it's weird celebrating christmas in NZ. first coz it's warm and sunny, second coz it didn't have all the christmas things i'm used to - no simbang gabi, no puto bumbong, no kids caroling every night 'til you ran out of coins to give, not everything is covered with christmas lights, the radio doesn't play christmas songs every hour or so and the belen isn't the center of the event. certainly it is not as spiritual as what i'm used to. i must admit that the filipino community did have a sort-of simbang gabi every 7pm but it's not the same as getting up early in the morning to attend the 4am mass.

lacking with all the christmas reminders, it was no surprise that i didn't feel christmassy at all even when it was the 24th. when the week before christmas should have been office christmas parties, exchanging gifts with friends, frantic last-minute shopping - i was working and going to job interview.

the first time i really felt the christmas spirit was when we went to victoria square for the carols by candlelight. it was lovely. the park was packed with happy people listening and singing to the christmas carols. we brought 2 big candles which helped lit countless other people's tapers while we try to keep it lit against the strong breeze. we managed to keep it burning until we ran out of match sticks.

*****

christmas day was sooo romantic. martin slaved away on the stove while i was lazily watching tv. he prepared traditional English meal for our Christmas lunch:

ham - so yummy, and to think it's vegetarian!

roast veggies

Yorkshire pudding

and even tidied the kitchen and set the table so that it was perfect!

*****

i always wondered what it would be like celebrating christmas outside the philippines and now i know. it might be different from what i have been doing all my life but it's equally as christmassy.

it is not with hearing the carols or going to mass that you get a happy christmas, it is with knowing that you're celebrating it with people you love and spending rich time together.

knowing that.... i am happy.

since i don't have a permanent job yet and the chances of getting one along the same field of work i was doing back in the philippines is slim to zero, i have to reconsider my options:

a.) i can take up a course in business administration to brush up on nz office administration - i'm thinking it might at least get me an interview since my experience doesn't seem to be getting me any

b.) or work as a kitchen hand/food prep assistant because i am moderately interested about cooking and a big fan of good food - who knows, i might be a chef in the making, although... do all chefs have to know how to boil an egg?

c.) maybe do something completely different like study accountancy, library sciences, web design, database administration, records administration or be a call center operator.

d.) or i can also work as a factory worker, check out operator or nightfill assistant until i figure out what i want to do.

truthfully, i feel like i have lots of options. i just don't know which way to go, because i don't know what i really want to do.

when people ask me what kind of job i'm looking for, i just tell them the safest and less embarrassing answer: admin support kind of jobs. because when i tell them that, i can back it up by saying: because that's what i've been doing. i've already memorized that line. because a lot of people have already asked me that question.

but somebody asked a follow-up question that i didnt' have an answer to: if you have a choice, what is it you want to do?

i guess because in the philippines you don't really have the liberty to have a choice, you just tend to not have any dream at all or forget about it, if you have any.

i'm not blaming my seeming lack of self awareness on cultural differences or the philippines being poor or unemployment rate being high, because there are still a lot of pinoys who know exactly what they want and they're going for it. i'm just giving you a sense of maybe why or why not.

****

sometimes i wonder myself. i know what kind of things i like or what kind of activities makes me happy. it's just that i tend to like a lot of other things but none so strongly about. for example, i remember when i was a kid i liked electronic devices. if i have a new watch, i'd quickly learn how to set it into whatever it can do. later on, in the advent of computers, i thought... if we had one at home, i think i'd like it a lot. that's why i chose to study computer science. that and because it's one of the courses available for scholarships. either that or engineering and i don't like doing templates, so, computer science it is.

later on during the course, i realized i only liked using computers and dabbling with software applications, but not to actually program computer softwares. i can, if i really make an effort, code a reasonably running program. so i thought, i didn't want to do this for a living. i figured, if i can get an ok-ish job after i graduate, i'll study psychology while working (my parents made it clear they can't pay for a second degree). but, that didn't pan out. once i started working, i didn't even have time to do some of the activities that i liked doing like writing or reading. before getting employed for a government agency, i worked 6 days a week for private offices. the 7th day i spent doing the laundry. if i still have time (and energy) in the afternoon, i just went to the mall to chill out and window-shop. that has been my working life until i became a government employee.

