Saying Goodbye to 2012

So apparently, 2012 was a leap year. I've forgotten about it until I read another customary year-end post from an acquaintance. Looking back, 2012 was indeed a year of making leaps for me - leap of adventure, love, and life.

Coming to Korea and spending most of 2012 there was quite life-changing for me. In many ways, it has triggered me to come out of my shell and take several other leaps. I wouldn't be where I am right now, physically, mentally, emotionally, financially and spiritually if it weren't for Korea. It was not love at first sight, however. If I had to write this post during the first quarter of my stint, it would have been filled with everything negative. I got my heart broken twice, almost ruined my career,  felt alone, helpless and terribly inexperienced with "independent living", cried buckets (almost every night or every other night), struggled with the language barrier, the inefficient and extreme workaholic (but disorganized) work ethic - a taste of the OFW life. How sheltered, naive I have been and life has been pretty easy for me back home. I quite honestly thought it was a very bad decision (if not one of my worst) to take the assignment and for the most part cursed it. I wanted to escape it so bad (hence almost ruining my career). You don't really realize how lucky and blessed you are until you go through the pain, sorrow and hardships.

Paradigm shift. Then everything turned and now I am a firm believer of the saying "everything happens for a reason". God has been and is so good in taking care of me, I can't thank Him (and His instruments whether people, things or experiences) enough for always being there for me as He continues to teach me lessons - helping me grow as I experience life. The second-half of the year went by as if I was in a dream that coming home felt like waking up from it. Just when you thought that you have already experienced a lot that you are at the plateau of life - you realize there is so much more to experience, feel, meet and do. You start to fall in love with life all over again and suddenly think as you look back how you've lived a monotonous and boring life during the recent years. It's like starting to live more: I started to "dance" Kpop, "sing" without the influence of alcohol, be "physically active", do photo shoots (a little frustrated on this though), get wasted so bad, cooked, all the personal and attitude adjustments. I know I am still a pessimist but somehow, I'd like to think that I'm becoming more mellow. As I experience pain, I heal in a beautiful way by turning (trying very hard through the help of friends and loved ones) it into a positive experience. So far, it's by looking forward on the benefits that keeps me going. Living in Korea has been one of the best decisions and experiences in many aspects for me.

As I've mentioned in my FB post, "2012, you've been great! Definitely no regrets... I'm ready for you 2013! And to everyone who has been part of this awesome 2012 (especially new friends), thank you! Cheers for another great new year!"

I hope especially for my friends that 2013 will be another great year for us and that we will always be able to overcome and look past the pain, sorrow and hardships - that somehow everything will be alright and turn out for the better. May we always be on the lookout for opportunities to take leaps whether of faith, love, adventure or life in general. And when that time comes, we are ready to take the risk (while keeping in mind and heart the lessons learned). Carpe Diem!

Wicked!

Since being introduced to Mannam and other people (who somewhat became my little circle here), I've been having one busy weekend after another usually epic if not filled with different experiences/activities/memories. However, let me skip a bit to talk about this musical I never thought I will still be able to watch since my good friend Cha decided to go to Bali instead of Korea (yes, I was that kind of a loner pinning my hope on old friends to visit me in Korea to watch a musical.).

To describe how I feel after watching this musical last August 15, I'd have to use all sorts of superlatives: wicked, breathtaking, magical. In summary, I totally loved it. Everything from the songs, the story and the cast was great... I never expected how the songs factor into the story. If I could which is more like I can afford it, I would watch it again. It's different watching it on youtube. Defying Gravity at the end of act 1 left us all hanging (and with goosebumps) but boy does it get better on act 2. Everything is revealed and it's amazing how the story adds up and comes together. I have loved the song "For Good" ever since they used it as the music of our college recognition tribute but now that I get what this song meant to the lead characters in the musical, I have a better appreciation of it. To use the song to sing to an Ex would be so inappropriate (I was sort of contemplating on this weeks before watching). It would simply be an injustice.

