Once again, it's time...


After living in Metro Manila for almost five years, the time has come for me to bid the place goodbye. My stay in this big, busy metropolis has come to an end. I've always known it was just temporary, but I just can't help but feel a little sad. After all, this place has been home for the past four and a half years. I've always hated goodbyes and the fact that I'd be saying goodbye to this place is just around the corner doesn't make me too happy.

Sure, I'm excited to go back home where I truly belong, but Metro Manila, after all these years, has slowly become a part of me, a part of who I am now, so that I feel like I'll be leaving a big part of me behind when I leave. I'm happy to finally be able to move on to another chapter in my life; part of me wants to just hold on and stay.

Sure, I will still visit Manila and see my friends from time to time, but it just won't be the same. I'd be a visitor, an alien in the city. I won't be part of the city like I am now. Places will be familiar yet distant. Saying goodbye to a place is as difficult for me as saying goodbye to very close friends or family members. I've always found it so hard.

Such bittersweet feelings and thoughts are what I've had for company these past days. I am, at the moment, packing my things and packing with them all the special memories they hold. I'm a collector of things, you see. I am really excited about what home holds for me and I admit that there are times that I'd feel reluctant because I know that my going home will be one giant step to the future. The future, sometimes, frightens me. But, as they say, one's got to do what one has to do!

Insha-Allah, I will be fine. :)

---

Some (just some) of the things I'll miss most about Manila:

1. My Manila-based and Luzon-based friends
- I will truly miss the times spent with these friends, the laughter, the fun, the singing, the "drama" of it all. Videoke. Coffee. Food trips. Out-of-town trips. Movie marathons. J-dorama marathons (with some of them). Badminton games. Just plain hanging out.

2. UP Diliman (where I've lived for the past four years)
- I will miss the Sanggumay Residence Hall (my first ever dorm!), the International Center. I think I'll even miss the Ipil Residence Hall. I'll miss the walks I always have around the campus (sometimes alone, sometimes with friends), the afternoons spent alone at the Sunken Garden or walking around the Sports Oval, the people from different walks of life crowding around Mang Larry in the afternoon and wondering what Mang Larry's secret recipe was. I'll miss my professors, my classmates (even the weird ones!). I'll miss CAL (my college), the Main Library, AS Walk, the stalls that sell second-hand books. I'll miss the movies at the Film Center. I'll miss the plays and musicals at the Second Floor of the CSSP Building (I forgot the name of that hall) and at the Theater. I'll miss the Annual Nihongo Speech Contest. I'll miss SC and the Coop. I'll miss the ice cream from one of the computer rental stalls at SC, the corn with cheese and butter, the tokneneng, and the fish balls. I'll miss the Oblation, the Carillon and the Hardin ng mga Diwata. I'll miss the Ikot and the Toki jeepneys. I'll miss seeing one of the Library people walking Justice and Lincoln (his dogs) and Tony Mabesa walking Cheemra (his dog). And, God, I will miss the Chocolate Kiss!

3. SSEAYP Activities
- We have lots of activities here in Manila, not much in the provinces. I will miss all my SSEAYP friends who are here in Manila or who are often here in Manila.

4. The English Channel (Fourhalf) Office and People
- I will miss the co-teachers I've become friends with. I will miss Miss Jane (the nicest boss ever!). But, most of all, I will miss my dear, dear Japanese students. All those sessions (that sometimes gave me headaches), I already miss them as early as now!

5. The UAAP Basketball and Football (Soccer) Games
- I just love watching the games. They're like the highlight of my weeks at times. I will truly miss the Araneta Coliseum. I will also miss the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym, where some basketball games are held. I will miss the Ateneo Soccer Field, where the soccer games are held. I will even miss queuing up for tickets as early as 4 am at the Ateneo or at Araneta. I will miss cheering for my teams. It's a totally different experience when you're actually at the game rather than just watching the game live on TV. Once, as Shaye (a very good friend) and I were walking around the Araneta Coliseum grounds I told her: "This is one place I will truly miss when I go home."

6. The Japanese Restaurants
- I looove Japanese food. There are no Japanese restaurants in our place or anywhere near it.

7. The UP Cats
- There are stray cats all over the campus. There are cats in every dormitory (except Sanggumay, that is). There are cats in the colleges and different buildings. There are cats in the stores. They're just everywhere and I love them all!

8. Mommy Minda and Lala
- They're two very special people in my life. They're not just aunts for me. There were times they were the only family I had here. I'll truly miss them both. Oh, and I'll really miss Shan Cai, too. She is Lala's beautiful cat!

---

Some (again, just some) of the things I will not miss:

1. The heavy traffic;
2. Pollution;
3. The noise;
4. The guilt I feel whenever I see beggars and homeless people and ignore them;
5. The feeling that you almost can't trust anyone in the streets, in jeepneys, in buses, in public places;
6. The tired look on almost everyone's faces.


