I'm 24. Just finished my masters degree. Lived in Sydney for a year. Yep, my life's been pretty awesome.
i like reflecting every time i celebrate my birthday. i dont know why, but i like doing it. i try to remember what i've done for the past year, if i've actually done something right... if ive learned from my failures, if ive done any stupid or embarassing things, if ive done some FIRSTS.
to sum it all up, i wanted to make a list of all the things ive done this year that most definitely shaped the year for me, so here it is:
1. November 2010 (technically not part of my 24th year, but it has a vital role. haha): learned that i passed to 3 universities in Australia
2. December 2010: Papa agreed to pay for my tuition to study International Studies at the University of Sydney
3. January 2011: quit both my jobs and started preparing for Sydney
4. February 2011: left Manila and arrived in Sydney, Australia! YIPEE!
5. March 2011: uni started, lots of readings. learned the aussie culture. met a lot of different people and are now called my FOREIGN FRIENDS. haha i love you all!
6. April 2011: went to NEW ZEALAND and did some firsts: skydiving and bungy jumping (thank you tita ana and wedo for accommodating me). started my spiritual journey with some fellow residents in IH.
7. May 2011: so happy that Papa, Mama, Ate, Kuya, Lola, Kuya Mik, and Marla went to to AUSTRALIA to visit. we went to GOLDCOAST for some cousin bonding and to CANBERRA for some family-loving vacation
8. June 2011: semester 1 just finished. took a breather from the different kind of study. and im happy that i passed my classes.
9. July 2011: first time to feel WINTER. haha went to MELBOURNE and saw some penguins and met islanders from EVERYWHERE during the Asia Pacific Youth Conference. oh my WOLF PACK! : ) good times. got another FIRST: did some crazy beach swims and poker games.
10. August 2011: semester 2 has been starting, glad to know that ive adjusted to the uniwork set up. and happy to be back at the International House with my lady friends - Ellen, Kjersti, Yuka, Annette and Laura. also ran my first international marathon: city2surf, without training. i died the next day.
11. September and October 2011: nothing extraordinary happened, all i know was that i went to a lot of events, drank a lot of wine, did a lot of school work, and did the newsletter and yearbook for IH. it was stressful, but it was good.
12. November 2011: final weeks of uni, packing and unpacking my stuff to bring home. said good bye to a lot of people. left IH on the 20th, and boy was i sad. good memories in that place. went to HOME BAR (first and last time to do that).
a lot of things happened in a year's time. i DO NOT REGRET anything. ive enjoyed my stay here in Sydney, ive met a lot of people throughout the year, and most of them, i know, i have connected and will see again. a lot of people to thank and a lot of memories to remember.
and as i celebrated my 24th birthday with some friends for drinks, i think its safe to safe that ive done a pretty good job in celebrating my FIRST BIRTHDAY AWAY FROM HOME. : )
PS. i will never drink too many of everything anymore. going home at 4am and waking up dizzy with a very acidic stomach is not a good feeling. BUT, i still feel like im 20. haha
