Gotta get myself back to the ground.

The past month has been a real blast. 

Man. 

Gosh, ha ha.

Grabe talaga. 

Dude (or dudette), I can't even begin to describe how much I've done, and how fun it's all been.

Alright, a quick summary of the past month (month and a half, actually):

First week of July I celebrated with different groups of people here in Penang since I was gonna be in Manila for my birthday.

Dinner at home with classmates and siblings

So that week included watching several of movies, having numerous meals (lunches and dinners), and I had my high school classmates over for dinner (Ms Cindy's Apple Strudel was, is, to die for!). Then, I flew off to Manila on the ninth, just a few days before turning nineteen. (Yuh, I'm nineteen now... shhhhhhuuuuucccckkkksss)

Thanks to the Battung sisters, I was fortunate enough to watch Usher the night I arrived.
They called me when I was on my way to Manila from the airport and asked if I wanted to watch Usher. And it was their treat. Who'll say no to that? (Awesome birthday gift; thanks again!) But, as most of you might know, I'm not the biggest Usher fan. Though, he is undoubtedly really, really talented, and he did a tremendous job! The concert was riot, amazing. Oh, and it was my first 'real' concert. (I know, hahaha.)

The next few days included touring Intramuros, staying up all night for the FIFA Finals (¡VIVA ESPAÑA!) and overdosing people with caffeine, ha ha ha (Sorry, Ina. It was all Vince. I... wait, no pala, I don't swear, hehe).

Behind the Manila Cathedral

Left to right: Me, Elle and Ina Battung, Gail Salvador, Miguel and Nikki Calayan (via. shoepastryheart)

Then, after a few fun-filled days in Manila, we (parents, Sabina and I) drove up to Baguio with one real rowdy, "on-fire" (Vibrantly in love with God. So much so that it shows even when their not talking about it) bunch from Summit Church San Diego. Now, that was OHSOME. We travelled around the whole region (Agoo, San Fernando, Baguio, and they also went to Trinidad when I got back to Manila) and did a whole lot of stuff. We: made new friends, invited, sang, danced, prayed, preached, shared, laughed, cried, and gave lost of 'samples' heheh.

At a high school in Baguio City

Rob Carona, Darin Vey, Ben Fogelstrom, Chris Bair,  Ms Theresa Jones, and Ailina Urias performing "Itch"

It was an amazing outreach. So many lives were changed-- mine certainly will never be the same again. God revealed himself to me so much through so many different people. Particularly, through the people from San Diego. I can write a whole 'nother blog, blogS rather, just about the things I've learned and about that whole experience.

Ben Fogelstrom with some Bboys

Joyce Watkins, April Hughes, Debbie Odash as clowns at an orphanage

Nate Jones, Jun Kheng, Me, Andrew Hopkins, and Ben Fogelstrom feasting at "O' Mai Khan"

Tempted to put more pictures but I'll stop and just continue, ha ha. 

Anyway, there's a whole album here.

On the 20th of July, we drove back to Manila for the Every Nation World Conference. Oh wow, my passion for the nations was really rekindled! Those next few days were amazing. I got to catch up with countless childhood friends, and I met so many different people from so many different places! I spent a majority of my time with the delegates from India! It was great also that quite a few from Penang were able to come too! (Again, a whole blog on its on about the conference)

Bryan Teoh, Jun Kheng, Joon Han, Rachael Tay, and Brenda Teoh all from Malaysia

At the Photo booth with David, Sonia and Stephnie from India and some LifeBox people from Manila

More pictures here.

Ok, this is getting long. I apologize. 

SO, after the conference, we went to the beach! Montemar, Bataan with a few families from Penang, Malaysia and old friends from Manila. Here are a few of my shots. This is the first time I'm posting any of them though. I'll try to get the rest on Facebook soon.

Luis Henson

Luis & Jenny Henson, Ina Battung, Brenda Teoh, Elle Battung

Elle Battung

Then back to Manila after a few days to meet up with more friends, eat more food, and I finally got my [driver's] student's permit. I clocked in ten hours. That was pretty scary: driving in Manila, haha! I enrolled at the A1 driving school at the Alabang Town Center. I even got to Cavite one day, and Laguna the next. Man, the jeepneys and tricycles were nerve-rackingly scary. But it's all good, haha. I get my Non-Pro License when I get back to Manila this November! I'll be back to take the Lasalle Entrance exam. (I'll post another entry soon about the whole school and moving back situation)

M Villanueva, Stefan & Mish Suarez, Me

Me, Mark Ong, Robert Hechanova, Marty Espino

Anywho, I'm back in Penang! Got to see my high school classmates again, haha. I'm having a ball now that I'm back. It's hard too cause I know after I leave, I won't be coming back again for quite some time.

I'm excited for the next few months. But now, things are slowing down a bit. And, I gotta get myself back to the ground, ha ha.

P.s. Sorry for the spontaneity and lack of flow. Please excuse my grammatical errors too. If I have something that's pretty bad, please let me know so I can fix it, haha. Thanks.