About the huge change: new country, new city, new uni, new lifestyle, new responsibilities, new church, new friends, and the million opportunities out there to do just about everything anyone wishes to experience, achieve, or simply to try out.

It has kept me busy, constantly on my toes, afraid, in a way, to either miss out on a chance to see or do something, or to become absorbed, to be entirely engrossed in doing everything else aside from the reason for me being here – that is, to learn.

Discovering the city and what it has to offer has been fascinating, I love the convenient location, giving one access beyond the boundaries, bringing me closer to what was once halfway around the world. The prospect of having everything at your doorstep is exciting, making you tremble with anticipation at the thought of taking a short weekend trip to a country nearby, or a day trip to the many vibrant and beautiful places scattered throughout the UK.

Yet, there’s still so many other places on my “to-go” list. I hope life gives me the chance to visit them all one day.

Right now, I’m sitting in the laundry room, on a comfy couch with my flatmate. Trying to study. I should. Although, thanks to IB I find things pretty easy going for now. And thinking. Of how everything has changed. I couldn’t have imagined how things could have turned out. And its been great.

keri sent to me about a month back, real cute!

Notte Sento (English subtitles) from napdan on Vimeo.

Since receiving Keri’s email, I’ve realised that there are just so many people I haven’t spoken to in a while. All those close friends who have gone overseas or ones I’ve left behind, and its simply so hard to keep it touch with them – it takes effort on both sides. But it sure feels great to receive a short message or a long email, knowing that someone close to your heart halfway round the world still thinks about you and cares. I will find the time to go to Canada and spend a month or so with my dear cousin – the endless talks and shopping! and food! XD And to pay Amaris a visit too! And I can’t wait till my uncle gets married, that means we’ll all be back in Manila for a proper reunion that we’ve not had in years. To go on a trip to Vietnam, with Christine as my guide ((: and to head down under to experience the future doctor Melissa’s life – honeycombs!! Hahaha, I am in serious need of a holiday, don’t you think?

I miss the times in kindergarten – where going to school involved threading string through coloured shapes of cardboard, pouring water into differently sized jugs and singing your heart out as loudly as you wished. A simpler life, no doubt, where your worries were about making friends with that brunette girl or curly-haired boy in the corner, and when ’stupid’ was a bad word. The term ‘after school’ meant waiting for mom to take you on that walk down sunny lane, where you’d stop to look at tiny insects crawling on the ground, admire flowers growing out of unusual places or to pick up that pretty leaf.

Troubles came in the form of missing erasers, whether your mom would get mad at you for losing that eraser, and so not allowing you to watch some sing-a-long show. Afternoons were spent playing, at home or at a friend’s. I remember some names vaguely: one of my best friends, keenan mckenzie, danielle, moeko, boo kyeong, thomas, trevor, zubir, and surprisingly chris hussey was a classmate of mine too, though I don’t recall that. In fact I can’t remember the names many of those I posed with - with that buck-toothed grin – faces that seem all too familiar yet they could well be one of a stranger’s.

Life today is just different. So varied, so complex. Nevermind the issues that plague the world, just look at what the average person faces. Gone are the days where you can declare boldly and truthfully declare that all’s well and life is trouble-free, with that innocent vigour and absolute faith. Where you thrive without knowing what trust and responsibility meant. And so they say, the grass is always greener on the other side. Perhaps.

they can’t stop teasing me, can they? Nothing beats going home on the bus, a 45 minute ride mind you, with juniors who tease me in whatever way possible. Culprit No. 1: John See. Guilty of teasing me with obvious pleasure while we were walking out of school and that short ride he had with us enroute to the mrt station. Culprit No. 2: Mervyn. Guilty of being direct and blatantly suanning me whenever he has the chance to. Culprit No. 3: Wan Feng. Well, actually he’s not a culprit, cause he didnt say anything haha.

Interesting conversations we had, brainstorming on my biology practical. Run an electric current in a frog and see if that changes its rate of respiration. Can’t get better than that. LOL Strangely merv and I realised that our brothers are in the same secondary school, the same cca and used to be in the same class – until my brother got transferred to the ’smarter’ class. Oh and apparently they were best friends. Singapore is a small, small world.

