New Year Celebration

This is the story of my trip to Manila. If you want to read it from the beginning, click on the links here:  Travel Part1 Travel Part2 First Day First Week Christmas. The next part is here.

New Year is a celebration which is one of the most awaited events for all people in the world. We're celebrating New Year not only because we want our lives to be more progressive but because, it will serve as a new hope for us. We, filipinos, have our beliefs that we always do during the celebration or the welcoming of new year. I’m gonna talk about our celebration and by this you will know some of the beliefs that filipinos have.

 Dec. 31, morning, we went to market to buy stuffs we needed for the celebration. We bought ingredients for the food. Additionally, we bought 12 different fruits with round shapes. It is said that you'll get many money or more blessings for the whole year if you'll be able to complete the 12 fruits. We prepared food in the afternoon so we don’t need to do it during night and we will be able to welcome the New Year (2011). In the afternoon, fireworks arrived that my aunt had ordered. We didn't sleep until the coming of 2011. We also prepared coins which will be scrambled during the welcoming. While waiting for the event, we were at the living room, talking about many things, for instance what we did in the province. We also talked about horror stories and funny things. We talked about my aunt's childhood. Since we're having so much fun, we didn't notice the time until we heard sounds of fireworks from the outside. Oooooooooh, it's New Year. We scrambled the coins. We also put coins in our pockets since in our beliefs, it is said that if you do this, you will never get out of money for the whole year. Then, it's fireworks time. Yahoooo! Fireworks are there during New Year celebration so that its sounds will drive away all the bad lucks or the negatives. We were at the outside that time. We saw neighbors driving along having cans tied at the back of their motorcycles. This was to produce noise. After fireworks, we ate. We were so full. Then, it was party time. We sang and danced. I'll never forget my aunts dancing accompanied by a song entitled “Staying alive” by Beegees. I just laughed at them. I took a video of them. They told me to erase it but I didn't. I keep it to remember that moment. I will never erase it. Hehehe.

This is how we celebrate New Year. Now that it was New Year already, it means another year of our lives. New hopes and new life that God has given to us! Another chance to straighten our curved actions! We should be thankful for this another year, new life that is given to us. We should cherish this moment since it just happen once in a year. Good Luck for us! God Bless!

Christmas Season

This is the story of my trip to Manila. If you want to read it from the beginning, click on the links here: Travel Part1 Travel Part2 First Day First Week. The next part is here. 

It was really my plan to celebrate Christmas here in Manila. I wanted to witness how Christmas is in Manila. One of the reasons was that from my family only me did never yet experienced Christmas here in Manila. I heard from my sister how nice it is here. Even if it meant to be away from my family, I still chosed it since it was just for once and my parents understood it.

Dec. 24, day before Christmas (Dec. 25), we went to the mall to buy gifts and groceries for the celebrations. We roamed around the mall the whole day. We were finished shopping at exactly 4:30 p.m. We were tired that time but we had to travel for about more than an hour to my aunt’s house in Laguna. We were going to celebrate Christmas in her house. As we arrived there, we rested for just about 30 minutes and left the house again. We went to the Market to buy the ingredients we needed for the food we planned to prepare for the celebration. After that, because of our tiredness, we just cooked one food enough for our dinner and then, we slept. It was only me and my cousin who welcomed the coming of Christmas since my aunt was tired. I was lonely that time but happy. Lonely because I celebrated it away from my family and happy because my parents called me on the phone and we were able to talk to each other. I was crying that time. Huhuhu! On Christmas Day, morning, we were busy preparing foods for our lunch since we expected visitors: my uncle and his family arrived at almost lunch time. We chatted for a while then we greeted MERRY CHRISTMAS. It was eating time. We got to bond with my cousins and their kids. Time to give Christmas presents! From my aunt, I received clothes and my uncle gave me cash. Hehehe! Thanks to them.

Even if I missed my family, they filled the emptiness I felt inside. I had fun and enjoyed the time. I can say that I was happy celebrating Christmas with my relatives but I am happier when I'm with my family. This was a first time experience. Thanks to my family for letting me have a vacation here and thanks to my relatives for giving me fun. God Bless!

