I did say I was moving, right?
Well, it happened. I am now the happy tenant of a tiny old Cambridge apartment, determined to make it cozy and homey.<3 And that I did, I think. I'm still paying a bit of a premium because of the location I am in (thanks Harvard & MIT), but the convenience of being within walking distance of my campus and having all utilities built into the price is a good deal. I'm living with a couple of roommates too, but we each have our own private bathrooms so it works great. I put a lot of work into my bedroom, thanks to so many key pieces from good friends or luckily found online at great prices or thrifted. Or found on the street. Hahaha. I always say that 70% of my room are hand-me-downs, lol! The life of a struggling grad student abroad. But everything came together great! Just feels really great to have your own place, I gotta say. Everyday I'm grateful.
It's a great area too. If you are ever in Boston, don't miss out on venturing into the surrounding cities - the Greater Boston area. I would argue that it's better in some ways hehe. Cambridge is probably the easiest to get to because of the T (train) access and how it's right across the Charles River. Easy walk/jog across the different bridges. Aside from the appeal of them colleges around here, Cambridge gives you so much local culture. Lots of little restaurants, eateries, bars, mom & pop shops, and it might also be one of the most diverse neighborhoods around the Boston area. Just walk down the main Cambridge Street and it's like a mini United Nations row with the variety of nationalities represented with each establishment. All the while, maintaining that friendly, neighborhood-y feel. It's not uncommon to see folks wave hi at each other across the street. Lots of oldies and families, but lots of youngins too.
I've been taking long walks down the main artery of my neighborhood in an effort to get to know the area more and find spots to check out. Here are some cool-looking places on da list:
I even made careful google maps marks for each place I've Tried or Wanna Try. These will save me from cold winter nights once we're in the thick of things at school. Although the grocery store is 5 mins away from me so that is also a plus. And did you see that Whole Foods?? Happy dance.
Pretty good month of nesting so far! Here's hoping things will continue to look up. We still got Covid lurking everywhere, but all things considered, I'm happy and content. I don't think I've felt this settled and fully myself before. 🙂 It really is true what they say about going off on your own, whether for travel or whatnot.
But this is just me being romantic again. Haha. It's just, 1 year here! So far so good. ❤
I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to read The Great Gatsby.
The bar is in full swing and floating rounds of cocktails permeate the garden outside, until the air is alive with chatter and laughter, and casual innuendo and introductions forgotten on the spot, and enthusiastic meetings between women who never knew each other’s names. (Chapter 3)
Lol. Almost a hundred years later and F. Scott Fitzgerald is still on point. I just love these social-commentary-style narratives because I fancy myself an observer too. Though it’s not an overly conscious thing. It’s probably just my INFJ coming out at inopportune times during social gatherings hahah. Maybe this is why I love Jane Austen too. I love when writers can articulate exactly what they are feeling and sensing and take a mental/emotional snapshot of a specific moment. But in words. [Maybe also why I unapologetically love Taylor Swift who did so much of this in her early stuff (but that’s a whole other discussion lol). You made a rebel of a careless man’s careful daughter / You are the best thing that’s ever been mine. I mean?? (Sorry, I’m not placing TS alongside Austen and Fitzgerald ok??? But I like her, lol. This post is a stream of consciousness thing let me be hahaha)]
Anyway, that Gatsby excerpt was from the early summer party chapters. And it made me think — I’ve been having the best summer myself, I must say. I already mentioned how the fall and winter here were mostly rough for me (although with a sprinkling of bright moments too). This summer, though, is all LOVE. This might be my favorite Boston season. From the weather, the activities, the long days… It’s like having some of the best bits of PH mixed into the New England quality of life. After almost a year into this adventure, I am finally truly feeling settled and at home. Really, when you cut out all the toxic shiz and just focus on the good, it’s magic. You almost forget about the pandemic. (But, of course, not really. Still being responsible. Still being safe. Still being cautious. Donworry. I just pray for back home though, smh. Stupid stupid situation.)
