Speak Dream

In light of our family’s firsthand experience with Typhoon Ondoy, I find myself looking back at the past month and thinking of all the things I am thankful for, and things I learned from the whole experience.

Learnings and Realizations:

1. Much of what we consider important are not really essential for a happy life. We tend to accumulate so many things in our journey through life, but these often end up as clutter – as waste.
2. Before spending your hard-earned money on anything, think “Do I really need this now?”, “Will I really use this?” and “Is it really worth it?”
3. It’s really by the grace of God, that it’s during times of tragedy and trials that we are able to catch a glimpse of our own hidden potential. We often underestimate our own abilities and capabilities, but it’s when everything is darkest, that we can take the opportunity to shine more brightly. Read the rest of this entry »

As a break from my recent more serious posts, I thought I’d share something lighthearted for a change. Here are some things I want to do soon (hopefully… the sooner the better):

1. I want to discover my signature scent. I’m not a big fan of perfumes, but I would like to have one special scent – light, wearable for everyday, that I can really call my own. One that I can say perfectly complements my personality and body chemistry.
2. Wear a 2-piece swimsuit with confidence! As embarrassing as it may seem, I’ve never worn a 2-piece in my entire life. I’d like to do this while I’m still *ahem* young. But more than that, I really want to be more confident in the skin/body that I have.
3. Learn to pose and be comfortable in front of a camera. I would like to be more at ease and to find out what my best angles are. This is partially in preparation for my wedding day, so my fiancé and I can have a beautiful wedding photos for our album. It’s also a good reason for me to explore a different side of myself, as I’m usually very low-key. Read the rest of this entry »

This is the continuation of my Typhoon Ondoy Story…. click on this link to read part 1 of this story:  We Survived the Flood! (My Typhoon Ondoy Story Part 1)

Sep 26 (Saturday). Sometime early afternoon.

By this time the water inside our house was already above our ankles. We locked up our rooms so if things inside would get displaced they would at least stay inside our rooms. The screen door of the house was very heavy when we opened it to get out, as there was water inside and outside. It felt surreal as my mom locked up and we all walked towards our gates. My mom was able to grab our dog, who had fallen off the tabletop and was wading around in our garden. We were able to attach a collar and leash on him. When we left our house the water outside was already mid-calf high, and the current outside was strong.

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I haven’t been able to add a new post in two weeks. The past couple of weeks have passed like a blur. Our house got flooded last September 26 due to Typhoon Ondoy. The extent of the devastation caused by this typhoon, and the one after it (Pepeng), is such that almost everyone I’ve spoken with since then has either been directly affected, or knows somebody (friend or relative) who was affected too. Much has been written about the typhoons and their devastating effects in the news and on the internet. I thought I would share my family’s Typhoon Ondoy story here as well.

The Flood

Sep 26 (Saturday). 
09:30AM  

My family (mom, sister, and myself) were at home. The day had started quite rainy, but the rain just kept   pouring down non-stop. We were glad we were all together at home and thinking how nice it would be to take a long nap with the cool weather. Unknown to us, it had already started to flood in our subdivision. It was already so bad that it was impossible for cars to get in and out of our village.

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