Day dreamer and Believer: SP Adventures

Showing posts with label SP Adventures. Show all posts

Heeeyyyy guys! After several attempts of blogging something personal here, I FINALLY DID IT! Waaaahh goosebumps hahaha! This is my first entry this year so you gotta brace yourself because this will be lengthy. I miss you my blog! I missed you, missdream-girl!!! My 17 year old self is very happy!

January 2022 started with very high hopes for me! Board exam theoretical phase finally happened. We thought it's going to be a smooth start until Omicron happened too which resulted to another round of practical phase cancellation. For those of you who didn't know, I took up Dentistry in my college years and after 2 years of delay because of the pandemic I was able to finally take my exam!

Fast forward to February, I was still able to take orders for Valentine's (I bake and started my own home based pastry business last July 2021) in between reviews. I want to continue saving up while still reviewing.

BOARDS JOURNEY

It went by fast then here came March. It was the month of roller coaster of experiences and emotions. I got into an accident 3 days before board exam. It wasn't a smooth journey but all thanks to my friends who helped me get through the toughest days of my practicals.

Btw, let me just tell you how CRAZY & DIFFICULT THAT BOARD EXAM WAS!!! It was so difficult that I always talk to somebody and ask him/her to tell me and assure me na "Please, tell me I'll pass the boards, diba! Diba. you think I will pass naman! Diba you know I did my best! Diba you saw me how hard I pushed myself." Hahaha! My brothers told me that they never entertained any idea of me failing the exam. I didn't cried before nor during the exam days but I cried the day before they posted the results! I was never confident but I knew I had an edge because I studied and I prayed religiously for that license.

Then came March 17, I didn't know it was the day. It was I think 10pm already, I was half asleep when my brothers opened the door and shouted, "CONGRATULATIONS DRA. SHAIRA MANALO!!!" It was the most surreal moment for me! I didn't cried but I shouted happily instead because FINALLYYYYY, IT HAPPENED ALREADY! MY DREAM IS FINALLY A REALITY!

How did my life changed this 2022? Physically, I don't think there has been a lot (I still didn't lose weight though haha) but now that I am a licensed dentist already I gained more self confidence and became more independent. I instantly felt the responsibilities of adulthood the first time I held my first day salary on my hands. Ganon pala ang feeling na officially working ka na! You have the power over your money and you'll decide whether you'll spend it wisely for your needs or spoil yourself with your wants. Bills started to pile up and investments showed up. So far, I can happily say that I'm investing my salary in myself when I started studying Orthodontics and Oral Surgery.

As for my work as a dentist, I work in 3 clinics. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays I work in my tita's clinic. I'm lucky I am able to handle my own patients here and slowly establish my own practice. Most of my patients here are prostho patients. On Tuesdays and Saturdays I work in Top A Dental Clinic. My practice here is Ortho. On Sundays I work in Winning Smile Dental Clinic. I handle general cases here but recently I noticed that I handle more pediatric patients in this clinic. I'm happy with the warm welcome that I have received from these 3 clinics. They're all generous, thoughtful and kind and they let me experience all my firsts in my dental practice. I'm almost 7 months now in practice (not that long though) and I feel really happy and blessed. :)

Update with fam? Well, I guess everyone got busier! My youngest brother is already in his 3rd year college and my eldest brother is already graduating from college. My mom is still busy at work and our Casa Elberta. My mom and I invested in a beach house last year and we named it after her name. We let people rent in on holidays, during the summer or anytime they wish to relax and spend some quiet time with the view of the sea.

When I started working I promised myself to always give part of my salary to my brothers and my mom even if it's not that much. I also promised myself to at least provide my brothers' baon so I can help lessen my mom's monthly expenses. I want to spoil them and give them whatever I receive and work hard for. I can't wait for next year! Hopefully we'll push through with our travel together! (fingers crossed) :)

Love life update? We're still fond of going on food trips on dates. Haha! Kidding aside, we only get a chance to date for 3 hours a week ever since I started working. It only happens every time he fetch me after work on Sundays or sometimes we both take a leave from work. I realized when I started working na there are really times when you can't communicate or talk for a whole day and it's okay. Iba nga pala pag working! Hindi mo na minsan namamalayan ang oras. Our 5th anniversary is getting closer!!! 4 years went by fast but we surely ticked off most of our goals together. Hihi. I can't wait for what's in store in the coming years but I'm most excited for an upcoming trip early next year with him.

