Being 25

September 22, 6 AM, I was awakened by the torrential downpour of rain that seems to get past our roof. It was so strong that I wasn’t able to get back to sleep again. But I wasn’t supposed to be sleeping! I should be doing something special or something different from the usual routine [...]

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Hospitality bridges traditions

 
Finding yourself in a country where you know no one is quite scary (at least for me). On the other hand, being treated like you are “one of them”, amongst the people in the heart of that unfamiliar place is really comforting and not to mention admirable.
 
Before coming to Thailand, I asked help from some [...]

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Remembering 1990 earthquake

 
July 16, 1990, exactly 18 years ago, I was a witness to the monstrous disaster, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, that hit the Philippines, particularly my town, where more than a thousand people died. I was six years old then and yet the horrible pictures of this event are still vividly etched in my mind until [...]

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Fleeting beauty, moments of pleasure

 “Moments of pleasure,” I muttered to myself as I stared at the sakura tree through the window glass while I wait for our lunch being served. “Fleeting beauty,” said my friend, as she chuckles (perhaps thinking of a different connotation with what I just said) sitting beside me, who I didn’t know heard my silent [...]

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When the mind fails to remember

I was looking forward to the day of my last exam. Not because I want to end the agony of studying so hard for his term but because I’m so excited to get connected with my family and friends after a long time of no communication.   
I had been so out of touch the past [...]

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What’s in the words “Merry Christmas”

It’s Christmas eve but I could hardly feel the presence of the season. No Christmas decors, Christmas lights, no Christmas songs and I am surrounded with people who don’t celebrate much less believe in it.

These past few days, I’ve been kind of lonely thinking how Christmas would be away from home, far from the gifts, [...]

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