When separation anxiety occurs

As homebody as I am

Who would have thought I'll move out

The introvert lamb

With a heart that is ready to shout

Few weeks ago, I long for the idea of moving out to an apartment nearer my work. It was nice thought until I really moved out.

The first week was the worst. I could not sleep at the new place. I cannot even eat properly. Everything I see is spoils my appetite and as I would say before, I wanted to eat 'real food'. It's better when I am at work or in class because I can talk to a lot of people (And to think that I didn't have a problem not talking to anybody before) and it eased the emptiness that I felt.

The worst was when my roommate has to go home (we go home every weekend, but my day off is different from hers) and I am left at home with a shitty internet connection and only my phone to keep me company. That was when I felt really alone and felt like no one is really there for me.

Nonetheless, the night only gives us loneliness for us to look forward to the next day when we hope for happiness.

This might all be just a trigger since I transferred to a new department at work and that I have to do the "getting-to-know-you" part all over again and to get used to the new schedule and new job. And then I had to move out of the house, so that's another change.

Anyways, all these will pass when the time comes. All these will get better and all these will be faded into background and I will just do what I do every day.

There's that,

sleepypotterhead

And the Writing Team goes to Bataan!

Scary bumpy ride

Mountainside and cliff

Choose where you side

And outside take a whiff

So the peak of workload came to an end and as a treat, the company provided the whole writing team to go to a beach in Bataan.

Honestly, at first I really didn't want to go because it will be very exhausting and I still have classes the night before going there, also I will have a class the day after the trip. But as always, I thought of how fun it will be and the memories I will get to have with my co-workmates.

So, here we go.

I doubt I would have much to write about this trip actually.

Honestly, I wished that there was a tour guide who climbed on the bus the moment we step on Bataan, because the place was so interesting. It has a different aura than in the city (stating the obvious here) and I know that there is so much history in the province and I'm pretty much curious about it.

As the bus continues to go to our destination, I saw some interesting things outside (because I'm sitting on the window seat).

I saw markers of the Death March and that when I had the realization that, yea, the Death March happened here, too bad I didn't know much about it. 

And also I happen to see trees with pink flowers and I guess it was cherry blossoms? I don't know how that could happen though (If someone knows what those pink flowers at the side of the mountains in Bataan, in between a few Death March markers, please do clarify if these are cherry blossoms or something else)

My theory was, because Death March happened on the Japanese occupation, these might be some reminders of the dreadful event or something.

Going to the resort was plenty exhausting and took a long time but it was worth it when I saw the view. There were clear skies and the trees are all over, the cloudscape was amazing too, PLUS there weren't a lot of people. So, pretty much the whole resort was for us (even though it's not)

• The resort was amazing and the service was very good too. The beach is open in the day, there is a floating obstacle course in the further part of the beach. There is a pier also and there are people riding jetskis so I assume that they have these services also.
• There's WiFi everywhere (also they have a WiFi username and password just for you)
• The lockers were awesome
• You don't have to pay for cottages because they don't have one and you can just lounge anywhere (besides the space is very good so you probably won't a cottage)
• They have rental bikes
• If you don't like saltwater or you are sick of beaches (like me), they have an Infinity Pool that is open until 5PM and longer every weekends.
• The Sandbar is good too, but I wish they are more types of beverages to choose from.
• And there are shops and restaurants everywhere in the area. There's Figaro Coffee Shop, Yellow Cab and more. And there's also clothes shop like Giordano.

The only thing that I am disappointed at was the food. Since we were in Bataan, I was expecting for the resort to serve local food but what we had was a meal from Max's. I am not complaining but it could've been better if it would've been more localized.

nonetheless, I HAD A GREAT TIME WITH MY FRIENDS AND CO-WORKMATES AND CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE A SHORT GETAWAY LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE! (and maybe go back to Camaya Coast to see the amazing view again)

Gratefully ecstatic,

sleepypotterhead

My Journey to Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines

They say this is all for "oppa"

But it is something more than that

Honestly, I like British more but not a cuppa

Just say this is good for me and give me a pat

Although I try to deny it sometimes, I am still one of those people who cannot resist the power of Hallyu Wave "Korean Wave". Since I was a kid, I've been used to watching Asian dramas and among all these Korean stood out the most, thus I have always watched a Korean drama or two every year since I was a kid.

