Hundred days after

Should I not attempt to pen what had transpired for the past hundred days, or should i wait before it is too late. Should I wait for the snow to come down in Darmstadt or the semester to end?


Commencing today, I shall not miss the chance of articulating the life and experiences as a student more than 10,000 kilometers away from home. I shall not wait for another Paris trip, for the next sleet rain falling down on me, for the next solo trips in Germany and beyond. Tada! Sharing to you the things i am glad i knew and learned before this experience:

Posing for the free Blumen (flower) at my first
European travel. Aachen, Germany. 1st of October.

Manage to travel by myself and... No i am not a lonely drifter, and i enjoyed traveling with companions, especially when i can lean on Gideon's shoulder. But for the past 18 years or more of my life, i have learned to commute and managed to travel. Tracing back in 1993, i think, i commuted from school to home by jeep at PhP 1.00 or by tricylce PhP 2.00. From short Calamba to Los Banos trips at age 13, to Calamba-Alabang route when I was 15, to traversing more than six municipalities/city to get to my University. From wherever in Manila, to jumping from islands to islands until I get to Boracay. From Luzon to Mindanao and land trip South Thailand bound to Kuala Lumpur (whew! it has been a long history of being manageable in traveling alone). Bottomline, i had a lot of experiences that strengthened me and made me bold wanderer. ...to get where i should be. Of course, the whole journey is a long process, and one should end at the right goal: the right destination (preferably with the most efficient time and within budget). Aside from bold experiences, maps are very, very useful and early research on how to get to where. JourneyingJames' travels gave me freedom and guts to roam around as well.

Ride a bike... A very basic skill to learn. Fresh are the memories and wounds inflicted to me while i was learning to ride a bike...and i am thankful i really know how. From the little streets of Elepaño Subdivision in Calamba, to rocky roads to the top of Bora, to the easy rides in Los Baños (uh oh! i have to confess that I am no Laguna Giant Biker, I have to get off my bike and walk it until I past the steep uphill to the University Health Service). Now, getting around the city is easier with mein Fahrrad (my bike) especially when i only have 15 minutes or less to catch my class....and be safe. This is very important. Being cautious and alert in crossing street. In Germany, some autobahn (highways) have no speed limits. Traffic signals must be observed carefully and I should stay on bike lanes.

Nilaga Espesyal. Boiled pork and Gemüse (vegetables: potatoes
carrots, corn, cabbage).

Cook... Good to learn the basics from my mama and papa and little sister. I can fill up my hungry Filipino mouth and also cook for my German friends. I have to make another confession that I am the least in the family when it comes to preparing a meal. To redeem this position, I am the best baker! ...and satisfy the palate's desire. Check my friends on their first Pinoy dish experiences and they are after the next feasts. Some magic has been in here, everything I cook I am satisfied. masarap. sehr lecker. delicious.

Know my networks... From a first-timer away home, it is but a must to find a network of people and find the sense of community with them. (Being part of a community does not mean absolute homogeneity). ...and connect with them. I had found the German counterpart of my University organization. From them, i had found a lot of instant friends and community. Flat and roommate. Friends and events to spend some time outside University. Church and international community. Another network is a miniature of the world revolving around me everyday - that is my International Masters Program where more than 20 countries are represented. And of course, Filipinos that are easy to be spotted in prominent tambayan (hang-outs) in Darmstadt.


Essentials and must be remembered since these just form a third of my first 100 days.