1st Week in Manila

This is the story of my trip to Manila. If you want to read it from the beginning, click on the links here: Travel Part1 Travel Part2 First Day in Manila. The next part is here.

I could say that my first week here was a little bit boring. Boring since I haven't done so much things that would make me enjoy. In addition, I missed my parents already. In fact, on my first night, I was crying secretly, thinking of my parents and my sister. I thought of the bad things I have done that make them sad and disappointed to me. I felt so much regrets for hurting them for doing such things. I am always so sentimental whenever I miss them.

During daytime, I just stayed in the house helping my cousin's son's babysitter taking good care of the baby. I also played with the baby. The third day was great, since we went to the mall and had some fun there. We did window shopping, fitting clothes without buying it, playing games at the mall, played at the playground and tasted the food which I never tasted before, for instance siomai (pork dumplings in dim sum). And I must say, I didn't really like that food much. Hehehe! After we ate, we went back to the store and bought some clothes we liked, since they were cheap. I really enjoyed what we did. We came home tired and happy. At that night, we went to my other aunt's place. There, I was staying for good. I mean, I would be staying there until I went home. Still, I was just in the room (my aunt rents only a room) for the whole day. I felt bored again. I didn't have someone to talk since her daughter was having hospital duties and my auntie was at work all day, and both came home for sleeping only. Boring since I wanted to go somewhere but I couldn't since I was not familiar with the place and I didn't want to go out alone. The rest days of the week, I was just at the house. Huhuhuhu!

 But, it was fine with me. I'm an optimistic person. I knew that my whole stay here would not be boring and I was looking forward into it. You will know about my stay here on my next blogs. God Bless!

1st Day in Manila

This is the story of my trip to Manila. If you want to read it from the beginning, click on the links here: Travel Part1 Travel Part2. The next part is here.

It was exactly 6:40 a.m. when we arrived in Manila. I stayed at the terminal waiting for my aunt and cousin to come and take me to their house since I didn't know or I forgot the way to their house. While waiting, I nourished my eyes with the beautiful views. Views which I've never seen in Maasin City!

At the terminal, I could see many baggages. Some people just arrived, like me, while others were waiting for the bus so they could go home to their provinces. I could also see people hugging each other for not seeing each other since long time. Maybe because they just missed each other. It was like family reunion. Ooooh, I remembered my parents! How I wanted to hug them at that moment!

At exactly 7:00 a.m., my aunt and my cousin came. While we were riding on the taxi, I looked outside. I could see buildings, subdivisions and many people pushing their carts. I could also see how the squatter area really looks like, that I have seen on television. I didn't feel any tiredness anymore since I enjoyed watching the views outside until I could see a familiar place, then my aunt told the taxi driver to stop. There we are! Finally, we arrived home.

House of my auntie

Now I felt tired and sleepy. I didn't care for the food in the table. I only wanted to go to bed and sleep and sleep and regain energy. When I layed in bed, I slept immediately. I woke up at 2pm, ate my lunch which was supposed to be my breakfast, and chatted with my cousins. We talked about things that happen in our province. I also met their kids. The last time I came here, they were single and now, they already have their own family. Many changes happened in four years. After chatting, my cousin asked me to go out and stroll around the place and i went with him. We walk around until we came to a familiar place. It was Makati Garden And Park. I could still remember that we went there already. We sat there at the bench and watched fish swimming in the pond. I also enjoyed watching the fountain. I could also see families, group of friends and lastl but not least, loving couples. Hehehe!

It was really a nice day for me because it was my first day here but I had already seen many beautiful views. How much more could I see if  I'll be staying here for many days or a month? I was looking forward into it. God Bless us all!

Traveling to Manila Part 2

This is the story of my trip to Manila. If you want to read it from the beginning, click on the links here: Travel Part1. The next part is here.

