A Letter to Myself

Hey you!

It's just a few hours away from 2015 drawing to a close and a new year will unfold. This year has been eventful, don't you agree? You went through a lot of drama and faced all the things you shied away before. But I bet you learned a lot and figured who are the people you can count on, no? I am not encouraging you to remember the feelings but I do encourage you to look back on this year's life lessons. They would serve you well.

Keep Faith!

A mistake is a lesson learned in life.

Fret not on repercussions,

Move on and if needs be apologize.

Keep in mind, you'll never know until you try.

Though I am not an authority on this, 

I do have my fair share of miss.

So don't you go and think you're alone on this,

Trust me, you won't ever be the last to feel like sh*t.

Make each moment count and try

Even if its hard, don't you cry!

Chances are, lady luck's made a quick break

And will be back on a little while.

And mind you, don't ever forget to give thanks,

For no matter how dark the night ended,

The sun will shine and give light to a new day!

So dear friend, don't go astray, it may not be today but you'll be okay!

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You went away,

And started anew.

Here I am left on my own,

It was out of the blue.

You didn't tell me why,

I never knew...

How you felt about me,

Were your feelings true? 

I spent sleepless nights thinking of you,

And then I wonder if you were thinking of me too.

I admit, there were times I still cry because of you.

Have you ever spent a night crying for me too?

How to Refund Travel Tax

Travel Tax is a levy imposed by the Philippine government on individuals leaving the country regardless of their destinations. You can read more about it by checking out the Presidential Decree (P.D) 1183 or check out Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) for more details.

Here's who are subjected to it
• Citizens of the Philippines
• Foreigners holding a permanent resident visa Sec. 13 Quota or Preference Immigrant Visa
• Foreign tourists or expatriates who have stayed in the Philippines for more than one (1) year

And here's a table of the tax imposed on travelers set out overseas.

TRAVEL TAX RATES (Philippine Peso)	FIRST CLASS	ECONOMY
Full Travel Tax	2,700.00	1,620.00
Standard Reduced Travel Tax	1,350.00	810.00
Privileged Reduced  Travel Tax for Dependents of an OFW	400.00	300.00

The travel tax is the only thing you have to pay for when you get to the airport as the terminal fee is included in your ticket price. (For more information about the terminal fee integration in the ticket click here).

How to Take the Civil Service Exam

Just recently the Civil Service Commission (of the Philippines) released the schedule for the 2016 Civil Service Examination. In line with this, I figured why not write about my experience in taking the said test? I mean, sharing is caring, right? So, this post is basically about who are qualified to take the test, the application process, what to expect during the test and the result itself.

There are two categories in the Civil Service Eligibility Examination; the Professional and the Sub-Professional. So what's the difference and which one should you take?

The Professional is usually taken by anyone with a four-year college degree while the Sub-Professional can be taken by anyone, even if you are currently attending school. The passing rate (80%) is the same for both categories but the Professional category covers more subject than that of the Sub-Pro.

So, what I did was. . .

Hello! If you notice, my blog still needs a few more tweaks here and there. I’m still not satisfied with my design and I’m still trying to figure out my area of expertise, of which I’ll be writing about.

But honestly, there are a lot of things I really need to understand with regards to keeping a blog. That’s why I’m in awe with bloggers who have a definitive style. Like my cousin-in-law for one, Coi's Hey Mama Coi, she finalized her template design and has settled on mommy stuffs as her writing topic, (well, among other things as she recently added reviews and events). I haven’t settled for a particular area so, I’m keeping my blog description for the time being (by-product of my usual rambling).

Perhaps Tomorrow

It's been a while. A lot has happened since; some were not as good as the others. In fact, what happened of late was utterly devastating and heartbreaking, well for me at least.

I had to deal with a lot of my long-delayed aspirations. As it turned out, none of my plans pushed through. I guess I was too caught up with my desire to achieve them that I was not really able to weigh the odds or listen to what others thought of. I remember a relative told me that sometimes we only hear the voice of our desires and that we tend to forget to listen to what God wants for us. I mean sure, we make our own choices but if it's not for you, it would never push through! I mean, He has well-laid plans for each of us. But did you ever stop to listen to what God had to say? I guess I did hear something but as stubborn as I am, I went ahead with what I wanted.

from giphy.com

And oh boy, was I in for such a disappointment! I ended up crying my eyes out and losing my appetite for like two days! I mean it! Looking back, I was a nasty little b*tch to live with, but my family did not complain or if they did they made sure that I did not hear any of it. I've been known to over think things and get dejected easily. So, I was very grateful when my family refrained from talking about the incident. My friends, at least the ones who know, were also great support system. They've been quite aware of how badly I aspired for that chance. They came for me and listened, as in really listened (which is so unlike them, since we share a rather wry sense of humor). They dropped by or messaged me as often as their busy schedule allowed. (Thanks girls!)

I'm actually speaking in riddles, haven't really mentioned what really happened! I kindly ask that you bear with me as I still am getting over this incident and cannot divulge much detail, hahaha... I am still very much trying to overcome these difficulties and still in the process of realizing a lot of things, among them is that there is always a time for everything, life may be short but there is no need to rush things. Likewise, I still have a lot of things to be thankful for. And that regardless of what happened today, I can just try again. I may encounter the same difficulties, but surely I will be better prepared and a bit thick-skinned at that. My plans might have fallen through now. But I can always try again. I may not know for how long I'm supposed to endure but for as long as there is tomorrow, there's always a chance.

Nostalgia At It's Finest

I’m going to be in my late 20's in a couple of days, and whenever my birthday looms, I’m wistful. I think back on all my life experiences, the friends I’ve made and eventually lost, the choices I’ve made and all that. Plus, I entertain the never-ending what-ifs and picture how I would have turned out if I chose differently. Am I regretting how I’ve lived my life? Maybe.

For as long as I remember, this has been my “normal”. I see nothing wrong with doing this from time to time and I do stop whenever I start to feel down. I don’t think remembering things past should be sad or painful, not at all! I’d like to think that reminiscing should leave a smile on my face or simply refresh my mind of the life lessons I’ve gained. Those things, regardless of how sad or happy, happened for a reason and shaped whoever I am now. How I turned out may not come at par to other people’s expectation, but really what gives? It’s my life and I should be calling the shots.

Another Heartbreak for this Nation

The past few days have been eventful, if I may say so. There has been a lot of things going on in the country. If you are a fellow Filipino, then I will assume you are updated with what has been happening, particularly all the negativity sprouting in all parts of the nation.

The national government's haphazard response and the various reaction of the citizen has been a hot topic, and I understand that this pretty much is an impasse. I totally understand the upset, obviously, there was a lapse of judgement, both parties need to own up to their faults. But, seriously, people of the Philippines, let's not add fuel to the fire! And cease your bright ideas such as oust the President, what would that solve? Coup d' etat , people power or anything in line to these, are not the answer to everything! Let's not forget what the endgame here is, okay? We are all for the truth, but what have we achieve thus far? Just stop pointing fingers! Blaming each other does not change the fact that there were lives lost, disrupted and an impending agreement hanging on the balance.