As much as it is quiet and very tranquil to live in Japan, I can't help but to miss the noise in the Philippines. It's a good thing that there are a lot of festivals in Japan where the place is always jam-packed and lively. It's also a chance where people can wear a Yukata and mingle with different people. Many tourists come to a variety of summer festivals here to discover more of our culture and religion. 

 Tanabata Matsuri is a well-celebrated traditional summer festival. This is commemorated by writing a wish on a piece of paper and hanging it on a stalk of a bamboo. Most of the people who participate in writing are kids, but at times, some adults join too. Moreover, this festival is actually based on a legend of two lovers, named Princess Orihime and Hikoboshi. They say that the only time where these lovers can meet is during the festival itself. I never knew that this festival is somewhat romantic! 

   And of course, I can't go home without trying the local scrumptious food here in Ehimeken. The only thing that almost made me pull away from the foods is the price lol. It's soooo freaking expensive. Can you believe that a squid in a stick costs around 400 pesos!? Grabe lang ha, but your girl needs to eat haha. Thus, I had no choice but to splurge on foods. #FoodieProblems

Take care,

Mata ne!

 I'm a simple optimistic person. That's honestly one of the reasons on why I feel happy for 90% of the time. Of course, I cannot deny that there are times when I feel blue, but I believe that happiness is something that you choose. Nobody's in full control of your happiness but you. If you're a pessimistic person, try to change your perspective into a positive one. In this way, you can achieve self-love and self-appreciation because you let go of things that make you feel down.

As I am officially 18 years old today, I'd like to share 9 things that make me happy. 

#1 When I receive unexpected compliments from people

 The reason why I love compliments is because I love spreading positiveness and kindness to the people around me. I know how it feels to compliment others for I always make it to a point to compliment people every day. But one thing I didn't notice is that, I also love receiving praises. I realized this when I blushed, the moment I got a compliment. For most of the people I know, their feedbacks have always been sour. It feels like they're almost uncomfortable hearing it, maybe it's because they're not used to it. This may vary from cultural background as well. Nevertheless, I find compliments to be very lovely. 

#2 Finishing my work on time

 As much as I hate to admit it, I'm a procrastinator. (Not very often tho) It's my guilty pleasure that I want to get rid of. But what's a better feeling for me, is completing my tasks before the deadline or being just on time. I hate feeling pressured especially when I cram; I also despise not being able to produce a work of quality. Thus, I learned that one of my happiness is working smart! I'll try to do this frequently. I promise!

#3 Being able to bike downhill

 I love going down the hill in the fastest way I can. I feel the sense of adrenaline rush that always make me want to go even faster. 

#4 Good hair days

 I always try to take a good care of my hair, but sometimes it just doesn't want to cooperate with me :( That's why on the days that I have a flawlessly beautiful hair, my confidence level immediately boosts up just like when Mario walks over super mushroom! 

#5 Getting cozy on cold winter days

 📌 Sipping a fresh smooth textured coffee

📌 Changing old bedsheets into a new one

#6 Getting a good amount of Z's 

#7 Rewarding myself after working hard

#8 Meeting a long distance family and friends

#9 Helping less fortunate people

9 Things That I Learned Through My Life

* Credits to the owners of the pictures. The quotes are written by yours truly. 

 I recently had a photoshoot with Yumi (aka my twin) Hope you'll enjoy these photos cause I rarely let people take pictures of me. I'm really shy lol not pa-star. :P 

Kamuka ko si Song Hye Kyo dito haha minsan lang 

Take care,

Mata ne!

1. Always surround yourself with people who make you happy and feel appreciated

 One of the reasons on why you're feeling homesick is because you're lonely deep down your heart. We're humans afterall, no matter how introverted you are, we still search for companions. These companions can be your best friend, classmate, family or even your romantic partner. 

 In my case, I didn't know that I was feeling empty and lost inside merely because I was homesick. My mind was constantly bugging me to go out of my comfort zone and find new friends ASAP. Thus, I took this chance to make friends as I am feeling motivated. If you feel this way too, I'd like to suggest for you to make an effort to approach people and befriend them. 

