A place to breathe….

"It has been a great year…but an even better one is ahead,
beacause the new year can be anything we want it to be.
So as we bid farewell to the old year and welcome in the new year,
let’s dare to dream, of all we can accomplish with a little hard work and dedication….

…Let’s pray for peace in the world and try our best to love each other a little more
and judge each other a little less…Let’s make a resolution to be more forgiving and less angry.
Let’s focus on our goals and try to be the best we can be. And let’s never lose faith in what we can accomplish.

….May this new year bring you and your family much more happiness and success.
…And don’t forget to thank the Lord above for all the good things that He showered us and all the blessings He has given us for our health and also for our loved ones. And continue to ask guidance in all the things that we are about to encounter this coming year….

Happy new year to all!!!

It was my first Christmas away from home and I must say that on the last minute I was thinking of going home instead of spending this season alone but I decided not to and push through with my original plan which is Venice.

Everybody thought it was a brave decision and most of my friends thought it will be better if I stay in Geneva and spend the season with close friends but I decided to be brave and push through with the trip that Ive been dreaming off.

December 24 off to Venice. I arrived there and I was awed by the place. It was truly amazingly different, never Ive seen such a place. My spirit was up and the desire to have fun and be happy was there.

I had my Christmas Dinner (Noche Buena) at Centrale, recommended by Top ten Venice handbook. The conceirge booked for me for an early dinner at 9. I had trouble finding the place but it was all worth it. Food was great and even though I was alone having the dinner that I used to celebrate with loved ones, I felt feeling of happiness to be able to experience such wonderful thing in my life. As I wait for the next course of the meal I was silently thanking HIM for the blessing HE has given me for the year, it was truly magnificent how my life and my familys life changed over a course of one year.

I sms my parents, archie and my siblings while in the restaurant wishing them a merry christmas.

I enjoyed the meal and after arriving at the hotel I received a phone call from Spain, it was my friend Antonio. He was so sweet to call and see if Im okay celebrating this day alone, I thanked him for the call and assured him I was okay.

I had fun in Venice, I saw one of the unique city of the world. It was a great experience roaming around alone and the fact that I really had so much fun was a plus factor.

I am actually making a list of the next cities to discover, I will invite friends but I will not mind going alone. Next stop will be either Prague or Berlin.

The greatest invention so far for travelers!

Gone are the days that you have to wait for passers by and ask if they can take your picture coz now with tripod you can do as many poses as you like and with the angles that you like without disturbing anybody.

I know it’s been in the market for quite sometime but I only appreciated it when I myself experienced the difference. If you travel by group or with somebody then it’s okay not to have this but if you are traveling alone and wanted to take some pics then this is a must have.

So now it will be part of my traverler’s checklist.

As little children we would dream of Christmas morn
Of all the gifts and toys we knew we’d find
But we never realized a baby born one blessed night
Gave us the greatest gift of our lives

*We were the reason that He gave His life
We were the reason that He suffered and died
To a world that was lost He gave all He could give
To show us the reason to live

As the years went by we learned more about gifts
The giving of ourselves and what that means
On a dark and cloudy day a man hung crying in the rain
All because of love
All because of love

*Chorus

I finally found the reason for living
It’s in giving every part of my heart to Him (every part to Him)
And all that I do every word that I say (you know I’ll be saying)
I’ll be giving my all just for Him, for Him (every thing for Him)

We are the reason that He gave His life
We are the reason that He suffered and died
To a world that was lost He gave all He could give (all that he could give all)
To show us the reason to live

#He is the reason to live
(don’t you know do you know the reason
that he came, oh he came to save us
when he gave his life for us) he suffered and died
To a world that was lost He gave everything (everything that He had He gave)
To show us the reason to live

As we get so busy preparing for this special day, let us not forget the real reason why we are celebrating this special occassion. It is HIS day.

I thought I’ve experienced it all living abroad and surpassed all challenges with flying colors. I never thought that I still have to experience the toughest challenge ever encountered in my  life which is to celebrate this special season alone.

Almost everybody in the office were saying their goodbyes this afternoon and heading back home, how i wish i was one of them.

christmas has always been a special time for me, it was never spent with extravagant vacations nor anything extraordinary just a fun time with loved ones.

