S&S Reruns: Drowning in Nostalgia

I had a strange dream about Cameron Highlands last night. I and some friends were supposed to drive up there but stuff happened. I ended driving up with my family instead. But then the place didn't look like the CH that I remembered. Weird.

So now I'm posting this Sketches and Scribbles Rerun. Originally posted in what is now becoming my literary blog.

***

I’m curled up in a sizable sofa, lost underneath layers of blankets and comforters. I could hear buzzes of conversations in the background, as well as the faint sound emitting from a laptop’s speaker. My eyelids start to flutter as fatigue rears its head and the warmth of the sofa invites me to let go of the realm of reality and embrace the domain of dreams.

As I begin to drift into the land of slumber, a wave of nostalgia starts to take over me. Memories of younger Maris curled up in 5/54-Odell-Street and IB64-Betag sofas, wrapped in comfortable blankets, falling asleep in front of ongoing TV shows begin to make their way into my mind. I start to feel the same contrast of the coolness in my cheeks and the warmth on my toes. Then the same warm fuzzy feelings. Then the same comfort, like that which a mug of hot chocolate brings on a cold rainy day. Memories, memories, brought back again by my present realities.
Yep. I’m drowning in nostalgia. Been swimming in it actually, and now I’m drowning in it.

I’ve been been swimming in this sea for the most part of the month of August. Been having nostalgia attacks everywhere I turn. For the most part of the month, every sight, every location, and every experience would remind me of something that I had also seen, been to, and experienced somewhere and sometime in the past.

The cafeteria and hallway of Burhan reminded me of the Thoughts Beyond Culture 2, of that time that me and a whole bunch of my friends participated in that cultural and academic exchange that proved that friendship transcended distance, language, and culture, of that event that sort of started this all.

The escalators and walkways at Mines, Alamanda, and KLCC gave me a remembrance of my last months in the Philippines, of those moments that I’ve shared with a couple of close friends there, and those  hours that I spent bonding with them in the SM Ayala, Glorietta, and Greenbelt area.

And most recently, the cool air at the Cameron Highlands gave me a recollection of my last days home, of my last moments with my family in La Trinidad, Benguet, and of that final outing with my beloved friends and batchmates, of the laugh and cry-fest that we had those 48-plus hours together.

Cafeterias, hallways, escalators, walkways, cool air… and even more…. all these have sent in floods of nostalgia, waves of cherished memories that I have been drowning in.

But a gasp of fresh air and a sudden resurfacing leads me to sweep those memories back into my memory bank, grateful for them, but now aware that tomorrow will bring another day.

As my eyes begin to give way, I fall asleep knowing that I will awaken to a brand new morning. As the conversations and other sounds around me grow fainter, I acknowledge them to be the sounds and voices that I would be hearing for the next few years of my life. And as I sink deeper into the sofa, as I become truly lost underneath the blankets and comforters, I sink deeper into the reality that I am now here making new memories, lost in the fact that soon, falling asleep in big sofas underneath warm blankets would bring me back to this moment in the Villa Dahlia at the Cameron Highlands.

I sink deeper into this reality. New memories await. And if later on, the waves of nostalgia would come rushing back, I’ll have those new memories to drown in.

I’ll have those new memories to drown in.

A snapshot of that memory.

Together Again!

My passport and I - at LOOOONGGGG last - are together again! This calls for a celebration! Fireworks!

It's been three months. Don't ask. Let's just say that weird things happen to my passport. All. The. Time. For example, I lost my original one (I dropped it somewhere-I-don't-know-where) within a few weeks of reaching Malaysia. I think the monkeys at UKM took it.

And so I give you this picture of Girl Bampira (Vampire Girl) and her beloved Pasaporte. Yeah, I look like a vampire, blah-blah-blah.

Didn't get the "blah-blah-blah" thing? Haha! Well, you should probably watch Hotel Transylvania or this trailer so that you know where I'm coming from:

Hmmm. No blah-blah-blah there. This clip should do though:

Enjoy!

79 Days

79 days. 11 weeks. A little less than 3 months. Yes, people, I'm counting down.

Three-point-something years in Malaysia and I still get waves of homesickness hitting me every now and again. Waves of "why does everyone have to be so far away???" and "can I go home right now and never come back?" and "God, remind me why I decided to come to Malaysia in the first place???" ebbing and flowing like the waters in the Pacific shore.

Don't worry about me, those feelings come and go. There are just days when they are more intense than others. Like last night. I think I just slept everything off.

I love Malaysia. I love what I'm doing here. I believe there is a purpose and a reason why I'm here right now, in this very moment in time. Pinili ko ito. Desisiyon ko ito. Paninindigan ko ito. Kayang-kaya ko ito.

Drama.

Well, I'm looking forward to going back home for a short break. I've got a wedding to attend to, you see. Hmmm. More people should schedule more weddings so that I'll have more excuses to go home. I'm game as long as I have money to spare and my passport at care. Yikes. Those were very bad rhymes. I get like that when I'm all sentimental.

Oh well. 79 days to go.

Counting down.

Blast from the Past: Hat Yai

Oh Best Beloved,

I write this now because last week was February 14 and I remember that it was two years ago that I spent the 14th on a train. We went to Hat Yai, Thailand to meet up with some friends that February. If I remember correctly, V-Day was our scheduled train trip home.

The guys surprised us with roses a few hours before we took off. Some recorded video messages for their significant others. I couldn't help wishing you were there, too. Well. I had that lone rose with me to take as a Thai souvenir to KL.

I think we only spent three days in Hat Yai. Some of the others had stayed longer, but since I was taking up my master's degree then, I could only give up three days of my Thesis Time.