not only did i get 2 days off every week as a government employee, i also got mid-year bonus, xmas bonus, clothing allowance and a whole lot of other benefits that, although not my main motivation, certainly made me happy. and for the first time, i get to be a real employee, not just a contractual person that companies hire to do the same thing for 6 months and then lay off.

my job description is simple - 1.) act as secretary to the vpaa, 2.) do all other related tasks that may be assigned

now isn't that vague?

i learned a lot from my boss. at that time, of course, i thought she was just being too workaholic and was dragging me into it. but being a sort-of workaholic myself, i didn't mind it too much. later on, i thanked her for it, because it showed me what i can do.

although i turned my back on the IT world, it somehow found me. before i left my job, i was handling IT works, getting recommended to attend seminars, having fun learning new image softwares while designing information materials and working with website. it's still not totally IT but i'm enjoying it coz that's just all about IT i'm really interested in doing.

i think, what i'm really trying to say is, even when i thought i liked computers or IT, it turned out i didn't like it enough to actually study it deeply or be passionate about it enough to want to do it for the rest of my life. which is also the same for all the other interests i have. i learn things quickly, hence the varied interests, i guess. but i also lose interest if a.) it's too easy, b.) too hard.

***

it's a major set-back that most offices here hire office administrators to do accounts and/or reception. i have no accounts experience and i don't like reception. sad. i feel like i came from the old age where offices need office personnel just to type their letters or memorandums because bosses don't know how to type or use the computer.

***

so yep, bottom line is... i really don't know what to do.

just when i had time (and mood) to blog, i can' t upload images! what's going on?!

martin called me early in the morning to say... "i thought you might be interested... the All Blacks will be at the Victoria Garden, 12:30 to 1:00 in the afternoon. you can wear black to show your support"... heh! any chance to wear black is good with me.

i almost didn't make it on time but i was glad i did.

it's not that im into rugby that much or the all blacks for that reason but just it's a chance to see new zealand's pride and i was hoping they might do a haka dance (which is the only reason i watch rugby when nz's playing)

i arrived at the park just when the all blacks coach/bus was pulling along the driveway. i don't know how to tell if it's a huge crowd or not since nz population is considerably smaller but it was a good nice crowd that probably missed their lunch break just to show their support.

here are some of the all blacks' players (i overheard that not all the players were present) while singing the national anthem


this is Richie McCaw, all blacks captain

black balloons supposedly for every all blacks supporter (where's mine, i wonder?)


... it was a really positive experience for me. it was very interesting how laid back the crowd was. just imagine, that's all blacks! i mean, it may not mean that much to me but i'm sure it means a lot to kiwis and yet it was such a relaxed atmosphere. no fences to block the crowd, the players were all standing in a slightly elevated ground but nobody was trying to reach out and grab them, no pushing or hysterical screaming - just a fun, easy, laid back crowd gathering there to show their support.

if sorsogueños flocked and blocked the main street of sorsogon just to watch patron saints paraded during the holy week procession, i can't even imagine how chaotic it would be if it were the all blacks (or for the philippines, maybe a basketball team equivalent).

white wine, chocolate and flowers - because i got my work permit!

how sweet is that?!

I traveled so little in my life. Aside from the occasional vacations in Manila, I’ve never really been anywhere but the sleepy town of Sorsogon (now a city but it didn’t change it still being a sleepy town, except for the traffic). I always felt like I have to be someplace else, that one day, someday, I would have to leave Sorsogon and be somewhere else, somewhere farther.

At 26, I was nowhere nearer that “somewhere” than when I first felt I should be there instead of where I was. But the feeling was always there, like a longing for home, to be home.

Then, as if the cosmic universe decided it was the right time to be, I met Martin – in the most unexpected, crazy, and awesome way. I still can’t believe up to this time what happened when it happened. Sometimes I wonder… if we weren’t both at the same place at the same time… would we have met in a different way or a different time? We’re we really destined to meet, no matter how, when, or where? I believe so. Because he’s the man I wished was out there who was meant just for me.

And suddenly, my life is buzzing - places to go, things to do, people to meet. It was like waking up.

I didn’t expect things to happen this fast and yet it feels like it has been a long time ago. It’s just been 2 years, really. You decide then if it’s a long time or a short time.

The moving part is really just a matter of how long until either one does it – no question of its possibility. We can’t just be forever chatmates and meet once or twice a year. That’s not a bf/gf relationship, that’s a divorced couple.

