J.E.R.K: MY 2014 SPEECH

Warning: This post has not undergone any proofreading. So please, bear with it. My apologies. :)

2014 has been one effin' freakin' fun roller coaster ride year for me!!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!! Okay. What an introductory paragraph. Haha! But seriously, 2014 has been epic. It will always be that year where I can say, my life made a 360 degree turn while doing a 180 back flip. :D

Traditionally, my annual speech is about everything that had happened to me the said year. It is also about giving appreciation to everyone who has been with me during my 365-day journey. I won't change that tradition this year. There are just so many highlights in my life this year, and so many people made those highlights possible, that I can't afford to change the tradition just yet and miss thanking all of them! :)

Let's first start with my birthday --- the greatest birthday of them all (sounds like a title of a song. haha!), Yes yes yo! It was indeed the greatest --- the most unimaginable birthday I ever had. Why unimaginable? Well, It was never in my deepest thoughts that I imagine some birthday surprise shizz that would happen to me. Yeah it happens in films and movies, but those were films and movies! My life is neither a film nor a movie! But two young and brave kids did the unimaginable and made me oh so happy that day. Thank you Niknik and Faith for pulling off such an epic birthday surprise for me. From making my mom an apprentice to your plans, to fooling me about buying that Keds shoes for Fiona (which is not really for Fiona because it was for me), to acting like you two have boyfriends (thank you Yves and Juy), to pre-surprising me at Mcdo Bolton with matching white roses from Nik's CpE friends (best band aided white rose goes to Benjie!), to finally surprising on my birthday, one very early sunday morning rain is falling (very hard) day. You even had balloons and post-it notes posted all over our house, woke me up with Taylor Swift's 22 song playing oh so loud on a speaker beside my left ear (zzz. haha!) which really woke me up. When I woke up, I saw you all wearing party hats, one holding a sugar munch cake with lighted candles, one with a gift which contains the Keds shoes, and one with a bouquet of white roses. When I saw you, I repeatedly asked the question, "WHY ARE YOU HERE?! NGANONG NAA MO DIRI?!", because really, I can't believe someone could and would do that to me. It was a surprise indeed. I am more than surprised. Good thing it was a cold morning, or else, you would have seen the color of the panty I wore that day. Haha! Thank you also to Motie for being one of the surprise-rs and for helping Nik and Faith on their plans. :)

Then came February. Nothing much really. I remember I was just so busy finishing our thesis (and crying and planning what to do in case we won't make it and I won't graduate. haha!). Well, the only event that I can't ever forget that month was that mini rave party at AdDU Matina after the cheerdance event. Best times with the best people. :)

MARCH! OH SO MARCHY MARCH! Hihi. I FINALLY GRADUATED!!! YEEEEAAAAH!!! But before that, March 05, 2014 marked one of the happiest days of my life!!! Had our final thesis defense and WE MADE IT!!! LIKE YEEEAAAAH YEEEEEEEEY!!! I really thought we would be rejected or we would have a re-defense but no, we didn't. WE DID IT HORAY! Hahahaha! It was also timely that, that day was Ash Wednesday so I really made time to attend the last mass at school. I thanked God for our thesis deliberation results and I asked Him for quality time with family and friends before I finally graduate and before I would go to Cebu, because really, I will miss them all. And God didn't fail me. What happened after I heard mass was one of the happiest moments of my life. Abreeza. Bonchon. Ko-yo. Krispy Kreme. Emily Homes. Change wifi password. Dumanlas. Hillside. Thank you kids. Hihi. And oh, Faith had her debut last March 01 even though her birthday is not March 01. So it's still Marchy march. Haha. Never thought I'd still attend a debut during my final year in college, so, thank you for inviting me Faith. Sorry for our gift. That was just partial. The rest of the gift would be given 9 months after. Hahaha! Okay so I graduated. I finally saw my name on the final list of candidates for graduation. I even HOPED (very much) that I would graduate with Latin honors. But ep ep ep, my grades were 0.8 short of becoming a Cum Laude. Where is that one point when you badly needed it? Hahaha! It was a "sayang" moment. But it's okay. The graduation itself was a blessing already. I would finally get to hold a diploma and be a degree holder. It's like education life is finally over! Milestone baby milestone! Hahaha! That's more than enough. Yes I know, I really wanted to snatch another medal. I eagerly wanted to end college with a medal. I even prayed for it and told Jesus that "Lord, ihatag lang. Bahalag mao na ni ang last medal ever." But He didn't give it to me. So I think, I will still continue to grab more medals and add them to my collection (kung maka collection). Hahaha! Anyway, Papa came home days before my graduation. He accompanied me during my hooding ceremony and of course, he and mom on my graduation. I got a new laptop. I got 2 new pants and 2 new shirts. I got a new pair of sneakers. But I wasn't totally happy (not because i didn't had a medal. hahaha! srsly!). Why? Because it was all bittersweet. A week after graduation, I was scheduled to fly to Cebu, which means, I only had 7 freakin' days to squeeze everything I wanna do before I enter another revolution (yes. revolution. haha!) in my life. And since papa just came home, I decided to just dedicate all 7 days to my family. I told everyone, classmates, friends, boyfriends (which i don't have. hahaha!), that I would see them on October. I was glad that everyone understood and even sent me messages of congratulations. So okay I graduated! Yey! After 6 years in college, 1 year in Architecture and 5 years in Engineering, and a whole lot of drama in between, finally,