Not only til I became a teenager did I watched it on a daily basis, and with the original language (with subtitles, of course). Surprisingly, while watching Korean dramas, it did not only spark my interest in Korean culture and language but it also helped me in my English vocabulary a little (if the drama has a proper English subtitles).

So here goes.

When I was in my third year in college, I enrolled in a language institute and there I had my Basic Korean Language class. I learned how to read and write "Hangul" while I was learning there. While at it, I kept on searching things Korean, and that was the time when I came to have confidence to write Hangul in my SNS (social networking sites) and that was the time when I began calling my mother "Eomma" (LOL, my mom is more of a Korean drama fan than me).

That was also the time when I began to spread my interest to Korean boy groups (because the Korean groups that I only followed back then were bands like, CNBlue and F.T.Island). I've become to know various boy groups now and been a semi-active fan by following them in their SNS. 

Okay, enough of this.

Two years past my Basic Korean education, With "a knowledge on Korean language" on my resume, a lot of employers were inviting me for an interview, but I know that I am still not confident of my Korean knowledge. Because, how much of a difference does a 30-hour class make?

I've came to know the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, November last year. When I saw it and the classes they offer, I thought that this is a place where I know I can learn Korean seriously (and not just dabble like what I did 2 years ago) and come to know more about the culture since I'll be interacting with Korean teachers and students that has the same interests and 'wavelength' as me. 

January 13th, 2017. They opened the online registration. Unfortunately I was at work and I couldn't really make time to enroll and all, Although I have already filled out the registration form and all. After just a mere 30 minutes, all language classes were full. Seriously, my mood went downhill then. Even though I am working my ass off, it was evident that my mood was sour and no one can really talk to me that much because of that. (And that was the time when I got a cough and my wisdom tooth hurt), so it was really a bad weekend for me.

In short, I was kind of depressed of what happened. I thought about those employers who invited me for an interview and how much more of those will come and I'll be just so disappointed of myself.

January 17th 2017. My mom called the Korean Cultural Center again and they informed her that there are still slots. So she repeatedly called me telling me to refresh the KCC's page and wait for them to open slots. (By this time, you would know that I don't know anything about the enrolling process of KCC) Basically, I refreshed the page the whole day, until I saw their post on Facebook that they will update every 7pm.

Luckily, when they updated, there were 16 slots left for Elementary 1 (the class that I am enrolling into). and there are 5 slots for the Monday class (this is my target).

January 18th 2017. As much of a "probinsyana" and a "South Girl" as I am, I don't even know how to get there, nor do I even know how to get to Taguig. So with a mobile map in hand and freakishly nervous heart, I tread my way to cultural center.

So here's how I actually went there.

From Cavite: I road a bus going to Ayala Ave 
(whether the route be through Buendia or EDSA, doesn't matter, but if you'll be going through Buendia you might want to go down when it reaches at SM Makati and from there go through the overpass to get to the other side.)
From Ayala Ave: I walked to the BGC Bus Terminal and paid for my ticket which only costs 12php (unless you have a Beep Card, then you can use it)
From the BGC Bus Terminal, ride a WEST ROUTE bus (do not ride the east one or you'll be freaking lost and I don't know how to help you from there) and count up to "four" stops.
Be sure that you go down at the fourth stop. (one landmark that you should look for to know when you are gonna go down soon is the Mind Museum)
After you go down, cross the road in opposite of the Jollibee/Chowking/Red Ribbon bldgs. and then cross the road again going to St. Luke's Medical Center, and then cross again to go to Subaru. (You really have to cross this way because there is no other alternative)
When you see the Subaru establishment, then that is where KCC is. You just have to just go right in and ask the guards.

My experience was I walked a lot around there because I didn't realize that the building where the Subaru is was the actual building where the KCC is also.

I thought I was actually doomed because I walked around a lot trying to look for the building and that a lot of people already lined up for the slots. Thank heavens that that is not the case and I'm just in time to have a slot on the schedule that I wanted.


Going to a new place isn't really new for me since when I was an intern for a national newspaper, I had to go around the metro to cover some events. And I feel like this would be a very good opportunity for me. Before, when I learned Basic Korean, it was just me and my teacher and now I'm pretty much excited for the future classmates and friends that I will be meeting and I think it is nicer to get Korean education from an actual Korean teacher, right?

So I'm pretty much excited with everything right now and I really really want to make this work.

Excited and never better,
sleepypotterhead