My Sassy Girl

Once upon a time, a friend of mine borrowed me a Korean movie that started it all. The title of this movie is My Sassy Girl, starring the beautiful Jeon Ji Hyun (전지현) and Cha Tae Hyun (차태현). This film influenced me in so many ways. The Kpop culture has been influencing many for many years, and is still growing, but mostly due to their music. Many might think that this is what influenced me, but it is not actually. Like mentioned earlier, it is this movie that started it all . But yes, I admit that later on, Korean music eventually affected me as well.

 So let's talk about its influence. This movie does so many things today's films fail to do. Heck, Hollywood even tried to make an American version but did not succeed. My Sassy Girl is a romantic comedy. What's amazing is the connection they make with the audience and how they somehow make things feel natural. For some however, what they will see in this movie may seem somewhat exaggerated, but for me it just worked, I just loved the way they did things. After experiencing this, I would wonder if other Korean movies portray something similar. As I watch more and more, I learned to realize that Koreans have their own way of making their movies feel different from something that we are used to. It's a bit difficult to explain unless you watch some yourself, then maybe you will understand. I can go on and on, but to summarize, My Sassy Girl opened my eyes to Korean Cinematography and Dramas.

As the months go by, the more curious I became about Korea's culture. I just wanted to know more in any way possible. To start off, just like anything else we do when we want to know something, we Google. And then maybe Youtube some stuff. As I learned more and more, the deeper I would fall in love with Korea's culture such as their food, history, you name it. Then the day came when I finally decided to learn the Korean Language. I studied whenever possible, even in the bus. I ended up learning how to read and write Korean with ease, though learning orally and the vocabulary was quite challenging. Up to this day I have trouble understand especially because I don't really have a friend that can teach me regularly. Though sometimes I am able to have a "basic" conversation. Here's a little story. One day I met this customer when I was working in Dollarama. I was wearing a Korean t-shirt and she suddenly spoke to me in Korean. Fortunately, I understood and was able to communicate with her. So whenever I would meet her at the cash, we would have a mini-chat in Korean which was cool. The same could be said with the nearby Sushi Restaurant which was owned by a Korean Family. I really hope that one day I will be able to learn their language properly.

My Sassy Girl also influenced my musical interest. Just like how this movie opened my eyes to Korean Cinematography, it also sparked my interest in Korean music. I would gain interest in "Korean Idols" such as Big Bang, and yes girl groups such as SNSD (I admit, sometimes it's because of the beautiful ladies XD). But being someone who plays and composes music, I didn't limit myself to the typical Kpop culture, but I also listened to Korean Indie music as well, in which I wish more people knew of. Back to what is related to this movie, the theme song of this movie is called I Believe by Shin Seung Hun. I fell in love with this song that I just had to master this on the guitar. It's the first song I ever completed that only uses plucking. Outside what is Korean however, My Sassy Girl introduced me to a classic, Pachelbel's Canon in D. Another song I just had to learn on the guitar acoustically, as well as the Rock version.

As you can see, this movie influenced me in so many ways, and I can certainly go on. So if you haven't seen this movie yet, I suggest you do. This movie is great in many ways. It will move you, make you laugh and make you smile. To conclude, I just want to recommend this movie to you, My Sassy Girl.

"Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit." - Jawaharlal Nehru 
 

Escape

It's been a while since I've written, and I decided to write a little something. This post is inspired by one of the videos I found at IGN.

I do not remember but it is possible I may have written something similar to what I'm about to write. It's about video games. Video games, for me, is a way to simply enter another world, a world where imagination can take you the distance. Many people do not see this and instead say "get a life", "you're too old for this", "you're wasting your time" or "do something useful". However, many just look at the surface as if that is all we do, or maybe they just dislike video games, but that is their choice. It's quite sad that they would judge not knowing that many of us may actually have a job, go to school, or even have a family. It's unfortunate too though that they do not even try to understand why we even play video games. For some, it's actually a way to socialize. In fact, believe it or not, some of the closest friends I currently have are those I met online. We hang out regularly, such as eat out. (I'm sure I mentioned this one already.) Or like I said earlier, some play to enter a different world, a world where imagination has no boundaries. Or some play simply to escape. Sometimes reality can get tough and stressful, so we play to escape from these difficult times. I can go on and on, but you definitely have a good idea to where I am getting at. Simply put, video games may seem like something of no purpose or no use to the eyes of many, however, in the eyes of the person playing, it's a totally different thing. 

Below is a link that may reinforce the paragraph I wrote. Some may find this boring, but this video has a deep meaning. (Note: I did not go through what is seen in the video.)

---> "Escape"

So if ever there are people out there reading this by any chance, always remember that many of us have our reasons to why we play...just like how each individual in this world have a reason to why they go to school or why they work.

"Gaming gives me a chance to just let go, blow somebody up and fight somebody from another dimension. It's all escapism." - Wayne Brady

New Game Plus (Real Life)

For those who do not know, New Game Plus is pretty common in the world of video games. This term is used when you have finished a game, then you are given the chance to start a new game from the beginning. Depending on the developer, different content may be in the game as you replay it. The reason I added "Real Life" in the title of my post is because it feels like my life is starting afresh. If you read some of my older post, you probably know that I have gone through many different chapters of my life, especially those that are related to school and work. Well! I just graduated from LaSalle College a couple of months ago, and I started my training at my new workplace in a company called Sunwing. So I figured New Game Plus (Real Life) would be perfect as a title for this blog post. 

(Below you will see a couple of pictures. Left side is the small gathering we had a couple of months after graduation. On the right was the last picture taken in class, unfortunately, only a few of us were able to attend for this picture.)

A couple of weeks ago I applied to a few places. I applied at Air Canada, got a call, but unfortunately they did not call again. A couple of days later, I applied at Sunwing and then got a call for an interview not long after. Special thank you to Jeff for driving me to the hotel where my interview took place. I went through two people for the interview which led to a good sign because Jeff told me some people left right after the first interview. The week after, I got a call from Sunwing, and guess what, I was given a six month contract! I really believe God has everything planned for me and I am sure this is one of them. 

Last Monday, my training began. I was so afraid that I might be the only one and that I would be very confused and lost. Little did I know that there were many others like me. In fact we are about 18, so I felt somewhat better. The company is growing, and growing fast, which is why many were actually hired. Bit by bit, things are shaping up. The first week went so much better than I expected. The people were nice, and so were my new co-workers, that made me feel at ease. Though I think I need to lighten up a bit. I feel that I am a bit too timid, tense and silent, that sometimes I wonder if they think that I am a snob. I guess that's just how I am with a new environment *sigh* Not much I can do for now, but we shall wait and see what happens. Hopefully as the day go by, I'll be able to open up, be a comfortable co-worker for the others and just be myself. Yeah, I am someone who worries a lot. =P

(YEAH!!!!)