DINELLE AUBREY LEE AMPER

GRADUATE

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

April, May, June, July, August, September --- 6 long months in Ceeeeebuuuuuu!!! But that was fun. Haha. Really. Very very very fun. So where will I start? Ah yeah, I went Cebu because I have to review for my board exams. There is a review center in Davao but all of us except one opted to go to Cebu and enroll in Excel Review Center. At first, I planned on just staying in Davao but I changed my mind mainly because, I want to be far away from my comfort zone so that I can really concentrate in studying. And I made the right decision. Hihi. In Cebu, I have no internet connection. I don't have friends who are just one text away and poof, go to Ayala Cebu or SM Cebu. I have to budget my allowance wisely because I have no parents who can rescue me in times of money difficulties. Haha. I have no 24/7 access to TV. Most of all, the place is so neeeeeew to me! It was my first time to be far away from home! Imagine that, for 22 years, that was just my first time. Hahaha! So really, I had to adjust. I had to learn being with new people and being with all sorts of people. I had to learn how to be independent. And actually, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the newness of my environment --- new people, new city, new bedroom, new roomies, new food, new friends, new views, new scenery, new culture, new dialect, new routing, new malls, new jeepneys, new everything! I enjoyed discovering these new things! I felt I was living THE LIFE. I felt I was living MY LIFE. Hihi. I had quite a hard time though adjusting my body clocke. The world knows how much of an owl I am. Haha! I am really nocturnal and our review classes start at 8:30am! Hahahaha! Plus I have to eat breakfast still and no Mommy will cook or provide breakfast to me. Oh by the way, my dormitory is just located at the third floor of the building. Excel Review Center in Cebu has its own building. Offices and the canteen are located on the first floor, classrooms on the second floor, dormitory on the third and fourth floors, and a study area/gaming area on the roof deck. The canteen serves breakfast and lunch only. So every dinner, we go out and eat somewhere. Also, the bathrooms and comfort rooms are common. So yeah really, I had to wake up early to do my morning routine, eat brekky, take a bath and all shizz. Had a hard time at first but then I got used to it. Hihi. Another hard adjustment also was sleeping early and waking up early! Hahaha! Okay I think I mentioned this already but yes, I'm mentioning it again because it was really hard! Struggle! Hahahaha! I am used to sleeping 8 or more hours a day but in Cebu, it was trimmed down to 6-7 hours. Plus the new sleeping time was 12mn and wake up around 6am or 7am. It's not my usual body clock!!! But I had to and I did. Everyday, my alarm clock was my bestfriend and the thought of wanting to pass the board exams was my drive to really open my eyes and lift my body up to wake up. Hihi. I remember walking pass through the corridors and hallways with one closed eye because I am so sleepy still yet have to go down and eat breakfast at the canteen. Hihi. Best times. I was like in a military camp. I was following a strict schedule. Sleep, brekky, bath, class, lunch, nap (or sometimes no nap anymore), study, dinner, punas, study, then sleep again. The cycle goes on and on. There are breaks in between. And during these breaks, we go chismis or have crazy, wild, fun games with my roomies and dormates (both Ateneans and non Ateneans). That's one of the best parts, if not the best, of studying in Cebu. You got to be with other people and you got to build relationships with them. The fact that the 2014 ECE graduates from Ateneo came from two different batches, and the fact that the reviewees from Ateneo at Excel came from three different batches, it was indeed a blessing and a happy experience that I got closer with them. Actually, WE ALL GOT CLOSER TO ONE ANOTHER. Our original batch was a minority. We were just 6. Most of them came from the original 2013 ECE batch. But, I/we (the original ECE 2014 batch) did not feel any out of place issues from them. Instead, they welcomed me, they welcomed us, and we all embraced each other, journeying hand in hand in our quest to become engineers. For that, I am very much thankful to all of them. There I felt that we truly are ONE ATENEO, ONE ECE, #TeamAdDU. More than the General Engineering and Applied Sciences formula that we need to memorize, the Electronics Systems concepts that we need to read, the Electronics topics that we need to squeeze in our brain, and the Mathematics equations that we need to practice, we shared what no review classes nor board exam can teach us --- that is, FAMILY-NESS. Hihi. Sorry for the term, but really, I have no word to describe it best than that. So be it is. FAMILY-NESS. Hihi. Roomies I love you!!! BEH-shies I love you!!! Chos char chu. Hahaha!

