Oulin White

2 January 2010

2009-2010

Posted by oulin under: O Space .

2009 went by in a circle. It started in the Philippines for CNY, and now ending in the Philippines for the New Year’s Eve of 2010, both in Cebu Island. I didn’t plan it that way. It just happened and I think it’s better like this. It gives it a little dramatic feeling.

2009 has certainly been a very special year in my life. After mumbling countless times in the past five years about leaving Shanghai, my visit in Malapascua early this year helped to confirm the decision. While swimming in the clear turquoise color water gazing out to the horizon, I realized I could never be satisfied living in the pale city of Shanghai and sipping Starbuck’s coffee every morning at my pathetic looking office desk. The idea to travel around for a long period of time formed in my mind since I read the book written by the Lonely Planet’s founders three years ago. I remembered talking to Didier about it back then that we should leave our jobs and go off for a year traveling and diving. I never gave up that idea. I was still trying to figure out what I should be doing as my new career and how I should pursue it when the travel plan became a detailed picture – first in China then South East Asia. I was simply tired of the commercial work environment where everyone just focused on the profit in the very near future. I was a consumer, a materialistic person, shallow and selfish in many ways. I couldn’t’ see myself contributing to the society or helping the world and those in need. I wanted to do something, something more than just about myself. Working in education with NGOs became my new goal in career. That’d be what I would do after finished traveling. After thought it through, I felt “safer” to leave things behind and start over again with a goal in mind. Then, I counted my money and it should be enough for me to travel for six to eight months. It’s a pretty good length of travel time. Within two months, I left my old job, moved out of my lovely apartment (oh, I still love that place so much and miss the bbq on the giant terrace!), packed my life away, hugged and kissed my dear friends goodbye, jumped on an over night train to Beijing, my first stop in the journey. I secretly thought that’s quite romantic the way I left Shanghai 

No doubt it has been a journey of lifetime. Seven months flew by as if I just left Shanghai yesterday. I lost the concept of time and dates soon after the journey began. The absolute freedom of time, of whatever I wanted to do seemed quite overwhelming in the beginning. I remembered after one month on the road, I said to myself that I missed working. Oh well, I ditched that idea the very second I hopped on another over night train heading to another new place. I was surprised to find myself quite adaptive being a backpacker. Most of the time, I was being very positive and enthusiastic. I learned how to live within a budget although I from time to time did indulge myself with good food and some shopping I learned how to smile  (when was the last time you smiled at a stranger passing by?) I awed at almost everything I saw. I didn’t complain much about the tiring transportations. I ate any local food and mostly enjoyed it a lot. I kept my curiosity and open mind to anything new. I learned new sports, tried out new activities and physically challenged myself. I was eager to learn about different cultures and traditions. I was easily fascinated by the nature and its mighty power affecting the human life. My eyes were opened and my heart became bigger. The world seems very different to me now.

It’s toward the end of my travel. I finally felt the urge to go HOME – in any sense that means Shanghai. I miss my friends so much. I couldn’t wait to see their smiles and hug them again! Especially I realized a new chapter was entering my life. I can’t wait to tell them about it! I will shorten my visit in the Philippines and take Vietnam out of the list. I am going home soon! My wish for the end of the journey is to dive with the whalesharks in Leyte!

Another sleepless 28 hours hopping from one kind to transportation to another, I arrived in Panglao, Bohol on the New Year’s Eve. It’s a gloomy rainy morning. Though, the white sand beach and the different shades of blue color of the ocean were still unbeatable. New Year’s Eve was with all the wonderful elements, big group of interesting and dynamic people from Shanghai, beautiful beach, BBQ feast on the beach, firework, full moon, good music and local rum and coke The night ended by listening to the waves and sleeping on the beach.

A brand new year arrived in an impeccable way!

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