Nana's Cities

My 3 most loved cities. Places where I grew up, matured, learned and transformed. I'm going to talk first about the first photo above. It is a photo taken here in Cagayan De Oro City during night cafe specifically at divisoria. Night cafe is every Friday and Saturday where street foods and much stuff are out for the whole night. Divisoria is just right in front of the university where I studied, Ateneo De Cagayan or known as Xavier University. I stayed here in CDO ( abbreviation for Cagayan De Oro ) for almost 2 years, going exactly 2 years this coming May 20th+. 2 years ago when I was crying so hard because I'd be miles away from my family and friends. I'd to be away to explore a new part of the world, to make a new page of my life and to build myself. 2 years ago, right after my high school graduation we were already deciding/planning for my college life. Where to study here in the Philippines, What university and what course. Those were in our thoughts. Til we finally had this final decision to choose CDO and Xavier University as my soon to be new place. I had no single idea what this place look like, and how pinoys here live. I was so clueless about the lifestyle here but I was so zealous to do the plans though fears were really there.To make the story short, I studied here in CDO for 2 years now, the place turned out totally peaceful and relaxing for me. Whatever happened to my life now, how 'ruined' it is now, that's no connection with the place and the university. I do love CDO, and I am so thankful about all the things I've learned in this place. Especially, My first 2 years here in the Philippines were spent here in CDO, I'm glad for that. I and my parents have decided for me to transfer to Manila for me to have a new life, to move on. It is a hard decision for me because I have loved this place already and I want to graduate in my current university now but I really have to leave ( I'm gonna talk about 'WHY I HAVE TO LEAVE' more on one of my next posts ). Thankyou CDO for the memories, I maybe have no much happy memories to share but the learnings and the know-hows that made me stronger and more learned person, that's really made my stay worth it after all.

What I consider my hometown, Jeddah city of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It's the place where I was from before I came here in the islands of Philippines. It's my country since I was a fetus. I was born there, and raised there, My life is there. Friends, relatives, family and favorite food it's all in there. It was a very tough decision to leave the place to explore my being a Filipino and to achieve my dreams. In my 2 years stay here in the Philippines, I've already had my vacations there twice because I have to visit back there atleast once a year for my visa and residence permit renewal. And, I am gonna have my long vacation back there this month maybe on the last week or first week of April. I'm gonna have a rest there, won't be back here that soon. Maybe I'll be back on May. I'm not that excited to go back home because I'm not ready to show up to my parents, who've been there to support me in everything. They are always with me though I disappoint them or I make em proud. They've been there loving me though I ruined everything. I am so guilty about what happened, I really can't show up yet. Actually, I can be there last february because I stopped schooling last month but I have to stay here to act as if I'm still schooling ( more about this on one of my next posts) to prevent being a talk-of-the-crowd. I meant, if relatives and family friends would know bout it it would reflect to my parents' again. I really don't want that happen, if I ruined myself it's because I surrendered. I really couldn't stand a single day pretending that I'm okay though not. I so love my family, but I'm not yet ready to be back in Jeddah. One thing I'm gonna do if I'm really there, is to eat my favorite food that no place here in Philippines can find.

A piece of paradise here on earth, Makkah city. It's an hour drive from Jeddah city, it's Islam's holiest city. Yes, I am a muslim. I am eager to be back there, so I can ask much much forgiveness from Him. I've been so neglectful and disobedience. I need to practice my faith again, I need to be there in Makkah to have this enlightenment again which I really feel everytime I'm in that place. A paradise, it's a place where you can live a peaceful and simple life. I feel blessed being raised in saudi arabia because I have a lot of chances to be in Makkah all the time, which not all of muslims all over the world can do. I feel thankful for that, and I wish muslim people who long to be in this place will have their dream come true. It's a paradise here on earth, no words can exactly describe this place. No words.