And now I have to celebrate it alone. I actually want to pretend that there’s really nothing special coming, we are just having a few days off and that’s it. I was also a little down today knowing everybody else is going home except for me but I decided not to feel that way. I’m going to a very nice place this christmas and I will enjoy it so much.

I may not be in a place where I want to be but I refused to be lonely. If I survive this, I will be able to survive anything.

Yes I just finished packing 3 suit cases, 1 box and a lot of garbage bags and no they are not for me but for Ms. Del.

Ms. Del Rosario or Ms. Del was my former boss in Manila both in ISM and in IATA. She was also the one who recommended me for the project in GVA and voted me as Rising star for Asia Pacific. She is a good friend and a very great mentor, who pushed me to the limit and forced me to go back to school first for my Teaching certificate and last was for my masters.

She moved to Geneva after being promoted from being a country manager to being part of the Head quarter’s office. When she moved to Geneva I already made a big progress in terms of making friends and adapting to life here and I was glad I came first otherwise I would have depended on her for company and for everything.

Now that she is leaving I feel bad because I wasn’t really there for her during her stay here. I was so consumed with my new world, new friends, new adventure that I always forgot that most of the time she needed me for support, for company and for just having somebody to be with after all the big changes that she went through these past few months.

And no I cannot make it up to her anymore because in a few days she will be moving to Canada after being promoted again. I also feel sudden emptiness engulfed me. She was a symbol of home for me, my refuge in times of trouble and somebody who is always there when everybod is not. Now she is moving away from me. I survived Geneva without her and I know I will again but I will always miss her. I will miss my weekends at your house, my sleep over, our lunches, our dinner, our movie dates, your unsolicited advise for my clothes, my lovelife, my money…. I will miss you, so much!

I will see you in Montreal in April to bring you all the chocolates and cheese that you are already making me promise to send you on a regular basis.

Job well done in Geneva, the office will be different now. There’s no more excuse for me to go to 2nd floor and visit you. Take montreal by storm, i know you will do good there!

When is it okay to give in to splurging?

Celine Dion is coming to Geneva on July 2008 when I found out she’s coming I know I needed to go. At first I didn’t know she will have a show here in Geneva, I thought only in Zurich which is 3 hours by train from here. Even before then I’m decided to go, I’ve been to Zurich and I know the cheap hotels.

I tried to ask friends who might be interested in coming, the problem is I don’t know the exact price yet but I know it’s going to be expensive. In other words nobody was interested to join.

I checked again this morning if tickets are already available and yes they are but only the best seats. There are three categories:

Escapades - first 9 rows side
Hotsound - first 6 rows center
Silver Hot seat - first 2 rows center

Hotsound is already sold out, Escapades I can’t because it’s a package with hotel so I took Silver Hot Seat. Yes the most expensive seat. Do not even ask me about the price and when I decided to buy it I immediately completed all the information before I change my mind.

I’m watching alone and I will buy the perfect dress for the occassion. Hahahhahaha weeeeehhh what a splurge! So guys forget about your christmas gifts.

After so many sleepless nights on what to do on the Christmas Holidays I finally made the decision and go to Venice. I bought my tickets and I’m flying via flybaboo on 24 Dec and returning 26 Dec.

I’m so relieved and happy that finally this is decided. There has been so many version already of my planned trip and I’m quite happy that I’m finally going to Venice, the 2nd city I really wanted to go to after Paris.

I asked a few friends to join me on this trip but either they have plans already or they have family here or they simply don’t have the budget so without anybody I decided to have fun in Venice on the Christmas Holidays. One friend actually agreed to celebrate the holidays with me and she wanted to go to Russia and i already said yes but she changed plans and I also don’t want to go to trouble on applying for visa for Russia.

Other plans before were:
Geneva to Venice for 2 days then Venice to Florence for two days then back to Geneva
Geneva to Prague for 3 days
Geneva to Berlin for 3 days

But I decided I really want to see Venice and 3 days will be good enough to experience the culture and of course to try out the gondola….

So Venice, here I come.