I've told you about pursuing breakthroughs instead of resolutions. I've told you that it would be about WRITING and RUNNING for me this year. I want something new every year and this time I want to share with you that since the 2006 World Tour of UP Concert Chorus, I have made a set of TWIN GOALS:
TRAVEL TO AT LEAST ONE NEW LOCAL DESTINATION
and
CONQUER AT LEAST ONE NEW COUNTRY EVERY YEAR
So far this is what I have accomplished for the past 4 years:
2007: North Shore Zambales
2008: Banaue and Sagada, Mountain Province
2009: Misibis Bay, Albay and Davao
2010: Bondoc Peninsula, Quezon and Bantayan Island, Cebu and Taal, Batangas
2006: Italy, Germany, Scotland, England, New Zealand
2007: Japan
2008: France, Spain, Macau
2009: Singapore
2010: Korea
2009: Discovery Bay Misibis, Albay with Kaich, Jael and Macy
2009: Samal Island, Davao
2010: Pueblo Por La Playa, Quezon with Heroic XXX
2010: Hike to Taal Volcano with Tere, Tin, Andrea and Mica
2006: Venice, Italy
2006: Olympia Stadion (Home of 2006 FIFA), Berlin, Germany
2006: Aberdeen, Scotland with Joy, Kaich, Anna, Airis, Glady and Eman
2006: London, England
2006: Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, Tauranga, New Zealand
with Monique and Ma'am Ena
2007: Japan with family: Solo, Ate Carmela, Kiko
2008: Eiffel Tower, Paris, France with family: Kiko, Mommy, Tita Miriam
2008: Madrid, Spain with Tita Miriam and Mommy
2008: Macau (Starcom Trip) with Jemelle
2009: My emo moment in Singapore Botanic Gardens
2010: Starcom Trip to Korea
Having been to different places here and abroad have made me realize how beautiful the world is. I realized that although technology has made the world smaller, the world is still so big having a whole lot of places to visit, a whole set of things to be inspired with--new experiences altogether. It brings such a natural high to step on new grounds, to learn new things, to experience new culture, to taste new cuisine, to learn a new word or two (if not a new language), to be overwhelmed by history and most of all, to talk to different kinds of people. Amazing. Fascinating.
As I was sipping my coffee at the Louvre Museum back in 2008, I told my uncle, Tito Tony, that I’m overwhelmed by the number of people visiting the grandness of Louvre everyday. The long line outside looked like a string of ants from afar. I realized that we are just a speck in this world, too irrelevant to be focusing on problems, negatives and non-essentials. The world is oh so so so beautiful, I wish everyone would grasp it that way everyday.
I wonder what awe the world will bring me this year. I haven’t planned for anything local and international yet. For now, I’m just going to sit and wait for what surprises 2011 will bring me.
