i'm not usually big on the new year's resolution thing, but i thought this would be a cool way to sharpen the photography skills...
i'm starting a project 365, in which i will be taking atleast one picture everyday!
these will be posted here starting january 1, 2008
happy new year!
weeweechooo
by my dad's artistic direction, this card actually went out to people...
on the real...HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
on the real...HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
heads up!
as avid readers of my blog, you are privileged to know that some sort of celebration in honor of my 23rd year will occur on saturday evening january 5. no specific plans yet, but save the date! suggestions always welcome too. =)
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continued from last entry...another thing i heard last saturday:
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continued from last entry...another thing i heard last saturday:
"friends are special to us because they are a family we get to choose"not that i don't love chillin w/ the real fambam, but been feeling a bit wound up in recent days, and really looking forward to the many pre- & post-christmas celebrations w/ the friends.
what about your friends
about a year ago, frances & i topped off finals with a fun thursday night of dancing & drinks at shattuck down low.
this last friday night, the two of us went out to safeway and baked chocolate chip cookies.
if i never mentioned it before, i love that our friendship is versatile.
who else can i dance, rap, & bake with?
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something i heard today
this last friday night, the two of us went out to safeway and baked chocolate chip cookies.
if i never mentioned it before, i love that our friendship is versatile.
who else can i dance, rap, & bake with?
------------
something i heard today
"a friend is another you"recently i ran into an old friend, meaning a who isn't really a friend anymore. i think everyone has someone(s) like this in their lives whether it because of a specific incident or simply some kind of distancing. (side note: why is it so easy to say what breaks a friendship, but a bit more challenging to verbalize what keeps one?) well, in seeing these people again, it always bothered me when they act like they still know me. i don't think i'll feel bothered anymore after hearing the above quote. they are me when we shared friendship. and i won't ever want to trade that time back.
dear santa,
what it do!? haha j/k, santa. hope all is well in the north pole with all the preparations for christmas eve.
i just wanted to drop a line this year to let you know that i would really like one of the jobs i'm applying for. if you could hook that up, that would be awesome!
until christmas eve, peace!
~camille
p.s. some of my friends also want jobs for christmas. they have been good this year too!
p.p.s. throw in some new running shoes if possible ;D
i just wanted to drop a line this year to let you know that i would really like one of the jobs i'm applying for. if you could hook that up, that would be awesome!
until christmas eve, peace!
~camille
p.s. some of my friends also want jobs for christmas. they have been good this year too!
p.p.s. throw in some new running shoes if possible ;D
one roof
way back around the middle/high school years, i think my family use to play it off like we were a normal family even when we drove each other crazy. like when we would try to take a picture for our christmas card, we'd argue about coordinating our outfits, where to take it, which picture was best, etc. most of the time i feel like when you are too serious making something perfect or work out a certain way, it just blows up.
here we are again for the first time in a while getting settled permanently under the same roof, and it's wonderful. there's a different attitude and playfulness that wasn't in full-time mode before. maybe we're more comfortable in our eccentricities. or maybe we now know that living is when you laugh at and more importantly with each other.
here we are again for the first time in a while getting settled permanently under the same roof, and it's wonderful. there's a different attitude and playfulness that wasn't in full-time mode before. maybe we're more comfortable in our eccentricities. or maybe we now know that living is when you laugh at and more importantly with each other.
advent: a coming into place, view, or being
so will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.---------------
two men will be out in the field;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
two women will be grinding at the mill;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
therefore, stay awake!
i ponder the thought of this season as "coming into" whatever it may be. it seems to say that whatever life brings at this time should come naturally. and yet it seems you can never be fully prepared for the surprises of life, both bad and good. it's so curious how these mysterious ways work.
well, 'tis the season...and i'll try not to miss a thing.
merry christmas, happy holidays!
