D) and partied with some other Filipino folks whom I just met that day. Haha Apparently, that's how you establish a connection here. Join the party even if you only know one or two of the guests there. =D They had lechon, which was a big shock for me. Never thought I'd get to see it so soon (though it tasted a little off. Cebu's lechon still tastes the best).

A little past lunch, with our stomachs all full from the delicious food, Demi, Elbert and I went out and met with Jezrael. Headed to Albert Park and rendezvoused with Gino. Since it's my first time in Auckland, they've graciously offered to tour me around the city and elsewhere. It's bloody awesome to have friends tour you around the place for free! =D We went around Queen Street, toward the Viaducts, saw some sails, enjoyed the sun, and talked and talked and talked. Walking here in NZ has become a necessity for me these days. But it's fun. And its even better coz you don't really sweat. =D Our last stop was at this somehow expensive but still quite delicious Thai restaurant somewhere in Marina Bay (I think that's what that beachfront was called). Again, they paid for my food. Lucky! =D

Soon, it was 7pm and we had to head on to our bus stop. We arrived just in the nick of time. Really. Coz we had to run toward the bus and we were the last passengers to board before it headed off my next destination. Palmerston North. =D Thankfully, Elbert came with me to Palmy (great boyfriend, isn't he? =D) to help set me up in my homestay. =D

The bus ride was about 9 hours, and at about 4:45am, we arrived in a 2-degreeCelsius-fog-breathing-Palmerston-North. And that warrants another blog. =D

xoxo

-hny-

Auckland - City of Sails Day 1

2012-10-14T00:24:00.003-07:00

I was waiting for when I could get hold of my camera but lo and behold, it'll be another week before that happens and it'll be too late to make this blog by then so what the hell. :)

So here's finally my blog about my adventures in New Zealand. This'll be a several-part blog, designed to divide my activities in Auckland and Palmerston. :)

So. AUCKLAND.

Arrival

Arrived at the Auckland International Airport at around 12-something pm. Immigration went smoothly which was great luck. Heard of stories otherwise. Went out of the gate expecting boyfie, Elbert, and his friends greet me only to find myself surrounded by huge white people. Knowing you're going to a white country and then totally seeing it for yourself is totally different.

Anyway, since it was a pain looking for them in the huge lounge, I went straight for topping up (kiwi way of saying "prepaid reload") my NZ sim so I can contact boyfie. I had to take my coat off coz it was getting cozy and I said to myself that if it was as cold here in the airport as it was outside, then people have been exaggerating about the cold. I had to take my words back though.

What happened was, we had a bit of a misunderstanding with the directions to where boyfie and I would meet so I ended up looking for him outside the airport and him for me inside. As soon as I went out the door and into Kiwi air, the wind hit me like an ice sheet. It was extremely cold for just a thin sweater so I had to put on my winter coat and still I was freezing. Or at least my hands were. I had to tough it up and well, after several shivering moments, we saw each other.

Meeting Boyfie Again

It was surreal. It's been months since I last saw him so it was a little overwhelming. I saw him almost the same time he saw me. He ran over to me with a great big smile and hugged me so tight I could hardly breathe! It was awesome. :D All those tears shed months ago now gone, replaced with unbelievable happiness. It was bittersweet because I had to leave my family but hey, better with him around to keep me company than without. :D After a few more hugs, I finally got to greet his (and now my) friends, Christian and Jep. A few pictures and we were off to wherever they saw fit to take me. :D

Roadtrip...getting lost.

We had plenty of time and yet so little so they decided we go straight to Northshore and tour around there since its near Demi and Caj's house where I'll be staying that night. Had lunch at this delicious fancy Pinoy restaurant, and of course, it was free (for me at least. haha). Very generous boyfie. :D We had soup, kawali, fried chicken, fish, and delicious flan with vanilla ice cream for dessert. It was superb. I met Ivan there, who was another friend of their's (and now mine, too). :D

Then they took me to Davenport. First to the portside then to the mountain. Which one's colder you ask? Both! :D They are both equally frightfully cold. ;p Had to wear my winter jacket to keep me heated. It was a great view though. In the port, you could see sails all around the sea. And at the mountain, you could see the entirety of Auckland. Photos absolutely do NOT do the place justice. It was breathtaking!