Anyways, what matters is that things are going well so far, and I hope that the rest of my training will go smoothly. When that is done, the real stuff begins, and I hope that goes just as great and even better. With God by my side and all my loved ones by my side, I shall persevere!

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill

The Philippines 2012 - Final Week

August 1st, it's my mother's birthday. A few relatives came by to celebrate. There was some food prepared, however since we didn't really set up a party-like event, we just had food that are normally prepared for birthdays, in this case Pansit (I think you can call it noodles in english). Coincidentally, some close family friends from Montreal passed by to say hello from wherever they came from, so we told them to stay for a bit and eat. It would of been awesome if I had the chance to spend a lot of our time with them during this vacation, unfortunately our schedules did not really match. 

(Mom's Birthday Cake)

 Friday we went to do a little bit of shopping. I gotta thank my kuya Gomer (Kuya is what you normally call an older brother, you do not need to be blood related, it is very common in Asia) who drove us practically anywhere we wanted to go throughout our stay in the Philippines.

Sunday we had a sudden "get together" with my relatives from my mother's side and all ate breakfast at McDonald's. Apparently, the reasoning for this is because it was my aunt's birthday who lives in Spain, so the plan was to celebrate while they are celebrating too as if we are having the occasion together. We were suppose to eat at Jolibee but the second floor was in construction, so there was no space for us there. Heck, we pretty much filled out the whole second floor. Right after this, since it was our last week, as a family we also decided to visit my late grandparents, from my mother's side, for the last time. In the afternoon, my cousins accompanied me and my brother to a couple of shopping malls to do some final purchases since we were going to leave in three days.

(Rice and Chicken at McDonald's)

The day has come, the day we part. I felt fine, until the moment I had to say my goodbyes. I did not expect my heart to beat this way, I was feeling very emotional. Tears did not drop, but my heart did. Seeing my little cousins suddenly speechless and just immobile got me very emotional and broken deep down. (The picture does not really show the whole family, but those in the picture are those who were able to send us off on our last moments in front of our "Home" and stay in the Philippines.)

I have mixed emotions. I knew this was going to happen. Before coming in the Philippines, I was not very excited. Nearing the end time I have in The Philippines, I was somewhat excited that I would be returning to Montreal, but in the same time really sad that I was leaving. I actually felt "at home". Back then, when Iused to visit this country, it just felt more like a vacation, but this time, it felt more than that, as if I lived there or can get used to living there. It's hard to explain. I do not know if it's because we have our own house now, but I simply felt at home.

We arrived safely in Montreal. I felt fine, until my first night came. I suddenly had this rush of mixed emotions. Similar to those I had right before parting. But this is life. No matter how far apart we are from each other or the many years it may take for all of us to reunite, they will always be close by. It's funny how I did not really want to visit about a month ago. But I am sure God had his reasons. We learn and realize new things as the day go by, and I am glad I ended up going back there. I made new memories I will not forget. I definitely miss them, and I cannot wait until the day we meet again.

"Every parting gives a foretaste of death, every reunion a hint of the resurrection." - Arthur Schopenhauer 
 

The Philippines 2012 - Week Three

Two weeks have gone, and I only have a couple of weeks left in The Philippines. Big occasions took place that the first two weeks just passed by so quickly. It is now the day after my cousin's wedding, the first day of my third week in this country.

The week starts with something of an occasion as well. We went to my other cousin's house, the home where my mom and her siblings grew up in. The reason for many of my relatives to gather in this house is because it is my grandfather's, from my mother's side, death anniversary. For those who do not know, in Asia, it is not uncommon to prepare something for a death anniversary. Not celebrated in a way where you have a party, but in such a way where you offer them food, and sort of speak to them. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to meet him. For many many years, I've always wanted to meet him and ask him many questions. My mom has told me that he knew how to speak Japanese. I've been curious to know how he learned the language. For some reason, I would feel shy to ask my mother about this, which is why I am still clueless up to this day. Who knows, maybe I have some Japanese roots, which would be awesome! ;)

(On the table, there are food given to my late Grandfather)

 Later that day, when everything was done, my family and I left for Manila. We stayed at one of my cousins who live there. I was so relieved to find out that they have High-Speed Internet and Cable! I finally had the chance to catch up on some of the people I am very close with in Montreal, and watch the Olympics. 

The next day, we went to Mall of Asia, one of the biggest mall in the world. I rarely shop for clothing, but the clothing you can find in Asia are really nice. In the Philippines, the clothing are original and inexpensive (by converting Canadian Dollars to Philippine Peso), so I just had to shop. However, being myself, I still tried to save as much as I can. Except for one brand called KSwiss. I am a huge KSwiss lover, and well, in the Philippines, there are so many different styles and choices in comparison to what I would usually find in Canada. So I just had to buy shoes. I even convinced my dad and brother to buy a pair as well. 

(Uniqlo, sort of like the Forever 21 for Men!)

(A view of Mall of Asia)

Mid-way through ths week, the weather has been starting to go crazy. Many might probably know about it, it went in the news all over the world. Heavy storm and Typhoon warning was really affecting the country. Many floods occurred as well, especially in the Manila area. Luckily, our departure for our return to Batangas was quite clear. However, on the way, the weather would still go insane from time to time. We pass through Tagaytay to head back in Batangas. Tagaytay is high up in the moutains, quite a beautiful place actually, so whenever rain would drop, it would drop so hard that it was very difficult to see the road. However, everything went well, and we arrived safely back home.

"To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries." - Aldous Huxley

The Philippines 2012 - Week Two

During this week, there are two notable events that occurred. First of all, we went to a resort at Mataas Na Kahoy. At first I thought it was Ninja's home in the Philippines, but I quickly learned that there was another place with the same name. Quite unfortunate! And secondly, it was my cousins wedding. 

Starting off with the resort. I remember it clearly, it was on a Wednesday. What a coincidence that the kids where I lived in the Philippines had no school, so we were able to have a great outing as a family and of course friends. My cousin, Ethyl, usually has work, but she was able to take a day off which was awesome as well. I was surprised to learn that there were many Korean tourist and students that go there. That probably explained the Korean flag that they put up there beside the Philippine flag. Even many signs were in Korean.

