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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!”
26 & OVER 