Game changer

Wow! Last entry was last January. I am surprised. And I haven't caught up with this blog. But so many things happened this year. Just when I made myself so busy this year, I was not able to update this. Last entry was about me deciding to try law school and take entrance examination at UP. Guess what!? I didn't push through! But guess what!? More beautiful things happened this year. After all, I think I have kept my promise to do just whatever I want to try this year. Since I have time tonight, and the mood in my room is just making me bored and reflect, might as well tell you the journey that I am currently in.

But before I show you where I am, let me tell you what I've been doing for the past year. (Wow, not writing for a long time makes me actually reflect for the past year, and be grateful for what were given to me.)

Work update!

I'm still working at the intellectual property law firm. I had my first year anniversary last August 1, so now, I'm with the firm for 1 year, 5 months. Wow! That's the longest job I've ever been in. Well, this is my second job. My first job was with the research company I joined last 2014. I spent 1 year, 1 month there and had part-time job for another year. But here's what's special: I still kind of working part-time with the firm right now--academic leave, I may say. I'll get to that later.

Florida/Los Angeles trip!

So, if you didn't know, I am also a licensed advisor at Philamlife, but not really active. My mom is the agency manager so she keeps things going for me. And luckily, I became an MDRT for the year 2016! And so, I was able to join other MDRTs for our Florida, USA trip last June! We spent the entire week at Hilton Hotel (I'm not sure now of the exact name of the hotel) with co-MDRTs and had a full week of attending amazing career and sales talks. And since it's my first time in the States, and we have relatives over there, I decided to extend my stay and went to Los Angeles to visit my aunt. Stayed there again for another week. I am just grateful for the generosity and hospitality of my aunt, her husband, my cousin and cousin-in-law for accommodating me and for basically treating me the entire week!

During my stay in Florida, I haven't really explored the place. We just keep on going to the conference area and to the hotel, back and forth. We dropped by the Disney area but just had some pictures taken. But when I arrived at Los Angeles, that was where my vacation started. My aunt toured me around Los Angeles, went to Universal Studios, LACMA, Sta. Monica (?), downtown LA, Hollywood (with mom's friends back in her nursing days) and other places I now forgot (which I might list down in my future posts). We also went to San Diego where my other cousin and his husband lives and went to the Water World. (Pardon me, I am not sure of the places' name now.) I also met my college friends Pat and Rox, and they toured me through the beaches of LA, even having dinner at the shore.

It was a good 2 weeks, and definitely a highlight of the year. But really... the highlight of my year is this...

Shanghai!

So, as I have written in my previous post, I wanted to try law school this year. But then I backed out because of this Master's Degree offered by China. And so, I applied. And luckily again, I got accepted! But to tell you the truth, that application process was painstaking and it actually cost me a lot. But it's ok, I got the scholarship! And it is a generous scholarship! I applied in January, got a response for further submission of requirements around May (before this, I have already accepted that I was not accepted to the program) and then June and July, I processed so many requirements for this. August, I was processing my visa and readying for my "leave" from the firm. September 11 night, I left Manila and arrived here in Shanghai! What a great blessing! I never realized in my life that I would be spending a 1-year master's degree in another country, ever!

A view from our campus Tongji during winter

This year is really a game changer. After starting this master's degree and after meeting a lot of new IP practitioners, it suddenly became much clearer, what my future goals are. I hope this would make me happy.

Wow! It really is such a year, and I am so glad that I get to write again tonight. My resolution is to write more often. My next post would probably be more emotional (ha? haha) because I need to reflect on some things...

See you later.

2017 and beyond

Wow! It's been a long time since I wrote something on this blog. It's because I'm either tired of writing, or sometimes, I couldn't really organize my thoughts even if I wanted to say something. But, months have passed, and really, many eventful things happened to me.

I started my work at the law firm last August. Turning 6 months in a couple of weeks; regular na'ko! And in between those first few months, I was supposed to be a part of a production in my college theater org. But then after nights of thinking through it, and nights of being late in rehearsals, I figured it's for the best not to continue. And so, I quit. Quitting that production made my last production to be 10 months ago. Napakatagal na. Medyo hindi ako sanay noong una. But then here I am, no plays booked in my schedule. (Kinda hoping to be a part of a March production hihi)

Holidays was a tad bit less fun than usual. My parents were supposed to go to Manila and the whole family was supposed to spend Christmas together. But then, the morning (Dec 24th) my parents were scheduled to come here, my mother had vertigo. They had to cancel their Christmas trip, and I spent my entire holidays with my sister, her husband and my nephew. I thought it was OK. But my sister and brother-in-law had their moment again--kinda fought. So it was really off for me without spending holidays with my mom and dad. Imagine, we went to my brother-in-law's family for Noche Buena. Dear god, I hate that part. :( Kinda felt sad because I really missed my parents that time--the fact that they were alone in the province. Ugh, 2016 holidays is one of my least favorites...

But what really excites in writing this entry is my very exciting goals for the year. This 2017, I've decided to finally try and enter law school. It's been running on my mind for the past months.. years actually, when I was still a patent analyst in my previous job. Back then, I already heard stories of engineering students (ECE, specifically), taking up law because it really suits their career path. And I realized, it really suits mine. So it is no surprise that it has led to this. Taking this paralegal job at an IP law firm really triggered my sudden intent to take LAE (or UP's aptitude exam).

I'm really excited about this. Yesterday, I took a mock exam at UP. The exam was at 11am. But you know, at 10am, I was really hesitating. I kept on thinking if I would indeed take the actual LAE on February. I started having thoughts, imagining thoughts.. what would happen if I fail? what would happen if I got in? would I continue? if I fail, what am I gonna do? be stuck at the law firm as paralegal? what about my theater dreams? So many questions.

But then, my roommate pushed me to take the mock exam. She said I would learn a lot from that exam, learn the questions that would be asked. So I did. And you know what, after taking the exam, and after a girl shared her experiences at law school and tips for LAE, I was really inspired. Even though I am not 100% sure of really taking law, I think it's not bad to give it a shot. And I think I can do well if there is just enough preparation.

So many plans for this year. But with all these plans, I have to give up some things. I have to give up a re-run of a production we did last year. The actual show date is the same as the actual LAE. HOW COINCIDENTAL. :( But anyway, I've made up my mind. I will pursue law. THAT IS: if my parents allow me. Haha. They still have no idea. I'll them when I surely pass the exam and interview.

That's it for now. Just an update. See you soonest.