Some interesting things happened there. There was a big pool which went from 3 feet deep to 6 feet. I still don't really know how to float, but I can swim (weird eh?). But with lots of guts, I decided to jump in directly the deeper side of the pool. Man! I panicked at first not sure what to do, so what I did was swim and swim. That was tiring! After that, I did not really have the guts to stay in the middle, so you can say that I'm still not sure if I would survive in deep waters XD However, there was a little bit more of bad luck that occurred that day. Our newly bought camera broke because some water got inside. It kept bothering me because now we don't have the perfect device for recordings, especially because we were only half way through the vacation. But aside from that, it was a lot of fun. 

(A view of half the resort. They are still planning to make it even bigger.)

We are now on Saturday, the day of the wedding. The wedding was taken place sooooo early in the morning. I do not remember exactly, but all I know is that I had to wake up around 4:30am or something. But it was a special moment for my cousin, I was excited so that did not bother me. I was not very satisfied however with how the wedding was organized at the church. The person in charge of the wedding seemed like she was in a rush, it was a real mess to be honest. And the reception as well was not exactly of my liking. It was at my cousin's wife's place. Not that I hate it, but the setting isn't really a place I enjoy to be in. However, that did not stop me from enjoying this day. To see my cousin and his family happy for a big day like this is enough for me. Especially because I was able to partake in it as well, not to mention being able to bond with many of my cousins. And hey, the more unique it is, the more memorable it can be right? After a few hours, the rest of the party took place in our area of the village.And the party went on and on 'til night struck.

(Most of them are my cousins)

And there you have it, these two are the highlights of my second week. To have a memorable time doesn't mean those moment have to be positive. Sometimes, even the negative can become positive. 

"The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us." - Mark Ruffalo

The Philippines 2012 - Week One

I will be honest, I was not very excited for this upcoming trip to The Philippines. I wanted to stay in Montreal in order to find a job and be set. However, my parents really wanted me to be there, especially because it has been so long since we've all been to The Philippines together. It was only a few weeks before the trip that I have decided to tag along.

Although my interest in visiting my motherland was fairly low, I was quite excited to get back in a plane and be in airports. I just enjoy going in the airport. It may be the interactivity, the people, I am not quite sure, but I simply love being there. 

The whole trip was very long, especially the flight of Vancouver to Manila, about 14 hours if I remember correctly. But that was done, the plane has landed, and we have arrived at Manila's International Airport. The airport seem to have a lot of improvements in comparison to my last visit, which I quite did not like. We picked up our baggage and headed out, and out the door was two of my cousins and my aunt who was there waiting for us. 

At first glance, you can see just how much the country has grown and improved, last time I was in the Philippines was five years ago if I recall correctly. Our first meal was in Tagaytay. A city high up in the mountains. It's a beautiful place and very clean. The daughter that lived there, whom also served us, was a beauty! I can still picture her right now. Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to take a photo. XD

(Our first meal in the Philippines)

After roughly an hour drive from the place we ate, we then arrived at our newly built home, and we quickly reunited with many of our relatives. The humidity was insane for the first few days. Only a couple of days later, we had the chance to visit SM City of Lipa. Our cousins accompanied us. We bought quite a few things and had tons of fun in the arcades area.

For the next three to four days, the rain just poured down. On that fourth day, it was the blessing of our new home. I had no idea even random people whom I never knew or met would attend. I later on learned that on special events, early in the morning, people would place loud fireworks. This is like a signal to let the people know there is something going on. I'm guessing these kind of things only occur in the provincial area. For such thing to happen in the city would be chaotic. 

(Yup, I probably know less than half of them...)

On the process however, I got to meet a few people, and even see family friends from Montreal, who themselves where in the Philippines for vacation. I even got to meet somewhat of an attractive girl there. ;) Nonetheless, my first week turned out a lot better than I thought, despite the rain. Also, some do say that it is a blessing from above if the rain pours down on special occasions, especially on weddings. 

“I am more and more convinced that our happiness or our unhappiness depends far more on the way we meet the events of life than on the nature of those events themselves.” - Karl Wilhelm von Humboldt

Family - Special Moments

For those who know me, you will know that I value family a lot. Whether we are blood related or not, it does not matter. If anything, I would say that I can be quite a family person. 

Recently, it was my Ninang's (Godmother) 50th birthday. Her birthday is on April 6th. We had a surprise party for her on that month, however, we also had another celebration earlier this month in July. You would ask "why another one and why so late?". Well you see, my aunt has two other siblings living outside of Montreal, one in Winnipeg and another in Italy. So for this special day, they took a vacation in order to set foot in this city for her very special birthday.

I actually meet my cousins from Winnipeg and Italy rarely, in fact it is only the second time I reunite with them. In this case, some would say "well you are probably not very close". That is a bit complicated to answer. After little time of bonding with them, especially the children (five in total), I became quite comfortable with them and wish I had the chance to have more time to spend with them. I guess when the families have a close relationship, whether they are far away, blood related or not, the family members just easily connect with one another. 

The other day, they all left for a trip to Quebec city. It really frustrates me that my family was not able to join them for that trip. Especially because there are only a few days left until we all have to part, I just wanted to spend as much time as I can with them also because such event rarely happen. Whether I was able to join them or not, every moment spent with them will definitely be moments I will forever cherish. 

(Big Happy Family! My mother may not be my aunt's sister (she is her 1st cousin), but that does not change the fact that everyone else are my relatives. The blood still flows, and that is what matters, and even if it did not, they would still be family.)

 I really have no idea when our families will all gather again, but I will be patiently waiting for that day to come once more. This week was an amazing week, one I will always remember, and I hope for our families to gather again soon. Special memories were made this past week and I can't wait for the next one to be formed. Until then, I love you all.

"It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons." - Johann Schiller

Sodality = Brotherhood

Friends come and go, this is true. However, there are friends that feel more like family that sometimes, when one leaves, it feels like you lose a very important family member. I am very grateful for all the friends I have, and even for those who have left. I have learnt many things as I grow with them. This blog post may sound a little gay, but it is not. If you have very close friends, some that definitely feel like family, then you should definitely understand what I am about to write.

A few years ago, I had a couple of very good friends, friends whom I considered brothers, that drifted away. In part I would say it was my fault, but it did not make sense to me that they would leave without even giving us the chance to speak about the wrongs and misunderstanding that has happened. I do not want to go in detail on what occurred, but I will mention a bit of it. The cause for this friendship to break off was due to a girl, and a decision that I have taken, which is why I cannot really blame them for what has happened. But we all make wrong decisions, so I cannot understand why they have not given me the chance to explain myself. Though this has happened, I still do not regret the decision I took, as I learned quite a few things, as well as with that girl. ;) (HA! I bet you guys are having the wrong thought!) A couple of years later, again I tried to get in contact with them and give it another try, but I was ignored. Because my family and the family of one of them are very close, whenever we would randomly meet in an occasion can be quite awkward. I did not want to let the friendship we had, or even brotherhood if you want, to just end so easily. But what can we do, sometimes that is how life is, and like the saying goes, friends come and go.It's been more than five years, and I've been over it for a long time now. But I forgive people quite easily, so I would be willing to accept them back, especially because they were brothers to me. 

