Missing u

With a beer in my hand trying to get some of my thoughts out in writing. I'm missing someone, badly missing someone. I've never thought that I'd be missing a person this much.
Our lives are so darn complicated, a continous love-hate relationship. Searching for things that would make us both happy to the point of irreverence. We continued to hurt each other with our actions never minding the pain we inflict upon ourselves.
But what's with these dreams...? Why do I dream about him each time I close my eyes. And each time I open all I could think of is going back? For all I thought this is what I needed. A separation from a world that revolves around him.
Why do I keep missing him when all I thought is escaping my wretched existence hiding behind his shadows all the time? Isn't this what I wanted? I begin to thought that this isn't the sweet escape that I have imagined.

Seoul Named Costliest City in Asia

Fact about Korea.


Seoul has been named the most expensive city in Asia for foreign residents.
According to statistics released Tuesday by global human resources consulting firm ECA International, Seoul has the highest living expenses for foreigners in Asia, and the seventh highest in the world.
Japanese cities edged down the list because of the depreciating value of the yen.
Lee Quane, general manager of ECA International Hong Kong said, "Five years ago, expatriates in Tokyo paid 35 percent more for basic goods and services than those in Seoul. But the stronger won has seen foreign expatriates living in the South Korean capital paying 10 percent more for the same items compared to their counterparts in Tokyo."
Tokyo was next after Seoul on the list, followed by Yokohama, Kobe, Hong Kong, Taipei, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Jakarta.

I'm back to Kimchi Land

I just arrived last night from Manila it feels nice to feel the cold breeze of Autumn, it's really refreshing...^^...
As the days get cooler and frost is in the air, deciduous trees and shrubs put on an autumn show in all shades of red, yellow, purple, and brown. The splendor of crisp fall days and vibrant leaves is truly breathtaking. One can sense a great feeling of relaxation while looking at it. It makes you appreciate God even more for creating such a wonderful phenomenon.
In daytime it's comfortably cool. come night time it's a bit chilly with cold gust of winds. Sometimes the temperature reaches 4 degrees celsius but most of time it's between 13-20 degrees.
Something about the Autumn air that makes me melancholic... For others it brings so many different emotions. People can suddenly become more romantic, gloomy, or jolly in seconds.
Something about the Autumn air that makes me so wanna see my family and just lie down on the bed with them, feeling them, and knowing that they are just near.

Leaving

It's time to leave Manila again, it makes me sad that I have to leave my loved ones behind. But with all the mishaps that had happened here, it kinda gives me the feeling that it's not so safe to be here anymore. I enjoyed my stay here though the weather is at it's worst.
I'm so going to miss Manila for sure!!! I'm already starting to miss the food. I loaded up on things to bring back to my friends, they wanted it to be authentic-filipino so I decided to get them some puto-seko, sampalok candies, pulvoron, yema, and dried mangoes.
Dried mangoes have always been a hit with foreigners. Something about it being sweet but not 'sugary' in a way, and to add it's chewy too. When some of my friends tasted sampalok candy (the ones wrapped in yellow cellophane~~) it reminded them of dried persimmons without the sour aftertaste. They think pulvoron is quite queer and they are amused that we Filipinos eat 'powder-like' snack. I felt that it's strange too but then nobody here thinks it's queer.
I thought about bringing some peanut brittle but I know that most of them can't handle the sugar-overload (way too sweet for their taste~~). Macapuno and pastillas are the same.
I'm going to miss so many things about Manila. I will miss even the noise on the streets, riding MRT which I consider is a great adventure especially when you are going to Makati on a Monday morning! I'll miss taho and pandesal for breakfast, nilagang baka and tinola. Most of all, I'll miss the feeling of being at home.
Ehyu, time to pack my things now~~~