This is the farthest I’ve traveled so far, does that mean this is the “somewhere”? Maybe. I definitely don’t see myself going somewhere just yet.

Leaving wasn't at all hard. I've been out of the house since starting college and have just moved back in 2004 when I got a job closer to home. I guess I'm not your typical girl. During my first week in a boarding house and the first time to be away from home, I was the only person in there not crying out of homesickness. And I feel exactly the same way this time. If anything I was feeling really unhappy at work that I can't wait 'til I'm out. Sure it was sad saying goodbye at the airport but goodbyes are always sad, no matter what. As weird as it may sound, it doesn't feel like I'm not home here – with Martin. I sometimes even feel awkward already referring to Sorsogon as home.

But…

If this is my metamorphosis, I feel like I’m in a cocoon. I may have decided to leave my sleepy, wormy existence but now I feel suspended, unsettled, awkward, unsure and wrapped.

They call it “adjustment period”. I'll call it my cocoon stage.

The weather was surprisingly good for my first two weeks. Nice and warm, ideal for cocoon spinning. It helped ease me to the cold days that will follow.

I had that impression of people here being too friendly for my comfort. It made me feel awkward going out. I am not a particularly perky person and it is an effort to be and I felt obliged to say hello or greet strangers otherwise people would think I’m rude and worried it would reflect on my being non-kiwi. And yet, sometimes I don’t get a hello back, or a smile, which deeply disturbed and sadden me. Did they choose not to be friendly to me because I’m different? It made me even more insecure than I already am. Now, even going out feels like an obligation. Something I have to do once in a while so that I don’t worry Martin.

As small and close knit as a Filipino community may be, people don’t just smile or greet strangers, not even in Sorsogon, where you think everybody knows everybody. We also don’t just go around have dinner or meal at a friend’s house unless there’s an occasion, and even then, you go in groups, just to be sure you know someone there. We also don’t go around talking to every guest in a party. We usually stick with our own group, otherwise, if you’re alone, you mainly chat with the host, whom you know, of course. Occasionally, we chat with strangers too, when it’s a necessity, for flirting, or for lack of better things to do.

Living here is significantly easier. Business transactions are done and dealt with within minutes. Often it is automated, computerized or online so that you don’t have to worry about forms, receipts, or whatever paper works. Most often, you only have to fill out forms once. Bus fares are really cheap especially when you only pay for a maximum of 2 rides a day and all your other rides are free after that. Most establishments or stores accept eftpos payment so you don’t even have to have cash. How convenient is that?

There are definitely a lot of differences between NZ and the Philippines and I’m trying to deal with it as well as I can.

And yet, I am still in my cocoon, no matter how well I’m trying to adjust.

I’m still the one staying at home looking for a job. I’m still the one learning how to relate to other people. I’m still the one who feels insecure not being as open and outgoing as others. I’m still the one who doesn’t know how to act or what to say. I’m still the one who’s not good with small talks. I’m still the one who’s unsure about decisions. I. Still. Am.

It is warm and safe in my cocoon of unemployment. It is warm and safe to be at home and do whatever it is I want to do, when I want to do it.

Indeed, it is nice…

And yet…

I want to get out and spread my wings. I want to see the world and live my life out in the open again. I want to be independent. I want to be productive. Ahh.. there’s so many things I want to be and to do.

I want to be my own person again.

I've just read the last Harry Potter book and gosh! it was worth the wait. I was officially introduced to Harry Potter a little late (the very first book I read was The Half-Blood Prince) but I won't say it's a bad thing. If anything it was exciting to be able to read through it from the first book to the sixth (yep, I reread that book six just because everything made more sense towards that time) and only had to feel the agony of waiting for the next book once. :-)

*sigh*

I can't believe it's finished. I still remember the first time I ever heard of Harry Potter from my a-few-years-older-than-me officemate gushing about how cute Harry Potter (I mean, Daniel Radcliffe) is and so adorable she's got a crush on him, with me just silently smirking in a corner thinking how silly it is for a girl her age to have a crush on such a really young boy and be reading a children's book. That was, I think, in 2000 - when I was staying in a boarding house with no TV, radio or whatever to connect me to what's happening in the world and definitely would not go out of my way to buy or read a children's book.