(video circa dec 2005)
my absence...
is a front to the current realities that have altered what i had expected to be a return to the quiet home life
and i'm not good at sharing openly or i'd rather postpone explaining for the nth time
but know that all is on the ups, and in my family we meet any ailment with lots of love and good humor =)
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like so...
who doesn't want to see this movie?...lol
and i'm not good at sharing openly or i'd rather postpone explaining for the nth time
but know that all is on the ups, and in my family we meet any ailment with lots of love and good humor =)
------
like so...
who doesn't want to see this movie?...lol
for your eyes only
i've seen so much on my travels this year...and have hundreds of photos to prove it?
nope
not that i don't have hundreds of photos.
it's just that no matter how skilled the photographer, no matter how fancy the camera, nothing can match the life and world you see from the complexity of your own eyes, your own mind.
sometimes you just gotta take your finger off the shutter, put down the sunglasses that shade the bright rays, or roll down the tinted window and allow your eyes to observe the grandeur, the life, the humanity around us.
nope
not that i don't have hundreds of photos.
it's just that no matter how skilled the photographer, no matter how fancy the camera, nothing can match the life and world you see from the complexity of your own eyes, your own mind.
sometimes you just gotta take your finger off the shutter, put down the sunglasses that shade the bright rays, or roll down the tinted window and allow your eyes to observe the grandeur, the life, the humanity around us.
stats and roots
islands visited: 9 (luzon, cebu, mactan, panglao, bohol, olango, nalusuan, panay, corregidor)
photos uploaded to my portable drive: 890
mosquito bites: too many to count
halo halos consumed: too many to count
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this weekend's trip to bicol was really wonderful. to think there is a beautiful place where when you look out across the landscape all you can see are coconut and banana trees or rice fields...and that's where most of my family is from. yesterday i was in libmanan, my mom's hometown. our stay was short, but i got to see where my grandpa's farm was and the corner store where the whole family worked (my grandparents, my mom, my uncles and aunts). my oldest cousin owns the land now and sells animal feeds in the store. the highlight was when my mom went behind the counter and started telling me stories: waiting for my grandpa under the box of salt to open the store at 4am, watching her admirers as they rode around the block a few times, waving to her boyfriend who worked in the store across the street..."this was me behind the counter," she said.
and as i tried to fall asleep last night, i couldn't help being overcome by emotions of humility, gratitude, and love.
photos uploaded to my portable drive: 890
mosquito bites: too many to count
halo halos consumed: too many to count
-----------
this weekend's trip to bicol was really wonderful. to think there is a beautiful place where when you look out across the landscape all you can see are coconut and banana trees or rice fields...and that's where most of my family is from. yesterday i was in libmanan, my mom's hometown. our stay was short, but i got to see where my grandpa's farm was and the corner store where the whole family worked (my grandparents, my mom, my uncles and aunts). my oldest cousin owns the land now and sells animal feeds in the store. the highlight was when my mom went behind the counter and started telling me stories: waiting for my grandpa under the box of salt to open the store at 4am, watching her admirers as they rode around the block a few times, waving to her boyfriend who worked in the store across the street..."this was me behind the counter," she said.
and as i tried to fall asleep last night, i couldn't help being overcome by emotions of humility, gratitude, and love.
a long awaited return
this trip arrived faster than i anticipated.
as the plane descended on a grey Manila dawn, the sentimental side in me suddenly realized that it has been a lifetime, literally my lifetime, since i have touched down upon this land. twenty-two years since i inhaled the warm breath of the motherland. setting foot into a land that i visited before i could even walk, before i could even remember.
it's been a good return. many things familiar, many things foreign, but altogether home.
as the plane descended on a grey Manila dawn, the sentimental side in me suddenly realized that it has been a lifetime, literally my lifetime, since i have touched down upon this land. twenty-two years since i inhaled the warm breath of the motherland. setting foot into a land that i visited before i could even walk, before i could even remember.
it's been a good return. many things familiar, many things foreign, but altogether home.
livin' our dreams
this shows distance x speed...the downward slope between 5k & 10k were the classic hills of sf
thanks to my fans who texted/messaged or got up at 6am (or earlier) to cheer me on. =)
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if ever there was a time to do what you gotta do or do what you want to do, the time is now...at least for me.
