Mmmmm .. Melbourne!

I love Melbourne!

I was really blessed to have been given an opportunity to one of the best cities in the world.  I was assigned to work there for a total of 11 months and I still relish that experience to this day.

When my sisters decided to further study and work in Australia, I gave them my all out support to stay in Melbourne.  And I am pretty sure they love it!

I was ecstatic when we got a chance to visit them last Christmas -Mom, Dad, JJ and me visiting Johanna and Bajeck.  Jeni is missing .. next time hopefully.

So we left on the 22nd of December for Melbourne ... (Considering that I writing several months after our trip, the events are not necessarily in order)

First stop .. St. Francis Church right.  I used to attend Sunday mass here.  Sometimes I just go inside whenever I am near the area, which is just a walking distance from my workplace.  And they have a Filipino mass here!

Tram ride!  One of the reasons I love Melbourne is because of its public transportation.

Of course, we have to eat! (for lunch)

 We also got to eat at Crown (buffet dinner) .. I used to watch movies at Crown, too!

Pictorials at Yarra River!

Right across the iconic Flinders Station.  I told my sisters that we should laugh while the picture was taken.  We are so naturals! (And yes, we decided to wear maong for that day!  OOTD coordinated!)

Since it was the Christmas season, lights were all over town as well.  This one taken at Bourke Street (just near my previous work place!)

Noche Buena is not practiced in Melbourne (except for Filipino families perhaps)  But for us, along with the friends of my sisters, we really stayed awake up until midnight.  We played charades and ate.  We woke Mom and Dad just in time for Noche Buena! (With the cute Christmas tree!) (By the way, that crown thing is apparently a Melbourne/Aussie thing)

We also got to eat sumptuous dinner courtesy of Tita Cybele and family.  Busog!

Meeting the animals at Melbourne Zoo

Of course, we took the Great Ocean Road tour.  The mini-bus we rode kept on conking out and so we finished the tour late.  Nevertheless, it was still an experience worth remembering!

My first helicopter ride was right there at the 12 Apostles!  Johanna and I, who experienced it before, kept prodding our mom to take a helicopter ride.  After much thought, she decided to go for it, reasoning that the more she gets old, the less probability that she will get to experience.  Live and experience now!  Johanna and I rode experienced the helicopter ride again!  

I just can't get enough of this view!  I have been here at least 3 times, as far as I can remember!

At the Gibson steps!  I didn't go down the stairs anymore.  I just enjoyed the view!

We also went to Frankston Beach ...

Jump shot!

                                     

... to see the Sand Sculptures! (Jumanji!)

Best Actresses! (Angry Girls!)

We're all "J"s! (with Joan and John)

Living life at The Edge!  (Rialto used to be the building for a view of the city)

Brighton Beach!

And how did we spend New Year's Eve?  Together with the rest of the people of Melbourne.  We had to be early so we could get good seats ...

The gang's all here!

Last night in Melbourne!

We surely had great fun.  I am looking forward to go back to this wonderful city!

My 2013 - Part 2

My amazing 2013 journey continued ...

JULY

I still continued to study for the New York State Bar Exam. I wasn't able to finish all the materials I had at hand.  That made me nervous.  But I had to persevere.

So, off I went to the land of the US of A by myself 10 days before the exam.  From LA, I went straight to Albany. It was my first time to visit the capital city of the New York State and also my first time to travel to the US by myself.  Albany is a simple and quiet city, but very nice.  My mom followed just 2 days after the exam for my much needed moral support.

The experience is quite surreal as I took the exam not in a classroom but in a stadium.  Test areas are at the center court and the pathway near food stalls.

I find the New York State Bar Exam less hard than the Philippine Bar since it has lesser coverage and it is just a 2-day exam, unlike the 4 Sundays of the Philippine Bar Exam.

But you could not blame me if I was still nervous.  I had to make it worth it.

AUGUST

The day after the New York State Bar Exam, my mom and I went to New York City - concrete jungle where dreams are made of.  We watched Mamma Mia, went around the streets of New York, visited Times Square, Rockefeller Center and the MET, and walked around Central Park.  I also met Zachary Levi.

And that was just during the first 2 days of August.  Off we went to LA to spend time with my sister and her adorable daughter, Ally.

I then went to visit my aunt and her family at San Diego.  I also went there to take the Multi-Professional Responsibility Exam.  I reviewed for it for a week.  I decided to take it in San Diego since I figured I could study more there than with Ally, because I know I will play with her often .. haha.  But I truly had a great time with my cousins at San Diego.  And I am pretty sure I gained a lot of weight as well :)

SEPTEMBER

And so I went back to my beloved Philippines.  I went to my daily grind of reporting to our office.  While I was away, our office had a renovation.  I am really proud of my mom for her knack in designing everything.

I had a lighter teaching load with just my Sales class in law school.

By middle of September, the MPRE results were out.  And I passed!  Thank you Lord :)

OCTOBER

October is the bar exam month in the Philippines.  As it were in the past years, I then went to Manila for Bar Operations to give support to our students.  This was my first batch of students who took the Bar Exams.  I really pray that they do well.  I also pray that my dear friends who took the same will also pass this time around.

And on the 30th day of this month, I found out that I passed the New York State Bar Exam!  Amazing talaga si Lord :)

NOVEMBER

November was not that much great for the Philippines for Yolanda struck.  The news was really disheartening.  I was relieved when I found out that a law school classmate of ours survived it.

But aside from the devastation, I think the bigger news was the help extended to the Philippines from across all nations.  I just hope and pray that their help would really be extended for such purpose.  May GOD bless the lives of all the concerned citizens all over the world.

It was also in November when I get to attend a wedding of a law school friend.  I was glad to meet up with my first year batch mates.

DECEMBER

'Tis the season to be jolly.

My aunt for Saudi was around from November until first week of December.

I was able to attend the IBP Palaro/Christmas Party and I had fun that night.  Next time, i-career ko na .. hehe

I did not get to attend a number of parties, though.  The reason is that by December 21st, we already left for Australia, where we spent our Christmas and New Year with my dear sisters, Johanna and Jessica.

I will try to post a separate blog for our Aussie trip.  But I hope these pictures will do for now.

Pretty amazing 2013 huh?  And I only have GOD to thank you for it.

Looking forward to a blessed 2014 :)