Dae Han MinGuk

It simply translates as "The Great Republic of Korea". Korea is not just the land of the cutest phones nor the haven of pop-star haircuts...it has also been my home.
been staying here in manila for a month, but all I could think about is going back to where I consider Home..... It's something about the unbearable humidity, the pollution, the noise, and the crimes.... All I could think about is seeing the red maple leaves on the ground...it's going to be fall in Korea soon. Hopefully, at the start I'll be there. I'm slowly counting he days..... A month more and I'll board the plane again.
I used to be homesick, as in a lot. I've been fighting homesickness all the time I was there. I do count the days when I'll board the plane back to Manila. But as soon as I arrived, I long for the clean and peaceful country I've grown to love. I spent more than I am supoposed to, trying to find food that resembles ours. Seeing a pack of bananas with the words "made in the PHILIPPINES" written on it brings a smile to my face though I've never thought about buying one here.
I think I should go out more and try to enjoy my time while I'm here instead of sulking in my room thinking all my rants about the country. I don't want to think that Manila lost it's magic to me. I think I'm just in the wrong places.... or with the wrong people.
But God, I do miss the Internet... I miss sticky rice and kimchi.... I even miss the commercials I see on TV which I never understand and I think I'll never will.

Tale of 4's

FOUR JOBS I HAVE HAD

Researcher
ESL Teacher
Call Center agent
TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS reviewer

FOUR MOVIES I HAVE WATCHED OVER AND OVER

The day after tomorrow ( laging may re-run sa cable eh )
I, Robot ( ganun din )
The Mummy ( wala...laging yun ang mga palabas sa lintik na cable na to! )
Shilmido

FOUR PLACES I HAVE LIVED

Antipolo
Q.C.
Korea
Makati

FOUR TV SHOWS I LIKE TO WATCH:

Sex and the City
Dr. Who
Borat
Kyle XY

FOUR PLACES I HAVE BEEN ON VACATION:

Hong Kong
China
Macau
Korea

FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS:

Steak
Pasta
Pizza
Sashimi

FOUR PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:

In jeju
Harajuku in Japan
At home in Q.C.
Having a meal with my friends

Life's simple pleasure

10 of life's simple pleasures for me:

Traveling to places I have never imagined.
Blowing my birthday cake while listening to a birthday song.
Celebrating Anniversaries.
Watching Simpsons and laughing my ass off.
Being with my family having a meal together..
Listening to my Mother and Father's laugh.
Watching the sun set.
Seeing my long lost friends and have a good chat down memory lane.
Cooking something for my loved ones,
and hearing them say it's delicious!!!

The highly coveted VISA

I feel bad for so many Pinoys out there who are dreaming to work here in the Land of the Morning Calm but too bad the Korean Embassy temporarily stopped issuing working visas for Filipinos because of the apparent corruption within the Department of Foreign Affairs. I can't blame Korea for doing something like this harsh though many people are going to suffer the consequences. It's bad enough that we are obviously not a good candidate for getting a VISA in so many countries I couldn't count. I could remember when I was at the Embassy in Manila waiting for my scheduled interview. I asked the clerk about the long queue of people looking rather depressed upon retrieving their passports. I was told that those people were denied and when I asked for the reason he said the Embassy is very well aware of our economic situation and that those people have a very high chance to stay abroad illegally had they've been approved.
Korea's economy is getting better and better boasting higher GDP every year. What about us? It's sad that once we were the model country of Korea. They once put us in a pedestal and tried their very best to be at par with our economic progress. But it was in the long past already. And they have become the 12th richest country in the world and us one of the poorest.
Due to their economic stability, they can now enter the US without VISA. It means a regular Korean citizen can enter Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Spain, US, and others I lost count. Koreans know about our sad history, our economic regression, and the rampant corruption and yet they still see a future in the Philippines, that's why it's the top retirement spot for them. They do have that Philippine dream; to live in a big house, with the luxury of having helpers, and basically having the comfortable life they can't have here with their measly pension.

ACNEVER

I was browsing thru a mag and I saw a column about a new skin care line called ACNEVER. The name really is enticing and sounds very promising right? I literally had to check this product out in vieu of the breakouts I need to get rid of. Well the packaging looks fine but the mere fact that it's entirely written in Korean doesn't help. The sales lady did her best to explain in broken english about the product. My gut tells me it's not the miracle i've been looking for. Why? Because there is something creepy about using it in my entire body like what the lady said. I don't know if it's just the girl who spoke very little english but nevertheless I didn't buy.