Then we went to walk around Westfield Glenfield Mall. Malls here close at around 5 or 6pm, by the way, which completely took me by surprise (back home, they close at around 9-10pm). Windowshopped for a few when suddenly, they spotted an iphone5 right off the counter of Vodaphone. Scanned the other celshops for iphone5's and finally settled for Telecomm's deal. It was incredible! The boys, like, decided to buy the thing right off the bat! Just like that. Amazing. :D

A few minutes later, and with great big smiles holding their iphone5s in their hands, we rode Christian's car bound for Northshore. Or at least we thought. It wasn't until we were 11 km along a long road when they noticed we were probably heading the wrong direction. Our destination wasn't supposed to be far. In fact, it was only minutes away. Of course, I knew nothing as I've never been there before. Inputted the directions again to the GPS and still it gave the wrong directions. Boyfie tweaked the inputs a bit and voila, we finally knew where we were supposed to go. Only, we had to go forward another 7km and round another 18km back to Glenfield. Yeah. We were lost. 36km worth of lost but it was fine. It was quite fun for a first day, actually. :D

But if you think that's over, well, when we finally arrived at the house, nobody was there which was weird coz I asked and Caj said she was home. A few minutes of standing in the cold with all my luggage and we finally realized that we had the wrong address. Hahaha Lost again! What a first day, eh? :D

Finally arrived at the house, chikka with Caj, later joined by Demi, until the wee hours and finally, a well deserved sleep.

It was a satisfying first day. It was exciting and my welcome party was more than great! :) I couldn't have asked for better friends or a better boyfriend. :)

xoxo

-hny-

Last Days in Pinas

2012-10-12T00:53:00.000-07:00

I don't really know what to say coz right now my brain and fingers are freezing off from the cold. So let me just narrate what happened in the past week.

CEBU

September 30, 2012

Me and my family went out for lunch for some yummy grub. This time, I loved where we ate coz it was Japanese food (Nonki at SM) so I had the grandest time. I wasn't really thinking about the reason WHY we were having this meal. I was just sort of enjoying the entire experience. It was mine and my sister's treat for my family. :) Then, since we wanted more (although we were practically bursting from a full stomach), we stopped by Fudge (one of my dessert places) for some mouthwatering cakes (their mud cakes are incre-delicious-ble!).'

After a day of fun, we had some grocery shopping before heading home to recuperate.

October 1, 2012

Left Cebu at around 4pm via Cebu Pacific. It was hard because I kept stopping my tears from flowing. I just said my goodbyes to my brother and sister that morning and it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. For all my life, it was always me, sisterette and brother-dear together and now, I'm leaving them, and even though it will only just be for a short while, it is still A WHILE, the longest and farthest we've been from each other. The longest and farthest I've been from my family, really. I've steeled myself for this for a while now, but I don't think it did any good. If anything, it's harder.

But the show must go on as they say, so, after 3 hours of delayed flights, I'm finally bound for manila.

MANILA

Arrived late in Manila so we were greeted by the rush hour traffic, which was anything but comfortable. But having my cousins, Nikki and John2x, there was a gem. We dropped by Jollibee for some quick dinner (since we were all starving, having missed lunch from all the delays...as evidenced by my auntie Leonore complaining of starvation from the very first second they announced the delay until the time she had some food down her throat) and though I'm not much of a fan of the fastfood chain, it was a welcome heat for my empty stomach.

Finally arrived in Cainta after a long, slow drive down the streets of Manila and settled there for the night. The house my cousins lived in was big. It was, like, five times the size of ours! And that just downstairs! But their upstairs rooms, and well, everything in it creep me out. I'm not good with big houses and a lot of quiet. Makes my imagination run lose.

October 2, 2012

Today, my aunt was leaving for Amsterdam, so with the traffic jam everywhere in Manila, we just went and tagged along as she did her errands, drank some gargantuan milk teas, sent her to the airport and then went for some little grocery shopping in Megamall. It was pretty much it by the time we were done with shopping. The traffic was unbelievable! It takes hours just to get to one place!

John2x was adorable though. Stuck to me like rice on a plate. :D I miss that kid. :D He's so sweet and malambing.

But like every other day, it came to an end.

October 3, 2012

We pretty much did the errands my aunt sent us to do for the entire day. Nothing much happened today, except that we went to Cavite instead of Cainta to sleep for the night since it's been raining for days and there's a risk of flooding in Cainta and the areas around it (which might cause me to miss my flight the next day).

