When I first thought about living in Manila, I knew I had to give up some things and leave them in Davao. I was thinking of my clothes (because I can't bring them all here), my oh-so-useful printer, my iHome, my car, the liberty of not doing the chores, etc.. What I never thought was that I was also leaving my family behind.
Yes, material things could give me a great deal of happiness, I won't deny that. I never realized, though, that all these things become worthless when compared to the utility (measure of happiness, according to my economics teacher back in senior year) my family gives me.
Since I stayed here, I've tried dining at nice restaurants, I've bought little somethings, and I've strolled to different places. These things made me smile but all these didn't make me as happy as I felt during the recent trip I had with my family last weekend. Being with all of them, the complete family, is a treasure I didn't even realize to be one.
Those two days I've spent with them made me very very happy. Considering that I've been to Baguio before, that we've eaten once at Seven Eleven (yes, those microwavable food!), and that we've spent hours of travel inside the pick-up. I could really say it's not the place you're in, nor the food you're eating, not even the comfort of your situation. It's the people you're with, and with my family, I've experienced a heightened feeling of joy.
However, they say all good things come to an end - like when your favorite cellphone is damaged or your favorite song faded. My family weekend was well, welcomed with a Monday - fun's over, back to reality. They left at around 2:00 on that Monday morning and I can't help but cry. I hated seeing them go. I guess nothing does come for free, not even happiness. The pain of goodbye is the price I pay for having them for two days. I will miss them. I don't know when we could spend time again together, all - six and a half - of us.
To my family, if ever you dropped by and read this, I love you. ♥
Angel ♥
Showing posts with label life on a budget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life on a budget. Show all posts
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Friday, 10 May 2013
Life on a Budget: Public Transportation
They say dreams are free, but when yours come with a price, pay up and make it worth it.
Life on a Budget
I was planning to go to the mall after work to buy a few things. Unfortunately, rain started to pour about 5:00 in the afternoon. This is my second experience of rain here in Manila since I started working almost a month ago.
Rain was pouring harder as the hours go by and by 7pm, it was all stormy. I have no choice but to take my usual transportation going home - tricycle. Trikes here in this area are like taxis, they have this 'special trip' where you pay twice the usual fare and the trike's yours. This is why it is very difficult to find one even on a normal sunny day.
I spent about 15-20 minutes outside the office gate waving my hands..wait. I was waving my ARMS to every tricycle that passed by. I was all wet when I finally got a ride home. The last time I was this soaked under the rain was during a vacation out of town at a friend's place and I could still remember how I enjoyed that night. The rain was my source of fun, very different from this night. I almost cried feeling sorry for myself. I don't get to experience this in Davao. The worst that could happen is running about 20 meters to get to my car.
I thought of the people I see in Davao waiting for transportation. I felt sorry for them, needing to outrun everyone else when a jeepney or a taxi stops over. I never felt how difficult they're through until now that I experience their struggle myself. Fighting against strong winds, heavy rain and other commuters isn't an easy thing. It needs so much patience or else you'd end up crying.
Angel ♥
Life on a Budget
I was planning to go to the mall after work to buy a few things. Unfortunately, rain started to pour about 5:00 in the afternoon. This is my second experience of rain here in Manila since I started working almost a month ago.
Rain was pouring harder as the hours go by and by 7pm, it was all stormy. I have no choice but to take my usual transportation going home - tricycle. Trikes here in this area are like taxis, they have this 'special trip' where you pay twice the usual fare and the trike's yours. This is why it is very difficult to find one even on a normal sunny day.
I spent about 15-20 minutes outside the office gate waving my hands..wait. I was waving my ARMS to every tricycle that passed by. I was all wet when I finally got a ride home. The last time I was this soaked under the rain was during a vacation out of town at a friend's place and I could still remember how I enjoyed that night. The rain was my source of fun, very different from this night. I almost cried feeling sorry for myself. I don't get to experience this in Davao. The worst that could happen is running about 20 meters to get to my car.
I thought of the people I see in Davao waiting for transportation. I felt sorry for them, needing to outrun everyone else when a jeepney or a taxi stops over. I never felt how difficult they're through until now that I experience their struggle myself. Fighting against strong winds, heavy rain and other commuters isn't an easy thing. It needs so much patience or else you'd end up crying.
Angel ♥
Saturday, 27 April 2013
Life on a Budget: Moving In
They say dreams are free, but when yours come with a price, pay up and make it worth it.
