Anonymous asked: Honestly, how are you still single

Oh gosh.. Haha.

I don’t want to settle for anything less than the person that God has planned for me.

Thanks for the question.. Yikes.

It means I’m home! (:

Yesterday I spent most of my day in the plane and I finally got to watch Argo! It’s a really suspenseful movie but I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend it!

I found it really easy to say farewell to my brother. To be honest, I find our relationship very complicated. I’m very thankful that he raised me and took care of me from when I was a baby, but he left when I was just becoming a teenager so I can’t help but feel alienated sometimes around him. I’m not sure if that sounds strange but that’s just my awkward self. It’s hard to maintain a relationship with someone whom you only talk to at least three times a year. Hopefully we can change that though. I miss him at least now.

My vacation is finally over so now I have some dreams to chase and other things to think about. I’m grateful for the getaway and the trip cleared out a few things for me. I guess I’m finally done with Tumblr thing then. Haha!

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for keeping my mom and I safe. You’ve blessed me with an opportunity to grow even closer to her which allowed my heart to love her even more as well. You know that I’ve always talked to You about my issue with best friends but I should have known it was her the whole entire time. Praise God.

That’s what my brother told me at dinner today. He also said that he missed more things like Wings as well. It kind of got me thinking if he would ever come back to Canada.

I didn’t write a post yesterday due to Good Friday. I’ll just say that I spent the day in Kyoto.

Risa-chan had to leave early for her flight to Chicago at 4 am the other day, so I had to say my farewells. She’s a really nice person and I can see why Marc loves her so much. When he was asked about marriage and whatnot, he said, “it’s not about being together, but being able to provide for her.” I think that’s why he still hasn’t asked her for her hand in marriage. He’s working hard to build up dat money for a smooth transition.

Moving to today, again I got to sleep in. I spent the morning doing some chores for my brother’s house and I got ready for the day.

We went to Shinjuku today and my mom went ham on shopping again. She couldn’t help herself though; today was our last day. I was really pleased with the things I bought though. Shout outs to them awesome stores out there! I mean, there was an electronics store within a clothing store for crying out loud.

Back to beginning now, after shopping we went to eat. The thing I dislike about Japan is that there are a lot of restaurants that allow smoking inside. The booth beside us had a young child and his mom and her friends were all drinking. I felt sorry for the boy… Onii-chan was getting upset. He told me that throughout his teaching career, the poor students are put into bad environments like that.

After that night, I noticed how passionate my brother was about his job and about living in Japan. He’s dedicated and knows what he wants. I wished I was more like that. When I left the restaurant, my hair and clothes smelled life cigarette smoke.

The restaurant was close to my brother’s apartment so we walked there and passed through several stores to pick up some last minute goodies.

Today’s my last full day here and now I’m understanding why my brother loves it here. After a week in Japan, I’ve also fallen in love with this place as well.

God You’re so good to me. I love You so much. Thank You for everything, Your endless blessings have been displayed through my family and the memories I’ve witnessed. I’m blessed.

The thing I love about being here is that Marc is so relaxed. When I was in Australia, my mom and I never had a break because our relatives literally didn’t want us to waste any time… I got to sleep in again and the three of us chilled in my brother’s apartment until noon. The morning was filled with laughter and nonsense; the feeling of nostalgia at its finest.

When I was in Australia, my hair straightener broke… It was bound to happen though. Those seven years were awesome and my brother took me to an electronics store to buy a new one. I thought it would be expensive but we got a professional one here for about thirty dollars. Yep, I love it here.

My mother went ham on the shopping. We went to a bunch of stores and she spoiled herself. She deserves it though. All that walking made my feet hurt and I as desperate for a break. We hit the Burberry store and Marc treated my mom and I for our birthdays that he missed and forgot. My mom got a jacket and my brother surprised me with a dress shirt. I never really realized that he’s a very wealthy man.

I need to buy some lychee iced tea and add some vanilla ice cream to it. I had some this evening and it was really tasty along with dinner. Before heading home, we passed by a bakery to grab some sweets. Aww man, I can just feel the weight coming along now.

I’m taking a liking to riding the trains now. Although it’s pretty complicated, I love looking outside the window seeing the beautiful sights.

I hope my brother finds a church for us soon. To be honest, I know he’s trying to avoid that subject because he dodges questions and always pokes at me for what I believe in. Dear God, although my brother may not always be with You, I pray that You continue to watch over him always.

