The late 2012

It's been a while.

The address of this blog doesn't live up to the name. Hahaha!! It's 2012!

Where did my time go?

I've been busy with life life life.

If I look back and check out what happened so far last year and this year I can say:

1.) I've traveled on my own to a new place.
While I realized it is good to have some time away for yourself, since my expat stint, I realized I've had enough of it. You might feel great for a while and enjoy everyting the place has to offer you but after that, you're still left with yourself and you get bored. Not lonely. Just bored. Then the loneliness settles after you reach boredom coz there is nothing else to think about or busy yourself with.

And hey, it is better to share the experiences with someone and have your picture taken by another person so you can pose properly and say CHEESE!

2.) I've traveled to 6 new places and most of them mid to long haul flights
I realized business class is good for one flight leg but not several continuously! Even the luxury of business class makes you hate being up in the air for 2 days. No first class lounge and luxury meals and seats/beds can equal the experience of being in your own home, your own bedroom and your own bed! I stay in 5 star hotels. I've earned enough mileage, enough hotel points. While that's good for freebies in the future, so what? The bed is so soft, the pillows and blankets so cozy but there's no soul. I yearn to be beside my piggy pillows, beside my sleeping hubby so I can stretch, yawn and roll on the bed like a lazy oink.

What I do love each time I travel to a new place, is the people and the culture that is so different from my own. The experience is wonderful and memorable. It will be something I can tell to my kids in the future -- Mommy has lived in a suitcase and traveled to reach South America. :)

3.) People in my family are either getting married or having babies
This also applies to my friends. Haha! I can say I'm a bit late in the game, but not to worry. I'm glad my family is growing and everyone is growing up. My dad also looks at all of us proudly. You can see how happy he is when everyone is in the house and the hallways and rooms are all noisy because of our banter and laughter.

I feel blessed to have such a happy and strong family -- strong meaning the ties. I'm glad we all get along and are all back together. It is so nice to have a get together dinner with everyone since my bro from Canada has come back for good.

4.) Got a pay raise and stayed for a company more than a year -- unknowingly
Haha!! Well a pay raise is a given, according to my hubby. BUT BUT, for me to actually stay in a company and not reassess myself after a year has passed says something! Then again these days I'm thinking of moving again or just getting a break. Honestly, I'm just tired working for the corporate world for almost 8 years. I want to have a sabbatical. Perhaps next year -- 2013?

5.) I'm coming back full circle to do the things I love and always wanted to do
The arts -- languages, writing, culture, designing...creativity. I can feel the passion I have for it. I just need to find the right situation where I can go for this and still maintain my independence (aka being able to pay for my own) soon soon soon!! :)

6.) I was out to become an expat again -- career is good, relationship is good but one cannot be with the other.
Most people stop at Europe or USA or Australia. For me, I want to experience Patagonia, Atacama, Rapa Nui, Antartica, Machu Picchu, Nazca Lines and more more more of south america~! One catch, if I travel to these places as a tourist, best be based in South America. A catch of the one catch, I have to consider raising a family in the near future. I can say off hand Chile is not so bad a place. Peru might be more colorful though. Even then, I have to consider the changes that will happen when I become a mom.

which brings me to...

7.) Finding someone to be with for forever
Sounds a bit cliche. But I think I've finally found the right person that can complement me. Sometimes life throws you these small balls of circumstances that blow up to big surprises, the least you expected it. So I wasn't looking for anyone. So I was just happily living my life away, traveling here, there, everywhere. So I was just open to meet new friends, taking it slow and just taking it easy. I was stubborn and didn't want to accept the fact that he had arrived in my life already. I'm still slowly getting used to being in a seriously good relationship again. I have to learn how to curb my independent rebellious ways but the good part is, he is understanding, patient and kind. Cliche again but I can count myself as a lucky girl.

I look back at what I wrote before, like finding the right guy and I realize, this is it! That guy is the guy! He isn't perfect but I don't care. Finally a guy who is a man, my man! I have never expected I will be here. So again, lucky me. Truly blessed.

I think 2012 gave me a lot of unexpected opportunities and possibilities. The year hasn't ended yet so I look forward to more surprises in store for me.