Spent a few hours in SM Makati for some gift shopping for my siblings, a little dinner in Cavite and more luggage checking before finally heading off to dreamland.

October 4, 2012

It was THE day. The day I'll leave, by myself, for some unknown land, without my family with me. It's my first time so I was really scared to death. But I didn't want my family to see me having a hard time coz things are hard for them too, so I just toughed it out.

Went through NAIA Terminal 1, spent quite a few lost moments inside before eventually finding my way through the Thai Airways Check-In Counter. Did all the checking-in, then payed for the terminal fee, went through immigration (which was pretty fast, no questions asked. surprised me quite a bit), then sat back and waited at the lounge for my flight. It was pretty stressful coz I was alone, a first-time international flyer, and I had no idea where to go. So I kept asking, looking for signs, and all that jazz while deep inside, all I really wanted was to turn back and go home.

The plane departed and it was "Goodbye Philippines. For now, at least.".

I'm missing my family real bad.
I can't think about the coming holidays and all the Christmas traditions we had which I won't be able to attend this year.
I'm pretty homesick.

xoxo

-hny-

Open Letter to My Family

2012-09-30T17:11:00.001-07:00

So I'm leaving Cebu 5 hours from now. I'm not leaving for good, of course, but since this will be the longest and farthest we'll be from each other, I'm writing this blog entry as my personal tribute to my beloved family, who's been with me through thick and thin. And because I will miss them. So much.

09302012

Dear Family,

I've made you cards which I placed on my top dresser so if you could just read them all personally, I would really appreciate it. There are just some things I can't write here. :)

Anyway, I'm finally here. At this stage of my life. If there was ever anything that was life-changing, this would be it. I'm not really sure if what I'm doing is the right thing for me or us. I'm just going with the flow as it is. But I'm hoping that whatever the outcome of this endeavor, you'll all still be there supporting me. It's gonna be hard being apart from all of you. I have never been away for longer than a week before. So although I feel pretty apathetic for the moment (some kind of defense mechanism I'm using so that I don't back out of this entire thing), I'm pretty sure that when the time comes, the loneliness will come crashing down like boulders.

Not to worry though, I'm a pretty strong woman, or at least, emotionally, I think I am. So I'll do what I can to survive. After all, I'm doing all this for all of you. So that we'll have a better future.

So, I'll see you all real soon, awryt? :) I can't wait to see you all again! :)

I love you all muchos! :)
Take care and God bless! :)

xoxo

~hny~

Sweet, Stormy Escape

2012-09-23T20:16:00.003-07:00

Since I'll be MIA for the next few months - I'm hoping it's only months, not years - I took a little trip down our little, cozy island to bid my "hi's" and "bye's" to some of my super extended family members. It wasn't as bittersweet as I hoped it'd be, owing I guess to my already being MIA for the past years. However, this short little trip reminded me of my upbringing and kept me even more deeply rooted to the ground that I've been standing on for the past number of years of my existence. It was a humbling experience.

Left for Leyte at around 9pm of Sept. 21, 2012 and arrived around 3am the following day. Of course, I didn't get much sleep since sleeping on a boat was rather uncomfortable so I busied myself with reading. A lot of reading. But I kept surprising myself at how I've gradually developed a sort of immunity to sleepless nights - probably since I've had lots of these in the past decade and a half. It was somehow comforting finding myself still well rested despite the barely 2-hour sleep that I've gotten in almost 36 hours.

Arriving early in the morning meant no one to greet us a warm welcome, but that was exactly how I wanted it. I was never fond of the almost-grand welcoming we most often receive during our all but rare vacations. All the hustle and bustle was just too much for my highly introvert personality.

However, I was fairly surprised when,at 4am, we caught my aunt in the middle of decorating a cake and finishing up a dessert (meant for the guests that would arrive later that day for my Lola's death anniversary, one of the reasons we did go home). I remember vaguely wondering how early she'd woken up before shaking it off as a passing remark. I was so engrossed with cake decorating that I even had some time to imagine how I would decorate it if I were the one making it. Baking has always been a...passion that I never got to hold on to. My being just a few feet away from the beach was all but forgotten. Also, it didn't help that the weather wasn't cooperating. A storm was coming, so to speak. So the day was dark, raining, dreary and kind of gloomy. An atmosphere fit for a death anniversary, I guess.