My brother took us to go Disney Sea yesterday! Unfortunately the weather was extremely depressing. It was freezing and pouring rain but in Japan, they have very committed Disney fans. The line-up wait ranged from 100 - 140 minutes. I didn’t care, I just wanted to ride the Indiana Jones ride; my favourite.

Disney Sea and Disney Land have the same concepts and ideas but there are just different places. Everyone wore crazy hats and ponchos. This place just exploded with happiness!

After riding the Storm Rider, (a 3D ride) the rain stopped! The wait for the ride was 90 minutes so my stomach was in need of food. I forgot that the food here was super expensive but it was so delicious. I could eat a pork teriyaki taco everyday. Now I wished that melon soda was a usual back at home.

We watched a couple of shows and in Japan… Mickey speaks English Japanese. He also is a professional jazz drummer and tap dancer. HAHA. Nonetheless, I love Mickey Mouse very much but I would have to say Donald Duck is my favourite character. There’s also a new character here! His name is Duffy and he’s a stuffed bear. He is absolutely adorable and I bought a keychain of him as a souvenir.

Even if it was freezing, I had a blast at Disney Sea. I’m down for a road trip to California to go to Disney land for a summer trip. $:

This place brought back my childhood. I’ve been filled with happiness and that’s what I am: a child with happiness from You. I’m a child in awe of You. Thanks God for the very memorable day.

Today I got the chance to sleep in until nine in the morning. It was glorious. The sun was shining so brightly but it deceived me; it was windy and unbelievably cold outside.

My mommy wanted to go shopping but onii-chan wanted us to not look like tourists. When he was taking care of me, he dressed me. Now before going out, he did the same thing. Times have not changed.

We took multiple trains to head to the city of Harajuku. All of the girls that I saw wore make-up and each of them had their own unique style. The three of us passed through several boutiques but I didn’t really see anything that appealed to me. My brother was getting irritated because he thought I changed my ways from when I was a kid. I’ll say it again, times have not changed.

For lunch I had a simple Japanese burger with fries but for my drink… I had melon soda. Why can’t we have this in Canada? It’s so darn tasty!

My brother persuaded me to get these pair of navy blue shoes. The lady who worked there told us that the western culture doesn’t fancy that kind of style so Marc encouraged me to “start a new trend”. I’m not one to start things though. Also, a thing I love about Japan is that if you buy something from a nice place, the cashier will walk you out of the store… They’re so nice.

The sales here are nuts and things are cheap. I bought a red plaid, white collared shirt for nine dollars! When I was looking for sizes, I was getting anxious because there were no smalls but mediums left. My brother told me though, “you’re a medium. Girls here have small boobs. You’re a medium.” I couldn’t stop laughing.

I got my brother a hype cardigan from Bape avg my mom went HAM everywhere. After a productive shopping trip for my mom, all of us went back home where we enjoyed a delicious meal of shabu shabu prepared by Risa. I’m in love with the culture here!

Thank You God for blessing us with yet another fruitful and beautiful day. Through this vacation, You have shown me the power of family and how important it is to be close with them. Thank You for allowing me to spend time with my brother again.

I woke up and then I realized… I was in Japan. After eating some Japanese goodies for breakfast, the three of us got ready to go out. My brother lives in a very convenient area; close to the train and grocery stores.

When we reached the station, my brother bought my mom and I tickets and I started getting used to how the whole system works. Australia made me a shade darker so I stuck out a bit more than usual. I could feel people staring at me but the people here are incredibly nice!

We ate tempura and rice for lunch and it was glorious. The fried shrimp, fish, and scallops were already dipped in the sauce and the rice was so delicious. My stomach was so happy but I was getting sleepy.

We visited a temple and did a bit of sightseeing. Everywhere I went, there were cherry blossoms. The trees look beautiful and again, I felt like I was in an anime.

I lost count of how many times we took the train but that didn’t bother me. By brother took us to a great sushi place where every dish is at least $1.05. Again, it was extremely tasty. Just thinking about what we ate is making my mouth water. I’m thankful that onii-chan doesn’t drive so all the walking we do here burns off the calories.

The shopping here is extremely cheap. I was so shocked! The one thing though, it’s very girly. I know my brother is trying to push me out of my comfort zone… I wish he’d stop. Although a part of me does want to be a tad bit more feminine.