My Rio-native friend V said the beach heals all ailments and, honestly, she’s so right. I’ve gone to the beach here more times than I’ve had any other summer of my life and it is just glorious. Superficially speaking, I need to acknowledge the best tan I’ve ever had right now. Lol! Only hoping it lasts until winter hahaha. I’ve also been able to more regularly do my city runs/walks, so feeling quite fit and healthy too. As soon as Mod E classes ended this July (finished MIM program btw woo!! And officially graduating ‘with distinction’ yay!), it was really just full-on vacay mode. May not have been able to take advantage of campus rotations, but honestly, no place I’d rather be. It’s been great just doing stuff, enjoying the sun, hanging out with friends (in a socially-distant way of course), and meeting new people. We’ve had little trips, birthdays, picnics, park hangs, and it’s just been the best.
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My birthday was pretty great too and was definitely a highlight of summer (I really was born a sweet summer child hahaha). Being able to spend it with my friends here was so unexpectedly heartwarming — why did I even think of leaving for New York (in a pre-pandemic plan) for a solo-trip that week? This was the place to be. Also so much appreciation for my sisterfriends and family back home who were just determined to make it as loving and happy as possible even from miles away. I am so lucky. What did I do to deserve these people in my life?
the sweetest Boston family
Marathon zoom calls for my 2-day birthday haha! (Philippine-time and EST!)
These girls…🥰 It takes very little to make me happy honestly hahaha
best greetings 🥺
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So yeah, June was the best month. But July isn’t far behind. While we’ve had to do so many goodbyes to people going home and leaving school (the non-dual degree folks! and of course, pandemic problems), it’s been great embracing these fuzzy friendships and other life moments. We will always have Boston. And summer. New experiences happening and I couldn’t be more stoked and grateful. I think being this open, good vibes, say-yes-to-things Maan is doing me good. Or maybe it’s just the warm, sunny days? Haha. Well, here’s hoping the sunny days permeate within. Stocking up for when the cold starts up again lol. I don’t wanna let go of this feeling. 🙂
“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
Gotta say, I was always stuck on 22 as my favorite age, but 29 is slowly becoming a shining star.
So far.
No jinxes!
P.S. I’m moving soon! All new apartment. New off-campus life. Exciteddddddddd.
You’re alright, America. Here’s to dreaming, looking forward, and keeping on keepin’ on. ❤
It’s my Lola’s (grandma) 2nd year anniversary in heaven and my little goodbye tribute just popped up on Facebook memories today. Reading it made me feel fuzzy all over again and mustered up weightier feelings now that Lolo (grandpa) has gone to be with her too. Just want to repost it here for posterity:
As we said goodbye today, we apos (grandkids) couldn’t help but blurt out the most random, “We will miss your chicken, Lola,” “the molo soup,” “the lengua,” even if she hadn’t made those legendary family lunch spreads in years. Everyone says their grandmother’s cooking is the best, but Lola’s really was aces.
When she still could, Lola liked to shop personalized gifts for all of us during christmas and she always remembered our birthdays too. I got this really nice curling iron from her once (that I still struggle with how to use now lol). She pointedly told me that I should have a regular hair and mani-pedi regimen because I was ‘dalaga na’ (a young lady) and that I should take care of myself (Lola Tessie: OG self-care proponent). It was funny how she would primp for almost everything–even 1×1 ID photos. She would never be without perfectly coiffed hair, makeup, and the perfect lipstick. You would not see a more fabulous social security ID card.
She had me join their parish santacruzan twice, First as an angel, then a Reina Justicia () — and had a ball of a time dressing me up. Bit of an inner struggle amidst my Avril-Lavigne-I-don’t-like-dresses phase, but it was still fun. I got to wear a crown, after all.
Looking back, I guess we’re just lucky we got to spend as much time as we did with Lola. She lived a full 90 years, and it was always a treat just seeing her with Lolo. It’s easy to forget any jadedness when you see how loving and solicitous they were to each other. Lolo joked today, “Naiyak ka ba?” (“Did you cry?”) referring to his impromptu speech at the burial. I was bawling, of course. He took us on a journey of how they met and started the family, then pulled out this small piece of paper to read—a love note he wrote her days after they got married. He kept it after all these decades. “I just get inspired when I look at her,” he said matter-of-factly. My proud, sharp, smartypants, alaskador Lolo—just complete silly-putty when it comes to Lola. 65 years. If we could all only be so lucky.
It’ll be weird without you now, Lola; seeing an individual Lolo without his matching set. But it’s time to rest. You deserve it. Thank you for the gift and comfort of family. We love you!