Comments

the caterpillar said…
ahhh... even if it's not yet time for me to move out of metro manila, i know that it's pretty soon.

pretty soon, i'll be writing about the things i'll look back to, i'll have to say goodbye to and the things i'm going to miss.

we'll just have to trust that that certain sadness we'll get to feel is bearable.
balikbayan_box said…
how soon is time? awww i hope no matter where you are i will be able to meet you whenever i come home.

goodbye is such a sad word lets say so long until we meet again

hahaha kahit itranslate ganun ap rin pala ng meaning :p
Anonymous said…
balik ka na sa mindanao?

haaaay, ako, ive been here in manila for 13 years. but i know, i will always settle in davao pa rin. :D

-- noringai
Balbonics said…
Bulwagang Wilfrido Guerrero ata, eh?
Kilala ko si Cheemra!
I miss Chocolate Kiss, too!
BP, you're done with school na?! Congrats!
BabyPink said…
val, insha-Allah, it will be bearable.:)

yez, we'll never know we just might bump into each other back in good ol' mindanao.:)

miss noringai, oo, uwi na ako sa mindanao. baka doon na tayo magkita, 'no?:)

B, tama ka! wilfrido guerrero nga! talaga? kilala mo si cheemra? hindi niya ako kilala kasi isang beses ko lang siya "nakausap" eh. si justice ang friend ko talaga. at, sa school naman, hindi pa ako tapos sa thesis. sa amin ko na isusulat kasi doon naman ang data ko eh.:)
cheryll said…
aw, dangs! can't help but feel sad din upon reading ur entry. Will surely miss you...

but before that, may date pa tayo ha! tsaka syempre ung next year. and don't forget to update ur blog, and email and...hay dami bilin no?

but i envy u (to a certain degree hehe) masarap pa rin talaga umuwi sa kung saan ka lumaki... pag umuuwi nga ako sa davao, di ko ma-explain ung feeling, basta iba :)
Anonymous said…
you're going home! and pursuing your big dream! how i envy you. but i will look forward to your MSUan posts soon. i'll be visiting this coming foundation week. maybe we'd bump onto each other then!
Anonymous said…
babypink, ayha ka molarga moapil sa ka sa isa ka bisayabloggers in manila panagkita, daghan na ra ba ka ug utang sa amoa na mga meet and greet and talk and eat gatherings!!!!
S.T.P.Peralta said…
awwwww.....mura lagi kog nkahilakon sa imo entry....
Patio Princess said…
whaaaaaat???? :(

I will surely miss you.

Take care.

Any despidida parteee?
Anonymous said…
oh! my we have the same feelings...

you may read my past entry...

http://kars.wordpress.com/2006/02/17/would-i-miss-you/
Anonymous said…
when? when? kala ko you'll be here for a while pa!
Jillsabs said…
new adventures await you :)

good luck!
BabyPink said…
mami, obkors! kinahanglan gyud madayon ato date pati overnight kung pwede pa, 'di ba?:) ug ang next year, siemps, ako gyud nang andaman!:)

wit, see you in MSU! cssh gihapon? wa na man daw ang catacomb! tsk, tsk.

sealds, unta makauban na gyud ko!:)

lans, kita tas iit!:)

rhy, i'll miss you, too, dear. i'm not sure pa kung naa'y pa-despidida eh.:)

kars, yes, i've read that at the time you posted it.:)

tones, soon...:)

jill, yeah. new and better ones.:)
koAla Paredes said…
I'm glad your stay in Manila was a fruitful and meaningful one for you :-) It's good to have two homes
BabyPink said…
hello koala! ei, i like that. ang cute! nakakatuwa. koala. hehehe:)

you're actually one of the people i'll always remember manila by. thanks.;)
iceuck said…
forgive my cheapness. :)
i had tears in my eyes when i read this post. i was shocked last night when i learned and realized how soon you're going to leave (which reminds me, i have to return your dvds Ü).
UAAP games won't be the same without you. hanging out at ic won't be the same. eating out won't be the same. i won't be able to walk rounds after you leave (siguro pag kasama na lang si cousin Ü). hmmmmmmm sadness.
dibale. pasyalan ka na lang namin. Ü
[oh the drama of it all]
di na nga pala ako makapag update ng aking blog kasi nagbigay na ng memo ang ict (hahaha) at nalaman na blogger ay isa sa mga most frequent puntahan kaya mejo umiiwas muna kami. hehe Ü
BabyPink said…
hay.:(

kakabwisit naman 'yang ict na 'yan! hmph!:(
Dr. Emer said…
Wow. Great post, Baby Pink. :)

Ang tagal ko din sa UP pero di ko yata alam yung Hardin ng mga Diwata. Yung garden resto sa bandang loob ng SC, alam mo ba yun? They have great oysters there.

I also love Japanese food! Healthy pa.

Yes, the pollution here sucks. Saan ka ba sa Mindanao? Malapit ka ba kay alchemist2?

Kelan ka babalik dito?
BabyPink said…
salamat, doc!

yes, i know that restaurant. that's chateau verde pero hindi kami palagi doon eh. hardin ng mga diwata is the "mini park" at the faculty center.

taga-msu, marawi ako. malayo 'yun kina anicee.:)

hindi ko alam kailan ako makakabalik.:)

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