21!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

IT'S MY GOLDEN BIRTHDAY, BOO YAH!

Jet-lag Weekend

Friday, Saturday and Sunday were great! Friday night I called

Josh telling him that mom sent him 9 packages of Hopia - his favorite Filipino snack! Then he invited me out to a dinner and a movie. I went over to his house and saw that he was watching the Olympics. Instead of going out for dinner and a movie we ordered in pizza and watched the Olympics - TiVo is wonderful :) I left his house close to midnight went home, surfed the web, played Mario Kart and Rock band on the Wii and headed to bed at 7:00AM.

On Saturday I woke up around 4:30pm to my cellphone ringing. Josh called and invited me over to watch the Olympics. It was really fun keeping up to date on the Olympics.

U S A - U S A - U S A - U S A - U S A - U S A - U S A - U S A!!!

Sunday, I woke up late in the afternoon again. Caleb and Michelle came home from their family reunion and then we went out for pizza. I'd say it was a relaxing weekend for me!

JET-LAG

...is kickin' my butt!!
I left Wednesday, August 13th from Manila...everything was went smoothly until my flight from Tokyo to Chicago left late. I missed my connecting flight to Detroit but was thankful I made on the next flight with all my luggage! The only perk I enjoyed about flying with American Airlines were the personal TV screens. Next time I'll fly Northwest so I can earn more miles!

I landed in Detroit on Wednesday and got home around midnight. I went to sleep around 3:00AM and woke up the next day around 6:30PM. The next day was similar and I woke up around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Hopefully only a few more days of this!

Farewell Party/Pre 21st Birthday Party

Friends from the Church
Master Herbert and his family

Mom and Dad invited some friends and people from our Church to our house for a farewell and pre 21st birthday party for me. On the menu was rice, chicken barbeque, lechon (roasted pig - my favorite!) salad, buko salad, biko and other yummies. It was a really great time.

My parents also asked four people to speak and give me advice, encouragement and share a special memory about me. My middle school principle, Mr. St. Clair, my Ninang/family doctor, Dra. Ritchie Tan, My Karate instructor, Master Herbert and my kindergarten teacher, Pastora Ruth were there to share and it was really special hearing from each them!

This was a great night to be with and celebrate with friends, and it was a great night to wrap up my summer! My parents are awesome!

Once again time has flown by so fast! My summer in Davao has been really great. I enjoyed every minute being by the ocean, my scuba diving experiences were fun, and I've made new friends. It was a busy and fun summer, I wish I could have stayed longer!

Tonight I need to pack and because I have the first flight out to Manila with Dad. We're leaving the house at 6:00 AM so it's time to pack for real this time! Tomorrow we will go to Immigration and finalize everything so I can receive my dual citizenship before I fly back to Michigan. I don't want to leave...

Let's see some pictures!

I AM PADI

I am FINALLY a PADI Advanced Open Water Scuba diver! I was first certified back in 2000 during middle school (it was offered as an elective at my school!) as a YMCA Junior Open Water Scuba Diver. 8 years later and I finally upgraded my scuba license! I'm proud to be part of the world's largest recreational diving organization!

I am pictured above with an octopus and my Dive Instructor, Potpot. This was taken after our group night dive. We loaded up a friends truck with our dive gear and tanks and took the ferry across to Samal Island. We parked at El-Magic Beach Resort and did a shore entry dive. There were seven of us and we were on the search for an octopus and Potpot found this guy! After surfacing we had to hurry and remove our gear, load up the truck and catch the last ferry home to Davao. I got home around midnight excited to show my parents these pictures. After this picture was taken, the octopus was taken home to be cooked!

Night diving is awesome and I can't wait for another opportunity! I hope to make it back to the Philippines for more beautiful scuba diving! I LOVE SCUBA DIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!

....next level, Rescue Diver!

Signaling "OK" during our pool session

View some pictures.