Grandparents, man. I miss them. Lucky to have had a full childhood with them around.
So I thought about my feelings more (as you do) and ended up writing a fleshed out piece connected to my last post on here. And crazily enough it got to be on the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Young Blood column today, Mother’s Day! Instant picker-upper. ❤
This graduate school abroad thing isn’t turning out the way I thought it would be
Who would have thought that an actual pandemic would happen this new year. It was all so chill and peaceful in January. What happened? Crazy. Craaazy. And the scary thing is there’s no end in sight.
This, after everything that happened in the first semester (losing my passport, navigating multiple consulate visits, losing my _____, losing my lolo…). Piling all of that on top of regular academics, everyday troubles, missing loved ones… There’ve been so many curveballs. It’s been tough.
It’s fully Spring now and we are at the capstone project part of the program, but it’s all happening online. We already had the last couple of weeks of the last semester online, which was cool and such a novelty at first, but now is just a drag. It’s so hard completing a major team project just on Zoom when normally we would be meeting in conference rooms, having coaching sessions, etc. Next up we’ll have a virtual showcase, which replaces the usual posterboards, booths in a fair and auditorium presentations. Feels big, but the motivation is really really small at this point. The school is trying their best to make everything feel normal and light, as if it’s all the same thing just moved online, which has merit in itself. But tbh I’m really missing the personal touch and empathy and profoundness of my uni back home haha. It’s just 2 different approaches I guess. Just gotta suck it up and deal.
Nothing can go back to normal after this really. Even the toughest minds and hearts right now are starting to strain. I know mine are. I’ve always been really good at being independent and keeping myself busy, not having to go out and party and hang all the time, but the isolation just gets to you sometimes. I’ve broken down maybe twice in the last several weeks. Last night I had a dream like my mind was a data dashboard (lol) that had a map which pinpointed me here in Northeastern US and really traveled the path all the way to home, dropping a pin to my house after several zooms. It was like emphasizing how far away I was from my family in the midst of this crisis. And I woke up tearing up. It was so dramatic.
More and more causes for concern keep coming up, but I’m just trying my best to be grateful for the things that are going OK. Grades are fine. Family is fine. Food & comfort situation is fine. I’m still gonna end up earning a degree after all this, with some very unique challenges. I’m still living that dream life abroad. And although there are still so many questions (what about internships, classes, graduation, work, money??), I’m just trying to carry on.
Maybe I’ll finally have time to do my travel videos from the past few months. Or maybe I can properly document all the cooking I’ve been doing (I’ve gotten pretty good now!). It’s also a good time to volunteer and help out virtually as much as possible. Feeling pretty connected to home efforts thanks to all the online activities. It’s so hard following the news everyday – local Boston news, US news, PH news. And you hear the most difficult stories about the struggles and cases and deaths. You have to think of the individual persons beyond the statistics struggling through all of this from every vantage point. Sobrang talo yung mahihirap. Lalo na sa Pilipinas. Grabe. This pandemic is just surreal. What a test of everything.
If you want to check out how to help in the Philippines, here’s a great information hub some friends created:
I got the chance to interview Mr. Tony Meloto of Gawad Kalinga Foundation for one of my assignments at school. It started out very routine and academic, me asking specific questions geared towards creating a ‘nation brand’ for the Philippines, and then he reverted with this full piece on hope. Thought I’d share ’cause it’s so nicely written, equal parts thoughtful & nuanced. So for someone who hasn’t been too hopeful in a while, this was uplifting. Here’s the full text–
From:TonyMelotoSent: Monday, March 2, 2020 8:05 AMTo: Margaret Nitura Subject: Re: Interview questions Dear Maan, Sorry for the late reply. [...] Here are my answers: PHILIPPINES: BRANDING HOPE IN ASIATony Meloto[What is the greatest power of the 'third world'/emerging markets in Southeast Asia today?]