Life on a Budget
Tonight is my 5th night here in Manila after the trip I had with my family in Bataan. The last time I'm in Davao was 3 weeks ago.. All those days, I stayed at a budget hotel near the airport.
Just today, I found my temporary home. It is less costly than the hotel, both in accommodation and transportation. A six-day stay in the hotel could pay for my whole month in this unit I'm renting. Also, I'd need at least a hundred pesos to go to work from the hotel while here, my workplace is just a tricycle away. Win-win!
Moving in isn't that easy this time. I remember the time my family moved from Lanang to Dumoy. Everything was easy. All I did was pack up my things and everything else were taken cared of. Now that I'm on my own, I've forgotten a lot of things - things I didn't realize are necessary.
You'd notice that the room is SO empty. Crazy me.. My dad wants me to move in here before he flies back to Davao tomorrow (5am flight). I thought I just needed a bed and some pillows to survive a night in this new place so I bought them after I paid the rental fees. Turns out that there is so much more to a room than the bed itself. I didn't realize that.
Now I'm in this empty room, without an air conditioner, with just one light bulb (yes, the bathroom is SO dark..), no curtains! These are things I took for granted in Davao. Things I never thought would be important. I also realized that I need to buy trash bags for the trash can, bed linens, pillowcases, and the list goes on..
I realized, we have to be thankful even for the small things that our parents provide us because we don't realize these little things would be much of an impact when we're on our own.
Angel ♥
Life on a Budget
Tonight is my 5th night here in Manila after the trip I had with my family in Bataan. The last time I'm in Davao was 3 weeks ago.. All those days, I stayed at a budget hotel near the airport.
Just today, I found my temporary home. It is less costly than the hotel, both in accommodation and transportation. A six-day stay in the hotel could pay for my whole month in this unit I'm renting. Also, I'd need at least a hundred pesos to go to work from the hotel while here, my workplace is just a tricycle away. Win-win!
Moving in isn't that easy this time. I remember the time my family moved from Lanang to Dumoy. Everything was easy. All I did was pack up my things and everything else were taken cared of. Now that I'm on my own, I've forgotten a lot of things - things I didn't realize are necessary.
You'd notice that the room is SO empty. Crazy me.. My dad wants me to move in here before he flies back to Davao tomorrow (5am flight). I thought I just needed a bed and some pillows to survive a night in this new place so I bought them after I paid the rental fees. Turns out that there is so much more to a room than the bed itself. I didn't realize that.
Now I'm in this empty room, without an air conditioner, with just one light bulb (yes, the bathroom is SO dark..), no curtains! These are things I took for granted in Davao. Things I never thought would be important. I also realized that I need to buy trash bags for the trash can, bed linens, pillowcases, and the list goes on..
I realized, we have to be thankful even for the small things that our parents provide us because we don't realize these little things would be much of an impact when we're on our own.
Angel ♥
Thursday, 25 April 2013
Life on a Budget: Independence
They say dreams are free, but when yours come with a price, pay up and make it worth it.
Life on a Budget
It's been 10 days since my first day at work. Being away from home, I've done a few things I probably wouldn't do back in my hometown.
One is eating alone. I RARELY - like once in two years - eat out alone. I have tried eating inside my car because I was hungry and my bestfriend came late for lunch. There are times I buy food then eat it somewhere secluded so no one could see me having lunch alone. Most of the time, I skip a meal simply because I don't have someone to eat with.. However, here, away from Davao and most of my friends, I've eaten dinner alone TWICE..in a MALL. That's pretty impressive, if you know me. I realized on the second night that it does not matter what you're eating, what matters is the company you have. I don't mind having my tummy filled with proben and chicken skin, Tindog-Busog style as long as I have the girls - the basketball girls - with me. I always loved Japanese food, but I guess it doesn't taste the same without my Vanguardian friends because Karate Kid and Tokyo Tokyo didn't make me happy for dinner. Or maybe I just missed them.. :(
Anyways.. Enough of the emo talk.. :) Another new thing for me is..LAUNDRY. I got my first batch of laundered garments tonight. It's an unusual feeling when all my clean clothes are in a plastic bag. Though I didn't feel the hassle of going to the laundry, (yeah, because my lovely parents did it for me, all I did was check if nothing's missing..) I felt excited in a way. I don't know.. Maybe I'm overwhelmed with the changes in a fascinating way. I guess it's the feeling of independence and freedom being alone gives me - just what I wished for.
