A Year Review 2016
This was a real struggle that greatly challenged my academics, family’s financial matters, relationship with my friends and keeping up with myself.
January
010316 – It was still our holiday break and second-sem was fast approaching. I asked Chu to come over to my place, and spent overnight. We looked like people who are positive in life and my face was like a siopao.
0101916 – We were just planning to get some barbeque sa kanto and I can’t remember how we ended up at Kuya J’s. Shookt at food prices plus 10% service charge. Haha we did not expect this to happen. Kuya J’s Restaurant is like a fine dining resto that serves pretty normal Filipino cuisine and charged it with very high prices that a typical Filipino family would not prefer it simply because it’s not worth it. Personally, I got so disappointed with the three small slices of lechong kawali in a big plate which costs almost equivalent to the price of twice as Jollibee’s C1.
013116 – As far as I can remember, my mom and I had a pic together at the Bencab Museum and to this garden. Haha Mama came to Baguio to assist my lipat-bahay action provoked by not-so-good-happenings that happened to me and my boardmates inside the apartment that I’m staying in. Our broken relationships with each other along with our unending misunderstandings made the house itself suffocating for me. I thought I needed to breathe and living in a new environment would be a good choice. It turned out, everyone that I intend to avoid moved out already before me. Everyone left the house, except Chu, Ate Donabel and me, until I finally have to transfer as well.
Living there made me sleep harder. The silence of the house was deafening. I cannot even focus on my studies, I dropped one of my subjects, I was not at my best self, I cannot even think straight. Every bad memory that I had there, every mistake that I made, every people that I hurt haunts me every time I try to get some sleep. If only we could turn back time. I would be good.
Unfortunately, my lipat-bahay-plan was not a success. After a month, realization struck me. I tried to pull myself together and went back again to the boarding house that I left. The silence of the house was still deafening. I was still disorganized but I am trying to find my equilibrium back. I am trying to build again everything that broke inside me. Starting afresh means starting to forgive myself and others. I hope that everyone that I hurt and every people who was involved in the misunderstanding that I started would find forgiveness, too. Most importantly, I hope we all remember our lessons.
February
030616 - Panagbenga Ending. I used to go to church and go to Burnham Park after to witness the fireworks display of the different institutions in Baguio City for the ending celebration of Panagbenga. Panagbenga is one hell of a season in Baguio, and if you are a resident here, you won’t like it here either. It’s like EDSA except roads are ups and downs and cars are stuck in the middle of the traffic. And, tons of ignorant, selfish tourists from all over the world. If Baguio is a person, she is a real strong woman to bear all these happenings, stress and people brought by this season.
March
032216 - Ate Micah stayed in Baguio after her graduation for some work. But, during this time she was deciding to left Baguio for a while and be with her family in Bicol. So, for some reason that I cannot remember, we also decided to do this cutest photoshoot. We still the cutest.
031716 – “Bakit nandito ‘to? Akala ko nasa ‘yo.”
April
042516 – It was my first time to meet Chu’s third older sister, Cherry. I like her. She is more makulit, but kind and adorable, light-hearted and easy to be with. This pic was taken at Amare la Cucina. She’s a very generous woman I did not expect her being kind with me as if I was a family for her, too. She is a nurse who are currently working in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I like her stories about her work abroad and her experiences with the other OFWs. Especially the funny ones where we laughed our hearts out as she reminisces the moments with only a candle giving us light because it was “pakurong” at that time in Pangasinan. “Pakurong” according to them is a special event during election where the authority or whoever is in power cut the electricity down to some selected places in Pangasinan where bribery happens.
043016 – Well, given the opportunity that I was in Pangasinan, I met Cali but this time she was a little bit taller than the last time I saw her. She is still adorable and the cutest as she is. We were in Pangasinan because we have no water in Baguio, school year has not yet ended and we still have a pile of laundry. We needed to get rid of it so we do our laundry in Chu’s house with lots of unlimited water from the poso system.
May
051416 – This was one of my favorite photo of myself taken from Ate Che’s iphone. It was my “lakas maka-celebrity selfie with the wonders of nature”.
051416. Yes. After a week, we were back again in Pangasinan. But this time we were in the beautiful beaches of Anda, Pangasinan. This was my favorite photo of us. It seemed like we had our late summer but early vacation. I truly enjoyed this trip and Chu’s family gathering. I never felt that I am “someone else”. Her family and extended family made me feel that I am a family, too and I am grateful for their warm welcoming of me. I enjoyed the place and the company, despite the uncomfortable feeling brought by unfinished acads that I still have to think about when we get back to Baguio.
051416. I never expected to see my dad whom I thought to be somewhere else in the country other than Pangasinan. It turned out that he was also in there with the people that he is working for. On that day, he suprisingly called me through phone as if he felt that my existence was just near to him. See, the force is strong in our family.