2. Don't be afraid to talk to strangers and get close with them

 As I grow up, my mother used to tell me that I should (as much as possible) stay away from strangers because from her perspective, they are dangerous. As a kid with full of curiosity I popped a question, asking her why. You know how Filipino moms are, they'll answer you in an ambiguous way. My mom basically told said that I'll figure it out once I get older. Now that I'm in my adolescent period, I finally found the reason why. It's all because she wants to make sure that we're safe. I just hoped that she said that advice in a specific manner with further explanations so as I'll be able to understand her side. 

 In my humble opinion, it is all right to talk with strangers but before doing so, you must first do a bit of checking. One tip is to set your standards. For instance, you might not want to talk with someone who looks pretty suspicious and mysterious at the same time. You've got to think of your safety too. Second tip is to trust your instincts. If you feel like your inner voice is telling you to go and speak to strangers, why not give it a go? Just make sure to be vigilant. :)

3. Keep yourself busy

 Now, keeping yourself busy may be a tiresome thing to do but trust me, sometimes being busy is better than doing nothing. Discover your hobbies as you search through the net! Have fun while doing so ;)

4. Always Connect To People

 To be frank with you, it was so hard for me to connect to people especially when I'm busy. *cough* *cough* (No excuses pls!) It gets to a point where that person will get disappointed of me because I don't get to chat with him/her. So my advice here is to know how to read in between the lines. Figure out on when is the best time to chat the person. Ask how he or she is doing. Doing this simple deed can make that person happy and feel appreciated. Go and show your care to the person you love while you remember him/her! Trust me, once you forget to chat the person that popped in your mind, chances are high that you'll chat him/her much later. Drop a message to that person to simply ask how he/she is doing. This simple deed will make that person happy, for sure. 

5. Spend time to get to know of yourself better

 This may sound odd but you need it if you're feeling homesick. Find peace with yourself and enjoy every second of it. Use this time to grow in mind and in soul. 

 These are my 5 tips on how you can avoid feeling homesick. Always remember that you're not the only one who's going through homesickness! You're not alone in this journey so there's no need to be a pessimist. I hope that these tips were helpful xx.

Take care,

Mata ne! 

  I have been MIA for so long but I'm finally back guys! I have not been updating my blog for 2 months that's because I chose to focus in my studies (yes, I'm currently back to school after my hiatus for 4 months). I just had my strenuous week in school where teachers are in their moods to give out surprise tests. This-happened-for-almost-every-day. That's insane. It's a good thing that I managed to survive despite the fact that I'm unmotivated and lost. Another reason for being MIA is because I started to post more frequently on my YouTube Channel. Thus, I had less time to post here in my blog. It's a good thing that I was able to post at least once a week before my school started this month. I became pretty hyped up so I posted about 11 videos for 3 months. Not bad eh? Applaud for me please hehe 

Putting my MIA reasons aside, ever since I started my 2nd week of school, I suddenly felt lost and unmotivated without really knowing the reason why. There comes those days when we feel crappy. Those days usually come unexpected and every time I experience those emotions, I emotionally break down. 

  One day I went to the gym feeling quite exhausted. Nope, I didn't do anything that is physically tiring before heading there, but I was actually surprised to find out that I was mentally tired. Mind you that I don't usually feel like this. I'm your type of a friend who doesn't experience much troubles or problems in life. So, I concluded that this day must be one of those days where I feel that being mentally tired is worse than being physically tired. I turned the music on my phone and blasted a pop danthology song then I  immediately proceeded to my usual workout routine. When I started doing squats, I suddenly can't carry my normal weights that I lift. My body is already accustomed on lifting heavy weights so I thought that I can do it. It's still fresh in my mind on how I felt frustrated and disappointed of myself upon failing to carry  them. But what can I do? My mind isn't in its best condition. I rested for a while as I hoped for the best. After getting refreshed, I started lifting weights again as I crossed my fingers wishing that my strength will come back. I felt dumbfounded to realize that I CAN lift heavy weights if I say to myself that I can do it. I can only see my progress if I instill in my mind that I am able. 

  It's okay to make progress, albeit being slow. I was reminded not to push myself too much because it can really drain my brain. I hope that this can also serve as a lesson for you. I understand why we always want to be the best versions of ourselves but if you let me speak frankly, I'm afraid that we can't do that every day. Remember that, we're all humans after all. We can easily  get tired of things and that's normal, but please don't lose hope. I'm pretty sure that we just need a fresh air. Also, don't forget to give time for yourself (not just for the people around you).

Mata ne,

Au revoir! 

Skin Aqua Sarafit 50 PA ++++

 

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