It's your fault, Asphaire!

I am stuck in school in front of a computer, and this is probably the best time I could fill out this little tag of yours, Asphaire. I’ll do my best to give justice to all these items, following reflecting and writing about my future plans 20 years from now, just minutes ago – which islong overdue for my family to see (I'll explain next time):

20 YEARS AGO:
I turned 4 too! I was born a Cancer, and lived in Zamboanga City as a young child. I was already taking Kindergarten for 2 years (I started at 2) and was classmates with my Ate for a while. I had “graduated” from bringing my baby bottle as my baon to class – I seriously don’t remember, but my mom tells this story as vividly as it just happened yesterday.

15 YEARS AGO:

Two years into moving to Manila already, I still missed my Zamboanga friends terribly. It was a lot of adjustment, considering the big shift from provincial to cosmopolitan living. I shared a bedroom with my 2 sisters, and played My Little Pony all day (not really). We were all rivals to our baby brother in getting our parents’ attention. Since almost all of us were reaching puberty, we were pretty itchy about privacy and having our own room – which my parents gladly gave us when we had our house renovated to 3-storeys. Around that time, I started my period, and had it in school (during recess) - I knew what it was, but was freaked out. A good friend who had it already was so nice to lend me a pad. I remember it so vividly, like it's a milestone.

10 YEARS AGO:

I was taking High School in a private all-girls school and had my first puppy-love boyfriend – well, at that time, I thought that was “it”. I had my first (and last) prom, which proved to be quite memorable, in hindsight. Oh, also, I was President of the Library Club! (what the…?) I graduated in High School at age 15. I was shy and timid on the outside, but a wildflower inside.

5 YEARS AGO:

I was 19 and on a roll. I met David in Beijing, China – unknowing and unassuming of what was ahead. I was very active in college – participated in several theatre plays as lead actress (I actually had a solo song! I pitied the audience after!), elected in the Student Executive Board as Secretary, I was drinking and partying a lot and was staying out in the evenings like there’s no tomorrow (I think it’s still a phase). It was around this time that I realized that I wanted to be in Communications. Our Dean inspired me. I was also finishing my MA in Communications at this time, and gained interest in the wacky world of Advertising. And so I got a stint at JWT to handle their bread and butter account, Unilever. I was also fortunate to be able to travel to different countries already – and that’s where this passion for travel began. I visited New York for the first time, fell in love with it and knew in my heart, I will go back in the future. I then looked back to that timid high school girl (in braces), smiled and said farewell to her.

THREE YEARS AGO:

I was 21 and accepted a job as an Account Manager in this small promotional marketing agency in Manila and was promoted to Marketing Manager a year after. I had a salary that lets me pay parking in Makati, a lenient boss and plenty of travel perks! It was all good. I got to stay in 5-star hotels, ate the best food, and had the best full-body massages - as they let me meet with major Clients in Asia (alone most of the time). I was also sent to Europe (twice!) to attend conferences in upscale places like Nice, France and Malaga, Espana. Of course, I would do side trips, and that’s where my Europe photo collection increased exponentially. Meanwhile, me and my family had somehow developed this obsession to travel, hopping from one country to another: China, Australia, Europe (again!), UK, South Africa (I loved Cape Town), Thailand, Singapore, weekends in Hong Kong, etc. Travel is such a hobby, that I really wished we had more time (and money) and just be more obsessed with it.

It was the year that my horizons were widened, that I knew in my heart, Manila is such a small place to live in. And I thought about New York again.

LAST YEAR:

Despite getting my heart sliced and diced, and breaking hearts just the same in the many years past, I was resilient and easily fell in love with David. It was one of those things that just happens for a reason. I sent him postcards from all of my travels. He sent me photos and love letters in exchange. It was a beautiful LDR.

At this time, David and I have been together for over a year, and after several exchanges of visits between Manila and SF (where he was based), we just wanted and needed to be together. So, he was doing job interviews for expat jobs in Manila, while I applied to different Grad Schools in the US. I got into all three schools I applied to (Berkeley, Columbia, NYU) and decided on NYU. I had already moved to NY when Dave got the McKinsey job :) (He's so brilliant!) My parents and family are so supportive. Especially my dad, though it broke his heart to see his baby daughter leave, he still let me go.

THIS YEAR:
I’m finally studying and living in New York and making the most out of it. I meet all kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds, making me realize that the world is so large and there is so much to discover. In the summer, I went to Spain and got mugged, which forced me to go back home to renew my visa. David went to Manila to see me, and it was great. He also got accepted into the best B-schools in the US (CBS, Yale, Stern) and eventually chose Yale. (Yipee, just 1.5 hours away!) He began this Fall Semester.

YESTERDAY:
I had a full schedule! Woke up, drank coffee, worked all day, contemplated on getting a furry pet, went to class, had drinks with my classmates afterwards and went home.

LAST NIGHT:
I had a Corona at Bryant Park Bar with my classmates – from India, Romania, Taiwan, US and Korea. Our talks ranged from our crazy professors, to gossips, to why Filipinos have such good English accents (I don't know why), to doing a girls night out two weeks from now.

TODAY:
I’m writing this blog all day (not really).

TOMORROW:
I’ll probably be in the arms of my Sweetie and eating at Friendly’s.

NEXT YEAR:
I’m getting married. Or not? You’ll be surprised. :)

FIVE - TEN YEARS FROM NOW:
I’ll have my own family, I’ll set up my own boutique IMC agency, have my own wine cellar, drink plenty of it and buy my dad his well-deserved BMW.

Gosh, that was hard. The end part, I didn’t even think anymore. Sorry if the answers are so incoherent. Also, take note that these are the good parts of the past 20 years, I skipped the unnecessary ones :) I have to run to catch something now, tatah! :)