I'm back again...

So...
after a long hiatus, I've decided to return. Lets see how far I can make it this time.

j.

Ready for another one yet?

2013. What a year. As my journey continues, I'm glad that I successfully closed one chapter and started another. My 4 years of hardwork paid off as I finished school. If someone told me 2 years ago that I would have finished college successfully and on time, I wouldn't have quite believed it. I managed to discover what sparked my interest. I'm so grateful for the lessons that I have learned at school. After graduation, I managed to get a (prestigious?) job that comfortably pays the bills in the city I always dreamed of living in. Being away from home and family for over 8 years now, I initially doubted my decision to live in New York. Relatives and family friends constantly tried to convince and remind me to come home. At times I felt the need to ignore them, but other times, it brought a sense of guilt and dilemma. I never really had the chance to be close to home and take care of my family. Yet again, opportunities await elsewhere. At the end of the day, I truly believe my decision to move to the Big Apple was well worth it. I caught up with old friends but also made new ones. Though often times I miss my family back at home a great deal, the opportunities and relationships that have come to me in the past few months made my year a wonderful one. 

As always, I'm so lucky to travel around the world. Cabo with college friends for spring break. It reminded me good friends can always have a good time together. A graduation trip to the Patagonia: Though the weather was reversed and it was chilly cold in Chile and Argentina, I managed to see and experience some of the world's most beautiful sights. From the glaciers of Patagonia to the Iguzu falls in Argentina/Brazil, it was some of the most amazing sites I have ever seen. I'm grateful to be able to enjoy these wonders with my family. Work also brought opportunities to gain new experiences. I got to visit Florida for a good two weeks and spent the first 3 months of my career in South Carolina. Though I inititally dreaded the idea to spend most of the 3 months down in Columbia, South Carolina, I'm glad that I did. I got to meet mu peers and colleagues and made some good friends while I was down there.

The year was also at times full of doubt and uncertainty. The last two months of 2013 had been a struggle. When I found out my mom was ill again, I was confused, nervous and upset. I wanted to back my bags and go home. I felt helpless and nervous.  I second guessed my decision once again of leaving home when I had the choice to stay a few months back. But the positivity my mom had made me so much more at ease. I believe that 2014 will bring healthier and better things for her and my family.

I know that there is still a lot uncertainty and doubts ahead but things will be ok and I strongly believe that everything will work out in the end. Thank you everyone who has supported me and my family through 2013. I'm forever grateful for all that you've done. 2013 has reminded me the importance of family and friendship. No matter that distance, I'll always love my family and friendship will stay strong.

May 2014 be even better than the last :) I'm ready for you!

To the Other Side -- El Calafate

After spending 3 days in Chile's side of the Patagonia, we drove across to Argentina. A 6 hours drive took us to the Argentina's side to El Calafate. In the southern most part of Argentina, we got to see the Glacier Moreno. One of the biggest glaciers in the region. I know, we got the weather. Unfortunately, we didn't get to walk on the glacier (which was the part I was most looking forward to).

On the first day in Calafate, we spent the day on a boat. The boat took us around the Los Glaciares National Park where we saw three glaciers- Upsala, Onelli and Glacier Moreno. Glacier Moreno was the biggest one of the three. Though the sky was dark in the morning and there was rain, we still managed to get good shots of the landscapes. There were many glaciers along the way. The boat took us pretty close to the glaciers and we managed to see bits of the glacier falling at times.

 Glacier Onelli. 2nd stop on the boat ride.

 Sorry, my father doesn't really like to take photos. haha

Glacier Moreno from the lake. 

Chile- Patagonia (Puerto Natales)

After spending time in the blazing heat, we travelled down to the very tip of the country to Puerto Natales. Puerto Natales is the heart of the Patagonia in Chile. We spent three days at an all inclusive hotel (my mom calls this an adult hostel). The hotel provided a guide for the three days and all three meals, which was extremely convenient. Since it was winter in South America, there were not too many people near the tip of SA.

Much of what is to enjoy in the Patagonia is the landscapes and scenary. We went on several hikes (since my dad refuses to horseback ride or ride a bike). Torres Del Paine, the Patagonia national park of Chile, was beautiful. Because it was so windy at the park, much of the trip was a car trip. Wind speeds in Puerto Natales and its surrounding area could go up to over 100 mph. At night, I could hear the wind guzzling from my room.

The weather wasn't the greatest during out stay there. On the first day, our guide took us on a trail which started at the devil's chair to the milodon's cave. A mildon is an extinct giant sloth that lived in the Patagonia around 10,000 years ago. They lived the beginning of civilization in south America. Our hike took around 4-5 hours and it was pouring that day of. I was completely drenched from head to toe within a few hours. Because of the rain, we were extremely cold. I thought my toes would fall off.

We visited Torres Del Paine on the second day. Torres Del Paine is basically three giant pieces of vertical rock. Because of the strong winds, we didn't do as much hiking as we would like.