* The greatest power of the Third World is precisely it being emerging - growing, rising in terms of growth in GDP, population and market. Five Southeast Asian Countries are forecasted to be in the top 25 most powerful economies of the world by 2050, the Philippines being in 19th place. The other countries are Indonesia(4th), Vietnam(20th), Malaysia(24th) and Thailand(25th). Asia will dominate the global economy with China and India in first and second place on top of the United States which will slide to the third spot. The phenomenal growth of Asian economies is a sharp contrast to the slow pace of rich European countries which dominated the globe for centuries and kept the Third World destitute despite their vast natural and human resources. The market of tomorrow is a numbers game of countries with vast human capital, of young minds and talents with great capacity for innovation, invention and creation. Asia has the numbers in terms of human energy that will propel growth while Europe, which dominated the global economy since colonial times is aging and slowing down, with longer life expectancy and negative population growth. The young working generation in developed countries (including Japan) will carry the burden of health care, pension and support for the comfortable lifestyle of their growing population of aging and less productive citizens. Emerging economies like the Philippines are also starting to shed off their colonial feathers and will soon grow a patriotic domestic market like Japan and South Korea. This will be a growing challenge to multinational corporations coming from the developed countries of North America and Europe. There will be more success stories in the coming decade of quality local brands like Human Nature in the Philippines which is gaining a big following in the market for cosmetics and personal care products long dominated by foreign brands.
[What do you think are the best assets of the Philippines in terms of culture, lifestyle, and attitudes? The biggest liabilities?]
* The biggest assets of the Philippines in its rise as a global economic power are its rich natural resources and a vast human capital of young highly creative and talented citizens who are globally connected through social media and digitally competitive. The Philippines became the BPO center in Southeast Asia because of the Filipinos facility with English and computers, contributing to the rise of many Filipinos from the BOP. Poverty at home may have forced many Filipinos to seek better opportunities abroad as migrants and OFWs but it has also created opportunities for many poor families left behind to build decent homes, send their children to school, start a business or take care of their medical needs. Because of strong family ties, overseas remittances helped prop up the local economies despite the Asian economic crisis of 1997 and the global recession of 2007. Poverty and calamity at home have made Filipinos resilient, patient and hopeful. This probably accounts for the high happiness index of the Filipinos, the celebratory nature, the low suicide rate and the low intake of anti-depressant drugs compared to the most developed countries of the world.
*The liabilities: The colonial mentality of Filipinos because we were colonial slaves for 400 years brainwashed to think that white is more beautiful and things imported from the countries of our colonial masters are superior in quality. Today we are still the biggest user of skin whitener in this part of the world. The other liability is the "matapobre culture" of elitism and exclusion which accounts for the vast social inequality and inequity.
[On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the social entrepreneurship climate in the Philippines right now? How healthy/challenged is it?]
* Social Entrepreneurship is still in its infancy in the Philippines. On a scale of 1to 10, it's a 2. There's a lot of hype about it, many start up attempts have been initiated but few have made it mainstream and sustainable like Human Nature. Big business are trying to integrate it in their CSR but at best they are corporate attempts to move from corporate charity to corporate social investment which still have to be validated with proofs of concept and platforms of sustainability which are doable, visible, quantifiable, scalable and replicable. Social entrepreneurship is still not in the curriculum in our educational system, including the top universities.
[How can young people stay motivated about the future in the midst of today's political, economic, and environmental uncertainties (i.e. corruption, poverty, climate change)?]
* We can motivate the young to stay hopeful in the midst of today's uncertainties by staying positive, hopeful and transcendent ourselves in all our areas of influences starting with our families and friends. Once I was asked: " How can you do good deeds with Gawad Kalinga when most of the politicians you deal with are corrupt?" My answer is quite simple. First, I must have a strong resolve not to be corrupt myself. I have created GK and myself as a brand of integrity. Second, I engage the good side of everyone in doing good, including corrupt politicians who also have a good side as a human being. Even if he is only 10% good, I will engage that part which is good. There is a possibility that the good part of him will grow. In twenty years that I have partnered with thousands of politicians, from Presidents of the Philippines down to barangay officials, not a single one of them tried to corrupt me.
[Do you agree that "It's More Fun in the Philippines?"]
*Yes, I believe that "It's More Fun in the Philippines." My entire family agrees with me - all my four married children, including two who are married to foreigners, an Englishman and an American, live in the Philippines and are raising my eleven grandchildren here. They believe that they will live healthier, happier and longer in the Philippines because of the strong family support system, better opportunities for business because of the rising economy and the less stressful work environment. Besides, it is 7100 islands of unparalleled beauty and hospitality.