this concludes the half marathon training edition of the camilleeon chronicles. soon to begin (with a sfo 10:30 departure tonight)...the philippines edition! i don't know how much internet access i will have, but i will update when i can.
race day nears...
i know some people were interested in cheering for rhea, lamo, & me. thus, here is some info for race day. i don't expect anyone to get there for the starting line (at 7am!). i suggest catching us towards the end at the clement/geary/cliff house area at around 8:45-9am. then as we finish our last couple miles you can meet us at the finish line at the edge of golden gate park on the great highway (near the old windmill).
hopefully i'll see you there!
time to carboload! hahaha
kinabukasan revisited
The future is for hoping, and we want it.
If we want it, we can have it.
If we can have it, it is all.
If it is all, it is worth fighting for.
This is the way we face the coming day.
This is the way we stand in the sunset
And gawk at the sun, needing no time
For mourning in our march into the morning.
~Carlos Bulosan
yes, you too can run a (half) marathon!
with the race a little over a week away, i'm happy to report that training has been fantastic. when i started to train after i got back from london i was doing great, but then i had a bit of a slump mid-september. at first i thought it was my shoes or a summer of drinking too much. really, those were just excuses. would you believe me if i told you all i needed was a just a change in outlook? you'd be surprised by how far your mind can take you in running.
anywho...starting next thursday is the packet pick-up & expotique in union square. apparently thursday is a special "ladies' night" with free food or what not for marathon participants including a guest appearance by women's world cup champ brandi chastain! so if anyone wants to accompany me to pick up my bib (aka my race number) and tracking chip, let me know. i love that the nike women's marathon is here in this city. the sport of marathon running has long been male-dominated, and every year here we have 20,000+ women completing half or full marathons. (granted the tiffany's finisher's necklace is a pretty big incentive for many women)
did a twelve miler with rhea and lamo & company, one of my favorite runs IN THE WORLD: crissy field, gg bridge, fisherman's wharf, & back. i've ran a bunch of places (marin, berkeley, london, san diego, maui, etc.) but nothing compares to a view of the sf skyline, a cooling bay breeze, and a clear, sunny fall day in the city. seriously, if you are in the bay and considering training for a marathon, you're lucky because no one else has it like this. and i'm not kidding, you too can run a marathon! how many times have i heard people say, "hey i'd like to do that someday." well someday can be sooner than you think! maybe the san diego rock 'n roll in june or the sf in august. ok, i'm getting ahead of myself, but i would like to get to training for my 2.5 marathon when i get back from the p.i., and i'd be glad to help anyone else who would care to join in training for their first.
here's some tips and resources for beginning marathon runners:
- get a pair of shoes just for running: go to a running store or sports basement to have your stride checked out so you know what kind of shoes you need
- www.runnersworld.com
- the treadmill is NOT the same as running outside
- trust me on the attitude thing: smile, nod, and/or say "hi", "good morning/afternoon/evening" to people you pass
happy running!
anywho...starting next thursday is the packet pick-up & expotique in union square. apparently thursday is a special "ladies' night" with free food or what not for marathon participants including a guest appearance by women's world cup champ brandi chastain! so if anyone wants to accompany me to pick up my bib (aka my race number) and tracking chip, let me know. i love that the nike women's marathon is here in this city. the sport of marathon running has long been male-dominated, and every year here we have 20,000+ women completing half or full marathons. (granted the tiffany's finisher's necklace is a pretty big incentive for many women)
did a twelve miler with rhea and lamo & company, one of my favorite runs IN THE WORLD: crissy field, gg bridge, fisherman's wharf, & back. i've ran a bunch of places (marin, berkeley, london, san diego, maui, etc.) but nothing compares to a view of the sf skyline, a cooling bay breeze, and a clear, sunny fall day in the city. seriously, if you are in the bay and considering training for a marathon, you're lucky because no one else has it like this. and i'm not kidding, you too can run a marathon! how many times have i heard people say, "hey i'd like to do that someday." well someday can be sooner than you think! maybe the san diego rock 'n roll in june or the sf in august. ok, i'm getting ahead of myself, but i would like to get to training for my 2.5 marathon when i get back from the p.i., and i'd be glad to help anyone else who would care to join in training for their first.