Fast forward to 2006, another officemate asked me to get her a copy of The Half-Blood Prince when I came to NZ and I read the book when I stayed overnight at the Singapore Airport. And I was hooked. The book was way better than the movie, no offense to the film makers, directors, actors, etc. I mean, I like watching the movie but story-wise, I wouldn't exchange reading the book.

And now I have read the 7th and final Harry Potter book.

I feel both happy and sad. Happy because the ending is brilliant but sad because it is the end. That's exactly how brilliant the book is, really. You truly feel that there's no going anywhere anymore. Everything is covered. This is it...

For those who haven't read the book yet, do so, those who haven't been into the Harry Potter magic yet, what are you waiting for?

just after i've received my approved visitor visa, i've planned the rest of my weekends around catching up with family, friends and everybody i'd miss when i leave. i didn't imagine i would be so busy i have to ask friends to make appointments to hang out with me!

familyit wasn't even easy working out when to have a family outing. though it had been a now-or-never plan, it turned out to be a nice way to spend lazy time together.




nanay enjoying a swim







tatay caught munching a yummy watermelon









rica - the official poster gurl








nice big bite for me





office mates

our office also organized a week long manila-tagaytay tour. i was very excited because i'd get to see tagaytay for the first time and before leaving. going to that place have always been a plan that never seems to happen.

tagaytay - finally!

L-R: ria, me, jenny, vhang, ellen

we also visited Cavite State University in Indang, Cavite. we stayed there during the first 2 days and 2 nights.




Cavite State University as seen from the top floor of their library








their farm site







this is their Ladislao N. Diwa Memorial Library and Museum

we also dropped by Senator Manny Villar's house





intramuros

- the old capital of Manila, a city within a city, protected by its walls

this is the rizal shrine... we're not allowed to take pictures but inside are the philippine's national hero's memorabilia, artworks, books, manuscripts. this is where he spent his last night. the famous Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell) is written on the floor of one of the rooms.



the fort santiago, once a spanish fortress, is part of the walled city of intramuros.

















jose rizal was imprisoned at the fort santiago before his execution in 1896.





shoe prints tracing rizal's steps to his execution











friends
lignon hill - where i hiked with my friends juvy and lems. a good way to prepare me for the many strolling (sometimes hopping and running) im going to do in christchurch








last minute preparation

had to prepare a special power of attorney for nanay so that she can sign and collect and do anything stipulated on my behalf.

had to weigh, replace, reweigh, reconsider, repack my bags and suitcase coz it was getting really heavy.

had to organize the things i will leave behind, file my paper stuff, clean my room and instruct nanay about other things.

had to catch up yet again with relatives in manila, do some last minute shopping for pasalubong and dodge an officemate's irritating call.

had to check that i have everything i need to pass through airport security.

had to transfer all my girlie liquid/gel things to the bag i'll check in coz of the new airport rules and regretted including my toothpaste there coz i wasn't able to brush my teeth at changi airport.

and... im on my way... if i've done everything i should have done or not, it's not in my power to worry about it anymore.

ang katangahan mo, wag mo ipasa sa iba

after a month of being closed due to the retirement of the person in-charge, i was assigned at the library last january. barely a month after that, the higher ups decided it was the best place to conduct the board meeting. so they started renovation, repainting and whatever cleaning up the library/building needs for the even more higher ups of education. needless to say, the library closed yet again. i stayed there as long as i could even when they were banging, scrubbing and moving things here and there. when it was unbearable and was making me cough and sneeze so much, i decided to return to my previous office to work on my other assignments/designations.

after almost a month, the meeting was finally over and i was able to open the library again. by then the semester have already ended.

now the summer classes have just began and masteral students are starting to flock. i dont like masteral students. they act like they own the place. just because it's the graduate studies library doesn't mean they do. they're arrogant, irresponsible, tactless and acts like or worse than grade school children:

a. can't read - how hard is it to read the sign posted at the door? it's right there staring them at their faces whenever they come in but they still don't know they need to present their library cards or registration form.

b. can't follow instructions - what's with "fill-up the bookcard and give it to me" that they don't understand? my god! masteral students at that and can't even follow simple instructions.

c. have authority problems - do they always have to try to bend the rules for their own sake? it's not as if they'd die if they follow or that the rules are unreasonable. they just always have to do it their way.

d. big mouth - always complaining that the library is closed when i haven't even been absent for a minute! what's with the words, "pls come in we're open" say the library is close?!