[Lastly, what is your favorite province/region/city in the Philippines and why? 🙂]
*My favorite provinces are Laguna where I live and Batangas where I have a farm. I am with the rising poor in the farm in the morning, with the generous rich in the clubhouse in the afternoon and with my loving wife at home at night. God is good. At 70, just like your Dad, my dear friend Elmer, I am blessed to be here. This is the best time to be a Filipino - the best time to be in the Philippines.
With warmest regards, Tito Tony[*published with permission]
As if this trip to New York wasn’t already the best culmination to my epic first-holiday-away-from-home experience, I got the best email:
I randomly booked tickets on this website about a month back, knowing I was going to be in the city at this time. I booked for every day that I was gonna be in NY, but I never thought about it again because I figured it was a long shot. I was more concerned about entering the Hamilton lottery daily and getting that $10 ticket (otherwise the $250 to $1000 price tag would be a liiiittle too out there for me. For shame, Hamilton.). And then suddenly, just this morning, this popped up! My waitlisted tickets turned available and all I had to do was confirm!!!
Soon as I got this code, it was all pretty straightforward–
STEP 1: The taping starts at about 6pm and so check-in ends about half an hour before. Best to be at 30 Rockefeller (NBC Studios) early to get a good spot in line. Enter through the back (?) entrance (basta the one not facing Rockefeller plaza and also not the entrance to the studio tour/gift shop). This is between 5th & 6th Avenue, along West 50th Street and right across the Radio City entrance.
STEP 2: As soon as you’re inside, you’ll see the line right away which goes up the Grand Staircase. Just queue up and it will move along shortly. There are lots of ushers guiding every step of the way. Just make sure you have the Reservation open on your phone + a valid ID. No big bags and you need to be dressed decently. If not, they may ask you to leave or be seated at the back hahaha. There was even a guy in a suit lol.
STEP 3: You get to a lobby with a more direct line for the show’s studio where they screen you and hand out a ticket + wristband and let you go through security much like in an airport. Then they lead you to the Peacock Lounge, which is NBC’s holding area for studio audiences of the shows.
Some ~hype men~ come out at this time too to work up the crowd and give last minute reminders before sending everyone up into the studio. You are lined up according to the letter at the back of your ticket. Mine was a “K” and groups were called from A-F, then G-M, and so on. So I was in the second batch!!!
STEP 4: You are led into an elevator and brought to the 9th floor of 30 Rock where the Late Night studio 8G is. If you ever watch sketches of SNL and Late Night, the white halls with the framed photos on the walls should look familiar… It was so exciting! The SNL studio was at the end of the main hall, Studio 8H! Late Night was to the right. Too bad we weren’t allowed to use our phones to snap photos at this point.
STEP 5: We turned the corner and there it was – the Late Night studio! Since I was a lucky second batch-er, the seats weren’t too filled yet. Upon entrance, they tell you where to sit and I was led to the 3rd row in the center, which was basically front row because the seats dipped in the middle in a U-shape. The studio isn’t very big so everything feels so close-in. The desk/couch area is at the left corner, the monologue floor is right at the center, and the band platform is at the right corner.
As soon as the room is filled, the audience host or “warm up guy” I guess comes out and entertains the crowd, introduces the stage manager, the band, the crew, and even throws out Late Night caps for souvenirs. He reminded the crowd to laugh at the jokes and applaud and follow directions from himself and the stage manager, so you’re made to feel like you’re really part of the production. No canned laughter here! Of course this is all done in a funny way. Guy’s name was Ryan Reiss (@ryanreiss) and he’s a standup comedian himself so it was a riot already. It was basically an opening act for Seth. The band then plays out a song and warms up the crowd. Btw, the sound was SO good in the studio. So legit, haha.
STEP 6: Then, Seth Meyers comes out. I kid you not. He talks to the audience, welcomes us, and makes some jokes before the show starts. He looks exactly the same as on TV! And he’s sooo nice and charismatic, he makes us feel at home right away. You feel talked TO not talked at, even if they do this every single day. 5 minutes later Seth already goes backstage to enter again for the actual taped portion. Interesting to watch the crew set up as well while he speaks. It’s such a systematic, well-oiled machine. Everybody goes up to their spot with their own tasks. There’s equipment guys, camera guys, props guys, writers, PAs, the whole shebang. (How do you get in on this action… Maybe I should apply to NBC universal haha.)
