Journal Entry: Du-Bye for Now

As I looked outside the plane window, seeing the tiny pixie city lights I can’t help but reflect how 9 and a half years just flew so fast ( it made a month of farewells and preparations looked like just a blink of an eye).

[caption id="attachment_4015" align="alignnone" width="800"] Farewell gifts received from friends[/caption]

Dubai is HOME, I have no doubt about it. A third of my existence in this world, circled around this magnificent city. It gave me an opportunity to grow career wise, growth in my spiritual relationship and even as a human being (yheap I am talking about maturity here).

Leaving the city was a hard decision, one of the hardest I must say, but I know that eventually it will come, and now I think is the right time for me to bid farewell to my city, #MyDubai (at least for now).

[caption id="attachment_4023" align="alignnone" width="800"] Dubai Marina[/caption]

I am thankful for everything this city has done for who am I now (see my blog about the opportunities in Dubai). Being my 2^nd home, I will surely miss a lot of things now that I am miles away from this beautiful city.

My last few weeks became so emotional as I was torn between leaving my friends and the life I have known, for a dream that I have been praying for. Weighing life options, opportunities and passion were juggling in my head (almost 24/7).

[caption id="attachment_4020" align="alignnone" width="800"] Dubai Fountain[/caption]

I remember the first time I left the Philippines to work as a young architect in Dubai, I had only 5 USD in my wallet. Amazed on how I survived back then and seeing how God’s grace and favor worked, one can only be grateful of all the opportunities that has come my way. It was not easy but everything that happened carried me to where I am now.

As time passed, I can say that it is also the right time to move on (I still have some doubts though-- but sometimes you need to take some risks).

[caption id="attachment_4017" align="alignnone" width="800"] Sydney Opera House. My 4th city stop.[/caption]

As I am finishing this post which I started typing this last 17^th of January on my flight to Brisbane and now finishing this draft here in Reykjavik (yes Iceland), I have made tons of drafts all with a different focus on what I want to share but eventually decided to just make it short (and sweet), a journal entry of what I am feeling right now. It was a very busy past months and I am loving it. So far I’ve been to 10 cities and 8 flights for the past 3 months.

Where I am heading? To be honest I don’t know yet. I am just taking life as it is now ---- LIFE!

Before ending this post, I would love to share a quote from the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which I just read in Facebook that I thought fitting (and sort of an encouragement) to those dreamers out there.

[caption id="attachment_4016" align="alignnone" width="800"] Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia[/caption]

For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.

- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button