here's some tips and resources for beginning marathon runners:
- get a pair of shoes just for running: go to a running store or sports basement to have your stride checked out so you know what kind of shoes you need
- www.runnersworld.com
- the treadmill is NOT the same as running outside
- trust me on the attitude thing: smile, nod, and/or say "hi", "good morning/afternoon/evening" to people you pass
happy running!
keepers
"sad days"
a phrase one of my flatmates would annoyingly always use.
unfortunately, it is too true lately because we just received word that they are thinking about ending the volunteer programme.
i'm honoured and proud to have been a part of an incredibly unique programme, but sad that there is a possibility that no one else will have this experience again, and we (the former volunteers) won't be interviewing and hosting the future volunteers. we'll hope for the best, but for now...sad days. =(
quite possibly their most favourite set of volunteers of all time...
unfortunately, it is too true lately because we just received word that they are thinking about ending the volunteer programme.
i'm honoured and proud to have been a part of an incredibly unique programme, but sad that there is a possibility that no one else will have this experience again, and we (the former volunteers) won't be interviewing and hosting the future volunteers. we'll hope for the best, but for now...sad days. =(
quite possibly their most favourite set of volunteers of all time...i'm like a bird...
restlessness never suited me well. home is...well...tame. and of course a far distance from the spanish misadventures and 3am double decker rides home. i always thought of myself as a homebody, but perhaps the taste of travels has released the wanderer in me. patience, i still have and it's only a little more than a month until the half marathon followed by the long-awaited trip to the philippines.
in my restlessness, i can't sleep thinking about tons of things (faith, family, friendships, the future...my mind might possibly burst.)
often, i ponder cities and lifestyle. you might think i'm crazy, but i must confess that it annoys me that i have to drive everywhere. call me a new urbanist, environmentalist, or what-not, but i would really prefer hopping on the bus/train/tram to work, walking home with a bundle of groceries. the bedroom community lifestyle might have been good for my parents, but for various reasons (regarding lifestyle, sustainability, diversity) it no longer has the appeal to me.
while we were chillin at rick's before going out for mark's bday, jae & kitty mentioned they'd marry a military man for the lifetime of healthcare and commissary benefits. i guess if i could make a comparable yet ridiculous statement, i'd marry a guy who had real estate in noe valley. =P
only a few people have taken up my offer to hang (and hardly anyone has taken up my offer to go for a run!). i'm seriously free...ALWAYS.
in my restlessness, i can't sleep thinking about tons of things (faith, family, friendships, the future...my mind might possibly burst.)
often, i ponder cities and lifestyle. you might think i'm crazy, but i must confess that it annoys me that i have to drive everywhere. call me a new urbanist, environmentalist, or what-not, but i would really prefer hopping on the bus/train/tram to work, walking home with a bundle of groceries. the bedroom community lifestyle might have been good for my parents, but for various reasons (regarding lifestyle, sustainability, diversity) it no longer has the appeal to me.
while we were chillin at rick's before going out for mark's bday, jae & kitty mentioned they'd marry a military man for the lifetime of healthcare and commissary benefits. i guess if i could make a comparable yet ridiculous statement, i'd marry a guy who had real estate in noe valley. =P
only a few people have taken up my offer to hang (and hardly anyone has taken up my offer to go for a run!). i'm seriously free...ALWAYS.
wine 101
as of yesterday, my dad has declared that i need to really learn how to drink wine. well actually, he's always wanted me to identify and appreciate wine, but the lessons just began yesterday. wine is tops among my dad's many interests which makes it rather sweet that he wants to pass on some of that to me.