In the end, my brother bought me a hip looking sweater in exchange of myself giving him my pair of Tom Ford sunglasses. I was content and it’s something I’ve never seen before. It’s a step for me I guess.

I bought a sea salt popsicle and some milk tea from the convenience store before going home. It’s really neat being here and I can’t wait until Risa-chan teaches me how to make rice balls!

It’s a new experience but I know that You’re with me every step of the way. God, there are just a few more things I want to lift up to You because I feel a bit more anxious being here. I’m scared and anxious but knowing that You are my light and foundation, whom shall I fear?

Some say that the airport can be the happiest or saddest place on the planet. The feeling of seeing my oldest brother again made me the happiest girl out there, but I was so heartbroken when I had to say goodbye to my Aussie family. I feel torn because I know I’m going to miss this place for sure, but I was greatly looking forward to finally exploring Japan.

Throughout the flight, all I did was sleep and watch movies. Even though it’s spring here, the activities I did on the plane screamed for summer. Nine hours flew by and my mother and I got picked up from the airport from my brother and his girlfriend: Risa-chan.

When we left the building, it was so cold! Although it’s spring, I feel like I’m in Canada. We rode two chains, I mean trains and in one of them, you have to be very quiet. It was crazy to see how technology advanced Japan was. I haven’t been here for more than a couple of hours, but I’m already in love with this place!

My brother’s apartment is small but very homey. When my mom and I got settled in, we started to make takoyaki. The only tricky part was turning the balls over, but other than that, it’s pretty easy to make. $: Whenever I buy that for lunch, I spend over at least three dollars and I only get six pieces, but today it was free and I stuffed myself silly.
I can’t remember when was the last time I took a bath but my brother prepared the bath for me. I felt like I was in an anime, like in a scene where the girl contemplates about life with her hair tied up and just chilling in the water.

I found my mom talking to my brother and it was just like old times. Marc understands my strangeness so it made me happy. Risa-chan told me he is more happy than usual because we’re hear. (‘:

I’m in a nation that doesn’t really know You. I’m struggling to find a church here and my brother questioned my bracelet. Although I’m having fun here already. I know You’re challenging me. Allow me to be a soldier so I can fight for my faith and for You.

I twerked out this morning. Just kidding! I went for a run and my body really needed it. Although the combination of sweat from exercising and the heat made me feel really disgusting, it finally felt good to just go for a run. I have goals for my “grad dress” body and I do need to start on them soon. :P

Today I was fortunate enough to attend the Mary MacKillop Memorial Chapel this afternoon. When I went inside, I felt so at ease. Previously I was very cranky from my run because I was sore, but when I entered the chapel, my mind was relaxed. She is the first saint in Australia and it was amazing to see her tomb as well as to see stands of her hair. Truly a fascinating experience!

I’m not sure why I exercised this morning… Why? I believe I regained everything I worked out for from eating a heavy lunch! D:

Today I met my cousin’s cousin from the Philippines, (so she’s not related to me) and we clicked right away. We were both wearing black vans and we’re only separated by a month. It’s a shame that I met her today; I’m leaving for Japan the next day.

Since there’s not a lot of churches in Japan and that we’ll be spending most of our time in the air during.Palm Sunday, we went to mass today. I saw more people at mass and it was really humid and hot in there. Sweaty “palms” indeed.

We had a family party and I was starting to become pretty sad due to my mom and I leaving the next morning. Those two weeks have flown by! My legs were attacked by mosquitoes. I played NBA 2K13 and again, I had a blast. I really need to pester Ronn into getting this game. I’m growing obsessed!

The night was young so us youngsters went to downtown for some bowling. I. Suck. At. Bowling. In the venue, there was a bar, arcade, pool tables, and more. The ambience was as if we were at a club. The clothes people were wearing and the stench of alcohol made me super uncomfortable. Now I know why I needed my ID.

I was craving for froyo and that craving was fulfilled. I was surprised that there was a frozen yogurt place open at midnight. I’m not complaining though.

I had to say my goodbyes to some of cousins and I’m glad to say that my eyes were dry. I’m really going to miss them and I hope they come to Canada in July.

This is it. I’m heading for Japan soon; 2/3’s of my vacation has finished. Thank You God for this refreshing trip. I’m thankful for the family and the blessings. You are too good to me and my mom. I can’t wait to see what You have planned for us in Japan!