June
060716. National Museum with Chu. I am truly amazed with the glorious The Spoliarium by Juan Luna. I never expected that it is as huge as that. No wonder why Juan Luna became such a famous and admired person of his time. Of course it’s the National Museum, so we roamed around and get to see the fantastic works of other artists and historical figures, pieces of evidence of hardships the Filipinos have had to bear from our colonizers.
061316. TK’s 19th birthday was a memorable one for the three of us. We were like Disney characters taking an adventure--searching for Love Desserts Restaurant under the scorching UV rays from the sun along Quezon Avenue. It was a very long and stressful walking. Nobody knows where exactly what we’re looking for. Until, we found it then. We took a brief break before actually consuming the food.
It is an eat-all-you-can type of restaurant, you have access to all the desserts they could offer, you can even personalized your own icecream or halo halo except that it is time-constrained. If you are a birthday celebrant on the day of your visit, your meal is free except that you need to bring 2 or more friends. The desserts were good, except that I ate more of the bicol express shanghai and nachos instead of the desserts being offered.
The adventure walking that we had before we actually reached the store changed our appetite. We weren’t craving for desserts but a heavy meal for our angry stomach. This caused a little dizziness, too.
To my personal judgement of the said restaurant, I think it would be a little more delightful if we have visited the other branch (newer) in Fairview instead. The greatest advice would be, if anyone of you wants to visit the place, better have a car with you.
July
073016. Instead of taking pictures inside the Female CR of SM Novaliches today, we tried a different ambiance from a fitting room. Lucky we. It’s like we had a mini photoshoot and in a low budget. Lighting of good.
072616. Today, we shared my mom’s overly sweet halo-halo. Also, Shau and TK taught me how to properly play the life-changing, friendship wrecker UNO CARDS.
071416. This was our first try to eat in a Food Park. If I remember it right, we celebrated no particular occasion but merely catching up to each other.
061716. NOW YOU SEE ME 2. We watched this movie courtesy of Tita Shaula. I can still remember how the magic tricks amazed TK. TK reactions can replace FB Messenger’s stickers.
August
It was a busy month because another academic year has started. This was my second to the last semester that I need to take before finishing this undergrad program.
September
090416. This was the day before my 20th birthday and this picture is one of the most colorful pictures that we have taken together. This is my favorite picture of us. It was the 2nd month of my 2nd to the last semester in college. Whenever I am with these two, I never felt that I am reaching the adulthood life. Although, we all happily observed that we are becoming mature individuals as the topic of our conversations extend from ourselves to our families and to our nation. We can’t deny the fact that we are all growing old and there are tons of responsibilities that await for us.
090516. I had a very small celebration with my family and I could not be more grateful for everything and every people that I have in my life. Life has been tough but I am blessed with a beautiful, strong and loving family and friends.
October
092616. It was Chu’s 19th birthday and we cannot think of a good birthday gift to her so with the help of our favorite artist we gave her an obra maestra. Haha Her very own face colorfully sketched in a piece of board.
November
110916. Today, our coolest professor in Philippine Institution 100 (Rizal’s Arts and Works) thought of the best project ever in exchange of our supposedly last long and exhaustive essay exam. She would like all the boys in the class to perform a monologue in the character of each and all of the women in Rizal’s life. The class was divided into groups so that each of the boys in the class will have and get their own assistance in make-ups, dresses and everything that they need from the girls. As a very supportive group members to our Kuya Matthew Oco (who was chosen to portray Rizal’s legal wife Josephine Bracken), we decided to join him on the stage instead of him performing a monologue. I acted as Rizal, Kuya Matthew as Josephine, Gabe as Rizal’s sister and Frances Maynel as a priest.
111216. Uncle Gin is the most fabulous landlord ever. Baguio will fall without him. It has been my honor to know him a little deeper.
112116. Adivay. I have completely fallen inlove with the great harmony of the communities in Benguet.
December
120316. Moana. It was the last week of the semester and Moana was already available in cinemas in Baguio. I can’t wait to watch because I believe that it’s a beautiful craft and money is gonna worth it.
120716. Christmas Party. I had fun for the first part of the party. But, I never expected that Ate Wrakle would come. For real. Despite everything that happened, I have no right to not to welcome her in the house. We all valued the house itself, our relationship towards our boardmates, and our relationship with the house’s owner. It’s all our second home. She must have missed all the memories she shared inside with her friends. I wish she did not leave the house sooner. But, I now understand more clearly her needs of silence and privacy at that time.
As usual, I joined UPB community’s PASIKLABAN. It was my last Pasiklaban as an undergrad student. I received a white rose from an APO member who ran naked and participated on their Oblation ritual that hopefully, to symbolize harmony for the next succeeding years of me dealing with people. I enjoyed the night, and all the performances, especially from our professors and instructors. I will surely miss how satisfying it is to end the semester with this kind of celebration. I felt nostalgic, emotional and free as I watched the fireworks display. I cannot believe that I have only one semester left. I felt alone for a minute. I missed my old friends from last four years. It did not turn out well between me and most of them, but I did miss them. I wished that there was a way we could go back in time and just be happy. I wished we could all just forget and forgive.
