A Blast from the Past... Part 2: The Traveler

The perks of joining school competitions...
Exam exemptions, free periods, bonus grades,
cash prizes, medals, trophies, recognition,
pride and glory...
But above all these...

Is the opportunity to meet different people,
and visit new places.
Schools, towns, government offices, studios,
and even foreign countries.

Chiang Kai Shek College,
St. Stephen's High School,
Hope Christian High School,
Philippine Cultural High School,
Grace Christian High School,
Paco Catholic School,
De La Salle Greenhills,
Quezon City Science High School,
South Ridge School,
Adamson University,
Ateneo de Manila University,
University of the Philippines,
University of Santo Tomas

were just among the schools which I
remembered going to, when I was still in school.

It's just too bad that I didn't own
a camera back then...

I also had a few overseas trips, 2 to be exact...

The most special trip...
was the trip to Seoul, South Korea.
Where I had experienced a lot of first's.

My 1st airplane ride...

My 1st time on foreign soil...

My 1st time to see and feel real snow...

My 1st time to stay on a hotel...

My 1st International Competition, Taiwan being the 2nd...


My 1st time in an amusement park...

And I still have the Lotte World guide book with me...

My 1st bus ride...
My 1st boat ride...
My 1st kimchi...
My 1st Reebok napsack...
My 1st Log Jam type ride...

My 1st PC Software (Sinbad in the Lost Land)...

It was a indeed short stay but it sure created some good memories...
Someday, I might visit Korea again... :)

P.S.
While scanning my old photos...
I found a rather funny one...

The irony of all... :P

Mr. Wally...

Sa unang tingin palang,
hindi ko talaga gusto ang dating niya...
Masyado siyang maingay,
Sa may check-in counter palang napansin ko na siya...

Lalo pa nung nasa may passport control na,
Hindi ko talaga gusto ang ayos niya...
Typical "asshole" personality,
Pero lahat yun just out of intuition...

Hindi ko inakala na magiging katabi ko siya of all people,
siya pa yung talagang nakakuha ng attention ko...
Until after lunch... nag-start na siya ng conversation,
I was watching "Legend of Zorro"...

And he's really quite annoying that time,
Since hindi ko pa napapanood yung palabas...
Pero dahil hindi naman ako suplado,
kinausap ko na din siya...

5 months siyang nag-stay sa Japan,
2nd time na daw niyang makapunta doon...

Nagpunta siya dun originally para bumisita
sa kapatid niya, 1 month ang original visa niya,
Pero nag-trabaho siya bilang sort of caregiver
sa isang home for the aged sa Japan.
Nakapag-extend siya twice, kaya umabot
ng 5 months yung stay niya.

Sa Ikebukuro sa nanunuluyan dun,
dun sa bahay ng kapatid niya who is
already married to a Japanese guy...

Sabi niya, akala daw niya mag-asawa kami
ni Ninya... ha ha ha... tawa kami ng malakas
ni Ninya... Sa loob-loob ko, "gago to ah"...
It was really funny though...

Masyahin siyang tao, that's for sure...
36 years old, may asawa't anak na,
26 years old ata ang kanyang kabiyak,
grade 2 ata yung kanyang anak...

Nauna lang ng 1 month umuwi yung
asawa niya sa kanya...

Maraming pa siyang ikinuwento sa amin,
Taga-Valenzuela daw siya, he he... si Ninya din.

Bumili daw siya ng laptop na 2nd hand for
20+ k yen, Dell daw, hindi daw siya talaga
marunong sa mga computers, kaya hindi
niya sigurado kung maganda yung nabili
niyang model...

Little does he know, na mga computer people
ang katabi niya... at hindi ko na pinaalam pa,
para hindi na humaba ang usapan... he he...
Natatakot kasi siya na baka hindi niya
magawang english yung language nung laptop...

At this point, may nabanggit siya na reminds
me of Bayani Agbayani... he he...
Mahilig daw siya pumunta sa mga "forn" sites...
Yung mga "bold" daw... take note of the "F"

Malakas din uminom itong nilalang na ito,
Naka 3 or 4 cans din siya ng Colt 45,
hindi daw kasi siya umiinom ng tubig, beer lang.
tapos natapunan pa ako habang nagkukuwento
siya... though hindi naman sinasadya...

Taxi driver siya sa pinas,
nilalabas niya yung taxi ng nanay niya,
so mas mababa daw yung boundary niya
than the usual 1k php.

Pinagmalaki din niya yung pagiging,
I should say "huwarang" driver niya,
hindi siya nangongotrata, nagbibigay ng sukli,
at nagbabawas pa ng singil kung sakaling
maligaw man sila... very rare in these times indeed.

Yan lang po ang mga naalala ko tungkol kay Wally...
Sa Seat No. 81H ng flight PR 431...