on tonight's wine list: a 1976 riesling auslese imported from germany. the grapes for this wine are harvested sooner than ice wine, but later than spätlese riseling (the later the harvest, the sweeter the wine). this dessert wine might be ideal for those who have not quite developed the taste for more dry wines. and that concludes wine 101 for today.
starting to feel the tinge of restlessness of the straight up home life. but i might as well stop to breathe and appreciate the precious quiet moments while i can.
on tonight's wine list: a 1976 riesling auslese imported from germany. the grapes for this wine are harvested sooner than ice wine, but later than spätlese riseling (the later the harvest, the sweeter the wine). this dessert wine might be ideal for those who have not quite developed the taste for more dry wines. and that concludes wine 101 for today.
starting to feel the tinge of restlessness of the straight up home life. but i might as well stop to breathe and appreciate the precious quiet moments while i can.
so...how was your summer?
that's such a difficult question to answer in passing conversation
the simple answers: AMAZING, UNFORGETTABLE, AWESOME (just to use a few adjectives)
more extensive, but still brief response:
i got to spend the summer in one of the best cities in the world at a most interesting time.
to be a bit more specific...
this summer....
- volunteered with such an amazing organisation and community
- england went smoke-free in bars, restaurants, etc.
- tony blair concluded his time as the leader of the u.k.
- gordon brown came in as prime minister with people driving cars into night clubs and airport terminals
- the last book of the harry potter series came out
- saw a wonder of the world (stonehenge)
- england had the rainiest summer on record EVER which mysteriously coincided with "umbrella" being the #1 song on the pop charts
- didn't see fireworks on independence day, but watched andy roddick, venus & serena, maria sharapova, and others play on centre court at wimbledon
- went to a west end play co-starring orlando bloom
- saw works of art by van gogh, picasso, dali, degas, monet, and manet
- partied at the same club that diddy was at
- walked across the abbey rd. zebra crossing (pedestrian crosswalk) of beatles fame
- travelled to three other countries
- finally added seven stamps to my formerly empty passport
so yah, i had a pretty decent summer. and yes, of course i miss london. sometimes i find myself looking the other direction when i cross the street (not very safe...haha) or searching for the @ symbol where the " is (because they are switched on u.k. keyboards) or pondering how there are blue skies everyday.
different things in the media especially remind me a lot of london. i'm realising now there are a lot of references to it. the day after i arrived at lax, i went to watch "the bourne ultimatum" with my parents and aunt, and there was a huge sequence that was at waterloo station and another part in madrid. then while getting caught up on entourage episodes all this week, loads of english references: vince bets on the premier football club manchester united, e's favourite city is london, and finally on the latest episode kanye's marquis jet is originally london-bound.
it's good to be home too. and to laugh among familiar faces over gallon pitchers at the bears lair and say "tastes like college." =D
this concludes the london edition. as you can see from the title this is now "camilleeon chronicles - the unemployed & half-marathon training edition." haha...that's what i'm up to for the next two months, so hit me up to go for a run...or just chill. <3
the simple answers: AMAZING, UNFORGETTABLE, AWESOME (just to use a few adjectives)
more extensive, but still brief response:
i got to spend the summer in one of the best cities in the world at a most interesting time.
to be a bit more specific...
this summer....
- volunteered with such an amazing organisation and community
- england went smoke-free in bars, restaurants, etc.
- tony blair concluded his time as the leader of the u.k.