For Good
(Elphaba):
Im limited
Just look at me - Im limited
And just look at you
You can do all I couldn't do, Glinda
So now it's up to you
For both of us - now it's up to you...

(Glinda):
I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

(Elphaba):
It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made from what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...
Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?

But because I knew you

(Glinda):
Because I knew you

(Both):
I have been changed for good

(Elphaba):
And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the things I've done you blame me for

(Glinda):
But then, I guess we know
There's blame to share

(Both):
And none of it seems to matter anymore

(Glinda):
Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood

(Elphaba):
Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood

(Both):
Who can say if I've been
Changed for the better?
I do believe I have been
Changed for the better

(Glinda):
And because I knew you...

(Elphaba):
Because I knew you...

(Both):
Because I knew you...
I have been changed for good...

Boryeong Mud Festival 2012 Field Demo

Mannam spearheaded a mass performance of Wonder Girls 'like this' during this year's Boryeong Mud festival in Daecheon. And I was fortunate enough to have been a part of it. So yeah officially they call it a flash mob but it was too organized and anticipated that I think of it more as a field demo.

I don't know much but for around 14 years now, Boryeong has been hosting this mud festival where people mostly foreigners play and paint themselves silly with mud. The mud here are supposed to be good for your skin aesthetically. (no surprise there given the vanity of the locals.) Of course, there's a whole lot of drinking everywhere regardless of the time of day. So ok maybe not until 12 noon when it's almost a ghost town due to the din of the day before. It's my first time to go to Boryeong for the mud festival but going there while being a part of the mob was double the fun. I certainly had a blast.

mud galore!

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I will voluntarily dance in front of people. Sure there are a whole lot of us (maybe hundreds) but still. Definitely, another jump out of the comfort zone for me. And I am more than glad and thankful for it. Definitely one of the best experience I had so far here in Korea. I have Mannam and new friends/acquaintances to thank for it. Cheers to more happy, fun memories!

while waiting for the "event" to start - in between practice.

woot!

Stop!

Mannam Victory!

after the field demo, it turned into an instant insane beach party. we got soaked/drenched in mud as they hosed the crowd with muddy water.

the beach is not much really. It's the mud and the crazy, fun people/times that you'll be having which makes this a must go!

Up in the sky

This world has so many sights, sounds, taste, feelings to offer both natural and man-made that not even a lifetime would be enough to experience them all. Of course, there is that matter of resources needed to do so. One can only dream of being able to travel the world and bask in whatever beauty there is. Opportunities for travel whether hard-earned or awarded/assigned are gifts themselves. However, it can get pretty lonely when doing so alone.

A gaze out the window changes things. One cannot help but feel a sense of awe, amazement, peace and contentment. It's a beautiful world out there. It's the same sky but looks and feels different everytime - one I will not get tired of looking at. Won't you?

Online tribute to a Mentor

I just sent out a short note to my previous manager to thank her for her positive impact probably her legacy to me.
In the 5 years that I've been a corporate rat, I've interacted directly with 4 direct supervisors. 3 of those in just a span of 13 months. But time is irrelevant when leaving a lasting positive impact. Sometimes, all it takes is probably one well-handled situation that tells you and shows you the management skill of a person without any pretense. It neither has to be in your favor but the fact that she can convince you, win you over, turn you around without resorting to politician tactics makes you admire the person all the more. A genuine person able to feel but uses her intellect well: well-balanced and well-grounded. A human-being probably who is well aware of Maslow's hierarchy of needs and a whole gamut of others. It is a skill honed and developed allowing her to respond to a whole gamut of situations. Possibly, I was not under her care long enough to see her faults and flaws magnified, exaggerated by others. To me however, what matters is that I left her supervision with an arm full of learnings that continue to inspire me.
I'll say it again, Doms, though I wish you could have mentored me for longer
I'm glad our paths crossed. Thank You!
Sent from my iPhone