2009: The big moments that stuck out for me were playing JV basketball for my high school. It was a very good yet hard experience. I learned a lot, grew a lot, and learned more about basketball, and playing as a team. I also learned more how to manage my time and the commitment and time constraints of a sport. I was proud to receive the Most Improved Award at the end of the season. In mid January, my sister and I were confirmed at St. Micheal's. I chose my dear sister as my confirmation sponsor, and chose my confirmation saint, St. Maria Goretti who is the patroness of youth and purity. That summer, the 4 of us sisters made a day trip to San Jose and stopped by our dad's childhood neighborhood. :)
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| Confirmation day |
2010: I can recall a lot of things that happened this year. I was starting my Junior year in high school that Fall and I could tell the responsibilities heightened, not to mention the noise and excitement of being an upperclassmen were also real. My classes were difficult, and seeing my four dear older sisters all leave within one week of each other to start their own journeys was very painful and hard. I had always had a sister at home and it was an adjustment to get used to without them. This was also during the time when my dear sister was in Italy studying abroad. I would think of her often, and always count the 9 hours ahead to know what time it was for her there. I would always look forward to her creative handwritten letters in the mail, and email, as well as Skype calls! I also started writing letters to my dear older brother who lived in Southern California, and writing and receiving snail mail from him was enjoyable, as our friendship blossomed.
I had the privilege, and opportunity of being President for the Students for Life Club that my sister and I had restarted. Just like basketball, it was a great learning experience but very difficult and learned I was not a natural leader or group person. That summer, I helped out with my oldest sister's day camp in Santa Maria just like the summer prior. Also that summer, my three older sisters and I drove up to Ashland, where our cousin lived and visited her for a few days.
2011: This year was exciting as it was the year I graduated high school, and learn and grow in friendships. A few days after graduation, I made the quick decision of attending a program in LA called Lights, Camera, Action. I'm really glad I did it, and met other catholic girls, and see famous sights in the area that I always heard about. I will always remember that trip! That Fall, I started College at a local Junior College. There was a lot of growth that Fall adjusting to a new school and requirements, but I turned it over into inspiration and created a writing blog (inspired by my dear sister) that November.
2012: This was an inspiring time, as I was getting more adjusted at school and with my classes and especially enjoying my English classes. I met more people and joined Student Government on campus as a student senator. This was a highlight for me as I got more in touch with my school, the students and meeting more people and feeling more apart of my campus. I learned a lot and really blossomed with this new and exciting experience.
I also have good memories of visiting my sister in Sacramento by train, and meeting her boyfriend, and going to a swing dancing event. In February, my mom, sister and I started a Theology of the Body class and enjoyed learning and our out to lunch excursions at Nations. During spring break, my younger brother, my mom and dad and I went to Alexandria to visit my oldest sister and her family and saw parts of D.C., and also found our her 2nd baby was a girl. In the summer, I took my dear sister's old job at Kumon after she left for Italy and worked a lot that summer. I got to see Lake Tahoe for the first time with Meghan and Colin, their friend and my mom and dad.
2013: This was another eventful year, one full of excitement and opportunities. In the spring, I ran for Vice President for Student Government. It was a very busy time with campaigning, working at Kumon, classes, and getting ready for my sister's wedding. I was also inspired again with short story writing, and submitted a short story for my college anthology and got accepted! It was cool to read my story in front of a small audience for the anthology gathering. I also got the courage to give blood for the first time and found out my blood type- AB positive. My sister got married at the end of April, and my four other sisters and a friend were the bridesmaids. I remember catching the bouquet:) It truly was a family wedding, as it had been 9 years since my oldest sister got married. In the summer, our cousin got married and my mom, dad and younger bother and I were able to make it to Ashland and be with extended family and relatives. I started learning German (inspired by my cousin and our family roots). We visited Chico and the University on the way home.
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| Bridal Shower |
2014: At the beginning of the year, I was inspired to start learning Mandarin Chinese and was surprised by how quickly I was able to learn and pick it up. In the spring, my dear sister and I did the Color Run together, and we were training throughout the winter months. It was a really fun experience and especially getting decked out in color! I donated my hair for Pantene as I had wanted to do that for a long time. Later that spring, I graduated from my Junior College with an AA, and continued to work throughout the summer and prepare for my University at Cal State East Bay. It was an exciting and new experience to transfer and start a new college, but also one that was very challenging as it was very different than my prior experience. I was interested in joining Student Government and easily got a high position, but decided it wasn't the right fit or time for me. It was a quarter that was full of growth and learning.
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| Right before donating |
2015: Winter quarter started and I felt ready to make it better than the last quarter. I was getting more into my Chinese studies and thinking of ways to make my experience better and get involved. I questioned if English literature was the right major for me, and later that quarter changed my major from English to International Studies and declared a minor in Chinese language and cultural studies. My Chinese professor recommended me for a Chinese Language Competition in San Francisco and helped me write and edit a script. It was cool to see other Chinese language learners just as passionate as me about the language.
