It's funny how so many times I resolve to keep my blog alive. Yet it's really something that gets lost with the noise of life.
Perhaps it's the throes of social media that gets in the way. Maybe it's pure idleness. Whatever it is, I will now do my best to just write. Write when something is good, write when something is bad. Write when something is interesting. Write when it's a normal day.
Today, I just encouraged a friend to go back to blogging. I said I'll do the same. I was thinking, you know you're not going to get to it. So here goes! An Ode to 2016. Let's do a breakdown.
January 2016, first time to leave my family after the holidays back to Japan with no tears. This month taught me that you'll get used to it. Saying goodbye and saying hello. Your tearducts will run dry. Knowing that with every goodbye, there will always be that joy of saying hello.
February 2016, nothing too interesting except learning that in Japan girls make the first move. They go through all the trouble to buy and make their own chocolates and give it to the person they adore. If that person receives it, then great. If not, then you eat the chocolates. Either way, it's a win-win situation.
March 2016, everything that you wouldn't want to happen. Not even on your worst enemy. I got mugged on my day off after a day of reaching out to someone from church. After struggling with what little Japanese I knew, then shifting to English then just uttering the name of Jesus in prayer, my Longchamp bag was thrown back at me, the man turns on me on his motorcycle and says Gomenasai (Sorry in Japanese). 3 hours of grueling interrogation with the Chiba Japan police out in the winter cold, going to work with only 4 hours of sleep. This taught me God's protection and the power of His name goes beyond culture and language. I got everything back and survived with only a knee scratch. The man was kind enough not to elbow me or run me over after I kicked his motorcycle twice and caused damage on his bike. Oh well.
Exactly 2 weeks after, the day I was supposed to go back to the police station for a sketch despite the mendoksai (hassle) I find out my Tatay, my loving grandfather is in the ICU. Struggling to understand why things were happening. The mugging then the possibility of losing a loved one, I brought myself to pray. When we found out we lost him, I booked a ticket home, sent my boss an email and left the Land of Rising Sun promising to return in 5 days time. First time to go home feeling like my heart was not beating anymore. I learned how strong I could be because of my God. The importance of family and that at times like this, your job doesn't really matter. You just go home and being with family is all that matters.
April 2016, I move out of my apartment right when I return to Japan. Of course, the man got nothing from me and I damaged his motorcycle. The physical and emotional strength to go back to work, pack like crazy while you still mourn. I credit all that to the grace of God.
May 2016, He brought me to meet new friends. Some stayed and left. I learned to LET IT GO. LET IT BE. Not everybody will value you the way you value them.
June 2016, Went home for my sister's college graduation from the University of the Philippines Diliman. Mom was coming home again. This time we could all smile and rejoice. In March we realized we didn't even have a photo. How can we even think of a photo as we mourned. This was my shortest travel ever. It was just over a long weekend but it was well worth it.
July 2016. Getting new students. Some of them saying farewell first. It's hard because they're the reasons why I go to work but knowing how social media works, it's fine..
So basically it's 4 days til the end of February 2018 and well I failed to even finish this blog entry. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe next year. Hear from me then?