First, my parents did not permit me to go to Manila. Maybe because, they will gonna miss me. Hehehe! My plan was to go here in June 2010 but they were making many alibis like they don't have trust in me in going here alone. Hence I didn't go since I understand their part. They were just worried about me if I travel alone. So, I just enjoyed myself together with my friends in Maasin while waiting for a companion to go here. It was Dec. 2, 2010 when my parents gave me permission to go here since I already had a companion, our neighbor who also planned to spend Christmas and New Year with her family who live in Manila. It was my father who convinced my mother to just let me to have a vacation here. Knowing that they permitted me, I was so grateful. I was so happy and excited. Knowing the fixed date of my departure which is Dec. 10, 2010, I planned to jam with my friends before I leave. When the day came, I didn't understand my feeling. It was mixed emotions. I felt very excited, but I missed my parents already. In fact, I was about to cry when I hugged them to say farewell. And then, I sat on the seat #21 of the ULTRABUS number 08068. All were ready including the driver. The machine started and ready to go! Bon Vonyage!

I know my weakness when I travel: vomiting and dizziness. To avoid it, I just slept. My neighbor woke me up when we were going to pass the San Juanico Bridge. Then, I started to feel hungry and I ate. After I ate, maybe 30 minutes, oh my, I started to feel dizzy and vomit. All I remembered was that I felt weak and lost my appetite. With this, I forced myself to eat since I have to for it was a long trip ang my stomach needs something to digest. While I was awake, I just looked outside through the bus window. There, I saw lots of beautiful views. I also saw how conveniet some people live, also how hard others have to master their life. I saw people living in a concrete house while others lived just in a tent. I remember Maasin. I could also see different people with different emotions reflected by their faces. Some were happy; maybe they don't have problems while others were sad as if they were carrying the world. From time to time, I vomited whenever I was awake so I tried to keep myself asleep after I ate. During our trip, sometimes, I thought of telling the driver to stop the bus for me to go down and go back to Maasin. It's not that easy. But, that was just a thought of a girl who was weak and already missed the people that she loves. Time came that I really couldn't sleep. I couldn't wait to arrive in Manila. I tried to keep my eyes closed and sleep but I really couldn't. I didn't know what time we arrive until I saw a bus terminal. There it was! We finally arrived here in MANILA. Yahooooo!

Upon arriving, I looked around and saw buildings, MRT, luxury cars, taxis, buses, jeepneys, billboards, etc. These are what I always saw in television. Now I saw it the first time in my life in real. On the other hand, I'm so thankful that we came here safe. God blessed our trip!

Traveling to Manila Part 1

Traveling to different places is what I dreamed of. I really love to travel. I love to visit and explore different places around the world especially in the Philippines. But, in my case, traveling is never that easy for me. It is because of my travel sick (vomit and dizzy).

Going here in Manila was not a convenient for me since it takes more than 24 hours of traveling. Being an out-of-school-youth, it was really my plan to go here in Manila for various reasons. First, I want to visit my relatives whom I have never seen for the past four years. Oh, it's already four years since the last time I came to here. That was my first time to be here. It was also my very first long trip. Second reason is that I wanted to see a new environment. But, it doesn't mean that I'm tired of being in Maasin. I will never get tired of my hometown. It is just that I wanted to refresh myself with new surroundings. The last and the main reason why I came here is that I wanted to learn being away from my parents. I admit that I'm a parent's girl. I was dependent to them. I can't take the time being away from them. I always want to be with them. When I was away from them, I often missed my parents very much. But when I slept in Maasin, I never missed them. Maybe because, I know they were just near from where I am. We're still in the town, a small town. I can go home anytime I want whenever I miss them. Going to Manila gave me the idea that I can make it being away from them that I will never miss my parents even if I will be away for a long time. Wanna know if I miss them being not on their side for a month or more than a month? You'll gonna find it out on my following blog entries. Hehehe!

On the day I decided to temporarily stop my studies, I promised to myself that I will go to Manila before I will go back to school again. I planned to spend my whole time as an out-of-school-youth here in Manila and just go back for the enrolment of the next college classes. But that didn't happen since my parents didn't give me permission to go.

If you want to continue reading about my experiences in Manila, the next part of my trip story is here.