they say...

...it takes two months to get over homesickness and start feeling more okay about being away from your loved ones. i think it might really be true. i had the toughest month the entire April...i don't really understand why, but i thought the days were simply dragging and i would easily lose concentration or interest in the things i do during the day. i guess it was mostly because i wasn't getting enough sleep -- sleep "routine" was too erratic, i was trying to catch up on my friends in Manila during the night and wasn't able to go to bed in a decent hour. tapos concall at 6am or 7am :(

glad April was over -- and things are looking better this May. i am getting much needed sleep again, can do my chores diligently, im able to go out with friends and even go to the gym :) i already have plans for each weekend of this month, and im just thrilled about it:

• week 1: take the architectural tour around chicago with shellane and her friends/relatives. we're also visiting the chinatown and at night will be sipping hot chocolate at the 95th floor of the john hancock center. ill take pictures, syempre!
  
• week 2: i plan to go to a salon and get a hair cut and some foot massage (kasama sa package); mother's day celebration at tito roger's -- i'll help tito roger cook kebab!
  
• week 3: volunteer for the walk and roll chicago (american cancer society). ill be giving out food and t-shirts to the participants; go to Dallas, Texas for a conference -- im actually going on a business trip there and will be speaking in front of a group of people from Manila, india and other parts of US. these are my colleagues most of whom i havent met yet.
  
• week 4: memorial day here in the US, no work and lots of discounts in the mall -- we're driving to minneapolis and visit the mall of america where there's 0% sales tax. nice!

-ooo-

you know what, april wasn't completely bad...the days were just going by too slowly and my head was always floating in the air -- but i had several highlights from my second month of stay here in the US: i rode the subway (first time) and the train going outside chicago, took good pictures of the city (click on the photo below to view more pictures), natapos ko panoorin ang 19 DVDs ng Jewel in the Palace (ang gaaaandaaaa! -- watch it when you can), i attended several fun parties (will post pictures and a video soon!), and best of all i went to wisconsin and bought some pretty neat stuff at the outlet mall -- its the best shopping day for me since i started working and paying for everything i need (drama!). the best merchandise i bought was a 20$ banana republic jeans and several gap shirts at 50% off that i can wear at work. ganda. i hope shopping at the mall of america in minneapolis would be as much fun as shopping there at kenosha. i can't wait for the memorial day and be able to buy some good quality shoes and clothes for a bargain.

subway in chicago

-ooo-

eto pa pala: this april, i became friends with tito roger -- ang tito ng bayan! i didn't meet him last year when i was here pero i always hear his name from other onshore folks who would always visit him and spend the weekend and holidays with his family. bait 'to, sobra, very generous. reminds me of my tito/ninong willy at home. last easter, he gave me a "Christmas" present and last week naman, he gave me a nice gift which i love and had been hoping to buy. sobrang thank you, tito! sana makabawi rin ako sa inyo one of these days or pagbisita ninyo sa Pilipinas :)

easter cookout at tito roger's

-ooo-

i just realized i have been to several states na: illinois, new jersey, new york, wisconsin! that's four already and by end of may, magiging anim na! i should have bought souvenirs from each state, but i forgot to buy something from new jersey and wisconsin. oh well, sana makabalik one of these days. hehe.