Doing things on your own may be difficult, REALLY difficult, but it's fulfilling.. :)
Angel ♥
Life on a Budget
It's been 10 days since my first day at work. Being away from home, I've done a few things I probably wouldn't do back in my hometown.
One is eating alone. I RARELY - like once in two years - eat out alone. I have tried eating inside my car because I was hungry and my bestfriend came late for lunch. There are times I buy food then eat it somewhere secluded so no one could see me having lunch alone. Most of the time, I skip a meal simply because I don't have someone to eat with.. However, here, away from Davao and most of my friends, I've eaten dinner alone TWICE..in a MALL. That's pretty impressive, if you know me. I realized on the second night that it does not matter what you're eating, what matters is the company you have. I don't mind having my tummy filled with proben and chicken skin, Tindog-Busog style as long as I have the girls - the basketball girls - with me. I always loved Japanese food, but I guess it doesn't taste the same without my Vanguardian friends because Karate Kid and Tokyo Tokyo didn't make me happy for dinner. Or maybe I just missed them.. :(
Anyways.. Enough of the emo talk.. :) Another new thing for me is..LAUNDRY. I got my first batch of laundered garments tonight. It's an unusual feeling when all my clean clothes are in a plastic bag. Though I didn't feel the hassle of going to the laundry, (yeah, because my lovely parents did it for me, all I did was check if nothing's missing..) I felt excited in a way. I don't know.. Maybe I'm overwhelmed with the changes in a fascinating way. I guess it's the feeling of independence and freedom being alone gives me - just what I wished for.
 |
| fresh from the laundry |
Angel ♥
Sunday, 14 April 2013
Life on a Budget: The Price of Dreams
They say dreams are free, but when yours come with a price, pay up and make it worth it.
Life on a Budget
Hi. I'm Angel Adaptar. I just finished BS-Architecture last March 2013 in a prestigious school in Davao City. Back home, I practically have three rooms - one for clothes, another for drafting, and the third room's where I sleep. I drive my own car, I have my teammates, I sort of have everything. Except for a little freedom, that is.. Well, even princesses have issues about that, right? However, I have to give up all these for one thing - to chase my dream.
It started when a university representative from Manila invited the high school seniors in our school to enroll to their different courses, which includes interior design. The presentation was so great that I immediately dreamed of becoming an interior designer. Unfortunately, I was so young then and I knew nothing about chores and taking care of myself. My parents didn't allow me to go to Manila for college.
Now that I'm 22, (I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22.. This song pops into my head whenever I say my age. Can't help it! haha.) my parents finally agreed to send me to the big world of Manila to study Interior Design. (Yes, Manila seems to be big when you're from my hometown.) This permission comes with the fact that I won't be living in Davao anymore, with all my luxury and comfort. I have to leave my amazing lifestyle. All. Those. Things.
I feel like I'm Sharpay, having my own 'Fabulous Adventure'. (see movie, "Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure") I know this is going to be tough, but I'd make it worth all the struggles. I will succeed. I have to. :)
Angel ♥
Life on a Budget
Hi. I'm Angel Adaptar. I just finished BS-Architecture last March 2013 in a prestigious school in Davao City. Back home, I practically have three rooms - one for clothes, another for drafting, and the third room's where I sleep. I drive my own car, I have my teammates, I sort of have everything. Except for a little freedom, that is.. Well, even princesses have issues about that, right? However, I have to give up all these for one thing - to chase my dream.
It started when a university representative from Manila invited the high school seniors in our school to enroll to their different courses, which includes interior design. The presentation was so great that I immediately dreamed of becoming an interior designer. Unfortunately, I was so young then and I knew nothing about chores and taking care of myself. My parents didn't allow me to go to Manila for college.
Now that I'm 22, (I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22.. This song pops into my head whenever I say my age. Can't help it! haha.) my parents finally agreed to send me to the big world of Manila to study Interior Design. (Yes, Manila seems to be big when you're from my hometown.) This permission comes with the fact that I won't be living in Davao anymore, with all my luxury and comfort. I have to leave my amazing lifestyle. All. Those. Things.
I feel like I'm Sharpay, having my own 'Fabulous Adventure'. (see movie, "Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure") I know this is going to be tough, but I'd make it worth all the struggles. I will succeed. I have to. :)
Angel ♥
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