a lot of people ask/complain to a lot of not-concerned-people that the library is always close. the hell! i dont even go out of the library except lunch and after 5 and they have the nerve to say it's closed?

just because, the door is closed doesn't mean the library is closed. if they have taken the time to walk their lazy asses a little further up the front door, read what's posted on the door, turned the doorknob and opened the door, they would have realized how stupid they have been all these time complaining that the library is closed when it's in fact open.

and just because the graduate school have classes from friday to sunday, doesn't mean i have to work til sunday. don't give me the crap that just because i dont go to work on sundays that then the masteral students only use the library during fridays and saturdays. pu-leaze! tell that to somebody else but don't use that to me. the library open from tuesday to saturday. don't go complaining about your sunday. taking up masteral studies is hard work. make the time to do your research and don't blame other people. and please oh please! before you enrolled, you should have asked yourself first if you have it in you to do it coz frankly, if you don't know how to use the library, i don't think you should have graduated from elementary school.

on other library matters.

the main library collects the periodicals daily. that's what they've been doing since the old lady retired. aside from the clerk who is working there but was suppose to be working with me, they have student assistants to help them. but goodness gracious, they are still complaining that they have too many work. too many in fact that they dont have the time to get the periodicals.

just because, the information director collected the april 20 issue and gave it to me, doesn't mean i'm going to get the periodicals from now on!

this morning, i told them that i have the periodicals for yesterday. they asked if i can get the issue for today and i said no. then this afternoon, i closed the library early so i can give them the newspapers and the librarian said.. "we still don't have the newspapers for today..." im like so? am i suppose to answer that? i work alone at the library. did they really expect me to close the library, go out, get the newspapers and give them their copy?

i don't even go out of the library when i dont have to and i still get feedbacks that it's "closed" and they still want me to go out and get the newspapers? what do they want me to do?

the good thing is...
im leaving!

virginia tech killing. with so much to say and feel, words escape me.

campaign jingles. if the majority doesn't believe that politicians mean what they say, what's the use of spending too much on campaign materials? and why oh why do we even listen to it?

i lost 2 cellphones and i almost didnt want to buy a new one for fear that i might lose it again. after 3 months of cellphone-celibacy, i finally bought my N70. before i had one, it was all i ever wanted. but now that i have it, im not so happy. :-( i still miss my other cellphone. or im just not so used to having one anymore that it didnt give me the same satisfaction. hay!

what used to be the library now seems like the function room for meetings, conferences and such like. isa pang hay! more details on a later post (if i still have the energy)

my calendar is so full - catching up with friends, going places, last minute shopping, packing my suitcase... im so looking forward to my lazy days in NZ!

flight

this was my first time ever to do things like these - ride a plane and travel out of the country (and i did it alone!)

of course i was nervous and excited. tips came flying from everywhere. i got too many of it i was overwhelmed. so i decided to just go with my instinct. it hasn't failed me before.

the flight from manila to singapore was short and fun. i was seated with two filipina (in the middle row) who took advantage of the bread rolls too much the steward had to tell them they'd be given some after everybody's already served. :-P

the singapore to christchurch flight was the long one - 10 hours. i had a window seat with a foreigner and a filipino. food was really great but window seat is not good for toilet breaks.

Christchurch

it was a very warm welcome indeed! i got off the taxi and stood on this very driveway to find a really sweet and thoughtful welcome written on the pavement.

we went up the cathedral tower and almost bought another tshirt saying "i made it" but it's no way near our adventure in sagada so we didnt but in all honesty, it's not for unfit people to climb up that steep stair. (as if we're both fit but we tried. hehe.)

we have something inside that chalice that only three people knows.

the tram ride is a very touristy thing to do because it loops around the city center and they were restored so you're riding on something antique. oldie! (blocked people who wanted to get off the tram just to get this photo. cheers mate! :-P)

this is me pretending to be a totem pole. poking of tongue out is a customary way of maori greeting. (let those tongues out! :-P)

new brighton beach. we tried to explore every place in christchurch and though it's really cold to swim, we still had fun running and catching ball. just in front of the beach is the new brighton library which is really cool coz you get to sit comfortably, looking out the calming sea and just chill. of course, you should at least pretend to read.