Hint: We're going to the City of Gold!! To more adventures together, my love!

Foods and Travels? Well, I get to explore more food corners, cafes and restaurants this year than during the pandemic season. I missed the feeling of going out with friends, family or with Pau to try out food recos. I am also hyped by tiktok to try the ones near our place. Well, my favorite is still Yumi's Kitchen. Super satisfying and the foods are superb!

For travels naman, I probably have a beach entry every month ever since I passed the boards. I haven't been to somewhere farther, no plane rides yet ever since 2020 (Supposedly I have one early next month for my birthday but it got cancelled due to personal reasons even if I have purchased my ticket already) but I'm crossing my fingers that next year would be the start of my international travel diaries. I can wait for it naman. It's just a few months away!

I'm happy to be back in blogging and give an update here! I hope I can do more in the next posts. Let's stay connected!

Leave your blogs below so I can have a good read too in my spare time ;)

xoxo,

I've been keeping these photos for quite sometime now and I decided to put a draft on it last night, write everything I want and it led me to post something personal here. I'm quite emotional when I'm writing this because I feel like I'm at my lowest and weakest and I don't know how I'm going to overcome this quarter life crisis I am currently experiencing. But, thanks to him for finding the time to listen, understand and still motivate me when I feel like taking a break. I'm not expressive in social media about our relationship nor posts words of endearment but here's to one of the most personal letter to date that I will be sharing here on my blog. Here it goes...

As a growing, struggling and trying to be independent woman I have my life all figured out even before you came- put it in a timeline and promised myself to achieve everything that my heart desires. All I've wanted is to be of service to my family & give them everything that they deserve, help my mom build her dream house and practice my career abroad. When you came in picture 3 years ago, my plans went a little messed up, my timeline adjusted and my perspective in life changed. I'm not only thinking about 3 persons in my life now but 4. A lot of people told me before that when you enter in a relationship, you should be ready to get hurt, to cry, to fail and to be selfless. Well, it is true and I've experienced all of it. But, love made me experienced the best feelings that words can't even explain and I'm happy that it's with you who's by my side. I found a partner, a mentor and a bestfriend in you who give me everyday an assurance that I am capable, I am loved and I am someone to be proud of.

First, I want to say "Thank You!" Thank you for the love, care and help that you have showered me. You have this way of making me feel so special that I can't also explain. You always annoy me but you also make me the happiest like a clueless kid. You always put a pressure on me whenever I feel down but I know that it's your way of motivating me. I hate it most of the time but I know that you believe what I am capable of and you don't want it to go to waste. Thank you for always believing in me and praying for me. I know it's hard to love a sick woman because it makes you worry most of the time. But thank you- thank you for enduring the pain with me and being my ray of sunshine.

Sorry, sorry for being too loud, too annoying and too anxious. You know I have reasons behind it but still thank you for understanding. Sorry for being a scaredy cat at times when I'm afraid of things which doesn't happen yet (overthinker). Know that I am also tired of this attitude of mine but I'm really trying to let go each one at a time. Sorry for being a nagger at times. I know you hate it so much but there's always a reason behind all the nagging and rants. Sorry if I'm eating up all your patience and the least thing that I can do is to cry when you're mad. Sorry if I just look tough but a real cry baby inside.