The breakouts

What's with my face these days??? I'm having breakouts all over my face and I know I've got to do something about it. I've tried several over-the-counter topical creams to combat zits and breakouts but it usually doesn't work for me...PanOxyl or Pond's pimple clearing gel and the likes. It works as a drying catalyst that dries up the pimple faster than I can imagine but it deprives my face of essential moisture responsible for a soft and supple skin. By the way, it itches as hell but if you are not so darn sensitive as me you'll be just fine.
I thought it's about time to buy some skin essentials so last night, I headed out to three of my favorite skin care boutiques here; The Face Shop, Skin Food, and Beauty Credit. I liked Beauty Credit from the three because the place looks the cutest. The Interior design is good, it's spacious, and it has a huge plasma screen TV showing Hyun-bin in a very catchy jingle. I know it's stupid but my thought is that, if they are 'that' willing to go the extra mile then it's probably worth it. I like Missha the best (the one which Jang Dong Gun is representing) but sadly there isn't any branch nearby.
The are tons of skin essentials to choose from. Some has Coenzyme Q10, wine extracts, pomegranate collagen, and green tea herb just to name a few. I chose Acerola Intensive whitening skin care set, skin, essence, emulsion, and suncream. Something about Korean summer...it's very hot and very, very humid. My skin got a lot darker from doing a lot of traveling. How I miss spring where it's cool and the wind smells like pine trees so crisp!!!!
Well anyways, after getting the essentials I looked over the make up counter. it's not my plan to buy but it looked tempting to me. Guys will never understand the need for make-up. In a heaven of superficial people where beauty is the ultimate power for women, it's a commodity. I ended up getting a compact pressed powder, a lip gloss, a mascara, and an apricot colored eyeshadow.

3's about me

3 things that scare me:
the appearance of ghosts
dying young
break ups
3 people who can make me laugh:
Chelsea
Samantha from Sex and the city
my friend Redeemer
3 things i love:
good movies
friendships
family
3 things i hate:
traffic Jam
doing the dishes
vicious cycle
3 things i don’t understand:
politics
men's behavior
women's needs
3 things on my desk:
my cellphone
a calendar
a box of Kleenex
3 things i’m doing right now:
doing this
charging my phone
downloading a TV series
3 things I want to do before I die:
make my loved ones very very happy
travel the world
achieve my dreams or even just half of it.
3 things I can do:
I use 3 different languages on a daily basis
I can cook pinoy, korean, and a bit of chinese food
I can stand cold temperature better than anyone I know
3 things I can’t do:
can't swin
ride a bike
wear high-heels without hurting my feet
3 ways to describe my personality:
weird at times
Incredibly immature
non-conformist
3 things people might not know about me:
I hate shopping
I bite my nails
I can finish a book really, really fast
3 things I think you should listen to:
baby's laughter
classical music
I love You's
3 things I don’t think you should listen to ever:
gossips
people whining and complaining all the time
when parents are fighting
3 of my absolute favorite foods:
sashimi
rib-eye steak; medium well done
new york cheesecake
3 things i’d like to learn:
play Starcraft
speak French
swim
3 beverages i drink regularly:
milk
orange Juice (drinking it right now)
green tea
3 shows I watched when I was a child:
care bears
rainbow bright
sesame street