garden city. before i traveled to nz, i read from a newspaper travel article that christchurch is known as the garden city with its award winning gardens. unfortunately, i went there during the end of winter so i wasn't really able to witness the fabulousness of christchurch in that sense. judging from these blossoms that's already amazing considering it's still a few weeks from spring is a good sign of more awesomeness to come. :-) i left just at the start of spring and it's really exciting to see the very first spring blossoms and the most workaholic butterflies - out so early!



christchurch gondola. again the first time to try a gondola ride and im afraid of heights! im glad my tour guide kept me distracted. :-)

you can see lyttleton harbour from up the gondola station (top photo). this was taken just outside the souvenir shop. we decided to walk our way down (after our gondola ride up). martin hurt his back when he slipped while walking down a muddy area (he was distracted coz he was trying to guide me through it). this would lead to the scariest part of my vacation coz he'd wake up one night complaining that his back is hurting so much. it was so bad he had to call a medical assistance hotline. he was advised to take some pain killer then wait and see til morning. fortunately, the pain eased in the morning and we didnt have to see a doctor.

according to maori history, british migrants arrived in the lyttleton harbour in 1850. they rested in this area while trying to get to the other side of the hill.

hector's dolphin
a nice cruise gave us the chance to see this little dolphins up close at the lyttleton harbour. it was so cold to be at the watching deck but heck! it's better than just looking through the windows. we were splashed wet when the tide got really huge but the complimentary choco worked wonders.

we hiked up a hill to go to a cave martin found during one of his "walks". it's way up of a park on the way to sumner. it was crazy to have found it during a leisurely walk (i sure wouldn't call it leisure activity). after that we went to the sumner beach, ate ice cream and i almost froze coz the wind was so cold!

akaroa

(photo courtesy of www.akaroa.com)

we are stepping on thousands of future gemstones and precious stones just waiting to be transformed at birdlings flat

here is where they polish those gray stones into their shining beauty.

we had fun taking pictures of me pretending to throw snow balls that i forgot those gloves that i have in my hand and martin had to ask the driver if we can still get it. the cafe was already closed when we passed by it on our way back so they met the day after and he got it back. yey! that was my very first snow experience. im still waiting for my actual snowing experience though. :-)

akaroa harbour. this place is a romantic get-away! it's like you're in a different time zone when you're here. it's so laid back, so old-time romance, gosh! if you're not yet in love, you will! well.. that is if you're with someone worth falling in love with. hehe. we had fun following the walk paths and the less traveled paths too. we were a bit lost after a while but we finally found our way to the road. had to dodge a few golf balls while crossing a green lawn though. hehe. just kidding. the guy playing was so friendly and helpful. fish and chips was highly recommended so we had to try that (chips only for him) and gosh oh gosh! try the crumbed oyster - to roll-your-eyes for! there are still one or two things we have to do there (akaroa website says there has never been a better time than autumn and i'll be in christchurch again that time! *hints, hints*)

the closest i've been near a sheep. this was when we visited the willowbank wildlife reserve. we saw lots of animals including the very elusive and shy kiwi bird. they're inside a really really dark room. guests were told they can't take pictures, make loud noises or try to approach or pet the birds coz they get scared easily. it was so dark we almost didn't see them but when we did, wow! it was really exciting!

wellington

we went up to wellington to meet with his brother and sister-in-law. took the train to picton and ferry to wellington. some pictures were not shown to protect the author's credibility :-P


this is me and kevin playing petanque (the goal is to throw metal balls as close to the piglet which is suppose to be a small wooden ball but i dont remember us using one, we just used stone).
brotherly chess competition. it was so windy the chess pieces were all tumbling. i dont remember if they finished the game or the wind finished it for them. :-)

from left to right - cate, kevin, martin and me after our kiddie games.

dosai. i ordered this when all i really wanted was a "light meal". gosh! foreign land and their large servings. hehe. in fairness, it's yummy and crunchy (though i didnt like the dips)

we found this plank on our way to the te papa museum. this was not in any way scripted. the dove just happened to be there and didnt leave even when we took pictures.

back in christchurch...

cats in christchurch are so cute! they'd let you pet them too!



eating while seated on a swing. cool idea!

my very first breakfast in bed! im having vegetarian sausage, pita bread and reheated stir-fried vegetable. i never even imagined myself ever getting this special and romantic treatment but im so happy!

thank you so so so much!