- gordon brown came in as prime minister with people driving cars into night clubs and airport terminals
- the last book of the harry potter series came out
- saw a wonder of the world (stonehenge)
- england had the rainiest summer on record EVER which mysteriously coincided with "umbrella" being the #1 song on the pop charts
- didn't see fireworks on independence day, but watched andy roddick, venus & serena, maria sharapova, and others play on centre court at wimbledon
- went to a west end play co-starring orlando bloom
- saw works of art by van gogh, picasso, dali, degas, monet, and manet
- partied at the same club that diddy was at
- walked across the abbey rd. zebra crossing (pedestrian crosswalk) of beatles fame
- travelled to three other countries
- finally added seven stamps to my formerly empty passport
so yah, i had a pretty decent summer. and yes, of course i miss london. sometimes i find myself looking the other direction when i cross the street (not very safe...haha) or searching for the @ symbol where the " is (because they are switched on u.k. keyboards) or pondering how there are blue skies everyday.
different things in the media especially remind me a lot of london. i'm realising now there are a lot of references to it. the day after i arrived at lax, i went to watch "the bourne ultimatum" with my parents and aunt, and there was a huge sequence that was at waterloo station and another part in madrid. then while getting caught up on entourage episodes all this week, loads of english references: vince bets on the premier football club manchester united, e's favourite city is london, and finally on the latest episode kanye's marquis jet is originally london-bound.
it's good to be home too. and to laugh among familiar faces over gallon pitchers at the bears lair and say "tastes like college." =D
this concludes the london edition. as you can see from the title this is now "camilleeon chronicles - the unemployed & half-marathon training edition." haha...that's what i'm up to for the next two months, so hit me up to go for a run...or just chill. <3
the last night
so this is it...the end of one of the most amazing adventures ever
at the start of my volunteer placement when i was telling joshy how much i was enjoying london, he asked "would you ever live there?"
the main reasons i said no at first was family, costs, and weather. but now considering it again, i think i would say "yah, it would be a an amazing place to be living at this point in my life." i have cousins only an hour plane ride to ireland. and it would be okay if i was making london money. finally the weather...well that's out of my hands.
london, i'll have to come back to you on different terms...but stay classic and cosmopolitan. it's been an unforgettable run. i'll considering you one of my homes away from home, always.
and to add to my abroad adorations...the travels to spain and ireland have made me realize why people love travelling so much. italy & france, i'll have to come back to check you out (when i have the $$ and vacation time).
but for the mean time...starting at 11:55am (BST), it's 11 hours non-stop: heathrow to lax.
californiaaaaaa....here we come!
p.s. if you are in the l.a. vicininity on monday evening, please have dinner with vaughn & me.
one last CHEERS! from the great city of london
at the start of my volunteer placement when i was telling joshy how much i was enjoying london, he asked "would you ever live there?"
the main reasons i said no at first was family, costs, and weather. but now considering it again, i think i would say "yah, it would be a an amazing place to be living at this point in my life." i have cousins only an hour plane ride to ireland. and it would be okay if i was making london money. finally the weather...well that's out of my hands.
london, i'll have to come back to you on different terms...but stay classic and cosmopolitan. it's been an unforgettable run. i'll considering you one of my homes away from home, always.
and to add to my abroad adorations...the travels to spain and ireland have made me realize why people love travelling so much. italy & france, i'll have to come back to check you out (when i have the $$ and vacation time).
but for the mean time...starting at 11:55am (BST), it's 11 hours non-stop: heathrow to lax.
californiaaaaaa....here we come!
p.s. if you are in the l.a. vicininity on monday evening, please have dinner with vaughn & me.
one last CHEERS! from the great city of london
baby, baby, baby tell me what's up...
oh spain, you will be remembered fondly
and ibiza...OHH
but currently chilling out away from any cities, discos, and hectic public transportations systems in the countryside of west ireland
not updated since orlando, but my flickr link is here
and ibiza...OHH
but currently chilling out away from any cities, discos, and hectic public transportations systems in the countryside of west ireland
not updated since orlando, but my flickr link is here
iHola from España!
The past week has been bittersweet, ending our volunteer placements and starting new adventures around Europe on our own.
Barcelona is the complete opposite of London in terms of weather, language, food, and pace.
Seis amigos en españa!
(this is actually us after we just watched orlando bloom in a play in london and watched him drive away...see my flickr pictures!)
Barcelona is the complete opposite of London in terms of weather, language, food, and pace.
Seis amigos en españa!