I have lost important people in my life, but I have gained many new one as well. There are many whom are very important, but I would like to give a couple of special mentions. 

First off, to my good ol' buddy Ryan, also known as Soulja. I have known this guy practically all my life. I do not remember exactly when we met, but all I know is that I've known him for a very very long time. I even remember when my mom bought us a matching necklace that says best friends...HAHAHAHA! Hey we were kids back then OK! I know I can definitely trust him if ever I am in need of something. Not only is he like a brother to me, but he also introduced me to a great number of awesome people as well. Cykez and Fire just to name a few. I can go on and on about our brother-like friendship, but that would be like writing a whole 20 page chapter. Oh! and if ever you are reading this bro, congratulations again to your engagement with Mariel! Very happy for you guys.

Another person I would like to mention before I near the end of this blog post is someone whom I've met for not exactly a very long time, but is someone who definitely feels like a brother as well. Heck! they are my brothers! That person is none other than Aron, also known as Ninja/StormShadow. Now this is one very interesting dude. You can even check out his blogpost, just click on my friends thingy or whatever it's called. He's actually the one that got me started into finally starting a blog. Annnddd spending more than 400$ to get a tablet -__- But hey, that was some good spent money, so no complaints there. He's someone I have a lot of respect for. There are so many things my friends and I want to know about him, but he keeps it a secret. No matter how curious we are, I amsure he has a valid reason and I respect that. Just like Soulja, he's like a brother. Though I do not necessarily believe into having a life before the one we have now, but if ever I did, I bet he was my brother. I know that he too is someone I can trust if ever I would need something.

If I have some other friends reading this, do not feel left out. You guys are very dear to me too. But I just feel like I had to make these two mentions, especially because I know they view my blog sometimes, so I just wanted to leave a little something. It may not be very detailed, but hey, at least it's there. =P 

But I would like to make a couple of very important shout outs. My SoW brothers, Ninja, Pyro, Rogue, Intel and Aimbot. And of course, the oCt, they are a huge family, so I'll leave it at that, you know who you are! XD Believe it or not, most of us grew closer thanks to a video game. Awesome eh? And people say this ain't good for you. 

So like I said, friends come and go, but I really do hope that the ones I have now and the new ones that I have gained, I sincerely hope that our brotherhood will go up to our graves, and even beyond. 

SoW: Sodality of War

"There is a destiny that makes us brothers, No one goes his way alone; All that we send into the lives of others, Comes back into our own." - Edwin Markham

Coincidence?

For quite a few days now, I have been having this weird thing on my eye. Apparently its an infection. My mom has been wanting me to go to the hospital and get it checked. But being stubborn, I decided to leave it alone and let it heal on its own. But then I realize, it started to turn out different. So after doing some research, I realized maybe it is time to change my way a little bit. So I got ready and my mom was going to drop me off to the clinic because she had work in the afternoon. We see my uncle (not by blood, just a reference of respect, very common in Asia) park his car and we greet him. Coincidentally, he too had his own infection on his eye and had to visit a doctor. So luckily for my mom, she got to rest, and my uncle and I would then visit the hospital together. I was relieved because I would not be alone since I wanted company. 

We arrived at the hospital, and man did we wait quite a long time. We arrived around 11:15ish and left after 2. However, the wait was worth it! Somehow, the main doctor that was suppose to see me was not available, so someone else took his place. It was this cute Asian nurse! I was nervous when I was in the room, but when she came in, my heart beat just calmed instantly! XD Yeah, I sound like a freak don't I? I had no idea they would make a minor procedure. They took a needle and sucked out some stuff out of my eyelid. It felt like I was getting my blood taken, and I despise that! So for half of the day, I had to go around with an eye patch. I really gotta thank my uncle for being patient and even treating me for pizza.

(Scout Sparrow!! As named by a friend XD)

When the hospital stuff was finally done, we had to head to the pharmacy. How unlucky must I be, when I showed my prescription, the pharmacist said that they no longer have this and that any other pharmacy does not have it either. He said I will need to go back to the hospital and get another prescription. I did not want to go through all that hassle, so I decided to try the pharmacy next door. I arrived and I hear the same news, that prescription is in back order and no longer available. However, they made me wait in the waiting area. I wondered why. A few minutes later, another pharmacist came to me, she was very attractive and Asian! (Yeah, I have a thing for Asian girls =P) She actually took care of everything. Rather than make me go back, she called the hospital and tried to fix things up for me. And before I know it, she had a substitute for that previous prescription. So of course I thanked her, and will definitely be back to this pharmacy rather than the other. Coincidence? No idea, but I am glad things turned out this way today.

My day is finally done, and I am glad for everything that has happened today. I believe God set this up for me. My eye is already healing. Like they say, God has things planned out for you. In the name of Jesus, I am healed!!! He is our healer after all. =)

 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not upon your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your path." - Proverbs 3:5-6

The Next Step

As many probably know, I am graduating this year (2012). As promised, I will share my experience i went through my internship. It's funny because, when I got accepted as an intern at the company I applied for, I was very excited, and couldn't wait to start. But as the day got closer to D-Day, the more I got less excited and wished I was already done. I shared this with a couple of friends. So they thought that maybe it was because I am not interested in this kind of field. But that was not the case. In fact, it's probably because I got so used to having so much free time, that I wanted to continue having this type of life.

My first couple days went smoother than I expected. The workers were very kind. Though there were a few things that I did not really like during the internship. Making phone calls. For some reason, I would get nervous or something. It was not the easiest thing for me. However! There was this one phone call I had to make which I sort of enjoyed. I had to call Transat Holidays to get information on a trip to Disney. So why did I enjoy this phone call? It is not because of "Disney", but because the girl on the other line had a beautiful voice! =P

I did get unlucky a few times as I had to make my way to the workplace. Twice during my internship was I late. So much for giving a good impression. But it was not my fault. The reason is because of incidents that took place in the Metro (Subway). The first incident was due to a smoke bomb. When I got to work, the manager said I could of just stayed home rather than go through all the hassle. The second incident was because of some accident. I think some people went on the rails. But I do not know the details.