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my dormmates, review classmates, and all the new friends I found in Cebu --- the Ilonggos from TUP-V, Boholanos from HNU, fellow Davaoeños from UIC and HCDC, fellow Ateneans from AdZU, the bubbly girls from 3B, new found friends from USC, the 4th floor peeps, everyone in the dorm, and most of all, that one person from CPU. My stay in Cebu would never be so much fun and memorable if weren't for all of you guys. Thank you so much for the bonding, and all the crazy stuff we did. Such memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Special mention also that One Orange Residences acquaintance party at Tambuli Beach Resort! (with the continuation at the one orange residences roofdeck. what happened there, stays in there? haha!) That was one (or two? haha!) freakin' awesome day! Pink Alalat champions! Tigso champions! Ms. Gay Ambassadress winner is from AdDU! For his identity, you better ask the winner himself. Hahaha! So AdDUans (haha!), make sure next year you bag the top recognition again for whatever pageant that your batch will do. AdDU has bagged the top honors for 2 straight years now. Make it 3peat! Hihi.

The last month before our board exams were harder. I had to discipline myself to not make naps anymore. I had to sacrifice not going to Mario Maurer and Baifern Pimchanok's show at The Terraces, Ayala Cebu. There were no more kinect sessions and movie/series marathons. I got homesick, real homesick from time to time. What made me stronger and more courageous to finish each day was my phone's wallpaper. Hahaha! I personally made that to remind me each morning I turn off the alarm on my phone, and each time I look at my phone, that many people love me and supports me in my battle, and that those people who love me and support me more are those who are in my wallpaper. Hihihi. They were the ones who inspired me really to wake up, get up, and do what I had to do everyday. What I had in mind was the thought of "Konting tiis na lang Dinelle. Pag-uli nimo ug Davao, naa kay duha ka lisensya na kwa-on sa PRC, pwede na kaayo ka mag laag laag anytime, anywhere, kauban sila." When I got tired or felt like giving up or even when I felt homesick, I just looked at my phone's wallpaper and then everything went fine. That picture never failed to made me smile. There were also calls/texts/fb messages from long time friends which I received from time to time while I was in Cebu. For those friends, I thank you. You know who you are. Thank you for strengthening my whole being while I was away, studying for the bloody board exams. Hahaha!

I was also lucky to have visited the Miraculous Mama Mary of Simala, Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu, Our Lady of Rule Parish (Birhen de Regla), San Pedro Calungsod Chapel, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Sacred Heart of Cebu Parish, and Capitol Parish. Thank You all for the spiritual guidance ALL OF YOU have given me during my stay in Cebu. Thank You also to St. Jude and to St. Pius of Pietrelcina. :)

Thank you also to our forever favorites karinderyas/fast food chains/supermarkets/malls/hang-out places where we ate our dinners, bought our groceries, and spent our free days: Jarred's Eatery, Silogan ni Gian, Bradex Batchoy, Barbecue-han sa may Julie's Bakeshop, Barbecue-han nila Nice, Jerry's Fried Chicken, Siomai-yan sa may Jakosalem (best siomai ever!!!), Achievers, Night Market with Street Food at Colon Street, Jollibee sa may USC, Mr. Liempo, Abuhan (once only. when dean espina treated us, adduans. yey! thank you!) Gilligan's at Ayala, Mcdo and KFC deliveries, Colonade, Metro at Colon, Metro Gaisano, Ayala, SM Cebu, E-Mall, Park Mall, Colon Street, Songhits, Mango Avenue!!! Thank you too to the canned goods that saved our hungry stomachs everytime we got lazy going out of the dorm. Haha!