The Upcoming Trip

I spent most of this month planning about my upcoming trip to Jeju Island next week. Jeju-do is in the southernmost part of Korea which also means 'Island of the Gods'. It is very similar to Hawaii I heard... but I've never been to Hawaii to agree with that. Michael Jackson once offered to buy the Island, but the government refused to sell it.
I've been to Jeju twice before , once in summer and once in winter. It really captivated me. it's my favorite place on earth because there are so many things to see. If nature tripping is your thing then you are going to appreciate it big time! Though it's still part of Republic Korea, it seems like it's a totally different country. The people looks a little different from mainland and they use a different accent so Koreans from Seoul find it difficult to converse with them.
UNESCO claimed the Volcanic Island of Jeju one of the world heritage sites. It's very small but it has a lot of museums, resorts, beaches, buddhist shrines, mountains, etc..... No wonder it has become a favorite spot to shoot Korean dramas and Japanese thrillers.
It is so difficult to get a ticket to go there this time because it's what they claim as their super-peak season considering that students are on their summer vacation and workers will be having theirs too next week.
I made a list of the things I wanted to do there... a submarine cruise is the first on my list. I heard hot-air ballon ride is awesome so I wanna give it a try but heights freak me out. Rafting sounds fun... but I'm not very keen to watersports... my friend recommended it so I'm willing to give it a try. I should hit some parks and museums too or do a little bit of trekking. Can't wait for next week!!!

Memoirs in H.ong K.ong

While in the middle of making toast for breakfast and fixing my drawer I came across a huge pile of tickets, stubs, and several tourist guides from H.ong K.ong. I collect them thinking I would be making an album for all my travels which never happened anyway. I can't seem to find the time to do so. But I like collecting them hence, the pile of mess.
I've been thinking about traveling to H.ong K.ong last winter since I've been having these stopovers there coming here and going back to Manila so I thought why not give it a try. How difficult can it be when I've already been there a couple of times and explored a lot of sites with my sister.
So I made a plan, a three-day stay just before I go back to Manila. I saved all winter so I could do a little bit of a shopping. After searching thru hundreds of hotels, I finally a booked somewhere in K.owloon, apparently it's the cheaper side of H.ong K.ong. Made all the reservations and stuff. I didn't apply for any packaged tour for the thought of saving my cash and I didn't have the best experience in the past with them.
Then I arrived last Febuary 27 at the airport so familiar. It wasn't so difficult to find the double-decked bus that will take me to K.owloon side. Upon arriving, the hotel wasn't even ready for my arrival. Blame it to the huge flock of tourists and they were experiencing some overbooking. Instead of waiting at the lobby, I decided to grab a quick bite outside the hotel. I went to McDonald's cause it's open 24 hours and I arrived past midnight. After I ate, it's about time to go into my room and take a rest.
I woke up early and decided to have a long walk outside. I heard that it was their cold season in H.ong K.ong at that time so that explains the winter clothes. I thought it's rather hot to be wearing boots and fur but whatever... I just wore my plain summer clothes and a light jacket.
I've been to a couple of places... lost my way to the avenue of stars, lost my way to the peak, and kept losing my way going back to the hotel. I took a ferry and went to M.acau, originally I planned a whole day trip there but it wasn't that fun except for the portugese architectural design of the village. I realized, it doesn't matter where you are or how beautiful the place may seem to be if you are traveling alone. My last destination is the M.ong K.ok night market to buy some stuff. I bought myself some jeans, a foxy pair of shades for my sister and some other souveniers.
I finally decided to settle my last night in H.ong K.ong resting inside my room watching cable tv. I don't want to risk any chance of losing my way back to the hotel again. I've had enough of walking and hailing taxi cabs for 2 days so I bought 2 cans of Sapporo beer and I called it a night. I went to the airport much earlier than I expected and have a lot of time to spare. I got really thirsty, blame Marlboro lights so I tried to find a reasonably-priced bottle of water but couldn't find any except for a bottle of E.vian. No way I'm ever going to drink water with the price... water is afterall only water, doesn't matter even if it's from the french alps.

Out here on my own

Sometimes I wonder Where I’ve been
Who I am, do I fit in?
Make-believing is hard alone
Out here, on my own
We’re always proving
Who we are
Always reaching
For that rising star
To guide me far
And shine me home
Out here on my own
When I’m down and feeling blue
I close my eyes so I can be with you
Oh, baby, be strong for me
Baby, belong to me
Help me through
Help me need you
Until the morning sun appears
Making light of all my fears
I dry the tears I’ve never shown out here on my own