because we have the audacity to believe

13 June 2008

Friday

 

Ask and ye shall receive.

 

Right after I realized that in the past two years since i quit my job I’ve been moving to a different city every five months or less, and just when I’d already told everyone in Dumaguete that finally, I would be staying put for at least a year, I got an email saying I would be going to Europe and moving to a different country every five months (or less) for 18 months starting in September.

 

Right now I am on the topmost deck of a ship on a 7-hour trip bound for Cagayan de Oro, where I will take a 7-hour bus ride with all my belongings from Dumaguete to Davao via Bukidnon. I promised myself that I would use this time exclusively for writing updates (for my own journals and for this one), because once I step on land, it’s back to being constantly on my toes. How is it even possible to be a bum for two years now and be constantly, impossibly busy?? You tell me what’s wrong with me after reading this.

 

It’s been almost a year now since I last wrote a real update here (essays for my column not counted, of course). I periodically start something but never finish, because unfortunately, my life always catches up with me soon after the first paragraph, and I find myself hurtling down the path towards my future once again, not knowing when my next moment of rest will be. It doesn’t take long till what I started writing becomes old news, and I lose the steam and time to finish it.

 

So, just to backtrack a little, for those who have been wondering what in the world I was doing in Manila for five months, for example (I always get that question wherever I go. Even my parents ask it :P), and for all the people I owe emails to (I’m sorry, but this will have to do for now :-/), I will attempt to give a monthly summary of what I’ve been up to since my last update in August.

 

August

Went to Cebu for Ana’s 40th day where we had a ceremony by the sea, and came back to Dumaguete the next day with Sheila and Vince, who were there for the first time. Later that night, met someone who reminded me that I had a dream of getting a scholarship in Europe [so this is actually where the story starts ;)]. A week after, went adventure diving in Siaton with my co-teacher Adonis and my Japanese classmate Suzuki (meaning: got some tanks and drove around in a 4x4 pick-up until we found a strip of beach to dive from). Had my first henna tattoo at my first Founder’s Week in Silliman after joining the parade (required because I was a teacher) around the city.

 

September

Field trips with my former students at the Twin Lakes of Balinsasayao and my real students in Siquijor. Hurt my ankle hitting the ball for the first (and only) time while playing tennis in Siquijor, so no brisk-walking at the boulevard for almost the whole month. Finished looking at my tiles for my thesis. Attended WILA anniv in Cebu, for Ana and the ladies. On the boat to Cebu, wrote my first poem after more than a year of false starts, to read at the anniv. Bus back to Dumaguete at 2 a.m. Crazy period of insomnia and lack of appetite along with a hunger for reading stories and writing poetry while doing my final papers and presentations for my subjects, as well as my scholarship application to Germany, extending to October.

 

October

Farewell dinner and walk at the boulevard with my students. Presented the results of my research at my first ever PAMS (Philippine Association of Marine Science) Conference, going by myself by bus-boat-boat-superoverloaded tricycle-boat-jeep-jeep-trisikad through scattered rainshowers from Dumaguete through Guimaras to get to the venue in Iloilo (just because I’d never been to Guimaras before). The night before I left, saw Rex again after almost four years. A few days later, left for Baybay, Leyte via Cebu to present my research again at my first FIMFS (Federation of Institutions for Freshwater and Marine Sciences) Conference.

 

November

Moved to Manila about a week after Leyte. Fastest, smoothest move I’ve ever done. And I wasn’t even sure why I was doing it. I just KNEW it was something I had to do. Oh but a few days before the move, went to Cebu by van on an impromptu invitation with the university president and all the other bigwigs to attend the Tanon Strait public hearing at USC. Stayed with my relatives in UP until I found a (wonderfully convenient) place at UP Bliss in Philcoa through my Multiply contact, Sarah, whom I had never met. Thankfully, Benny and Kikoy helped me move my stuff, including the ones I needed to get from the pier. As soon as I arrived in Manila, got involved in the MPA (Marine Protected Area) awards, where the Handumon Seahorse Sanctuary in Jetafe, Bohol got first prize, and where I got to sing onstage again with Joey Ayala (one of the people I want to be when I grow up) after four years. Also got to sing with Jemi, especially since it was her birthday, and dance barefoot in the large hall. As a back-up to Germany, applied online for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for Water and Coastal Management in the UK, Spain, Portugal and Norway.

 

and i ran out of time again :-/ to be continued, to let you know all about the harrowing details of my trip :P...