Then came the board exam days. It was 2 and a half days of struggle. Haha! I remember my heart beating so fast during the last minutes of my Math exam while I'm shading the remaining items. I never had that heart beating before! It was more than my heartbeat during playing a basketball game or any strenuous activity! My heart was literally coming out of my chest! Good thing I didn't faint or anything though. Hihi. I remember also that my only sure answers for my Electronics exam were 17! Freakin' 17! I slept for 30 minutes (i think? haha!) after having one round of reading all the questions because really, I have nothing to answer anymore! Hahaha! Then I went back to answering again and all the time, I had in mind was "Lord, ikaw na bahala ani. Please guide my hand to shading the right letters." For day 2, GEAS and EST, same thing happened. Haha! Answer, sleep, shade again, with the prayer in my mind. Hihi. The last day was a half day Electronics Technician exam. I answered one round, slept again (haha!), then finished it around 10am. Most of us finished it in just 30 minutes. Then after that, everything else was "Ikaw na bahala Lord. May our efforts lead to what our hearts really desired." The days in between after the boards and waiting for the results were the best! Sleep sleep sleep, eat eat eat, laag laag laag, movie movie movie, series series series! Then came the day night of verdict, Oct. 2, 2014, Thursday. We, AdDUans, were all in IT park refreshing from time to time PRC's website. Out of about 25 takers from AdDU, 11 passed, 4 were conditional. It was a very blissful moment for me to see my name on the passers list. I immediately called my mom! She was the first to know. I then texted my dad. I don't have the capacity to make an overseas call. Haha! So he called me instead. Then I called my bestfriend, Dash, I texted Yabee too. And I texted the kids! Nik and Faith! I texted my grandmother, and my yaya. Jolu called me also! There were so many congratulatory texts from friends all over the world! Charot! Haha! However, I wasn't able to celebrate that fully because I know, some of us didn't make it. Most of my time that night was not really spent on celebrating. I was out comforting my fellow AdDUans, giving words of sympathy, encouragement, and wisdom. To that one whom I comforted so much at the bulubundukin part of the IT park, haha!, libre dude! Naaaaah, seriously. I know you have absorbed all those things I sad to you. Gigamitan to nakog Philosophy! So ayaw pag eng dira. Hahaha! Yeah I know, I make a good Philosophy teacher. One day, someday, maybe I'll pursue it. It's one of my plans now. Just don't have any concrete actions yet. Hihi.

Overall, it was a bittersweet night. For the Electronics Engineering exam, 11 passed, 4 conditional. For the Electronics Technician exam, WE ALL PASSED. 100% passing rate with the Top 2 honors bagged by our fellow AdDUan, Engr. Vince Jebryl Montero. It was my goal to be in the Top 10 placers of the board exam. I didn't give up even until the very last minute of my exams and even if I only had 17 sure answers. Hahaha! I believe in miracles though I know it would take a very HUMONGOUS miracle to land me on the top 10. Haha! My rating was just 74.70. If the passing score was 75, I surely would have failed. Good thing the passing score is 70. So, whatever, that was the most precious 74.70 in my life!!! Maybe the Lord knows that my favorite number is 7 so He gave a rating full of 7's! Even my ECT rating was 87! See! Still has a 7! Haha! So yeah yeah yeah,

ENGR. DINELLE AUBREY LEE AMPER, ECE, ECT

Just hold on we're going home! Hahaha! Best lyrics of a song! We went home to Davao on Oct. 4, Saturday, two days after the results came out. Argeo, dormmate from USC who also passed the exams, gave us a ride from Excel to the Mactan airport for which I am ever grateful. That day rained so hard. If it weren't for you, we would have been late for our flight. Hihi. I now take this chance too to thank my Excel Family, from the president himself, Sir Jaime Tiong, his wife Ma'am Nenita Tiong (thank you for treating us to italianni's the day before our board exam. hihi.), and their children, Sir JJ, Janjan (gwapo kaayo ka! inspiration kaayo everytime makita tika! hahaha!) and Nikki, our ever enthusiastic reviewers: Sir JJ, Sir Cober, Sir Pangan (best review class i had ever was with you! thank you for making us laugh our lungs out with matching tears in our eyes! hahaha!), Sir Fuentes (thank you for answering my math questions sir. hihi.), Sir Cuervo, Sir Mañacop, Sir Gabriel, Ma'am Jen (our hot body adviser. haha!), and Ma'am Tan, to the office staff who are ever welcoming and hospitable to answer our queries: Ma'am Mia and Ma'am Ely, to the canteen staff who takes care of our hungry tummies: Ate Linda (your dishes really taste so delicious!) and Ate Alma (i am always number 1 in your pa-reserve lunch list. haha!), the library and E-Review staff: Sir Erwin Tiong and Ma'am Rachel, the dormitory staff: Ate Aling and Ate Magda, (whose voices really echo the dorm. very pitch perfect 100! haha!), Kuya Atan, Kuya Marlon and Kuya Danny. THANK YOU EXCEL FAMILY FOR TAKING CARE OF US DURING OUR 6 MONTHS REVIEW IN CEBU! ALL IN ONE LOVE, CARE AND SUPPORT INDEED! And when I say support, I meant a support that goes beyond the review center - reviewee kind of support. They all treated us like we are the extended children of Sir Tiong and Ma'am Neneng, that we really are included in the family, Excel Family!