Making buko-lychee salad. I'm not sure if I got the name right though. ^^

The makings of a chocolate marble cake.

But the sun did shine, somehow, and every now and then, a little ray of sunshine hit the beach and the sea shimmered with its glorious presence. I've forgotten how much I missed the place. I immediately succumbed to my reminiscing.

The place was so much more different than I remembered. The sea has already taken half of our land (about 2 hectares of it, I was told) and that fact left a stinging pain I couldn't get away from. All this could have been prevented had my ancestors known and prepared a riprap for the beach back when they could afford it. Now, I felt a hollow feeling of discontent realizing how much we and our forefathers lost, how much of their hard-earned land was now washed away, and how much of their hardwork ended up fruitless.

This ancient burner/fireplace of some sort has been here as far as I can remember.

What has become of our once beautiful ancestral house. Now a rundown , neglected building. I can imagine myself designing the place. The walls have been there for half a century without any signs of wear.

My favorite reading spot. Just 5 feet from the sea. This used to be really far from the shorelines. Now, the sea has almost taken it from us.

Newly-built (and still quite unfinished) tree-house.

The new cozy little cottage we have replacing our old ancestral home.

The beach. Our beautiful view every morning.

Most of these trees and those beyond them were planted personally by my grandfather.

I listened as my mum told me stories of the adventures and misadventures they had as a child, of the amazing feat that my grandparents, grandfather especially, and those before them had done to preserve the land and the present battle we now have to protect it from...misguided neighbors. She told me that this huge piece of land has been my great-grandfather's for nearly a century (since 1913, to be exact), and who knows how many more years before that in my forefather's name. It angers me to think of how much was thrown away, intentionally or otherwise. And I resolved to do what I can to help preserve what is and will forever be our ancestral home. The place where my forefathers and those before them had settled and created the future for which we are now living. I could only hope I would do so much good, for mine and my future's future.

Moving on, we spent the day entertaining guests, bidding them welcome, chatting, smiling, all that social drama. Or at least my parents and aunt did. I kept to myself, surveying the beach, the houses, the people, and well, most of the time, I just read a book. The place and the cottage was a great atmosphere for reading. No distractions except for the calming waves and the cool breeze (although, this time, it was less of a breeze and more of a cold wind). I reunited with my lolo and lola (half-siblings of my biological grand[s]), and I'm pretty sure my recent endeavor with them is sure to leave a big hole when I leave. But that didn't matter because I missed them so.

Lola Aurea

Lolo Bidak

House (or should I say, Cottage) blessing

Visiting my grandparents' grave.

Laying down some flowers for the dead.

Epitacio's Bakeshop, Bato Branch. Can't get enough of their orange bread! ^^

Racks-full of soon-to-be-baked bread.

Sometimes, one can't help but be vain. ^^

My favorite reading spot. If you're wondering where my book is, it's right underneath the camera, for support. ^^

A little jog down the beach at dawn.

The day went by in a blur. It was too fast that it ended as abruptly as it had come. Next thing I knew, I was in bed contemplating of the return trip tomorrow. And the return trip wasn't so bad. It was just that I had forgotten how much I missed the place that the time we spent there didn't seem enough. However, we had to leave if I was ever going to get all the things I needed to do done before take off. Not to mention we have just a little time before the storm hits and we get stranded. So we had to leave. And as soon as I left, I missed them and the terrible aching that I've subconsciously been keeping to myself in the past years is now stronger than ever. I could only pray that the place, and the people in it survive the times just enough for me to have the capacity to help. It's a dream that I am genuinely committed to and a dream that I will make sure will come true.

xoxo

~hny~

books vs internet

2012-09-14T23:30:00.001-07:00

I've been practically internet-less these past days. Same old problem with our stupid and inefficient network provider. Tsk.

But surprisingly, the absence of an internet connection gave me more time to snuggle up with my long lost bookish self. I haven't read a book in a long time and well, now, I'm feverish and greedy to read more books. Quite a satisfying change of pace for me.

I guess, I'm more surprised with myself seeing how well I'm coping with less than minimal internet connection. I'm more of a bookworm than I thought. :)

Just saying.

xoxo

~hny~

Fifty Shades. Period.

