i call this the synopsis of my one year stint here…
early november 2007, i remember the long, restless flight i took alone. i flew with country’s flag carrier so as to make my flight a little easier. it was also direct so i guess it helped a lot too.
my first few days in the US was an eye-opener for me. i was blessed being welcomed warmly by everyone. and as a treat, the husband took me for a week-long vacation in hawaii, 3 days after i got here. hawaii is indeed one big paradise! weather is comparable to the philippines but definitely minus the pollution and dirt.
after spending my first thanksgiving, the whole family went to las vegas to spend a week at their timeshare hotel. vegas was so much fun, it was more than just a gambling place. little did i know that he was to be assigned in vegas for over a month to do some work so we spent the new year’s eve along the strip together with thousands of other people. the best part of our stay was to be able to work for the dems, i did phonebanking and some outreach programs for them. it was my first taste of US politics, being fortunate enough to go to the debate for the democratic presidentiables. i saw barack and hillary in flesh!
oh, i almost forgot about christmas. honestly, spending christmas here wasn’t that exciting compared to all the festivities back home. of course, there’s the giftgiving and parties but nothing beats the simbang gabi and carolling.
come february, we spent our 1st valentine’s together and celebrated his birthday as well.
around march, we flew to southern california. they ( with jorge) showed me the difference between northern and southern cal. of course, i wouldn’t want to miss disneyland and universal studios among others.
also, around this time we were already making final decisions for our wedding back home. although this was planned right after his proposal in hongkong. it was a tough decision to make it happen within the year because of the election. we knew that the best time would be around june but we couldn’t figured out the specific date until around april. working for the APIA Vote came into the picture as well. It’s something not regular but it helped me get accustomed to the working environment here.
may, of course, has always been my favorite month and you know why…it’s my birthday month!i got good gifts from everyone here. most of all, i truly love the gift from the husband(a set of mikimoto pearls with diamonds) which i wore for the wedding. also, we went back to los angeles for a week of break from work.
i believed that the highlight of my stay here, was actually the trip back home. i was so excited not only for the wedding but also to get to spent some time with my family. i got to go home for almost a month. something i wish i could do more often if only, home isn’t that far.
coming back from the big trip, i realized this is my new home. the place where i have to build a life and a future. it is a work in progress to this day.
the trip to the east coast was something i have been wanting for months(since the PI trip). it was actually our long overdue honeymoon. i got to go around new york city and stayed in a manhattan hotel. how cool can that be? The train to the nation’s capital was enjoyable. i got to see the life in the upstate new york and nearby states. and honestly, it was a far cry from the city life of new york (so don’t be mislead people!). Washington DC has been one of the beautiful places I have been to although the husband wouldn’t agree to this (he loves the weather here in california, you see). Everywhere you go there’s sights and places to see. I can’t wait to better explore the city when the time comes.
I guess that’s about it!all the trips and sightseeings i went to made my one year feels like long vacation.