I love you Pau. Words can't explain how much I'm thankful for your presence. You, alone, gives me comfort and serenity. In this messed up world of mine, it is in you where I find peace and warmth. I always pray for your safety and health that you may always be guided wherever you go. I will always keep in mind your promises and someday, I wish to tick off our goals together as a couple and family. I am always rooting for you and your success, for your dreams to come true and know that through all your ups and downs I will always be by your side no matter what. Take care always and please don't forget that there's always me waiting and praying for you.

xoxo,

As I look back on how last year have went I feel so blessed and thankful to have survived the world's probably worst year of pandemic. I have my fair share of breakdowns and victories too and I promised that I will do everything to make this year a whole lot better than the previous one. I know 2020 gave me hopeless resolutions but I still wrote mine this year with high hopes that I will be able to make it. Fortunately, 2021 started smooth and fine. Our first project of the year (and my mom's long term dream is finally coming into reality!!!) I'm talking about our beach house. It's currently on its 1st week of construction already but I haven't seen it yet on the actual site. This beach house is actually a dream come true. It's not really grand- just a small and simple one but what I'm proud of is that it's the fruit of my mom and I's hardwork. I'm no longer going in to details as to how the design of the house looks like but I will for sure give you a glimpse of it once it's fully done.

With all the house construction that's happening the pinterest girl in me is so happy! I've been saving house interior ideas almost every week and what I'm so hooked up is the idea of placing accent walls and aesthetic spots in our future house. I came across @photowall_sweden on instagram and found myself scrolling non stop for ideas. Lo & behold, I found the perfect shop! Photowall is a Swedish company brand that specializes on wall art designs such as murals, wallpapers, paintings and canvas. They have the most beautiful designs and I felt the need to start investing and start it from their shop.

I wasn't able to decide at first what I should get from the shop because I have added to cart around 7-9 canvas designs. As I was browsing through the designs that I picked this world map in blue watercolor gave me the idea that it will be the best choice of design to put in our house. I'm so excited to unbox it when it arrived. It took a week or less to arrive and it still amazes me because it came all the way from Europe! They prepared it as early as I placed my order from their site. I didn't expect it to be really big in person too! Ang gandaa! Super nakakatuwa from the moment Pau and I unboxed it up until we assembled it. It gives me the daily dose of motivation to study and work harder to save and travel again when it's already safe and exciting. It makes me realize how big the world is, how opportunities are endless and how beautiful this world can be.

Here's a little treat to all of you- Get 25% off on your purchase when you use my code: missdreamgirl25 upon checkout. This code is valid for only one month! It's already a big steal!

This canvas also gives me the homey and calm feeling every time I look at it. What more if it's already hanging on the wall of our house with the overlooking view of the ocean right? For now, I'll be keeping it with me while the whole construction is still ongoing and I will update you with a new post of how the interior design went and where this canvas gained its spot! I'm so excited for my update soon!

You can also check out Photowall thru their site for beautiful finds and their instagram page for a daily dose of inspiration and ideas! Thank you so much, Photowall Sweden for this beautiful start up and investment decor for our home. I can't wait to bring and hang it soon!

xoxo,

Here I am digging in some photos I wasn't able to upload here while reminiscing the wedding day of one of my closest and eldest cousin. It was a memorable one because she's my first cousin in our mother side to get married. Imagine how giddy and excited everyone was! I was very happy to be part of the entourage and be chosen as her maid of honor. We were all so excited back then- I was with her during the preparation period and I also headed her surprise bridal shower. It was fun and fulfilling to arrange such a huge celebration and I'm happy she made me part of it. She has now her son who's my grandson and he's the cutest little man that we have now!

The best part of the preparation where the whole entourage is excited about was the gown fitting! Who doesn't want this? The bridesmaid dresses were designed as infinity dresses so we would be able to style it in different ways the way we want it to be. It was in skyblue too and I didn't expected that this color will convey a lively, youthful and fun vibes! Speaking of bridesmaid dresses, I've came across a collection of beautiful bridesmaid dresses from Alfabridal. I know I've said this many times but they sell really chic and sophisticated dresses for all occasions. Every time I browse their website I would always imagine myself in those dresses and think who's going to be the next in line bride among my friends and cousins! Hahaha! I want to be a bridesmaid again! Here's to the 2 best set of dresses that I loved from their collection.

I'm always on for florals! These designs convey a femme and chic spirit that anyone who'd wear this would feel like a walking beauty queen or model. I love everything here but the second dress with a deep V-neck is my favorite among all of these.

Pastel and nude are the colors I secretly love because it gives a high end vibe with a high degree of elegance. These dresses may not show off too much skin nor have prints or anything on it but its structure and color stood up for its beauty.

