Thank you, 2012

It's the last day of the year and I can't help but look back and be thankful for everything that has happened to me this year.

1. Passing my thesis

Such a roller-coaster ride. Thesis would really make or break a person. My friends and family know what I went through during this time, especially towards the end. I'm thankful that, through God's grace, I was able to please my panel and pass my thesis.

2. Tagaytay-Batangas-Alabang outing with the Friends

Twas the first Juicy Girls outing ever, and we were complete! Twas my first time to bring friends to the Tagaytay house, and I think it was also the first time the family got to meet my college friends and vice-versa.

3. Graduating from College

The college, heck the university was my second home for 5 years. Saying goodbye was such a bitter-sweet moment. 

4. Hanging out with my batchmates

  

I'm thankful that I got to be closer with my batchmates during this year. I'm thankful that we still get to hangout even after graduation and even when we're seas/oceans apart.

the wonders of technology

5. SCUBA Diving

I've always been interested in SCUBA diving, and this year, I finally got my diving license and got to go deep sea diving. I even made new friends thanks to it.

6. USA trip

The highlight of my year. Visited the USA after 6 years! Spent over 3 months in the West Coast. Had so much fun!

Hung out with relatives.

Met up with some California-based friends whom I haven't seen in a long time.

Watched Keane live, from the front row!

picture by Richard of Keane; we're the tall ones, not raising their hands, on the right side

Toured San Francisco by myself.

Visited California Academy of Sciences, whose building was designed by Renzo Piano.

Toured Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Went to 5 different amusement parks. Well, 4 if you consider Disneyland and California Adventure one and the same.

Went on a West Coast road trip with cousins and a new friend, and even got to drive on American roads. Toured Portland, Seattle, and Olympia. Drove along the Oregon Coast and stopped by different lighthouses and a cheese factory.

Went to Vegas and got to enjoy it (coz the last time I was there, I wasn't of legal age yet).

Became an extra in some of my cousin's videos.

Learned how to surf.

And of course, devoured burgers and fries from In-n-Out.

omnomnom

7. Getting a job

I'm really blessed to have gotten a job in less than a month after I arrived from the states. I'm thankful that my office is just 45 minutes away from home (and that's already with traffic) and is nearby my siblings' school; I get to ride with my siblings to and sometimes from school everyday. I'm blessed to have one of the best work stations in the office; I have a huge monitor, an AC above my station, and a nice view of Muntinlupa.

Plus, my officemates are pretty cool.

8. Getting awesome gifts from the family for Christmas

Since I'm not a student anymore, I'm already exempted from being given gifts/money from the Panahon clan. So, I didn't get much gifts from other relatives, but my family's gifts compensates greatly. Y'know what they say, "Quality over quantity".

God has blessed me so much this year, that there are more things that I'm thankful for in 2012. I can't list them all here because I'd spend so much time blogging, when I should be spending the last day of 2012 with my family.

2012 has been such an awesome year that I hate to see it go, but I'm looking forward to better things in 2013. So, goodbye and thank you, 2012.