2012-09-13T23:43:00.000-07:00

I've finally plucked enough courage to say in this blog that indeed, I was...interested, with a slight touch of captivation, of my latest read, Fifty Shades [of Grey, Darker, and Freed]. I surprised myself for the first time with this. I never expected I'd find it interesting. Let alone finish all 3 books in just 4 days. I'm not sure if it's a product of boredom, sheer interest and too much time on my hands, but yeah, I finished it. Surprise, surprise.

I think I'm much more shocked because I found myself somehow relating to the "hearts and flowers" side of the story. I guess I never really admitted to myself, in my 24 years of existence, how much of a hopeless romantic I am. And yes, despite all of the erotic, quite indecent situations I found reading through, I believe the entire trilogy speaks of a bond between two souls that transcends even the worst of pasts, most painful of presents and the shadiest of futures. Plain and simple, unconditional love.

Yes, this was quite the controversial trilogy, what with the way society has shaped our minds and ideas regarding, well, to put it simply, sex. And if you were the type of reader who puts everything literally, then yes, you would see them as lewd, embarrassing and very "uncharacteristic" of those with high morals.

But somehow, I found myself stuck not on the illicit acts but on the "why's" behind it. I became captivated by the complexity and pure crazy personality that is Christian Grey. To find a man who is practically the object of every woman's fantasy so vividly depicted in the books and then find him equally wounded, if not fatally imperfect, with his sad past and his crazy obsession is like seeing the reality behind that fantasy.

The book was a solid, somewhat quite lengthy explanation of the imperfections of man. It speaks of finding the goodness in everyone, even those with the most horrific pasts. This may be fairytale-ish, but I believe this to be true.

As I said, it brought out the hearts and flowers side of me. Never one to admit that I love all those embarrassingly mushy romantic gestures, I surprised myself whilst reading by wishing that I, too, would experience such a beautiful form of love. To be able to find your perfect half and share the rest of your imperfect life, having them shower you with everything you need, could possibly want and more, and having them protect you and keep you safe to the best of their abilities is something we can only hope and wish for.
And frankly, this is too much of an uncommon thing in our reality.

I guess, that's what makes this book so captivating to most of us. That somehow, the hero and heroine find and fulfill their love despite and in spite of everything, the good, the bad, and the very, very, ugly. In the end, they found each other.

It's a not-so-classic version of romance. But romance, nonetheless.

I am placing positive marks on this book, and though I'm not quite sure I'll be reading books of the same genre any time soon, I'm quite happy knowing that somehow, the books have made me face my hopeless romantic side and made me admit that I, too, am a woman who loves hearts and flowers.

Until the next read.

xoxo

~hny~

books, desires, and confusing ideas

2012-09-12T21:57:00.003-07:00

I've been reading a book for a couple of days now. Three books in three days, to be exact. I'm not sure If I have the courage to pinpoint the specific title of the books just yet because, frankly, these were never my type. I just wanted to see what all the hype was about. Maybe I'll have the guts to mention them in another blog, but right now, I'm a chicken.

Yes, at first I was skeptical. The book's plot never held enough promise. In fact, it was so cliche that I never gave it a second though. Until now. A product of having too much time and too little stuff to fill it with, I guess. So unlike me. But when you're bored and desperate, a lot of things that's so "unlike you" can happen. So I guess this one's one of those.

Or maybe I'm just making excuses so I hide my desire to read them. I'm not sure.

Anyway, currently reading the third of the this 3-part series and I realize with great shock that I am, in fact, enjoying the book. Maybe because it's been a while since I last read anything that's noteworthy, or maybe because I have nothing else better in mind as of yet, but the fact remains. I am...(I have no word for it)...captivated (let's just go with that) by the plot, the mystery of the characters, and the reason why the author has created such an...environment.

I read it not literally, surprisingly. Something I never used to do while reading novels and literary arts. I was always quite the literal person. And now, here I am, getting dragged into a world, purely fantasy, and wishing I could be a part of it, and considering the nature of the story depicted, this one is another surprise.

I can't wait to finish it all and finally free myself of the bondage that is holding me back from my day-to-day activities. Now I understand why I never read books while working. I get too caught up in the moment, too focused on the book I'm reading that I fail to do anything else. *sigh* Obsessions. :p

xoxo

~hny~