I find myself humming lean on me over and over again. and thinking of doing something fun and something that does not include TOK, EE, WL and IA. something like shopping. (:

yayyy holiday! (who am I kidding) this holiday season, its a mad rush to…

finish work. so as not to drown when the next wave comes in. sure, the list doesnt seem that long, but its the time it takes to actually finish them. Also, to prepare myself for the tests coming up in the next few weeks – knowing fully that I will definitely not have enough time later on to study.

yesterday was an um…interesting day. the horror of horrors – performing for the school’s chinese new year concert. Though I must admit those 2 year 1 classes had it worse off than us. poor things. the utter embarassment of standing there clapping along to this horrendous karaoke arrangement of the most famous chinese new year song, with the screen showing some weird karaoke video. thank goodness many did not notice the choir standing behind the year 1s, they thought we exited already. I quote Ian Long: where were you guys? hahahaha. and thankfully we got to wear our school uniforms instead.

On a happier note we were dismissed right then and there, so it was off to Alyssha’s house to hang around for a while. The joys of multi-tasking: polishing off 3 bags of chips, a bottle of soda, whilst watching a movie and playing bridge -  all under 2 hours. Now that’s the life. And,  ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’ is really funny…especially when you’re watching it with guys. to be continued at Jeanette’s on friday! (: we love Jeanette!

Eryn’s mom kindly dropped me off at bishan, and thereafter I headed to orchard for a while. A little shopping doesn’t hurt…haha. Heading back to bishan I bumped into Albert – hope he gets posted back here! we need more people in choir! Dinner with Marilyn afterwards, Huijie couldn’t join us. (who told you to join chinese drama hmmm?) had a great time talking to her…can’t believe a whole year has already passed! I am totally amazed at how she can survive in cj…hat’s off to her! top econs next time, k? ;p

now to make the most out of this week. I wonder what will happen next week? sneaky Jacqueline has something up her sleeve…

this is just too hilarious. If you’ve lived in the Philippines, this is a MUST-read.

I can’t get this song out of my head

too much going on too soon. my head hurts, my throat hurts. this is not good.

information overload during bio. another english presentation to do. surprisingly, had an interesting chem lessons – wonderful videos that might just save my life. a very confusing tok presentation. (christine, ours will rock! once i get around completely the powerpoint slides and script, that is lol) one more english presentation.

presentations force you talk – or at least say something. so I dont like to talk much during english. partly cause my brain refuses to function – I dont like to think you see – and I am quite contented simply listening to what others have to say, thats what makes things interesting, right?

oh and I’m lugging two boxes of polvoron to school tomorrow. it received a very welcome and warm response today. guys + food = where did the food go?

grabe naman, nakakainis! daming assignment, tapos walang oras. ano kala nila, isang subject lang ung ginagawa namin? minsan parang hindi nila maintindihan ung sitwasyon namin… paguwi sa bahay pagod na pagod, ano p b magagawa? san ko ba mahanap ung oras…

interesting sermon topic, of which I only heard the last part of, in between collecting offertory and counting the money while listening to vanessa’s singing and comments: I’m going to your[zavier's] house and bring my own bak kua to eat and watch my own tv! (iuno what that’s about) and complaining about plastic notes and how it makes counting the money hard, to which we all agreed that she should use whatever she gets for chinese new year to donate a cash counting machine to the church. loll.

anyway, there was this guy who shared about how he was born into a staunch Hindu family and how he rebelled from his father’s controlling ways. he recalls one vision he saw of this street in India where there was a temple – to which he found out later that his father had in fact dedicated him to some idol in that very same temple. there was also a story told of this woman, who by the power of God was able to remove objects that cast a shadow on her family’s life, amulets and figurines and all, and her entire family was finally able to experience peace. it goes to show the extent of that one action in allowing such spirits a firm stronghold over our lives. I’ve heard of these stories many a times, though I’ve not witnessed any, hence I have doubted the possibility of these things even occuring. but that is perhaps what keeps my faith strong – the constant questioning of everything, of the world, of people and their ways, and learning to see from God’s point of view.