Sunday, July 9, 2017

Well, hello there!

The 2nd year anniversary of not writing in my blog is fast approaching so I decided to break this relatively long drought.

Seriously, I missed writing and I think that my mind needs it right now. I feel that my mental progress is becoming a plateau and I need to stimulate it every now and then, especially now that I am no longer in grad school. I also need to practice writing and quick thinking, so pardon my words (or my vocabulary) now as I write what gets out of my brain.

A lot of things happened in those two years that I am not writing in this blog. So many learning, adventures, and successes. I would say that 2015 and 2016 were some of the best years of my life. Those years led me to different places and experiences that never in my young life I thought I would have. The expat experience in Bangkok, the elephant-bathing experience in Chiang Mai, and the solo adventure in Europe - those are the experiences I will treasure the most. 2015 and 2016 also led me to various people. I met new friends and people that made a great impact to my views and how I am as a person. Cheers to those people who do not know how they inspire me.

Professionally, I got more than I expected. Opportunities to develop and experience new things came after another. I was able to present a paper in two universities, to speak to a large audience in a workshop, and to travel on a business trip! I am very much thankful to my previous organization that led me to those wonderful opportunities.

2017 signaled a new beginning. I was promoted in my previous organization but then moved to another job a few months after. I decided that I could not let that opportunity to pass up or delay that job (or career) of a lifetime. I may have some regrets on leaving my previous company that early but I have to face the consequences. I have to be responsible for my decisions and that's what makes a person an 'adult'.

This year is also the first time, after nearly two decades, that our family went on an out-of-town trip - this time it's abroad! I booked the tickets back in October 2016 and le family went to Hongkong last March. It was a truly enjoyable experience and we learned so much about each other. I hope we, as a family, can collect more memories and travel more often, while my parents still can.

That's all for now. I will try to write as often as I can. It's always good to look back at my thoughts written somewhere and see how I have changed, or not.









Long overdue: Lessons learned

Do not fall for someone you only chat with. Don't fall for words. Take note of the red flags and do not be let yourself be blinded...