Forever 21

Albert's carbonara.♥

Happy birthday, self! :)

Allysa.

Hello, Albert, Margaret and busy singing Gimoy.

L-R: Margaret, Weong, yours truly, Tin

Grade 6 seatmate, Jansen.

Bestfriend since high school, Albert.

"Alyssa Shimode chocolates". HAHAHA. Hachiya gave me a box of these as a farewell present a day before I went back to the Philippines. Deliciosooo.

This post is late but I wanted to immortalize this point in my life. I turned twenty one! Yay! And of course, being a firm believer that with age comes wisdom, I am nothing but happy and hopeful that being a year older would mean more experiences, friends, travels, and yes, wisdom.

My birthday celeb is a bit intimate; I spent it with my closest friends (and some new ones) over carbonara, tequila and videoke. Though simple, it's one of the few birthdays I'll forever treasure. And yes it's my last birthday here in the Philippines. *sobs*

This day's just pure awesomeness. Thank You, Lord, for blessing me with another year, with these people.♥

Spring Fling

My forty plus days in Tokyo came to an end, or not really, maybe a pause. I have been in my home country for almost a week now and I can't help but be saddened by the thought of me being back too soon, blame online registration and manual/assisted enlistment. However, it's ironic how it turned out that the online reg which was scheduled on the day of my flight back to the Philippines was moved two days later and I need not go to the manual/assisted enlistment because UPLB System One V2 gave me the last three subjects I needed to graduate this semester. If I had known this a little earlier, I would've had re-booked my flight to a later date and celebrated my 21st birthday with my family in our Tachikawa home or in some videoke room near the train station. Oh well.

Looking back, I haven't been to too many attractions where Tokyo is famous for; I burned most of my time in our house, watching Korean dramas and sometimes, Japanese dramas just to show my mother that I'm at the very least trying to learn Nihongo. However, at times, especially during weekends when I get to roam around the city with my mother and brother since it's their rest days from work and school, are the days when my lack of "Tokyo living" experience is being filled in.

The sight of people walking and biking along the streets, self service thing in almost every fast food and daie (supermarket), ATM machines with free cash envelopes, outdoor escalators, pedestrian lanes and working streetlights, limited smoking areas, trains -- these minute details made me re-consider my once invincible thought that if I could really have a choice of my own, I won't live in Tokyo and stay in the Philippines for good. But looking at how things are, now, I am gradually accepting the fact that I'll be leaving my comfort zone in less than a year and start anew where there's snow in December and cherry blossoms in spring.

My last coffee in Tokyo.
Cafe Croissant, Narita International Airport

With my brother, mama and aunt seconds before I head to the boarding gate.  I miss you three already. See you soon.

I don't know if this is just a fleeting feeling but who knows? We'll see. I'll cross the bridge when I get there.