I really wish to be a bridesmaid again soon! (Hopefully my guy cousins are reading this!! Hahaha!) As for my recommendation, I highly approve and recommend Alfabridal for your one stop shop for all your wedding preparation needs! You can visit their website for more designs and ideas! :) See you in my next posts!

xoxo,

Hello everyone! How are you all doing? It's been 3 months already since I went back from this trip but it is only now that I found the time to publish the hanging backlogs that I have. (Home quarantine plans, I'm finally ticking it one by one!!) Our last full day in Macau was a free day for us. We don't have a necessary itinerary to follow and what we actually did was buy souvenirs and anik anik that we want to take home. We also went to the places near our hotel that we weren't able to go to on the first day. :)

Typical hotel breakfast consists of cereals, unli siopao (hahaha sorry for hoarding!!!), rice cakes, noodles and bread.

Macau Tower view from Lisboa

Outfit. I just love how I pulled off this Femmeluxe dress on our last day. I love that it's body hugging but stretchable & comfortable because of its cotton fabric. I decided to complete the look with a pair of white shoes from Nike, red purse from Guess, my newest pair of sunnies from Sunnies Studios and my favorite waterfall coat from SHEIN.

The iconic St. Dominic's Church at the middle of Senado Square

Portuguese inspired shops and buildings in Senado Square

We went on two museums during that day. The first one was in Macau Timepiece Museum...

... and the other one was in Museo de Macau.

We also dropped by Travessa da Paixao to take some outfit pictures for the blog. I love its colorful alleyways, interesting shops, cafes and art exhibits!

Ruins of St. Paul

The iconic tourist spot and most visited casino in Macau, Grand Lisboa. We were able to explore the casino but pictures are not allowed inside.

That sums up our last full day in Macau. Thanks for reading! Keep safe and healthy :)

xoxo,

Paris is not a dream destination for me. It never is, but not until now. 5 years ago Parisian was built and opened in Macau. It instantly became a popular tourist destination because of the Eiffel Tower replica that was built in the middle of Cotai Strip. I’ve seen it during my research before we went there. I didn’t had much expectations because I’ve seen one before when we went to Windows of the World in Shenzhen. When I saw it in actual everything changed. It became my favorite and actually the highlight of my trip.

Parisian Macau is one of the newest 5-star themed hotel in the country. Napa wow ako in all aspects. The ceiling, the mall inside, the designer shops, the shows, but most especially the tower! The tower is a replica of the Eiffel tower in Paris and its size is only half of the original size of the one in France. I insisted to explore the tower even if its pricey ($120 i think) so we can experience the fullness of Macau in our short trip. The 7th floor is where this shot was taken. It’s where the elevator going to the topmost is located. There were also lovelocks in the area and picture taking spots like the one in the first picture.

Looking at the right is the Studio City. It's one of the newest addition at the Cotai Strip. We weren't able to visit the place due to lack of time but their newest attraction is the Figure of 8 Ferris Wheel! :)

The tower is around 162-meter tall and the view up above is just breath taking. What more kung nasa Paris na ako! When I was at the top I realized how memorable it would be if I would experience being at the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It’s going to be surreal for sure. It’s when I started dreaming of going to Paris with the same group I was with in Macau- with my family, my ninang and ninong and my boyfriend!

Outfit. I love my outfit for Day 2! It's one of those pieces that I got for Malaysia. Every time I'm going to have my pictures taken I intentionally remove my jacket to emphasize my dress. Tiis ganda lang kahit malamig basta for the blog! Haha! Anyway, I got this white dress from Shein. This dress has a thick material except for the sleeves. It's comfy to wear and very stylish. You can either wear it in a formal occasion by pairing it with heels or dress down and wear sneakers like I did. :) If you're planning to purchase any items from Shein you can use my coupon code 1Qshaira for an added 15% off on orders $60 and above. It's valid from January until March.

For now, this Parisian feels in Macau has been one of my motivation to study harder and even work harder when I already have my dream job. I’m going to bring my family in Paris soon when I have already the means from being a doctor.

xoxo,

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