Manila, Manila, We Keep Coming Back to Manila

2014 January 12 – 18

Manila, Manila, We Keep Coming Back to Manila

ihcahieh says:

Finals week at last and the grades are all in. Had this been junior high school, I would be throwing a tantrum right now, but I guess being grade conscious is no longer an issue when you are in your late twenties and back at school. Thinking about it now, I am here to improve my Mandarin Chinese, not to finish a master’s degree or anything major. I am just glad that the semester is over because even I have to agree that it has been hectic. Even so, I cannot help but love the pressure. Every morning when I wake up I feel like I have a sense of purpose. I know that it is going to be a busy day, and I try to make sure that my mind is up for that challenge, and I end up accomplishing more. What the human brain is capable of doing if you just focus is awesome, without exaggeration. I am definitely coming back here next semester. I am so happy that this is finally happening. I have dreamed about this for a long time, and now everything is just falling into place. Perhaps two more years would suffice for me to be able to make money out of Mandarin. The future shines brightly ahead.  I could not help but be torn about a lot of options, though. Now that my professional life and finances are doing well, there are many alternatives presenting themselves for my consideration. If I could divide myself into three, I would go for all of them, but since I am not in a science fiction flick, I know that this would remain but a dream. Still, all is good, and I would be leaving Xiamen this Saturday with a strong desire to come back.

Alfie says:

The Gang decided to check out this videoke place sa island, and it was oh so fun, like, nag-enjoy kaming lahat. The damage was a bit mahal huh, but so worth it. As usual, bi-polar na naman my voice, parang, dude, don’t make me pahiya now. I’ve always loved rocking it out sa videoke, you know, but lately my voice has been oh so bi-polar talaga. So sarap lang batukan. What I noticed though is I’m not ganun ka uptight anymore, slowly but surely I am loosening up, and I remember that as a serious problem back when I was attending voice lessons pa. I guess ang ibig sabihin nun is you really couldn’t rush things, and it’s only now that I’m really beginning to enjoy life. Dude sorry, was that cheesy? Ganun lang talaga how I’m feeling right now. Anyhow, I’m sooooo excited na to come back to Manila! Don’t get me wrong ha, I am in love with the weather here, I am in my element, pero nothing beats home talaga. I am super excited for Sagada and Puerto Princesa. It’s been a while since we’ve traveled because ihcahieh is always taking our time hostage. Right now, biyaheng biyahe na me! I guess we could even make punta to Corregidor and Antipolo pa if we are not that lazy and pagod. Anyway, I want to make bili a new phone pala. My Samsung Galaxy S has gone senile, and I couldn’t blame it naman because it’s been a loyal friend, and responsible for all of my vids on YouTube and all my pics sa Photobucket. Memories! I want an HTC One Dual Sim. I think Galaxy S has earned it, it should make pahinga na. Retiring age.

Dan the Wrathful says:

That stupid service bus dropped us off at some random stop. Akala ko naman direcho na sa airport ang gago. The thing is we have limited RMB with us because of some budgetary mishap. Good thing the buses here cost almost nothing. Gigil na gigil ako sa hijo de putang sapatos ko na nakalabas na ang swelas. Talagang sinagad niya na pauwi na kami tiyaka siya nasira. I guess we’re going to have to buy new shoes once we touchdown in Manila. Ang aga namin sa airport, dalawang oras kaming naghintay dun. I don’t know why these two morons are so excited to get there. We have been traveling a lot, and all three of us know how airports work. This sudden show of concern is fucking odd. Anyway, less drama and emo moments this week, which is a welcome change. What bothers me now is that constant pain whenever we move. Even the slightest movement provokes some sort of sore muscle reaction. Yan na ang sinasabi ko na walang exercise e. Anyway, we are in for some relaxation once we land in Manila. I am also looking forward to traveling because, well, we need some sort of refuge from all the stress. The week has been quite busy because of finals, and it is a good thing that somehow ihcahieh decided to chill. May ugali rin kasi yan kapag di natutupad mga plano niya e. And his plans are overwhelming most of the time. Ganyan naman yang dalawang yan e, mga feeling pa-cool, pero kapag nabubulunan na sa dami ng nginunguya laging sa akin tumatakbo para magpa-Heimlich Maneuver.

Sagada here we go, woohoo!!! Guys... Baguio here we go, woohoo!!! Guys... Hindi na naman matutuloy ito. I am sorry, I think I grabbed more shifts for this week. Putang ina sinasabi ko na nga ba e. No shit? Dude, what’s your glitch? You promised us vacation. I know, I know, it’s just that... You greedy son of a bitch. OPPORTUNITIES, that is the key word here. Sorry, but opportunity for what? To drop dead from kakatrabaho? Opportunity to show off how much money you can earn? All I know is that Sagada would still be there next year. Baguio would still be there next year. The work opportunities that are present now, on the other hand, might not be, which is why I am seizing the opportunity. Is it that hard to fathom? What happened to that balance bullshit you’ve been championing all week? I’m disappointed, dude. You promised e. I miss traveling, so much. Worry not, I have an alternative offering for you. Pitch it some other time, maybe. I’m quite pissed of right now. You mean you want ME to be pissed off for you? Fair enough. Unleash your rage. Itutumba na ba natin, brad? Did you just call me brad? Gosh, that’s so kanto speak. As much as I would like to listen to your rather interesting banter, I have a shift in a few minutes. Masaya ka ba with how you are running this life, dude? Happiness is abstract and sort of irrelevant right now. Yung totoo. We both know he’d just change the topic. If we are talking about happiness derived from achieving the goals I have set then YES, I AM happy. We both know that’s not what I meant. Bakit kasi hindi mo na lang aminin na unti-unti ka nang nawawalan ng direksyon. I kinda agree with him, your plans have been really magulo lately. There has only been some doubt lately because your plans are overlapping with mine, but even so I am still trying my best to find a way to accommodate all of our goals. But it is always YOUR goals which end up taking center stage. Because they deserve that stage. Or you think they do. Akala ko makakapahinga tayo sa Manila para makapag-isip isip ng maigi kung ano gagawin natin. Pucha, hindi rin pala. I should have seen this coming. Disappointing. Should I just leave then and allow you two to bask in your imagined victim roles? E gago ka pala e, natural aasa kaming dalawa kasi sinabi mo ganito sinabi mo ganyan. But then again, you always no how to raise our hopes high enough so you could crush them. And there I thought I was more evil than you are. What you see is what you get. So which destinations na lang ang natira? Puerto Princesa, at least? Puerto Princesa is all good. Sorry if you got overexcited, but after weighing in on the pros and cons, I think it would be beneficial for all of us to just lie low for the meantime and earn as much as we can while we still can. You know that I am not doing this because just because I want to, but because I believe I have to. At kami na naman ang walang direksyon ang buhay. Ikaw na naman ang magaling ano? There is no point in trying to change your point of view. Disappointed in you, dude.