Of course, there was definitely some positive stuff during this internship. I learned a lot and realized a bit better on what I want to do. In the beginning, I was not very sure if I wanted to work at a Travel Agency but now I know it isn't that bad especially if i get to work with the same type of people I had during the stage. They knew how to joke around and bring in humor, as opposed to what I heard from my other classmates in which they said some workers would stress quite a bit. They also gave me the opportunity to do many of my own personal research which was pretty awesome. I got to learn quite a few things in which I was personally interested in.

This was simply a brief description on how this internship turned out. There were ups and downs but I am glad I was finally able to get through it. Ultimately, what matters is that another chapter of my life has finally been completed. Though my goal is still somewhat unclear and I am  not quite sure where to head right now, what I do know is that God will lead me there, and this is but another obstacle I have yet to climb over.

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.  May your mountains rise into and above the clouds." - Edward Abbey

Internship - Week One

My internship has started for over a week now. Honestly, I was very nervous and had no idea what to expect from my stage. But when I entered the office, the other agents welcomed me warmly. The manager was not there, so I got even more nervous for the next day. Opposite from what I first thought, it went pretty smooth working with him. I really like the fact that they give me the chance to do a lot of my own research. I really want to work with destinations related to Asia, however the company I am currently doing my internship does not specialize on my interest. But with the opportunity they are giving me, it really gives me the chances to learn more about what I want to learn personally.

Though there was some negative points to my first week of internship. The first couple of days felt like my stay at the office would never end. Being there for eight hours can at times be excruciating. And there was one thing I really hate that I had to do, making phone calls. I just can't get myself to do that. I know, as an agent I shouldn't have that problem, but I really do like talking to other representatives. Once, I had to call Rail Europe to speak with a representative, I had to wait a minimum of thirty minutes to get someone to speak with me! Maybe if it was to call a client to inform them that their ticket has arrived, then that would be better. I am simply hoping I won't have to do anymore phone calls for the rest of my stage. If I do, hopefully it is something  much easier and simple just like the one I mentioned earlier, call the client to say "you're ticket has arrived".

For the more positive stuff, the atmosphere is actually quite good. The whole team has quite some humor. I am somewhat shy, so I cannot laugh as loud as they do. And when the Boss is not there, I am working will only female workers. At times they would talk about "girl stuff" even when I am around. It can be awkward!!! But what can I do. Oh! And I found a way for time to go by faster. Since I am there from 9:30 to 5:30, I've decided to take my lunch around 1:45pm. I would return around 2:45, and would have only 2 hours and 30 mins left. 

In less than 10 hours, I start my second week of internship. I really hope this week will go by quickly. I make it sound like I am not liking this type job. It's not bad, and I am sure I can adjust, but within this career, there are many more options for me to choose from. I just want this to be done, and I would then try to apply in a place where I think I would be even more comfortable. Like I said earlier, I want a place where I can specialize with Asia or I would also like to work for an airline. There is a long road waiting for me, and I believe God has things planned out. However, this is an obstacle I have to climb over. I will do what I can and persevere, and hopefully come out a stronger person.

"On the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher up today, or you will be training your powers so that you will be able to climb higher tomorrow." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Just Another Dream

Everyone dreams. Some people say they do not, but truth is, they do. They just don't remember it. Yup, Psychology class thought me something. For this post, I've decided to share a few of my dreams that I dreamed of a couple of nights ago. I remember two of them.

Starting off with the first one. I was at school, and for some reason, the power went off and everyone went crazy. Then I realized, I was naked! (Yeah, I know what the...) So I run around stealthily hoping to find some clothing I can use. Then somehow, after the blink of an eye, I was suddenly holding on to clothing. So I ran very quickly, avoiding people, hoping to find a spot I can quickly dress myself. When that was done, the lights went back on. A few minutes later, I bumped into a friend of mine, we walked and talked for a bit, and somehow met Chris Tucker beside something that looked like a hot dog stand or something inside a building....This dream ended with me bragging on Facebook about the fact that I met Chris Tucker out of the blue.

The other dream that I remembered was a very weird one as well. I was in my room. I suddenly hear the sound of speeding cars, some were the sound of crashes, and some of honking. I take a look outside my window, and I see something very strange. Right in the middle of the road was a huge perfect pit hole. It was very dark. Some speeding cars were able to run across it. Some slower cars would simply fall in. And some that tried to dodge it through the sides, well some succeeded, and some didn't. The way this dream ended was when a car tried to speed up in hopes of getting across it like some did. So this person sped up, however, only half the vehicle landed on the other side. So he was hanging there for a few seconds, until finally, his car slipped off and fell. 

The end. Pretty weird eh?! I had other dreams like this. One of them was like a Resident Evil Simulation. If anything, maybe I'll write it down one day.  But hey, through Psychology class and some research (and the Discovery Channel), I learnt that what we dream of all has a meaning, happens through our experiences in life or even simply dream due to our imagination.

"I am imagination. I can see what the eyes cannot see. I can hear what the ears cannot hear. I can feel what the heart cannot feel." - Peter Nivio Zarlenga 

Night & Day

My motivation and confidence is totally different at night and during the day.

Let us say I am in a certain situation, and something must be done. For example, maybe there is this girl I like and I had this particular interest towards her for quite a while now. Remember, this is an example. So I've reach a point where I think it would probably be time for me to confess. So night has arrived, I would then contemplate for some time, but in the end, my decision would most likely be: Do It! and if it is still night time, chances are, I let her know, by either leaving her a message or something.

But then, once I wake up, I would probably be thinking many negative thoughts such as "why did I leave her a message?!", or "I shouldn't of done anything!", and many more similar thoughts.

However, if that night I said "Alright! I am ready for this! Tomorrow, I will try to set up something to meet up with her and confess!", what would the result be that next morning? Errr...not very good. What would probably happen is that, I would be less confident, thinking that maybe I should not go on with what I have planned that night before.

So for many situations, whether its about love, joining a new sports organization, or even an internship (which currently, I have mixed emotions about, I'm not too sure what to look forward to at the moment), this is how I tend to react to them. At night, I would be full of confidence and motivation to fulfill a plan I had in mind. However, the next morning, its either I lose a big chunk of that, or simply feel some regret if ever I did take action that same night.

Sigh, it can be complicated, but what can I do. Every day we learn new things, and as life go on, eventually I hope to find a way to keep this confidence and motivation to be more stable, without the need to worry about these feelings to fluctuate from night to day.

"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Explore the World

We live in a world of many wonders, many of which I would love to visit. Whether it is a place commonly visited by many or a place rarely visited, I would love to have the chance to set foot there. 

