Two More Weeks

Two weeks remaining before I am off again to the other side of the world. As much as I'm sad to leave the Philippines every now and then, I've realized that having this kind of life is a blessing as well. I've been dreading it so much for the past year that I haven't been looking at the good things that this experience has given me for the past 3 years.

So as a shift of outlook (to a more positive one), I will list the things that I like most about going on these business trips.

1. I get to travel.

I love traveling and seeing new things. I like seeing different places, learning what's unique about them, walking around and exploring. And so far, it's been an awesome experience. I've been to British Columbia, Seattle, Oregon, Arizona, Las Vegas, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Cornwall, Buffalo (well, just by the border).

If it were not for this job, I wouldn't have even been able to get to these places. Now, it's something I look forward to doing every time I go back to Canada - plan a new place to visit and explore. I'm thinking about Quebec this time. The old European charm is something I've been wanting to see.

2. I get to earn extra money.

The allowance I get from the trip is kaching kaching in itself. I consider this my extra stash of cash, which I either stash away, or spend! Hopefully my waldas days are over, but it would still be nice to splurge every now and then. After all, these are all hard earned money.

3. I get to be on my own.

No amount of money can pay for experience of being in another country, away from your family. Ok, maybe not really away, I still have my grandparents, aunts around there. But coming from a home where we're pretty much sheltered, this experience is definitely a welcome sight of relief.

I remember my best friend telling me when I got back, that ever since that first trip I took last 2008, I was never the same. Perhaps, I grew up. My views changed, my objectives and goals changed. Maybe I did really change, and that's hopefully for the better.

4. I get to meet new people from different cultures.

This is related to #3. Canada being a diverse country has given me the opportunity to meet a ton of different people from all over the world. I got to talk to Russians, Filipinos, Canadians, Chinese, East Indians, you name it.

The nice thing about being exposed to different cultures is that you learn what they are, how they are, and you'll realize that the world is way bigger than it looks. That these you may actually find a good friend amongst these mixture of different cultures, descents and nationalities. Some times, it takes a big deal of adapting to the environment, but it also builds character, don't you think?

But I have to admit, at times, I'd just like to stick with my Filipino friends. I find that I get tired speaking English all the time. Some times I just want a break. haha

As a conclusion...

Of course, there's also a fair bit of sacrifice that this type of life entails (which I wouldn't want to dwell on anymore - everyone knows what happened). But somehow, I really do believe that God and his magical ways made sure that I go down this path and that he's preparing me for something even bigger. This might just be a training in preparation for something more exciting. Who knows right? But in the mean time, I will start learning to appreciate these blessings more and more. Embrace it to the fullest, and learn to be happy and contented once again.