See where that red circle is? I sat there. CRAZY.
LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS — Episode 401 — Pictured: Host Seth Meyers talks to the audience on July 28, 2016 — (Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
STEP 7: And on with the show! The taping actually goes very fast. It went portion by portion: intro monologue, news headlines, a joke-off (theme was the Democratic presidential debates) where he relocates to the audience area (I was in the background shot!) then on to the first guest. Guest this episode was Rachel Maddow. He then shoots some promos one right after the other which would be diff forms of “Hi this is Seth Meyers. Rachel Maddow is on tonight! See you!” Then there’s a little re-blocking of the stage/set during which time Seth goes to us, the audience! As in he was in the stairs,up the seats. He does a Q&A with the crowd and very candidly answers every question. Since I was near the front, he was right there less than 3 feet away! Hahaha.
You could tell everything was scheduled and choreographed (he did mention they come in at 9am and tape at the end of the day at 6pm), but he still managed to make his answers so damn funny and spontaneous. This was not rehearsed! He was really just very natural with the crowd. Comedians are SMART you guys. This is why big stars end up marrying SNL comedy writers hahaha. Looking at you ScarJo and Emma Stone, lol. Don’t blame you. Clean-cut, smart, funny guys? Totally my type too hahaha.
STEP 8: The taping goes on to about 2 hours (he had 3 guests in this episode) and the whole time we were directed to applaud and cheer. The only real rule was to laugh at every joke, hahaha. It was SO DAMN AWESOME. After it ends, you are led out of the studio and down the elevators again to exit right into the NBC store where you can get some souvenirs. A guy hands out discount coupons for us as audience members right before entering the store:
And that’s it! If you are a TV/Entertainment nerd like me, this would be heaven. A thrill better than any theme park ride hahaha. Plus Seth Meyers is really just as classic as you can get. So sharp and witty and charming (and weirdly attractive??) – best of NBC brand of comedy. Did you see Lobby Baby?? Haha. Still in disbelief this happened when I was just thinking about the NBC studio tour before, which would’ve cost like $35 and wouldn’t even let me see any of the castmembers/hosts of any of the shows. Hell this one was FREE! Truly, good things come when you least expect it.
On my commute home, I got this email from the service I used, 1iota:
Marketing hat on, that was a very good customer journey, 1iota. SHOUT. OUT. Haha!
This was definitely the exclamation point to my winter break and NYC visit – the best it has ever gone. Blessedt. Haha!
Update: Caught the show when I got home! They apparently cropped me out of the frame when Seth was in the audience HUHU, but here’s a clip! 😆
I’ma try to put everything into this blog so I can make sense of everything and have something to look back on once it’s over. (me, July 2019)
Well, that went…. well.
It is now December 19th, the fall semester just ended, and I’m on the first winter break of my life. And I have nothing in this blog loool. The past couple of months were just a whirlwind. I guess it was idealistic of me to want to document everything (though if you look at my Insta stories, it’s FULLY covered there haha). What can I say. It’s definitely been fun but busy. And the instant short video format was just more convenient on the fly. But as I’ve always known, I like words. Hihi. So really need to put it all on the page here. I’ve had many ups and downs in just 4 months of living here that so need to be processed.
I mentioned in passing to some younger people here that I began a blog for this and their [Gen Z] response was, “Who writes blogs anymore?” Hahahahahahahahahahaha. A rude awakening for me, an #eldermillennial. They didn’t even know about Xanga, Blogspot, LiveJournal anymore. Ouch.
Well, I still love it. So let me piece my thoughts together with a month-by-month highlight log a la Gilmore Girls Revival seasons. Except that all this is Fall-Winter haha.
August
Got here tail-end of summer and first stop was New York! Got to squeeze in about a week of pre-grad school vacation time. Visited all these new places I’d never been to before: the Vessel, Hudson Yards, the Highline, Chelsea Market, Washington Square Park, St. Marks, the Village, Lombardi’s, Soho… What’s amazing with NYC is you can always find something new to see!
