Current mood:

proud to be Pinoy

Since October 21, I have...

Sung "Anak" a capella for the princess of Japan. Lit incense at the Asakusa Temple in Tokyo. Had a picnic at the coastline of Kobe, Japan. Tried ambuyat and walked along the beach that the tsunami affected in Brunei. Gained a best friend. Sung "Seasons of Love" for the governor of Jakarta and spoken at a college about the Philippines in Indonesia. Had my heart broken. Shopped at the floating market and danced the Tinikling in Thailand. Led the morning exercise and taught the dance of "Low" to over 100 youth ambassadors of Southeast Asia and Japan. Learned how to speak Japanese and Malay (I can even say "I can't live without you," "I need you," "I want you," and so on!). Been told that my piece from last semester entitled "Anna Oposa Loves Loves Loves UP" is now a required reading for Creative Writing 141, Creative Non-Fiction at UP Diliman (The thought of it still makes me want to run around and scream). Ridden a motorcycle and ate authentic pho in Vietnam.

I have learned soooooooooo many things I wish to apply in my own country. I feel like a sponge here, absorbing all the information I can get so I can find a way to emulate it in the Philippines. Of course I have an arsenal of crazy, funny stories as well. That's for the Oh World! vlog series. (The first episode was the South Africa one.)

And you know what? The best is yet to come. Because December 2-5, we dock in Manila, Philippines before we head back to Japan. After being around Southeast Asia, Japan, South Africa, and the United States of America, I can confidently say that there's really, truly no place like home.