I grew up (and still am) in a family which rarely travels. When we do, it is always either my country, or neighboring cities such as Toronto. This could be the reason for my urge to step out and explore the world. For those who know me, they know that I mainly want to visit Asia, specifically South Korea and Japan. When I was younger, I initially wanted to visit China. I still do, but as I get older, I ended up wanting to know more about the cultures of South Korea and Japan that I've decided to study and learn a bit about them, which then made me want to see and experience their culture for myself. I admit, it sort of started with the Asian entertainment such as K-Pop and dramas for example. But really, I just want to learn more, and visiting other nations is one of the great ways to educate oneself. 

I like to be different, most people would rather go to Europe, or down South in the Caribbeans. But that doesn't mean I have no interest in traveling to these places. Paris for example is a place I want to go to as well.  It is true that my willingness to learn about Asian culture is pretty high, but given the chance, I wouldn't mind to learn about other cultures outside Asia. But of course, Asia is my main. I do not know why exactly I am so fond of this continent other than culture and tradition. Maybe it is because I am Asian myself and would love to know a little more about my roots. My mom told me that we most likely have Chinese blood in us, which would be of no surprise. But what made me even more curious was the fact that my grandfather from my mothers side, whom I never met, knew how to speak Japanese. I am really curious, but I am sort of shy to ask my mom for more details. When I do, I will definitely write about it. But yeah, who knows, maybe this can be one of the reasons why I long to visit Asia. As for now, I know that culture and tradition is what motivates me to get to these places.

One last place I want to mention is a country most people would not dare to visit, North Korea. I am really curious to see how life is there. The famine problem they used to have? Pfft that was many years ago. It's not as bad as it was back then. Many state that they do not dare travel to the North because they are afraid to get shot or something. But actually, this is not the case. I've looked around and tried to find people whom visited the North. In fact, I've learned that it is very safe to visit the country. Of course, it doesn't mean its safe to run around, do crazy things and be disrespectful. Besides, who would love to see someone do such thing to one owns home ground anyways? Sure, the short tours you get to have there is sort of fabricated and more like a show. But there are actually some longer tours in which you get to explore some different places of the country more in depth with some free time, and less fabricated. This is the tour I want to take, this way I can really see with my own eyes how it can be up there, learn about their culture hands-on, rather than only hear the negative stories many people tend to exploit. 

(Fly!!!!!!)

To sum up everything, basically, I simply want to travel the world, especially in Asia. One reason is to reach places I've never been to before, but one of my main reason is to learn and experience other cultures. Only then can we really learn and understand more about the people that revolve around us. 

"Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends." - Maya Angelou

L D R

Believe it or not, the longest relationship I've had was with someone miles away. It was a long distance relationship. Some say it is impossible for it to work out, but some also say that it is possible, just that it would be a bit difficult. In my case, it was the second. Sure, we are no longer together, but just because we broke up doesn't mean it did not work out.

We were together for about two years. There were many ups and downs just like any other relationship. But I think one advantage long distance relationship has is that, your trust for one another is probably a lot stronger than usual. Why? Because you do not have much choice but to trust each other when you can barely see one another. We would see each other whenever possible. For example, on spring break, she came to visit Montreal with her family. When I visited Toronto during the summer with my family, I then would try to find a way to meet her. Then one time, after my high school graduation, I decided to spend a week with her in Toronto. For roughly two years, this is what we did. 

Of course, we would chat every single day, and be on the phone every night. I remember the nights in which we would stay on the phone until we fell asleep. (How childish! lol) But hey, why not. Like they say, Love makes you do crazy things. I did not believe that at first, but I learned as I grew.

Then one day...it was winter. For New Year, I was going to visit my country, The Philippines, with my family. When I told her this, she was very sad. She did not want me to go. She said it would be really tough for her because we would barely have the chance to speak for those three weeks or so. I told her to be strong, that we can get through this since we've been through a lot in those two years that passed. So I did my best to keep her positive and everything, and so far, all went well.

I was finally in the Philippines. I called her as soon as I can to let her know that we got there safe. Everything sounded just fine. However, after about a week, she texts me that she wants to break up. I suddenly go bananas! I hid in a room, gave her a call and tried to talk it out. It was a really complicated conversation.  My bill when I got back was more than 200$! Can you believe it, she told me that, one of the reasons she wanted to break up with me was because she sort of liked this guy in this online video game she met! But yeah, after a long talk, it was over. Just like that.

I had a hard time in the upcoming days. Until the moment my cousin introduced me to some of her friends. I do not know if it was because I was still hurting inside, or maybe because she was pretty, but a couple of days later, I started going out with one of her friends. However it did not last too long. Which then leads me to the conclusion that I used her as a rebound. Sigh, I know, how bad of me. But I still did my best to make her happy. I even payed for her school tuition! -_- 

I was back in Montreal, Canada. A couple of days later, she (the one from Toronto), called me. She was crying, and was deeply sorry. She wanted us to get back together. However, I was still hurting big time. But I decided to give it a chance. However, this time, it just did not click. We did not last for more than a month. I realized that the scar she left was a bit too much for me to bare.

A year has passed. During those time, we did talk from time to time, but it was rare. She told me that she still cannot get over me. That she still really wanted for us to work. Coincidentally, it was going to be her birthday in a couple of weeks. So she told me, "if you can't give us another chance, can you at least be there for my birthday?" I thought about it seriously, and I decided to do both. I finally arrived in Toronto, and for some reason I was very shy around her for the first couple of hours. As if it was my first time meeting her. But we got along quite well very quickly and became very comfortable with one another. The weekend turned out to be a lot better than I thought, that I thought it was possible for us to start over again. 

Until the last night. Her friend slept over. This made me realize that I should not go on with this relationship. What made me realize this? I easily liked her friend. God! I even stood in the room her friend was staying in and just watched her sleep for a couple of minutes...I'm a creep aren't I? Do not worry, that is all I did. 

Before leaving for Montreal, we were not sure what kind of relationship we were having, but we decided to leave it at that for the meantime. Eventually, I told her that it can no longer work. And that is how our story ended. But at least we ended our relationship on a positive note. Today, she is actually engaged, and about to get married later this year. I am happy for her. I have learned a lot, and I want to thank her for everything, most importantly for still being a friend up to this day.

There were many other things that has happened and that I learned throughout this relationship. But it would probably take a really long time to write. I just wanted to share this, let people know that, in a relationship, it does not matter where you are, it can work. You simply need to love each other, be willing and of course, you have to trust each other. Sure, there are other factors, but at the moment, these are the important keys I believe that is needed in any kind of relationship.

"Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly and they will show themselves great." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Special Day

April 7, 2012. It was my Birthday, and my Idol Jackie Chan. 

