I am now thousands of miles below sea level. People around me are contentedly (and for my seatmate, can I also say soundly? J ) sleeping while I, 1 among around 30 passengers who are still awake, am still composing a blog entry under the dim lights of Philippine Airlines flight PR210.

World Youth Day in Sydney Australia was a blast.

It was so amazing I can’t hold my story for a couple of hours any longer. So there, I grabbed the pen I got free from the Vocation Expo and the “Pilgrim Transport Guide” booklet that happens to still have blank pages free for writing.

I am all set.

It was a totally amazing experience to see youths from all nations gathered altogether to profess their faith and witness the glory of God. It is so rare that I can be side by side with all of them in one place,

talk to them,

cheer with them,

shout with them,

eat with them,

dance with them,

pray with them.

And so with all my neuron’s might, I tried my very best to capture the entire moment. Never must I forget this event so I promised myself to always keep my brain recorder “ON” at all times- even from the moment I wake up in the morning up to the time I doze off at night (and of course it will keep on rolling up until I start chilling while sleeping).

Yes,

we practically walked our hearts and legs out (until our legs seriously felt numb already) during the “Pilgrim Walk” of 10.5 kms and during our own activity called “Mall Shopper’s Walk” of 1000+ kms;

we stayed in this posh and top of the line backpackers hostel in the heart of Sydney (I am saying this of course in a comedic sarcastic way J ) and on top of Kings Cross train station (and I mean this literally);

we braved the winter of Australia and wore layers and layers of clothes until I felt like I can be the most Jologs person in the entire universe already (and layers of melted candle on my hand too);

we eliminated our most-loved rice in our diet for more than a week (which made me look at Thai and Chinese restaurants there with so much REGARD, I felt like leaving flowers of adoration at each doorstep of those rice-selling restos one time);

I spent a substantial amount of money I could have spent buying something really awesome back home (using Philippine peso as the currency of course);

I took a leave from work for a week and left my clients;

I celebrated my birthday for the first time without my family .

Yes, I have done it all.

But you know what?

It was so worth it.

Ultimately.

Why?

Because amidst everything,

I saw the pope which is such a blessing.

People from different countries sang Happy Birthday for me.

I was able to go to Australia which is so fulfilling.

I saw the Kangaroos and the Koalas which is so exciting.

And apart from these…

I saw MYSELF.

I saw myself in the youths of WYD.

In them I saw the same passion I am trying to burn inside. The same willingness. The same devotion. The same longing for synergy. Heck, even the same laziness at times. The same love.

The same FAITH.

In my previous blog entry, I wrote something about not knowing why I am going to WYD. Now I think the answer is simple.

He wants me to go so I can see for myself that I am not alone in my journey and I am one among billions of youth in this world who believes in Him. I compared myself to them, the youths I can relate myself to, and through comparison I got to highlight the things I must retain in me, the things I must improve and, the things I must change to be a better servant of God.

WYD 2008 is an experience worth keeping.

a journey worth

And a story worth writing.

even under the dim lights of Philippine Airlines flight PR210,

while everyone is sleeping,

and while my seatmate is snoring.

 P.S. I also met a seminary boy in the airport on my way back who will surely treat me for lunch in New York if he gets ordained 4 years from now. WYD experience + new friends + a free lunch from a priest friend? I am really blessed J

 

WYD PICS

 

concierto!

bounce, bounce!

Regnum Christi (RC) booth

with Therese and her Twin brother!

boat-a-cade

 

yeah mahn…the Pilgrim walk!

The Cross

tired of the walk

FOODAH

Our very first WYD meal hehe…Ang napakainit na Beef Pie with Soda

 

of course, Aussie’s very famous Fish and Chips(or Fries)

whatta diet hehe.. Pork and beans with tuna for lunch

and potato chips and sweets pala so I take back the diet thing hehe

aha!steak at last!

Dinner + breakfast

after rummaging for food to eat

 

We Love Philippines! pics

Philippine flag carrier, yahoo!

Literally, im a flag carrier hehehe

Our little flag that used to be Pole-less haha! thanks to Therese!

NFFs (NEWLY FOUND FRIENDS)

Rhina’s friend Butts. Our picture with the last standing ancient telephone booth in Aussieness

picture with a Pinoy

with Pinays from Australia

more Pinoys

and MORE PINOYS! no wonder Phils ranked 3rd among the largest number of Pilgrims hehe

did I say im not good with flags? haha!

hyper pips!about to leave the venue but these generous boys gave us a free hug (and air spin!) ahahaha!

With Katherine Haige (l), used to be an RC co-worker in the Phils

Kenyan and Pinoy priests at the train station. We parted ways while they were singing “Tong tong tong ting pakitong kitong)

akala ko pinoy Priest from papua New Guinea

Cebuana sister with my long lost relative! Go Camachos!

Slovanian friends

RC girls from US

the consecrateds

Solomon friends (who love Lobo and Kristine Hermosa’s Gulong ng Palad!) with their pinoy priest

Me-hi-ko!

super duper cute british girl!!!!

Gelatto with the Malaysian guys

BRRRR SHOTS

AWWWWW SHOTS

TV shot, but still, the Pope :)

OUR PLACE

no lift ahaha! cmon,muscle power!

while waiting for the room 4 occupants to check-out

Pajama parteee! for my birthday!

TOURIST SHOTS

 

Huwow! Queen Victoria Mall!

WITH DYAN AND SI PICS

2 in 1, Opera and Harbor bridge. How cool can that be Dyan and Si, thank you so much again! weeeeh! see you guys again!

Thanks for the coat Karen! haha! Notice my arm…

yes my arm….

correct, my arm…

uh-huh! my happy arm! (=

eat us!

see you again!

salamat sa pose Si

GIMIK SHOTS

ANIMAL SHOTS

Cmon Koala, dont be shy!

Wallabies

Chimpanzee and kangaroo!

Monkey, Kangaroo and Platypus. What more can you ask for!