It was awesome discovering a new place, nonetheless. We paid the floating market a visit. We ate steamboat at a shabu-shabu house. There was an elephant there, but I wasn't able to take a photo. We went shopping and somebody bought me a nice pair of shoes. Oh, we had an awesome foot massage, too.

Do you want to see some pictures from that trip? Well, here they are, Oh Best Beloved:

The floating market.

The shabu-shabu house where the elephant was.

Happy faces.

Say what?

14-hour-or-so train ride. Thank goodness we got sleepers (train bunks).

I will be going back to Thailand this year. This time, I'll make sure to take photos of the elephants.

Soon,

Mari

Port Dickson: Pre-Valentine's Celeb

Happy Heart's Day, everyone! I'm holed up inside the office today (what's new?) with nothing really lined up for today. I'm looking forward to eating gallons of ice cream tonight, though.

I'm all in good cheer, however, having come from a pre-valentine's celebration: Partner-in-Crime Xious and I decided to go on a road trip to Port Dickson last Tuesday since it was the last day of the long weekend for me and because we wanted a change of scenery. It was either the beach or the laundry room. 

The beach won, obviously.

A good thing, too. So we drove 1.5 hours to our melancholy destination with songs by Brooke Fraser and Colbie Caillat playing in the background. Good vibes, good vibes, good vibes.

We loved Port Dickson. I don't think PD beaches are really that "swimmable". But the salty breeze, the waterfront view, and the sunshine was enough to put me and Xious in a happy mood.

With that, I shall let these pictures paint six thousand more words about our getaway:

Mari's driving shades finally meets the beach.

I <3 U? Who?

Flip-flops day!

Peek-a-boo.

Waiting for lunch.

 

Chillin'

We went back home at around 6pm in the evening. Too bad we didn't catch the sunset. But we had fun listening to Gabe Bondoc and James Morrison on our way back.

Sigh. Love, love, love, love - precious love. 

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! So, how are you all celebrating this mushy day?

Putrajaya: Taman Warisan

We went out to have a picnic at Taman Warisan, Putrajaya this Sunday. We didn't know that there was a food court so we brought along lots and lots of food and had a potluck.

Taman Warisan is a pretty place. I read that they host activities and hold events (see Putrajaya Website) but it was event-less the day we went there. So we just ate, hang out, took pictures and walked up to the lookout. And then we took some more pictures. 

Here are some of them for your viewing pleasure.

Up we go.

Mini Roundabout.

Filters.

View from the deck.

When exiting from the food court.

Putrajaya has a lot more Tamans (gardens). I guess we'll be exploring more of them soon.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Letters From Long Ago Part 2: Smile

Here's part two of the letter excerpt I shared last Tuesday. Wow. I was so encouraging. I hope I'm still this encouraging up to now. :)

The real deal.

"..I wrote Tita Coco a letter bout that this morning. There's this thought that I shared to her that I want to share to y'all as well. :)

"I love the part when I get to [B]urhan because there are a couple of trees there with these flowers - di naman bonggang bongga yung flowers. That's what I love most about it. They're simple and delicate, but you'll notice them because all the other trees in that area are flowerless. But amidst all those flowerless trees - well, ayun, bigla mo nalang makikita yung pretty na flowers na yon. And they do make my day.

"Kasi I'm reminded that really, some of the things that make me smile are the simple things.

"Like sunsets and long walks. Like simple and delicate flowers. Like sincere and genuine smiles. :)

"What makes you smile? Never ever take those things for granted. :) Whether it's a good friend you can laugh with and cry with, whether it's a spiritual son or daughter whose journey in the Lord would always serve as an inspiration to you, whether it's a spiritual dad or mum who'll love you till the end... or whether it's that ice cream cone, that cup of coffee..that simple flower, that setting sun... or that simple kiss and embrace from Daddy God."

I guess I also need this letter to remind myself now to keep on smiling no matter what. 

So let's all keep smiling, shall we?

Letters From Long Ago Part 1: Melancholy Walks

I went through some letters I sent to my friends way back in 2009. I loved writing letters. I stopped doing it somewhere along the way. Everyone became too busy, I guess. I became too busy.

Well, here's an excerpt from one letter, dated October 16, 2009. I wrote very long letters. Thus, I shall divide the excerpt in two parts. LOL. Here you go:

A "piece" of the actual letter.

"...I went on a walkathon around UKM yesterday (and the day before that). Walked from Za'ba to the engineering, to the Fakulti of Linguistiks, to Burhan, to Pusanika, to the library, to the Fakulti of Sains and Teknologi (past the monyets, yeah!), to a couple of Kolejes, back to Burhan, and then back to the usual route to Za'ba. The walk takes about an hour or so, but I love it because I get to think about a lot of things, and I get to release a lot of things din sa walk(s) na yon. Yeah, [M]ari is so melan. Hehe. But there really is something about sunsets and big red taxis speeding away that makes you get so lost in thought, right?

"Wala lang. :) I just got to think bout life, what makes life beautiful, what makes life dangerously hilarious (the monyets are to blame for that thought, Hahaha), what makes life worthwhile... A lot of melancholic things. Haha. Sige na nga, baka mahawaan ko pa kayo ng aking pagkamelan. :P"

Gosh. This makes me miss writing those long letters. Stay tuned for part two on Thursday.

Word of the Week: Follow

Follow (verb): Manglish (Malay-English) term which means "go with". Ikut in Bahasa Melayu, sabay in Filipino.

Example: Six of us will go to the restaurant. You follow my car.

Translation: Six of us will go to the restaurant and we'll need two cars to get us there. You can hop inside my car. I'll drive.
In Filipino: Sabay ka na sakin.