What’s even more awesome is we got to go out of the city on this trip, visiting the Hamptons [so much Gossip Girl white party kilig] and — the trippiest thing — the easternmost tip of New York state called Montauk Point Lighthouse. This place looked out into the sea where on the other side was New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. So we had a cool first look at my would-be new home. “We” by the way is me and my parents. They came along to bring me to school and help me settle in. So lucky. The middle child was a doted-on only child for the time-being lol. Surreal, but nice.
September
September was all about settling in to school. I had never lived in a dorm, not even during undergrad, so this was an entirely new experience. Pretty cool witnessing Boston back-to-school season ’cause students and parents were everywhere! Sidewalks had tossed out old furniture (a couch, like in the movies lol), U-haul trucks lined apartment streets, Target shelves got completely wiped out… Your standard American college move-in scenes from the movies haha. But maybe multiply by 5 ’cause Boston has schools e v e r y w h e r e. It’s truly just a big college town.
Gorgeous view on the train from NY to Boston on the Northeast Regional
Grad school move-in was a bit different though. There was more of a corporate rather than collegiate vibe at first. But that soon melted away when the parties started happening hahah. It was immersion period, what can I say. Some back to back parties even had to be shut down by cops! Canyoubelieve. I would always only get to the tail-end though, when people would go “Ok turn back, the party’s done.” Loool. By the way, I learned that Boston starts and ends stuff really early. Like 10, 12, everyone’s home. You can’t go anywhere anymore ’cause everything’s closed. I’m no party animal, but it is a bit strange for a major city. Good for the lola in me though.
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October
Did I mention I got sick all throughout Aug-Sept? Had this terrible cough that just wouldn’t go away! I didn’t have my normal voice at all during the immersion periods at school so I had this ugly (sexy??) raspy voice when I was meeting everybody for the first time hahaha. Coughed nonstop at the most opportune times too (i.e. formal lecture auditoriums). Very attractive, lol. But hallelujah when it finally cleared up – seems it was the weather change that was getting to me. Geez. Watch your health people, it’s expensive to get sick in ‘Muricah.
The meat of the semester was happening here though. We were really getting into our classes: Marketing Analytics & Insights, Marketing Strategy, Customer Journey, and Marketing & Society. Very interesting set of topics but some hits and misses with the lectures and assignments hehe. It got better though. And I realized, wow, pretty hard to get back into student mode. Doing readings and writing my first paper took loooooong. Pero ginusto ko to. Lots of self-cheering and pep talks were happening.
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And a giant happy spark came in the form of one of my best friends, Pam, who visited from Miami!!! I hadn’t seen this girl in a year since she left for the States! It was such a high having her around.
LOL. Wtf was this photo.
But here’s the kicker. Just as I settled in. Just as we were getting engrossed with the beautiful New England fall. The unthinkable happened towards the end of October…
I f-ing lost my passport.
November
Yes, that happened. Imagine the cold sweats and nervous breakdown that took place. I was not okay for weeks. Just as assignments and presentations were starting to pile up, this had to happen. And if you know me, you’d know I’m the most responsible person ever. I double, triple-check everything that’s important whether it be a work project, a full day’s schedule, class assignments, or yes, valuables to keep on me at all times. I don’t wanna go into detail right now of how it happened (until now, I’m not even really sure), so let’s just say it caused so much ~emotional turmoil~ and had me going back and forth to New York to get a new one at the nearest consulate. I can write a full How-To on the process now hahah. It’s a pretty great story to tell now from the other side, but I wouldn’t wish it on anyone ever.
At least I was able to lean a lot on good friends too who were nothing but supportive and helpful and so so so kind. Pretty grateful to these newfound friends for their warmth and concern. Learned I was not at all alone in crisis mode, despite being thousands of kms away from home. Cue fuzzy feelings inside.
The other silver lining is, I’m pretty used to going to New York now and have become a confident commuter/solo traveler! Haha. Learned to navigate long distance bus rides to subway ride to city bus to walking the streets of Queens. #strongindependentwoman But thank goodness for Google Maps, hehe. Sidenote: I got to watch WAITRESS on one of the trips! A brilliant consolation to my troubles. Happy tears for once. Hahaha.