On the third day, we took the eagles cliff trail. We climbed atop a limestone cliff where we saw the eagles very closely.

Here are some pictures-

 Torres Del Paine.

Eagles eating roadkill. My father insisted that we capture this moment.

 

 The Devil's Chair Hike. It was raining badly.

  

An eagle.

  

  

 

 Guanacos. They are part of the Llamas/Vicuna family.

 

 It was so windy that even trees were bending.

 About to fly off the balcony.

 Giant trees along the trail.

At the peak of the eagles cliff.

Atacama - Part 2

"Two golden hours somewhere between sunrise and sunset. Both are set with 60 diamond minutes. No reward is offered. They are gone forever." -Horace Mann

Another interesting (and probably most famous) part of San Pedro is the geysers in El Tatio. A geyser is a spring that discharges water sporadically. It basically rocks with holes on the floor which randomly spews really hot water out. It is actually really cool. I haven't seen something like this before. It like watching water overboiling underground. What is interesting about geysers is that it only discharges water in the morning. They come in all shapes and sizes. So, we all got up at 5am and hopped into a car, drove 2 hours and got to the geysers field which is among the Andes range (I cannot repeat enough what awesome I think the Andes range is). These spewing springs are located among the many mountains in the Andes which makes it extra beautiful and pretty. Since it is winter, it was pretty cold in the morning.

 

(I forgot my sunglasses and I have small eyes.)

Chile: Atacama Desert

I recently just returned from a 3 week vacation in South America. My father decided that we go on a graduation trip. We visited two countries in South American-- Chile and Argentina. Though it was no necessarily the right time to visit these places (its winter in the southern hemisphere), it was still a really good and fun experience.


First stop, the Atacama desert in Chile. It is in the northern part of a very long country. Of the many place we went to on this trip, it is probably the warmest. It was not burning hot or freezing cold which made it perfect whether for hiking. Just like many deserts, it was covered with red sand. What makes this region interesting is the mountain range within the desert.

On the first day, we took a walk among the sand dunes. A relatively easy hike, we stepped down the sand dunes. I took of my shoes so my shoes wouldn't be covered in sand. But, my shoes were covered with sand when I got back anyways. ha.

Since I'm still working on my photographs, here is a snip bit of the first day.

More to come. Trying to get an update in a day. 

The End of One Chapter

 

Choate Graduation in 2009. 4 years ago. Time really does fly.

 In front of the place where we slaved away for many hours.

When I was 12, I told my father I wanted to be an environmental engineer and I wanted to go to Caltech. This dream spurred from one of my favorite movies at the time-- A Cinderella Story. I remember the smile my dad had at the time and i told myself I would do him proud. Since then, I did everything possible to make that happen.

This ambition of mine was really something my father and I connected with. Everything we talked about and did together had some relation to the environment and this dream of mines. We went outside to the park next door and picked leaves. I gathered them and made it into a project. We read books about the environment, trees and animals.

This path had proven to be successful as I entered high school. I took all the classes that had to do with biology and ecology. Little did I realize this dream came further and further away as I struggled through the math problems in algebra. Yet, I overlooked the hiccups and told myself to carry on because no one can tell me otherwise.

My dad always told me that I was a like a salmon that I would swim upstream against the current. So I took his words of wisdom and carried on.

You never really understand what it means to fail until you hit rock bottom. That's exactly what happened to be my sophomore year in college. I had finally come to realize that my ambitions had taken the very best of me and no matter how hard I tried, I simply made matters worse. 

I was confused and upset with myself but I no longer had a direction in my life. I was upset at myself and I argued with my dad a lot more. Being angry was a common attitude. I thought I had lost the thing we were connected by. 

Thank you Berkeley for letting me meet some of the greatest friends.

I always found the saying "when you fall, you dust yourself off and start over" pretty cliche. Until it happened to me. 

Somehow I figured out how to succeed again. Though college has been full of ups and downs for me, I wouldn't trade it for anything else. I met people who showed me what life is really like and supported me when I needed help. I learned to love to learn again. I learned that there is a greater world out there. At times, life can be rough but for the most part, good.

Though now I no longer know what I really want to do with my life anymore, I think it's ok to feel this way. I daydream about my future more often. Thinking about the future brings butterflies to my stomach at times. I feel more nervous about my life than ever before. Yet, I have come to accept that there is nothing wrong to feel this way. Sometimes, I wonder how my dad felt when I told him I threw those dreams out the door. But whatever is it I decide to do this year or the years to come, I now know that it will give a some sort of answer to the question that I once thought I knew the answer to years ago.

Thank you to my parents for their unceasing supporting and putting me through 16 years of education! It must have been hard putting up with me. My parents never went to college but they have shown me the value of education and what a successful and fruitful life really is. 

Also, thank you to my friends and family for supporting me through the hardest yet rewarding 4 years of my life!