Boxing Day

On Boxing day, we did not join the parade to the malls and department stores. It was either we avoided the crowdy shops or, we avoided impulse buying , or we apparently don't have funds for shopping. Either way, I think it's a wise thing to do... wise on the pocket. Instead, we hosted a " bring a plate " ( a potluck party for the Americans ) party with friends. Wearing fancy clothes, or red outfits for Christmas party already bores me. So we decided to have an " Ugly Christmas jumper party ".

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make animated gifs like this at MakeAGif

Christmas in Oz

Christmas is not celebrated by all here in Australia. It is a multicultural place composed of Islams, Buddhist, Hindus and Jews. And everybody is working on Christmas. It's kind of lonely here especially when an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) is spending Christmas away from home. But ... they say that happiness is a choice, so, loneliness is also a choice. I spent Christmas eve preparing for "Noche Buena", a feast that Filipinos traditionally partake at midnight on Christmas day. I cooked the savory while my roommate, a patissierie student prepared the dessert right when she got home from work. The other flatmate, helped assemble the meringue into a cone shape, resembling a christmas tree. Noche Buena prep. Pardon the clutter at the back. Happy Christmas everyone !

Home Away From Home

Our ( me and three other flatmates ) humble abode down under. From the suburbs, I moved to the city to get closer to my university and to where I work as well. As much as possible, we made the apartment as homey as we can. A home away from home.

Throw pillows, throws, lamp, flexible wooden man and phalaenopsis orchid from IKEA. A place, where I consider you can never come out empty handed. Their building was built like a maze where they keep the customers inside as long as they can. The items sold are very tempting and lure you to pick up few impulse purchases. It is a trap but a beautiful one.


Plastic chair, synthetic turf and potted plants are from Bunning's Warehouse, Australia's largest hardware and household stores. Not to brag, but we have the prettiest balcony in the whole building.

Plain and Printed. Rent is dear here in Melbourne. That is why, it is wiser to share it with friends ... friends that I consider family.

Bathing Boxes

My friend and I are suckers for sunsets or sunrises. The view is just awemazing . It’s the best time to read, write journals or planners, or perhaps just gaze at the view with an empty mind. We went to Brighton Beach where the colourful bathing boxes in Australia are located. Actually, we first saw it in a Samsung advertisement. So we looked it up. When we got there, the place was too beautiful not to have photo opportunities. We got preoccupied on getting good shots that we forgot our purpose of going there. Anyhow, we will go back next time with little less of pictorials and a little more of the reading, writing or simply enjoying silence and the view.

New Year's Eve Down Under

First New Year down under. All roads lead to the city. Thousands of people flocked to the city to witness Melbourne’s fireworks display. Some rocked at the concert in Federation Square while some laid their mats on several parks and gardens of the city, and picnicked while waiting for midnight. And to top it all, New Year in Melbourne is to experience the adventure of the metro train ride. The trains were filled to capacity, to the extent that you wouldn't worry falling from standing with nothing to hold on to because people are tightly packed inside. Nevertheless, it was all good.

Holiday Paradise

It’s been a pretty long while since I last posted. Things got busy applying for a job while on school vacation and as usual, I suck on time management. Anyway, catching up ---- on Christmas Eve, my housemates and I went to a birthday party. We partied and chatted with fellow Filipinos in the community till 1AM. And on Christmas morning, we started the day hearing a Holy Mass. As time went on, I watched the tellie while chatting with my sister Lili on Viber, the best communication application for people miles apart. My Christmas day may be boring for some, but for me, nothing is boring when you are happy and in so much comfort doing the things you love.

The next day, the 26th is Boxing day. It is like Black Friday or Thanksgiving day for the Americans . Everything in Melbourne is on sale; sale over sale; discounts over discount. My friends and I didn’t spend boxing day or post-Christmas day in the mall, rather , we roasted on the beach. We had sandwiches and of course, Christmas isn't  Christmas without the Kris Kringle. While people up north are having a white, chilly Christmas, people here down south are enjoying a hot summer one.

Our sunny Christmas is a holiday paradise.