No Looking Back (my 2008 in a few defining episodes)

It's almost over. I don't know about you guys, but personally, 2008 wasn't really THE year for me if you know what I mean. Nevertheless, I'm going to give it one last look before I go welcome 2009 with arms, eyes, and mouth (haha!) wide open. Since I'm relatively new here at blogger, I went through my old blog last night searching for memorable 2008 entries to post in installments 'til the new year arrives.
So here it goes...

Jun 28, '08 7:06 am (Boston time)
for Jive's contacts

Blakeley Hall where I stayed with Rin at Tower E

And It's Done: My Mini Tribute to Summer School 

It's over! My six week stint at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy is finished! In six days I shall be crashing back to Manila reality and drowning in official MA workload. However, before I descend into the deeper realms of academia, I'd like to look back at this extremely invaluable experience that has helped me grow even more...

The unforgettables:
1. The super culture shock arrival - I couldn't see a single Filipino/Asian around. I was tired, alone, clueless, tired, tired, tired... the sun was still up at 8pm... I was scared to be alone in the hotel room... I burst into tears.

2. Me eating only Pepperidge Farm Chocolate Chip cookies from the Student Center during my first week here at Fletcher. Everything was so effing far, and at that time I had no courage to explore yet, because I didn't want to get lost. From that moment til today I have been staying away from chocolate chip cookies.

3. Me crying to Sirin during the peak of my adjustment period cause I thought she was my age. A zero poise moment cause my make up was everywhere and my nose was running ( I know, yuck) but at least it was the start of a great friendship between Rin and I. I honestly do not know how I could've managed without her.

4. Me walking for 40 minutes to the "nearest grocery" to buy food. I attempted to walk my way back with 4 heavy bags with bottles in them, but I gave up after like 50 steps. I had to enter an Indian catering shop and bought food to have the taxi company's number.

5. My shining econ theory moment. That was really one of the happiest points of my stay here given that I was able to prove my worth as a student with a functioning brain.

6. Me taking today's finals in PAJAMAS! I love it! One of the things I've learned here is that no one ever dresses up nicely for (that)class. Mas maganda pa nga yung pantulog ko kanina kaysa sa mga suot ng mga tao. Also I can't get over the fact that we finished the entire syllabus in 6 weeks, considering that we rarely finished our syllabi during college.

Things to miss:
1. Hearing Marc Anthony's "You Sang to Me" play on Sirin's laptop every morning.
2. Me and Sirin eating dinner (either delivery from Thai/Sushi place/ Italian restaurant) after class every T TH. We'd end up chatting til 12mn, then we'll start studying.
3. Me and Sirin laughing at weird classmates.
4. Using the electronic fob to open the door, and using www.laundryview.com to see how the washing machines are doing downstairs.
5. The Fletcher School itself - it is such a beautiful building with killer facilities.I wouldn't mind living there. There's a huge elevator even though the building only has two floors.
6. SIRIN!!!

The trivial new discoveries:
1. How to use the washing machine.
2. Getting used to the "T" (subway) to get around Boston.
3. How to cook (but most of the food I like to eat are breakfast stuff anyway e.g. bacon, spam, sausage, etc.)

The non-trivial stuff:
1. Older people tend to reason out in really strange/incredible/poor ways. One thing I've learned here (and P. Bird was right when he told me this in the beginning of the course) was that just because people are older, doesn't necessarily mean they're wiser.

2. I became a stronger person - being alone-alone in a month made me see how independence works from a different angle. My independence in Manila helped a lot, but there I was in my comfort zone with people I love and an environment I am familiar with. Here, I learned TO BE my own comfort zone.

3. It is sooo hard to trust people - yes, people are people wherever they may be, and in Fletcher, we live in the realist premise that in this world, there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies, just permament INTEREST.

4. If you want it, you just can't get it. You FIGHT for it. And you just keep on fighting.... and fighting... and fighting...

5. To quote Amin: "Fletcher is the best experience for you so far. You may not have worked, but the exposure you got from all these people who are working all over the world in different fields is enough to give you a better idea of which path you'd like to take in IR, as well as to impart wisdom to guide you when your time comes."

In the end, I came, I saw, and in my own way I conquered. My stay here was a fabulous yet humbling experience. It is something that I would always be happy and proud about. Someday, I'd be really looking forward to tell my kids about my stay here, especially how I stayed up til 6am the night before finals trying to study, and at the same time - PAINT MY NAILS. That despite her ditziness, their mom survived to be the youngest (ditz) to step foot in the Fletcher School of Law in Diplomacy.