My exit has begun

So it is set, I am leaving for France on the 4th of November. I barely have a month to prepare myself to leave. Seems like the time will never be enough and nothing can ever prepare me fully to what I'm going to leave behind. It's 3am. I just came from a despedida my officemates organized for me. Although I accidentally foiled their plans to surprise me, I must say I still got surprised. Never has anyone organized a surprise party for me and I have always wondered how that would feel like when it does happen up until last night. Thanks for the love you guys. You will really give me a hard time not missing you when I am in France.

The begining of the end has started. With a few weeks left to spare, I'm still trying to figure out how I can say goodbye to everyone who means a lot to me. Again, we don't have much time. Just thinking about it makes me feel sad. I never expected that leaving would be this difficult.

Even though a year to two wont seem long. It's the idea of not being able to see the people you love when you wish. It sucks. I think that this thought makes it all the more difficult to leave. But there is no other way but to deal with this. In order to fulfill my dreams of studying and experiencing living abroad, leaving the people you love comes with the package. It bites but you got to do what you got to do, right?

1000 strong

My campaign has reached 1000 supporters this month! Well, not really 1000 supporters but unique pageviews. But nevertheless I'm still celebrating that this blog is now 1000 supporters/pageviews strong from when it started.

I haven't been writing the past month. It's been a whirlwind of a month actually. Mainly because of my grad school applications. I haven't really talked about what happened to my applications on this blog after may similar post months ago.

I applied to the University of Science and Technology Lille last month and got accepted. Though I really planned on studying in 2010 and not 2009, I pursued USTL anyway since they're willing to adjust and let me go to France in October. The program starts in september, but since I already have a strong IT background, I can opt not to take the intro IT courses. By the way, I got accepeted to their Global E-Business Masters program. They have a french translation of the program, but i forget. So I decide on pursuing this once I got news that i got accepted, leaving my other options behind. The price was right and the location was perfect. I just have to mention that Lille is in the center of Paris, London, Brussels and Amserdam. Winner, right! And since I'm the first and only Filipino in for the GEB program, it was really much of a low brainer for me to decide to go for USTL. Though the school and the program is not as popular as lets say Oxford or Harvard, it's still and international education and an education is what you make out of it, right?

I don't get to write anymore...

Not that I consider myself as a writer. I try. Hahaha. Defensive. Anyway, it's been a roller coaster ride for me the past months mainly because of my Fulbright scholarship apps. I'm finally passing my application this coming Monday and the rest I leave it up to God's grace. I did what I can, now it's time for destiny to decide my fate. Speaking of destiny, Jai Ho is such a catchy song and Slumdog Millionaire is a must watch movie. I like how they were able to have a real nice storyline and still show the different facets of India in the process. Makes me wonder why our own Filipino movies are stuck with love stories of JLC (John Lloyd Cruz). I watched the JLC and Sarah movie 'You Changed My Life', by the way. I watched both movies, actually, Part 1 and 2. Ha! Maybe that's why they make it. Because they sell. But, I think Filipino producers should consider doing other movies for a change. We have great talents. Filipino's have so much potential.

Contemplating over Fulbright

I don't know if I should even attempt to apply for this scholarship. I heard the tough competition for this and the usual candidates they look for. What's keeping me from pursuing this is the fact that I might not give a compelling application and its just a waste of time for me and those who would do my recommendation letters. I don't think I'm the person they're looking for although I know (in my heart) I'm scholarship material. But who knows, right? It really doesn't hurt to try. I need to get going if I want to apply for this.

Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy

M.A, in Organizational Change Management.

Does this fit the bill? It's New York and they offer institution based scholarships.

Check it out

Road to Masters

Well, for the past days I have been adding and trimming down my M.A. list. Adding new universities, mostly from UK also with other courses that still fall on what I want out of this experience. I also have scrapped out from the list, at least for now, this one special ivy league called Stanford. I think that taking the GREs solely for this university is not worth the trouble. And the course curriculum of M.A. in Policy, Organization and Leadership studies isn't much of my cup of tea than it can be. At least for now, that's what I feel so I'm holding off my intent of applying to Stanford and taking the GRE exam for it. I hope I'm not making a bad decision.

Masters

Getting financial aid seems harder than I initially thought. It's a deal breaker. I don't know if its too much to ask, but I'd only go for full scholorship (sponsorship) or nothing. I hope my everything turns out well and fall into place. Right now everything feels so daunting.

University of San Francisco

Just went to their website. Found the an M.A. program that interests me. M.A. in Organization and Leadership. Saw USF too while I was here. Apparently my cousin T and his husband C graduated from here. It's a Jesuit school too in the west coast (where the weather is much warmer). But of course, Georegtown can still be something else. Still contemplating on what to do with my life.

Washington DC

Just visited some friends in DC to cap off my east coast leg. I feel bad because I wish I could stay longer. I don't miss the weather there, though. Now I know what they mean by Fall attire. I overheard a guy based in DC commented that the shift to fall was the most abrupt change he has ever experienced. Question is, will I ever get used to the east coast weather if I finally decide to study there?

What a dilemma. Visiting the east coast has opened doors for me to try and consider taking my M.A. there. Most of my friends that I visited there are/were studying there, so I saw a part of me in them while hearing their stories both good and bad. Haay, what to do. I went to the Georgetown website and I saw the perfect course for me. M.A. in Leadership. It was really scary because while reading the course write-up, it seemed like it was talking to me. Describing me.

My friends J and M are encouraging me to grab the opportunity that will definitely change my life. A part of me wants to but a part of me doesn't. Mainly because of the impact studying has on the life I'm already living. I think this will change me-- I know it will. I know it will change me for the better. I just want to do a lot of things and I'm sure taking an M.A. will bring in more things since I will surely see the world a new. I think I have to really think hard and discern before I make my decision.

Back in DC, I met up with my old officemate O. We spent the day touring the monuments while catching up on the things back home. Me being there served as a refreshing break for him since he misses everyone back home. Back in his house in Maryland, I drove for the first time. Not bad. I'm still a nervous US driver, though. I couldn't stay long. I wish I could stay longer.