(this is actually us after we just watched orlando bloom in a play in london and watched him drive away...see my flickr pictures!)for now...
...i am still in london
...i am so glad i watched avenue q tonight, freakin hilarious muppet ish
...bush is still our president =(
...i often think i escaped from certain responsibilities and situations that await me when i return in a month
...a part of me hurts when even half way across the world the philippines is associated with internet "chat buddies" and girls who apparently just want to get a passport
...i love the quote "purpose, it's that little flame that lights a fire under your ass"
...i am off to bath & stonehenge for the weekend
...i am so glad i watched avenue q tonight, freakin hilarious muppet ish
...bush is still our president =(
...i often think i escaped from certain responsibilities and situations that await me when i return in a month
...a part of me hurts when even half way across the world the philippines is associated with internet "chat buddies" and girls who apparently just want to get a passport
...i love the quote "purpose, it's that little flame that lights a fire under your ass"
...i am off to bath & stonehenge for the weekend
how i feel about london...
...and a lot of other things.
do you ever get hyped up to go out somewhere...only to find that once you're there, you're tired of the hustle and just want to fall into the comfort of your own bed?
on a very rare occasion, this feeling brings me to wish i was where i know i am completely myself, situated in a place i call home, and among people who really have come to know what i'm about.
but then i remind myself, isn't this the best part of travelling the world: meeting new people, looking through different lenses, seeing what else is out there, and challenging yourself?
and this allows me to enjoy this unique experience of which i am incredibly grateful for.
it's just been something i've been thinking about recently ever since i read a brilliant blog that roxanne wrote. here's a little excerpt:
(that was thoroughly sentimental for a travel blog...
off to amsterdam for the weekend with vaughn & some of the other volunteers!
leave comments :P)
do you ever get hyped up to go out somewhere...only to find that once you're there, you're tired of the hustle and just want to fall into the comfort of your own bed?
on a very rare occasion, this feeling brings me to wish i was where i know i am completely myself, situated in a place i call home, and among people who really have come to know what i'm about.
but then i remind myself, isn't this the best part of travelling the world: meeting new people, looking through different lenses, seeing what else is out there, and challenging yourself?
and this allows me to enjoy this unique experience of which i am incredibly grateful for.
it's just been something i've been thinking about recently ever since i read a brilliant blog that roxanne wrote. here's a little excerpt:
"Your eyes can miss someone's smile, your sense of smell can miss the fragrance of someone's cologne or perfume, your ears can miss someone's voice calling out our name to get your attention, your sense of touch can miss someone's reassuring hand, and you can miss the taste of someone's playful kiss. Your entire body can miss someone- incorporate all those senses and feelings, and you not only miss the emotions that you've felt because of them, but your body misses their embrace, their heat, their very physical presence. You not only miss the things you did together, but you miss the person, the individual. You remember and miss the way someone made your heart smile, even though they may have made your heart cry. Still, that smile is something that you will always remember, and that person is someone you will always miss when you are apart."so i guess what i'm trying to say is that it's not that i'm homesick, it's that i sincerely with all my heart miss you wonderful people.
(that was thoroughly sentimental for a travel blog...
off to amsterdam for the weekend with vaughn & some of the other volunteers!
leave comments :P)
wimbledon: day 9
i really suck at updating this blog, but needed to share how i spent yesterday in the country we broke free from...
centre court for day 9 of wimbledon 2007!
maria!
serena
well worth queuing up at 6:15am and paying an obscene amount of money but you know...
