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!

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!

Uluru

After long periods of fussing and organizing (or unorganizing), my father insisted that he had to make his way to the dessert to spend the holidays for a view days. To be honest, I was quite skeptical and was quite reluctant to go with him. First, I literally just got home from the bay and I was pretty content with simply spending time at home and with my family. Second, since its in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed. Meaning central Australia would be the summer. I quickly figured that it was going to be grueling hot there and I was not even prepared for the heat until a day or so into the trip. I'm a weird creature of routine so I like my seasons when I expect them to be. So, spending Christmas in the dessert wasn't really what I was looking for. But, I guess things turned around when I actually uluru.

I didn't really get a chance to update while I was down below. They charged for internet in most parts of the country (besides from the airport). It kind of defeated the purchase of bringing my laptop and my ipad with me. 

Really, it was pretty much in the middle of nowhere. It is good to be away from civilization for a few days. With no reception or internet, it really does everyone some good. Just sit back and enjoy your surroundings. So, for three days, we literally became fascinated by Uluru. We got possibly every single view of the rock formation, even from up above.

We also attended the silence of the sound banquet which was an outdoor dinner and cocktail party. People could enjoy refreshments as they watched the sun went down. We learned about the didgeridoo, which is an aboriginal instrument. It apparently helps with asthma or snoring. It makes a really pretty and interesting sound. Unfortunately, didn't manage to snap a picture of it (here is what i'm talking about).

Uluru is a sandstone rock formation in middle of Australia. It was a sacred land for the Anagu, the aboriginals who lived in the region. For those who really like to take pictures, what is also really fascinating about Uluru is the rock changes color at different times of the day and from different angles you look at it from.

We spent 3 days there and and I saw the sunset twice and the sun rise twice. Yes, I really did get up at 5am to watch the sun come up. And, every minute of it was very worthwhile.

There is something extremely peaceful about it. When the sun sets and the sun rises on it, you feel so lucky to be looking at it. You feel blessed that you there and everything that you have in your life. It really helps you reflect.

My mother and I decided to put our photography skills to use. It turns out that I still have lots to learn. But hey, at least I got to play with a DSLR. 

group at the kitchen cave. 

Uluru from the road during mid day. i messed with the color of this photo but it is just as spectacular without.

right before sunset.

men at the silence of the sounds cocktail.

camel ride. they are apparently considered a pest in the desert. 

camels. i found this kind of pointless.

my father made me take this during sunset.

sunset

 playing with the sun during sunset.

sunrise. this photo is not edited.

 

tree in the desert.

Something unfortunate happened with the pictures my mother and I took for the rest of our trip (in Taz). I accidentally wiped out her ipad on which she saved it on. Don't worry I have a few left.