One Day and One Night Left

Monday, February 5, 2018

Coincidentally, I am writing this during the same month as when it all began.  Hard to believe though that more than a decade has passed, but it really doesn't seem too long ago when I envision this time in my life.



Like an animal who had broken out of a zoo, I was in wild ecstasy about my newfound freedom, and I gave hardly any thought at all about the future that laid ahead in the Philippines.

There was the excitement of adventure, the independence, the release from stresses and responsibilities... so many fresh feelings as I embarked on this exploration to a faintly familiar but surprisingly new world.

All I knew at the time was that I was exhausted and yearned to get out of the rat race.  I had always been an achiever (perhaps even typified as a perfectionist by some), had an excellent track record academically and professionally, and had a budding career waiting for me; but somehow, I felt like I missed out on some things along the way.

So, almost out of the blue, or perhaps not so much if you had been observing me up to that point, I decided to leave for the Philippines.  I left work, dropped out of a great university, and to many of my classmates and colleagues--completely dropped off the face of the Earth.  My academic and professional track record, and my life as I knew it, had skipped a beat.  I took a leap of faith--one that would change my life, and the way I viewed it, forever.

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Original post below:

Sunday, February 19, 2006
One Day and One Night Left

Only one day and one more night left before my journey to the Philippines begins. I've been busy preparing. Obviously not many people commented on what to bring, so the checklist still looks the same as it was--empty. But I think I got everything I need together, I just hope I don't go over the weight limit for the boxes. Except maybe for a few last minute additions, I'm pretty much set. I'm ready; I just feel a little tired.

As you can see, the site changed a little. It's less a site now and more of a blog. I realized that I really will not have the time and money to maintain the site the way it was once I get to the Philippines. So I got rid of all the attached subsites I had created and decided to turn Coconuter into more of a travelogue/blog, which was my original intention for it. Unfortunately all the comments are gone from the old version of the site, and all those subsites I made aren't linked through here anymore. It was nice then, but I like it the way it is now too. Simple is just better sometimes.

Monday, February 20, 2006
Creating a Checklist

I'm trying to create a comprehensive checklist of things to bring. I don't want to forget anything, so leave a comment and give me lists of things to bring to the Philippines. I can only bring two 50 lb. boxes and a luggage carry-on, and please remember that I am essentially going to be a nomad in the Philippines so the bare necessities are of the utmost priority.

Monday, February 20, 2006
Official Flight Date

Well, I finally got enough money to buy the ticket. My flight to leave Houston, Texas, USA for the Philippines is officially set for February 21, 2006, and as you can see on the itinerary, I will be arriving at the Manila airport on February 23 (it's going to take about 15 hours to get from Houston to Manila, but the time zone change is what accounts for the departure and arrival date difference). As for any extra money I'll be bringing with me, that's still pretty much little to none.