I noticed that I seem to post one blog post a year here in tckid. 2011, 2012, and this will be my 2013 post. God, time flies! I seem to also only check-in once a year. But it’s great because when I read my previous posts I can compare it from where I was before to where I am now. How is my life different? Do I still share the same sentiments? Same problems? Have I moved on? Am I better off today than before?
It’s been 3 years since I moved here in Canada from U.S. and 6 years now since Philippines and 10+ years since Brunei. After all these experiences, I feel so strong today, now more than ever. I’ve never embraced my ‘lonely traveler’ persona more than ever. All the confusion I have had about where I live, where I’m supposed to be, etc., seems to have diminished. I just know myself better now and what I want. I’m quite particular now, not so eager, and I just have that calmness about me, that sometimes freaks me out a little. I guess when you’ve experienced so much, it takes a lot to surprise you. Â You also learn to just let go and let life take you. You find it’s easier when you don’t try and stop fighting so much. Â That I believe is a definition of maturity. There’s a fine line between challenging yourself and desiring your end goal when the results are always 50/50. Take your chances, pick your battles..
Though I love my life in Canada, I am still open to the option that I may go back to Philippines as that is where my family is. And it’s hard to ignore the fact that we have a very lucrative family beach resort business in such a beautiful island. Family + living a beach life doesn’t seem so bad at all.Â
I’m ready to settle here in Vancouver, move to a nicer place, get in the core of downtown Vancouver, get a new car, just ease on in to this gorgeous city, starting to build my dream tech company with a great business partner and friend, have a few great selected friends, a great job, and everything else in between. Mind you, I do count my blessings.
I’m going to Philippines to visit my family, live the beach life for 22 days this coming May-June. What will come of it? A couple of years ago, when I asked my ‘ex’ girlfriend, to be my girlfriend, she said, she’ll say yes, after I come back from my visit to Philippines back in 2010. Â I visited for 6 weeks. She had doubts, very strong doubts that I would come back. This time around, my business partner, thinks the same. He’s betting that I will also stay in the Philippines, when I visit there this coming May. I can’t really blame them both – family is where the heart is.
I feel like my ATCK upbringing is too strong – I feel like I’ll come back to Vancouver and live my life here as I enjoy my freedom and my ability to have my own adventure.  Knowing the fact, that I don’t know where I’ll be in a couple of years, still in Vancouver or somewhere else. I guess there’s always a catch, right.  In this case, adventure & the lonely traveler versus having my family around. People say, at the end we always end up back to our family. Whenever I think about this, I always think about the title of the album of one of my favorite bands, Sterophonics entitled, “You gotta go there to come back.”
Hi Sarah- LOL. You’re in a safe place-haha. TCK’s are known for their (not always admirable) ability to say goodbye… we’re just so well practiced at it. It’s a totally foreign concept to uniculturists (my word). It’s hard for us to explain, and we shouldnt have to since we dont need an excuse, it’s just the way we are. Plus, 5 months is not anywhere near long enough for a friend to get close enough to learn about who we are deep inside. (just an opinion). A lot of cultures are unlearned about how to say goodbye, especially when it’s international. Sorry for the pain/anger this has caused- I totally get it! Saying goodbye to TCK’s is a lot less dramatic, even though it may not be exactly less painful. It’s to your credit that you are genuinely happy and excited for your friend- you know what she is headed for more than she does. It’ll be hard for her once she gets there, too, probably. It’s a mixed bag for all of us-haha. Good luck!
Oh, and I agree about food ignorance too. Ive had multiple dairy products from Yaks in Tibet, and even though it’s an acquired taste, I’m thrilled that I got to try it. I’m a lucky girl. 🙂
Well hello! Â I decided to comment because I saw what you posted:
“I noticed that I seem to post one blog post a year here in tckid. 2011, 2012, and this will be my 2013 post. God, time flies! I seem to also only check-in once a year.”
That’s exactly what I’ve been doing 🙂 Â I wish I am more active though. Â Sometimes I need to inject myself with TCKness…been in the same place for far too long – in TCK standard haha.