That summer my brother got married in LA, I left my job at Kumon applied to In-n-out and got the job. It was an experience unlike any other, with its fast past loud environment. I now know how to make a neopalatin shake and put an order in for a double double or any thing on the secret menu. During that time, my dear sister was in El Salvador for 2 months visiting her boyfriend (soon to be fiance and now husband) and his family. I missed her a lot but our frequent Viber texts, emails and Skype calls helped with the distance. In the Fall and Winter, I stated attending Catholic ministry events from the group my sister was inspired to start. I also was questioning my travels abroad to Taiwan and my job status.
2016: At the beginning of the year, I started English Freelance tutoring with local clients. My experience in tutoring at Kumon really helped with this and my dream job had come true and making it my own. The number of clients kept growing and they were all Chinese so this also helped my language and cultural studies. My sister and I had more time together with ministry events as the group expanded and became more official. I started learning Arabic on my own and started this blog! (which was named 'Plum Tree' before). That summer I got accepted into the study abroad program linked with my college campus and went to Rio de Janerio for 2 weeks. I learned some Portuguese and saw beautiful and amazing sights and ate very delicious food. I didn't feel homesick but it was a very busy itinerary and felt exhausted by the end of it. Overall, it was a great experience!
My dear sister got married in El Salvador in August and I, my sister, mom and dad had the privilege of being able to attend their beautiful wedding and witness their vows to one another. It was a very special day, and the strong humidity and rain was a sight! In the Fall, they had their reception here and I was the maid of honor and gave my toast. This was a difficult year internally, a lot of inner and spiritual growth. At the end of the year, my dear sister and Salvador and I did a road trip across the coast and saw a couple missions, and slept over in Pismo Beach and on NYE, Santa Barbara. It was a very special way to end the year with two special people. :)
2017: It started out as a hard Winter with my last 2 quarters as a student. But I tried to keep up the inspiration with learning how to sew a shirt, making English videos on You tube, writing and finishing a short story, and attempting to take an Arabic language class. I also became more interested and invested in Middle Eastern cuisine and cooking. The summer paved way into college graduation which was a very exciting, warm June day filled with emotion because of the long journey. I continued tutoring and worked at day camp/ after school program where I had my own classroom of 5th graders for the summer. I was also able to go on a 4 day Jesuit retreat in Ocean Side at the San Luis Rey Mission. Before graduation, I had the pleasure of getting involved with volunteer work at a local senior center and serving Senior citizens their lunches. I felt more fulfilled than I had in a long time. In the Fall, I received more tutoring clients than I had before and was enjoying Freelance work and making videos for Arabic.
2018: At the beginning of the year, I started my ECD classes. It was very interesting to learn about this field and be a student again at my alma mater. In the spring we had the opportunity to travel to Canada with Elisabeth and Salvador and bebe in womb because of Salvador's work conference. It was so beautiful and special to see parts of Vancouver and Victoria, as well as so many Starbucks on every other block:) It was a slow summer with one ECD class, and less tutoring clients. Mom, dad, Elisabeth, and Salvador and I went to the Fair and especially enjoyed the animals and the warm heat that day. :) The Fall was beautiful but raw emotion. 3 babies were born in 2 months in the family and exciting to meet the little ones. There was a lot of patience, waiting and unknowns.
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| Susie's bday! |
2019: In January, it started out rough with many unknowns about job applications, and learning about my latent TB after many medical visits. I landed a full time job at a lovely preschool where my dear sister had worked a couple years prior. It was a great experience in that it taught me a lot about myself, my strengths and the beauty of young children as well as the demanding parts. It was a very difficult time and adjusting to a lot and not feeling fully settled. I had the privilege of being able to attend daily Mass before work which was a huge blessing.
I had an open summer that was full of discernment, healing, and lots of praying and thinking after a difficult job experience. I studied and passed the English CBEST, Isabel visited for a week and spent quality time with her. Enjoyed camping at Bass Lake and seeing Yosemite. In September, I stared working at a local high school in the realm of Special Education and have been enjoying it thus far. In the Fall, finished writing 2 short stories (sequels to the other one), started learning Hebrew and visited San Raphael Mission during Christmas time. Had a lovely NYE and New Years with Elisabeth, Salvador and Santiago and watched Coco and stayed up past midnight playing games. It was a great way to ring in the New Year!
2020: Welcome to this new year and new decade! Ran the Hot Chocolate Run 5k along with Susie, and Steven and Ali ran the 15k. It was a very chilly winter morning, but a great achievement. So far it's been good with keeping up exercise challenge, learning Hebrew, and most importantly trusting in God and His plans for this new year and decade ahead!
What a decade it has been, and interesting to look back on! I am thankful for all that has happened, so much to be grateful for! I hope you enjoyed reading and getting this far:) Cheers to the next post, year, and decade!