I wanted to have Dinner with all of SoW so a planned a small gathering for the 7th. However, two of my friends were not able to make it, but I understand. Though I'll be honest, a part of me was a bit sad because I really wished for everyone to make it. But I wanna thank Felipe (aka Aimbot) for making it even though he was quite busy that day. And of course I cannot forget Aron (Ninja) and Jeff (Pyrotech) for spending pretty much half of the day with me. It wasn't all that "grand" scale wise, but I really appreciate the fact that they hung out with me that day. So as we all finally got together, we ate at Hakata Ramen. An awesome Japanese Restaurant I would recommend. Some interesting stuff happened that day. One was Ninja and Aimbot struggling to open up a bottle. XD and the other was well...I used to have this big crush on this girl in College, I nicknamed her Miss Ball, because I first saw her when she was on her way to play Squash and she was playing with the Squash Ball. But I did manage to find a way to meet her and stuff...XD We were not very close, so from what happened on this day, it seemed like we both decided not to greet each other. But hey, that's fine with me. I still had an awesome day!

Then on the 8th, something unexpected happened. I have this friend whom I've known for a very long time, Ryan. He and his girlfriend actually organized a surprise Dinner at Sushi Crescent. He said that he received a coupon and invited me to eat with them. But in fact, there was no coupon, as I went up the stairs, I was surprised to see a group of people I knew all sitting together. I thought my birthday was done, but everyone there just made this year's birthday even more special than I expected. And the two members (Dennis aka Rogue and Glenn aka Intel) that were missing on the 7th, now I understand why they did not attend. And special thanks to Adrian (aka Cykez) and his girlfriend Kath for the super awesome cake. Kath made the birthday cake herself. The design was the Hylian Shield from The Legend of Zelda franchise. As a Zelda fanboy, this cake is probably the best one I ever had. Not only does the cake that she make look good, they also taste good! I also gotta thank Ninja and Aaron for coming even though they work the next morning. And the same goes with Pyro, we finished around 11, and he had an upcoming night shift at 12. 

(Left: Hakata Ramen, Right: Zelda Cake)

Once more, I just want to thank all of my great friends for making all this happen. For giving me a birthday more special than I expected. I'm not very good with surprises, and sometimes I just don't know how to express myself. What I felt this weekend was really great, and like I said many times, none of this could of happen if it weren't for all them. I love you guys! Thanks for giving a memorable Birthday! =)

"A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world." - Lois Wyse

Zenith

Have you ever reached a point where you ever thought, "this is the best I can do." or maybe a point where you felt that "this is the happiest I can be". These two can go hand in hand. By reaching a certain point, you will also feel a certain emotion. But is their really a limit to how far we can go or feel a certain emotion?

Often I have these kind of questions in my head, and most of the time, I simply cannot answer. Where is the answer I am searching for? The answer is actually quite clear and straight forward. No. there is no limit. But then if I know the answer, why do I keep asking myself such questions? It's probably because I tend to over-analyze every possible answer I can think of. But honestly, now that I think about it, it is probably the lack of confidence. When I reach the peak of something, sometimes I just want to say, "That's it! I'm done!" when I know I can go further. I think it is because I am afraid, afraid of the new obstacles that may come my way. Let's take school for example. After High School, I said to myself, "Let's graduate from College, find a job and live a happy life". But deep down, did I really want to stop there? I don't think so. Unfortunately I did stop there and things got a bit complicated. But hey, I decided to start afresh, and now I'm on the road for something new, hoping to achieve a new peak in my life. And once I do, I'll definitely try to climb over that.  Those days thought me a lot. It made me realize today that if you have the opportunity to go further, take that opportunity, even if it means you have to start lower than what you expected.

Do not limit yourself to what you can achieve. Once you reach the top, remember that that is an illusion. By limiting yourself, you limit your emotions. Break free, dream and never stop moving because you are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.

"The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the buts you use today." - Les Brown

Under My Skin

Under my skin?! Flesh! The end.

Okay, that was a lame joke. Honestly, I have no idea what exactly this post is going to be about. But I want to  share a little something I've noticed a while back. A lot of the people who knows me say that I'm a nice and calm guy. But in fact, I can actually have a very bad temper, and not many knows this. A good example is around my family. I easily get annoyed with my parents and my brother. For example, my brother tapping  on his desk, and I easily get frustrated. Sometimes my anger comes out easily. But I am trying to correct this, and I believe there has been quite a significant improvement. But with my friends, it can be the opposite. I have way more control over my temper when I am around them. But I think this is a family thing for me. I mean, as much as I love them, I cannot say the words "I Love You", even "Happy Birthday" isn't that easy for me to say. Pretty sad eh. 

However, there is something I did realize. To some of my closer friends, I tend to have a similar habit towards them as I do with my family. The only slight difference is that, rather than let them know directly, instead I try to do it a bit more indirectly. But I still try to keep it to myself as much as possible. Oddly enough, I think that when I reach this point, it's probably because I've grew quite close to them. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say. So if ever one of my friends is reading this right now and has ever felt what I'm trying to say, think of it as another way of saying "I Love You". XD Oh! And for those who has never felt nor saw me getting frustrated or angry towards you, do not worry, I love you too =) it is either because:

1. There probably isn't any reason for me to feel any kind of negative emotion towards you. (I guess you're doing a good job then XD)

2. I am probably doing a good job holding it in.

3. There is no need for me to let it out because it probably isn't very important and probably better to simply let go.

So to my loved ones (you better know who you guys are!), it does not matter how I express my feelings towards you, I just want you to know that I care and love you guys very much! My goodness! The ending feels soooo cheesy and corny! Oh well, too bad! =P

"Anybody can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way - that is not within everybody's power and is not easy." - Aristotle

Now You're Playing With Power!

Does the title sound familiar to anyone? If it does, then I can think of two possibilities.

1. You are a Nintendo fanboy.

2. You are old enough to know one of Nintendo's oldest slogan. 

So why am I talking about Nintendo in this blogpost? Well because I pretty much grew up with Video Games, and it all started with the Nintendo Entertainment System. It's pretty funny how my mom would complain about me buying so many games when she is the one that actually introduced me to video games. But I got no complaints about that! I pretty much owned every single Nintendo console, maybe except for the SNES and Virtual Boy. But I was very young back then. As soon as I became conscious of the consoles being out there, I pretty much purchased everything since the N64. 

I cannot believe Nintendo started as a card company. I think a lot of people are belittling them today simply because they think their games are for kids or due to motion controls. But that's what I love about Nintendo, they know how to capture the essence of video game and make innovation. Honestly, the only reason I think Nintendo turned out to have this "negative" image is because of Third Party Developers who made a bunch load of crappy games. If they instead focused on making good games like they did in the last couple of years or so, then I am confident Nintendo would have a better image today. 

