The last full week I reported to work was the week of 25 Feb to 1 Mar. Since then, I incurred sick leaves, leave without pay and annual leave altogether — missing work for a total of 51 working days already as of today (of which 21 days are my annual leave entitlement). I was still advised to take the full week next week off from work too, so it would be incurring a total of 58 working days by Friday next week. Truth be…Continue Reading “51 Days”

Note: I am writing this entry not in a professional capacity and am writing from personal experience. This post is not to be affiliated with CDU Global nor Macquarie International and is not to be regarded as a guideline for securing a positive visa outcome nor migration outcome in Australia for the future. I want to study in Australia, but where do I begin? As a former international student and now working in the international office of a university, I receive this question several times….Continue Reading “How to Study in Australia”

When NT’s Mental Health Crisis Team did a house visit last month after my 2nd strong suicidal ideation, they asked what my propensity to hurt myself was at that time. I told them it was 60% — I’m ready to hurt myself by all means and die. The other 40% was not, and only for 1 reason – my husband, Karlo. There are countless articles on what type of person you should look for and marry, and from vague memory, I remember writing one for…Continue Reading “My 40%”

Right or wrong. Summer or winter. Day or night. Maybes. Spring and autumn. Sunrise and sunsets. I live in an ideal world of extreme opposites, of definite contrasts. That good things happen to good people and bad things to bad ones. But the intricacy of life was designed to marvel with grey areas To challenge our minds with unknown variables To stir our hearts through uncertainties and change. We only have a beginning and ending that’s absolute. But everything in between is a spectrum of…Continue Reading “Polarity”

It was 12 February 2017. On a hot and humid Sunday afternoon, the Virgin Australia flight from Sydney landed in Darwin International Airport, carrying with it a newly married couple who were both physically exhausted after travelling interstate for 3 weeks in the USA and after taking a 15-hour long direct flight from Los Angeles to Sydney. All they wanted at that point was to sleep on a bed anywhere in Darwin. To be honest, arriving in Darwin wasn’t just the culmination of a 3-week…Continue Reading “Our Boundless Possible Story”

It’s Day 35 of my 100-day #iquitsugar challenge. To give you a preview on how my diet looked like prior to starting this project, here’s how a typical day would look like: 1 bowl of oats in the morning Chocolates / pastries to match my coffee for morning tea Lunch (ulam with rice) 1 bar of KitKat 4 Finger Milk Chocolate for dessert Chocolates / pastries to match my coffee for afternoon tea Dinner (ulam with rice) A bowl of ice cream sprinkled with M&M’s…Continue Reading “I Quit Sugar”

And just like that, old wounds were scratched open again. O death, why do you have to sting this bad? It hurts probably because I seek permanence in an impermanent world. It hurts probably because I’m holding on to things which should be let go eventually. But everyday, I’ll choose to see beauty in this tragedy To leave no words unspoken To treat no gift unappreciated To cherish each fleeting moment with people Moments I’ll know that would just be memories in the end It…Continue Reading “Old Wounds”

“You’ll be damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.” — Eleanor Roosevelt Date: 5 Jan 2018 Time: 8:15pm Place: Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Ayala Malls Feliz Choosing to do something is a risk. Choosing not to do anything is a risk. I consider myself the type who’s afraid to do bungee jumping, cliff diving, sky diving, let alone subject myself to a water slide which leads you plunging right into the pool or the big blue sea. I also consider my palate…Continue Reading “Taking Risks”

“Nature does not rush and yet everything is accomplished.” Date: 2 Jan 2018 Time: 11:40am Place: Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Ayala Malls The 30th I’m meeting a friend today and decided to arrive at our meet-up place 3 hours earlier than our agreed meeting time to allow enough time for me to eat my breakfast in peace, to write, to reflect and probably to go around the place a bit. This is the 2nd new mall that I’ve set foot on since I arrived…Continue Reading “Buildings vs Frogs”

Don’t live the same year 75 times and call it a life. – Author Unknown Date: 1 Jan 2018 Time: 4:25pm Place: Starbucks Coffee, SM BF Paranaque I resolved to strictly follow my nightly facial regimen, but at 1:30am, I ended up dozing off in my brother’s house without washing my face. I resolved to reduce my spending on shopping, but I happily strolled through the aisles of Uniqlo and left the shop with a paper bag filled with 4 newly bought items. I resolved…Continue Reading “New Year’s Resolutions”