Another blow happened too when I received dreaded news from home that my beloved grandfather passed away… And I was a wreck. I loved my Lolo so much and we were very close. I knew he was gonna be gone soon– before I left home he was already in the hospital. It was a long, difficult wait, but it was his time I guess. But it still hurt. I can’t even write too much about it now. I am still processing not being able to go back to tell him all these stories. Not being able to have Christmases with him anymore. Not hearing his commentaries on today’s issues. His cutting remarks and jokes. My Lolo was brilliant. November really was the worst.
A melancholy Fall. Beautiful, but sad.
At least classes were going well somehow. All the pressure and stress seemed to keep me laser-focused on getting things done. At least those things I could control.
December
December brought a bit of calm along with the first real snowfall. On December 1 too, on the dot. So that was a treat. My new passport arrived right before the holiday break so that settled down beautifully haha. I was anxious for it ’cause I had to take a flight and, without a passport, I couldn’t go! So thank you lord and universe for things falling into place.
My first snow! And it was a snow storm right away loool.
We were all bogged down by last requirements the first two weeks of December when everything just suddenly went on overdrive. When your classes all have major group projects and presentations that are due almost all at the same time, you can go a little bit crazy. But I had a great team so that’s another thing I’m thankful for. The work was a challenge but the working together wasn’t a struggle. I’ma miss those guys so much once the next module starts. Got to close out a great semester with top marks!
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There’s a whole lot that hasn’t been said in this post but I promise to be more diligent about writing once the new year starts (lol a new year’s resolution?). It has been a pretty great experience, living abroad, doing the international student dream, and there’s so much to be thankful for. If there’s one thing I learned these past few months on my own is that you cannot keep focusing on the bad things that are happening. For every one trial, there are three or four blessings that come around. You just gotta trust and let go sometimes.
So now I end this as I get ready to board a flight to start my real winter vacation. I’m not going home to Manila, unfortunately, because it’s too expensive. But I’m grateful to still be spending the holidays with some family here! Little joys. Small wins. Blessings. There are good things in the world, I tell ya. Haha.
Now in the words of Sara Bareilles circa 2007 Little Voice, “Next stop, Vegas please!”
I keep looking back at all the entries I’ve made since I started this new blog and it’s pretty much a hodgepodge of content all along the lines of ‘What am I thinking about right now.’ We have reviews & in depth character analyses of movies/TV characters, snippets of emo book lines & song lyrics, the written text equivalent of ‘routine vlogs’ as youtubers do nowadays (lol sorry I came of age in the blogger & livejournal era), and then them travel listicles. Well, welcome to the mind of a Gemini. Heh. I also have about 7 drafts of entries that I just never got around to finishing. I’ll get to it one of these days haha.
You know how in songwriting you have to just live life to have something to write about? I guess I’ve been doing that and, heyo, will I have something focused to write about now. Here’s the big life news: I’m going back to school. Grad school.
Weee!
(Here’s hoping I’d still feel like that when I’m in the middle of a paper or midterms or whatever.) And the kicker is, it’s not simply grad school, it’s grad school abroad.
Yup, I’m picking up my life and cramming it in 2 suitcases (and a carry-on) for the time-being.
In all honesty, I’m really excited to see what this next year or so will bring about for me. I traveled alone once before and I absolutely loved it. The independence, the freedom. I thought it’d be scary but I never felt more confident and, for some reason, disciplined. Haha. Sartre was right, once you’re thrown into the world, you just inevitably shape up and become responsible for everything you do. I guess this is gonna be that solo travel experience x100.
throwback to when i so proudly navigated the subways of tokyo
I’ma try to put everything into this blog so I can make sense of everything and have something to look back on once it’s over. Maybe I’ll do a special Grad School tab even haha. Let’s see.
I turned 28 recently too, so that’s something. I’m basically living the last year of my twenties in another country, doing a whole new thing, and being fully alone as an adult. Monumental life change indeed.
Okay I got so excited by this guy I found on Youtube who does duet covers (you sing the girl part) of famous musical tunes so I recorded a bunch. Here’s the gateway recording haha! Love Is An Open Door from Frozen. Pretty happy with this one ‘cos my (usually-achilles-heel) head tone sounded okay :)) Find me on Soundcloud! 🙂 https://soundcloud.com/maannitura
26 & OVER 