Man in the mirror.

Its so easy to reflect on the year for me, and surely there were so many ups and downs. Definitely more ups though.
And so many lessons learned, new experiences and yadda yadda yadda. I can go look through this blog, my facebook, my LEGO creations and in the mirror for my reflection.

Let me again look forward on the year to come.
So many more things to learn and places to see. I look forward to making even more friends in strange places and eating the food that makes me happy. And here's to deepening bonds, truer love and amazing sights.

It was true, 2010 was an amazing year, a year that went by way too fast..and maybe things at the end just help put them in perspective. I leave the next year as an open door, even wider than before.

A good time to make fewer promises, but yet get more things done. Life is short, live it up. Here's to not always knowing where you're gonna end up, but having a blast getting there.

3 months and a day

Sitting here waiting for my flight isnt so bad. I'm actually feeling a little hakuna matata these days. No worries; excited about paying my next months bills; excited about going home and just getting a break; paid again..

So its been 3 months and a day, feels a lot longer! theres been a lot, lot of changes, lots of progress and still lots of waiting. I've got most of the right paperwork, bank account, passport's still valid, all that good stuff. Met a great new set of internationals that i hope will be great friends in the future. Settled and striding at work. As my boss said, pushing forward!

I should try to be realistic, there are still lots of challenges ahead. Many more roads untraveled, at least by me. Though for a little while, i'd like to bask in a little bit of glory. I can now tell myself that it was a good idea to leave the DEP, a good idea to sacrifice successes for passion and a good idea to follow your heart. For now, it feels great, and i stand humbled by the half chances i've had to get here. A little hakuna matata.

But still have to get home for the holidays. Waiting to the tune of Terminator 2 and whatever else i can play in the background to pass the time. Its sure going fast. Here's to the next 3 months!

So, something I've made in the public domain..check out the little arm creation by me!

http://education.lego.com/en-gb/preschool-and-school/

Through his stomach

The way to a mans heart is through his stomach..they say.

I say nothing brings people together better than food. We had a potluck at my place over the weekend and you got to see what people bring to the table. It wasnt just about the food though, just a good time to see the grave hill crew before they all bounce for the holidays. Our little international community is small and temporary, we all know that, but the people grow on you really fast. Soon we'll move away to our separate places.

I wish i could remember all the foods, each one of them told a story about their makers. For me it was great to teach my danish roommate how to roll lumpia. Honestly, i've probably been boasting my Filipino/New York culture a little too much but I am proud of them. Theres nothing wrong with sharing great food with great people.

I've been doing these dinners at least once a week since i've gone here and it makes things so much more comfortable. It makes it feel like home. It makes the sudden move from home that much more bearable and thus making it easy to move forward. A man can always still miss home.

Each dinner has made me feel closer to home. And surely closer to my new friends here. And even further, appreciating the friends I have at home and the times we've had there.
All of this, through my stomach.

As for work, you can have an off day, where the brain just doesnt work. Builders block at my job can actually be a dangerous thing. But you have to keep working right? Crazy ideas are still ideas, even on a bad day one can still have a few. Actually have something really exciting coming up, but even more than that - the holidays.

Til then all.