Thank you also to the Flordeliz family: Auntie Carol, Uncle Jun, my cousins: Ate Bingbing, Ate Cheche, my nieces: Cacay and Baby Narelle, and my cousin who is also staying in Cebu, Ate Dimz, for inviting us always whenever there's a party in your house (or i say, building). Hihi. Best times ever because those were some of our only chances to eat real food. And drink (??). Haha! And have free videoke!

Landed in Davao, stepped foot on Hillside Subdivision Bajada Davao City, slept finally on my bed, BEST FEELING EVER! Hahaha! Got to finally see again my mom, my brother, my grandma, other relatives, and friends from all over Davao! Hahaha! TRIPOD, ECE13, Kids, basketball teammates, HS CHUMS, Benben!, and many more! Just sad that I wasn't able to see yet my Arki buddies, CO2 and jinTOTnid. Postponed meet up. Zzz. It's okay. We have the whole 2015 to finally meet and look back to all those drama moments we had while we were still in first year, having a revolution with Architecture. Hahaha!

A very very very HUGE THANK YOU to Bibi Mommy, Papa, Arvin, Nanay, Yaya, Lee and Amper relatives! Another engineer in the family! Hihihi. Thank you Papa for calling me days before our board exam and telling me that you have just purchased me an S4. Inspiration indeed! Nabuhi ang kalag sa sok! Hahaha! Thank you for the new rubber shoes, Baby-G watch, t-shirts, blouses, cash, and many more. Haha. Thank you also to bibi mommy for giving me a shopping spree, supporting me in my oplan babaihan and overhauling my closet. Haha!

When I was still reviewing, I had this talk with Jesus that IF I'll pass, or rephrase, WHEN I'll pass and become an engineer, I will do my fair share of giving back by serving, applying St. Ignatius' teaching of being men and women for others. The form of service that I had in mind was inspiring young students to pursue their chosen endeavors by being a teacher. So I tried applying as a teacher in AdDU. And I got hired! Like Thank You Lord! Hihi. It was one happy moment! More than happy! Thank you also School of Engineering and Architecture for acquiring me! Thank Ateneo de Davao! Hihi. Now I can finally help young students by teaching them not just academic lessons but life lessons too. There were questions of what I want to do now that I'm already an engineer, whether I'll go find work in Cebu, or in Manila, or somewhere out of the country. But I chose to stay first in Davao. I want to spend more time with my family, dear friends, and loved ones. And I think I made the right decision. I may not be leading the race now, but I always believe that life is not a race. It is rather a marathon. I do not have to sprint. I just have to have enough air and endurance to run my life's marathon. I am spending quality time with my family. I got to go out with my friends. I am enjoying the teaching profession. I am happy with my work. That, I am more than thankful. :)

Well, thank you also to my students this semester! You make me alive really! And young too. Hihi.

And to the present SEA Women's Basketball team, not this year again. Heads up. Own 2015. :)

I didn't receive much material gifts this Christmas. I only got an automatic umbrella from Jolu and a boxer shorts from Faith. But the blessings I received this whole year was more than I could ever ask for. I have the four things that I always pray to God that He may grant me --- genuine happiness, contenment, success and peace of mind. For these, I am already very much thankful. The automatic umbrella and the boxer shorts were the icing on the cake. :)

Though the waves weren't so smooth all throughout the 365 days of this year, 2014 has been the best year of my life so far! And as my forever prayer says, " Lord, take me to where You want me to be. Lead me to the path where You think I should belong", I am very much looking forward to more adventures in 2015! I don't know yet if I will still be a teacher after this semester or I will work in the industry already or I will pursue a master's degree. I will just live one day at a time, cherishing each second, enjoying what the present gives me. One thing's for sure though, in the year 2015, I'll spread my wings and fly. Or I have my inflated, very colorful balloons here already. They need just few more reinforcements. There is no reason for me anymore not to fly. And if ever I decide to fly higher, no worries, I'll just inflate more balloons so that I can finally reach my own paradise falls. :)

LORD, THANK YOU OH SO MUCH! NO WORDS CAN EXPRESS HOW I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE GIVEN ME THIS 2014! ON TO THE NEXT 365 DAYS! LET'S JOURNEY TOGETHER AGAIN THIS 2015! :D :D :D