...when in london!
well worth queuing up at 6:15am and paying an obscene amount of money but you know...FAQs of life
how long are you there?/when did you leave?/when are you coming back?
my flight left OAK at 6:25am PST on the 13th of june, with a stopover in chicago where i met up with vaughn. after a 2 hour delay, we finally arrived at laguardia at around 8:30pm EST. then on june 14th, we left jfk at 8:30pm, arriving at heathrowi am in europe for 9 weeks and have a non-stop flight from heathrow to lax on august the 19th.
what is the time difference?
i am 8 hours ahead of pacific standard time. (so when most of you are getting to work, i will just be getting off of work)
why were you in nyc?
vaughn & i wanted to spend a day, and then we had a reception and volunteer orientation.
what are you doing in london?
i am working at a day center for people who have had mental health issues. it's not a clinic...we don't even necessarily know what medical conditions people have. the clubhouse is divided in 4 "units": admin & training, education & employment, catering, and finally house & garden. it's more about engaging the members in running the house making them feel productive, building their confidence, and transitioning them back into everyday living. when i tell people this, they have responded with, "oh how interesting..." or "wow, you're working with crazy people," but really for my own personal reasons i'm very glad i got this placement. i feel like the mentally ill are often stigmatized as being dangerous. working has been great, you'd be surprised by how friendly, knowledgeable, and sweet everyone is here.
on a random closing note...
today is not my day...silly me, i set off the smoke detector this morning after baking bacon causing the fire brigade to come, and to top it off my phone got jacked...
but it's okay because there are far worst things that could happen in life
so i'll count the pleasures that brought me joy...
wimbledon on bbc1 and maria sharapova (so intense but still gorgeous, makes me want to play more tennis)
st paul's cathedral, millennnium bridge, and the thames at dusk/evening (best views of london thus far)
i'm nearing almost two weeks of my stay here and all i can say is that this experience will definitely be a test to my perseverance, patience, and most of all my independence. everyone reminds me to pray.
i already miss you all! until next time!
my flight left OAK at 6:25am PST on the 13th of june, with a stopover in chicago where i met up with vaughn. after a 2 hour delay, we finally arrived at laguardia at around 8:30pm EST. then on june 14th, we left jfk at 8:30pm, arriving at heathrowi am in europe for 9 weeks and have a non-stop flight from heathrow to lax on august the 19th.
what is the time difference?
i am 8 hours ahead of pacific standard time. (so when most of you are getting to work, i will just be getting off of work)
why were you in nyc?
vaughn & i wanted to spend a day, and then we had a reception and volunteer orientation.
what are you doing in london?
i am working at a day center for people who have had mental health issues. it's not a clinic...we don't even necessarily know what medical conditions people have. the clubhouse is divided in 4 "units": admin & training, education & employment, catering, and finally house & garden. it's more about engaging the members in running the house making them feel productive, building their confidence, and transitioning them back into everyday living. when i tell people this, they have responded with, "oh how interesting..." or "wow, you're working with crazy people," but really for my own personal reasons i'm very glad i got this placement. i feel like the mentally ill are often stigmatized as being dangerous. working has been great, you'd be surprised by how friendly, knowledgeable, and sweet everyone is here.
on a random closing note...
today is not my day...silly me, i set off the smoke detector this morning after baking bacon causing the fire brigade to come, and to top it off my phone got jacked...
but it's okay because there are far worst things that could happen in life
so i'll count the pleasures that brought me joy...
wimbledon on bbc1 and maria sharapova (so intense but still gorgeous, makes me want to play more tennis)
st paul's cathedral, millennnium bridge, and the thames at dusk/evening (best views of london thus far)
i'm nearing almost two weeks of my stay here and all i can say is that this experience will definitely be a test to my perseverance, patience, and most of all my independence. everyone reminds me to pray.
i already miss you all! until next time!
oh my god i can't believe it...
...i've never been this far away from home
welcome to the camilleeon chronicles - london edition!
yes it's true...after all the talk about coming over here, i am now living on the other side of the world. and finally you can get all the ups, down, ins, outs of my life in london on this blog.
this is just a starter entry to let you know what's up.
and if you get bored with this, check out some pics.
welcome to the camilleeon chronicles - london edition!
yes it's true...after all the talk about coming over here, i am now living on the other side of the world. and finally you can get all the ups, down, ins, outs of my life in london on this blog.
this is just a starter entry to let you know what's up.
and if you get bored with this, check out some pics.
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