Today, I finally have another console which is not part of the Nintendo family. The Playstation 3. The only reason I have one is because I wanted to be able to play Call of Duty with friends. Who knew Call of Duty would of build the beginning of a great brotherhood. It started as a clan, but it is way more now and meaningful then it was back then. But this is another topic.

Getting back on topic, I can go on and on about why I love Nintendo so much, so instead, I would like to mention a couple of games I would love everyone to try out. One that may not be a surprise to anyone is obviously Super Smash Bros. It's an awesome game that can be played with a group of friends, or even competitively if you wanted. But one game that is stuck to me, which is probably one of my favorite games of all time is "The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword" for the Nintendo Wii. Now this game is amazing!!! Their was some mixed reviews, but majority were highly praised. This game shows why gameplay excels over graphics. The motion controls work so well and in a very smart way that I would not mind if they went back to motion controls for the next Zelda installment. Gameplay aside, the Visuals are amazing and breathtaking. It feels like a painting come to life. Any artist who sees this game, I am confident they will be "wowed". I can keep talking about this game, but I just wanted to share a couple with you. =P

But! I cannot forget about the 3DS. One of my favorite games is Resident Evil: Revelations. I think that anyone who loves the Resident Evil franchise should get a 3DS just for this game. Yes, it is that good. RE5 was good, but it did not feel very "Resident Evil-ish". Revelations goes back to its roots, bringing back the horror and creepy atmospheres, with some great action sequences you find in RE4-5. 

Of course I cannot end this post without mentioning Nintendo's upcoming console, the WiiU (the name may be different on release). For those who think the WiiU will be a gimmick, you are wrong. For those who have played the DS, then you know that the possibilities are great. To have a touch screen on your controller can do alot and make gameplay more intuitive such as switching weapons without pressing pause for example. So far, from everything I've learned from the WiiU, everything seems like it's going well for Nintendo, already many developers are amazed by its capabilities. I can talk about the WiiU in detail but then this would be super duper long. So to get more in depth with this console, I suggest visiting IGN. But I think that with the WiiU, the time has finally come for Nintendo to re-use this slogan: Now You're Playing With Power!

Well! I guess that is all for this post. It turned out to be a lot more than I thought and I can easily keep going. As a fanboy, I get easily caught up whenever I talk about Nintendo. 

PS. The Last Story and Xenoblade Chronicles is finally coming out in North America! OHH YEAHH!! Good Job Operation Rainfall!!! 

"Video games are bad for you? That's what they said about rock-n-roll." - Shigeru Miyamoto

Education

Education!!! We all know that this is very important to everyone. However, people tend to ignore the fact that education isn't only thought in school, but it is thought all around us. But to make things simple, let us just talk about school. Not everyone loves to go to school, some simply hate it. I once got tired of going to school because of all the homework, always needing to go to school even if I don't feel like it, and many other reasons. But as I get older, things started to change. Today, I would actually love it if i can go to school every week rather than find a job. I realized that I enjoy to learn, and that I always want to learn new things. If only I can get paid to go to school...(what crappy intro!)

To get a little bit more personal, my academic life is quite well...complicated and not all that successful at the moment. Let us start chronologically...

Elementary was a blast and very easy for me, especially math. However, there was one subject I always struggled on. It was French (though I can speak it quite well). Despite being born and growing up in Montreal, I've always struggled in french, even in high school. 

High School was a blast as well! You can pretty much copy paste my short description of elementary. High school was also the time where you were thought many things about what's good and what's not. For some reason, these awareness days would stick to my head big time, which is probably the reason why I never tried drugs nor smoked. This was also the time I was introduced to Breakdance, something I loved doing. Unfortunately, when I reached College, my schedule would get tougher and crammed that it eventually led me to the point where I had to stop breakdancing. Breakdance will forever be a memory that I will never forget. 

This then leads me to my College life. Now this is where things start to get complicated! Though I'll try to simplify the story. I first applied in Engineering, a three year program. When I reached the second year, my interest would slowly fade, to the point where I just did not really enjoy what I was doing. This would also be the year I started to like this girl, which lasted quite a long time! But bleh, this love story shall continue on another post =P So I decided to try something new. I applied for Graphics Design, however they said I would only be able to start the next year, but I did not want to wait that long, so I then transferred to Social Science, in hopes of becoming a teacher in the future. But then, some complicated stuff happened which caused me to cut class a few times, become lazy, and eventually did terrible in school. I think it was on the fourth semester. So I was at a loss, I no longer knew what I should do.

Then one day, a friend of mine asked me if i wanted to try to apply for this Vocational Program in Aerospace as a Technician. I decided to go for it! However this friend of mine ended up changing program -___- But then coincidentally, another friend I know, Tahnsu, was also in search of a new program. So I brought him with me, and guess what!? We completed the course and graduated! OHHH YEAAHH!!....but there is some bad news actually...The year we graduated was also the year the Aerospace Industry was struggling, so we had a really hard time looking for a job. It eventually led Tahnsu to pursue his studies in electronics. As for me, I made a stupid decision. On the internship I took, I was actually offered a job, but I denied in hopes of getting into a better company...Total Fail on my part...=T but what can I do, it's part of life. Rather than regret this decision, I've decided to use this as a lesson learned and motivation.

So you are probably wondering, what is happening now? Well, after working for a year at Dollarama, I've decided to apply once again in different schools in different programs. This time I got accepted in Tourism, specifically as a Travel Agent. I've always wanted to travel, which is probably why I ended up entering the Aerospace industry. Tourism will definitely help me get more hands-on with the travel industry and I'm finally on my final semester! If all goes well, then that would be great. I pray for all the best, and I really hope everything will turn out for the better. Since I'm still in the progress of completing this program, unfortunately this means the story of my academic life stops here. So to hear the rest of it, I guess we will have to wait until the day I graduate.

Man! Making a decision for your future isn't always the easiest. As you can see, I went from Engineer, to Social Science, to Aerospace, and now Tourism. I just want whoever is reading this to know that, whether you are not sure what you want to take in your future studies, whether your interest towards a certain career keeps changing, it is all part of growing and learning more about yourself. Do not rush your studies, but that doesn't also mean "take as much time as you want". Not everyone realizes what they want to do in life in the same pace as everyone. Some find out quickly and some may take longer than others. Just don't give up your studies, I believe this is very important and will benefit everyone, somehow, one way or another.

"The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet." - Aristotle