Dear Me in 2019,
In a few days, 2020 will end. I am writing this letter at the same time envisioning you. The first image that pops in my head is an excited you, eating onigiri in Tokyo Narita Airport while waiting for the shuttle to meet your sister.
I found another vision of you on a road trip with @iamyohann staring at a rainbow at the end of a canola field somewhere in France in spring.
I am glad you followed your intuition to spend time and visit family in Japan and in France in 2019. You had a strong feeling that all local and international trips should take place that year. For some reason, you were compelled to avoid making travel plans for 2020, and your decision to say no to overseas trips and reunions with long-time friends was wise. I'm grateful that you listened to this consistent gut feeling.
You will be traveling with your family to Siquijor in a tuk-tuk and catching up with your best friend and design partner in an unplugged weekend in the mountains of Dahilayan in Bukidnon.
While you're walking around inspecting the construction of her house in Cagayan de Oro, much to your glee, you will receive news that you passed the DELF B1 French Language Exam. I'd like to pat you on the back because I know this had been a long-time personal goal and you spent several months in 2018 preparing for it.
Having said that, just chill and don't stress about the trivial administrative and nitty-gritty tasks in Manila. Again you felt the need to complete everything this year and you're right to do so.
In June, you'll be saying goodbye to 2 years' worth of countryside living in the rice fields of Argao.
You'll pack your life in a 20ft container and move to the other side of the island to the coastal village of Moalboal. Here, you'll deepen friendships and create new connections. Your neglected social life will thrive and flourish and you will be hanging out most evenings with travelers and scuba dive instructors.
The quote, "You become who you hang out with," rings true. You would be surprised that you would be learning how to scuba dive despite your fear of deep waters.
Continue to heed your intuition, as you did when you had that nagging thought to attend the last conference in the city at all costs. That would be the last opportunity and there won't be any for a very long time until you discover a new tool called Zoom Meeting.
Cancel all travel plans to meet family in Romblon in December because all flights will be grounded due to a heavy typhoon.
By this time you will crave to own one of those coffee shop 2020 journals and you'll fail to do so. Don't bother getting yourself one. There won't be any appointments to write down nor anything interesting to plan. You'd be left with empty pages, as empty as I am feeling right at this moment.
I don't mean to shock you, but knowing you, you always wanted to know things in advance before they even happen so here goes:
Book an appointment at the dentist and have your two molars on either side checked. If you don't, you'll suffer excruciating pain that will keep you restless and sleepless at night despite the pain killers during the 2 months of confinement. COVID-19, a global pandemic will keep you stranded at home. Everything will be closed and no dental clinics will be available for any emergency treatment. As a result, 2 of your molars will be extracted, and biting into a baguette or a steak won't be as pleasurable anymore.
The islands and their borders will be shut next year. Air and sea travel will never be the same again.
There will be a curfew during the lockdown. There will be checkpoints and police vehicles at night catching violators. You will get used to walking around wearing a mask and a face shield. As silly as it seems, taking selfies with masks on would be the new norm.
On a lighter note, you will re-discover the joy of writing again through a blogging platform called Hive. This started after a conversation with @scubahead. You will enjoy spontaneous coffee afternoons that would extend to late nights over wine with @millycf1976, @biggypauls, and his wife. Later, you'd be meeting @diveratt as well. Sadly, it wouldn't last as you would say goodbye to the latter three because they moved back to the UK.
You will also meet new friends via Hive in real life like @ybanezkim26 as though you've known each other for a very long time.
Hive Meet up in Moalboal Philippines - December 28, 2020 (From Left to Right: @millycf1976, @ybanezkim26, Moi, @scubahead, and @iamyohann was flying up in the air).
You will take part in communities made up of writers from different parts of the world and unknowingly create one with @storiesoferne as an outlet of your passion for Architecture and Design.
The once-bustling diving village of Moalboal will closely resemble that of a zombie town. Many business establishments will close down and many ex-pats will leave. Tourism will suffer and something shocking will also take place. Hence, these will heavily affect your business.
By the end of 2020, you and @iamyohann will decide to close the doors of your business too, so brace yourself financially. Travel to see family and friends, but cut down on frequent dining out and impractical spending.
2021 will definitely be a year of new beginnings. I couldn't assure you right at this moment where you're going to be by then. The future remains in the balance.
Stay connected to your intuition and heed the insights that reveal signs of where you need to be.
Thank you Hive for making 2020 interesting.
You in 2020
A Letter to Me in 2019 is originally created by @livinguktaiwan. Thank you for reading. Now it's your turn and tag #mein2019. I would love to read yours. Have a reflective year-end!
Ouch... 2 of your molars will be extracted, and biting into a baguette or a steak won't be as pleasurable anymore.
Ooh, ooh... so sorry to find out that you closed your business!
Yup, 2021 will be better!!! It can only be better, @discoveringarmi.
Thanks so much @silversaver888 silver, ouch indeed 😁 Cheers to that. Wishing you a peaceful and a happy 2021!
Likewise, @discoveringarmi!
Happy New Year!!!
🥰🌺🤙 !ENGAGE
ENGAGEtokens.While reading your letter, I couldn’t help but shed my tears as my eyes followed your beautiful words - so profound and reflective! Not that I’d like to cry but your journey also reminded me of my own. As much as we all desire to take control of every single detail of our lives, there are times that we just have to go with the flow of the universe and let our destiny take its course. Sometimes our dreams are shattered because they’re simply not woven into the fabric of our Divine Creator’s master plan. Nevertheless, let’s still push forward with our aspirations and climb the ladder of our existence one step at a time. Sooner or later, what is meant to be will truly manifest itself. Thank you Arni for sharing some significant pages of your book of life! 😊
Thanks so much, Erne. I am really amazed how much parallelism we have every time we chat. Yohann and I are still grateful because through the years of ups and downs in the business, we have learned so much. We managed to achieve the goals we had only imagined but the pandemic and the domino effect of events that led up to this, we acknowledge the need to draw the line.The optimist part of me believes there is a greater good out of all of these, only time could tell.
It's so sad reading this 😔
And I'm sorry to hear about you guys closing down your business, that's the gyrocopter trips right? Hopefully, you will be able to restart again once tourism picks up.
Take care Arni!
Hello Pauline, thank you. Yes, we will close the gyrocopter flying activity indefinitely starting January 2021. We will see how things go, fingers crossed. Hope 2021 gets better for everyone.
I stared at the first picture for a few seconds. Are those wisteria? Loving the colors and form of the tree overall. Anyway, seems like you had a lot of fulfilling moments this years that came with the downs.
Having no fear of the sea. Now that's something I envy from people spending time on the beach. But the underwater pics and diving looks tempting but my near drowning experience trolls my decisions to try going near the beach in the first place.
Never postpone tooth problems. These will come to haunt you later in the form of a dentist's bill and some eating adjustments for a few days. I learned this the hard way :/
Sorry to hear about your business closing. Those are one of the financial disasters I dread happening if I invested in a business that relies on tourism. And I do have those plans right before pandemic happened. It must have been hard doing the accounting and taking up the losses. Hope you can restart that again or venture to a different business again. There's something about the entrepreneurial spirit that appeals to me so I would always root for anyone that wants to get back up after the financial loss.
Hello @adamada, thank you so much for reading and your insightful comment. Haha, to be honest, I am not sure if they are wisteria but I believe you are right, they seem to be. I just heard them call it in a french name which I couldn't remember. They're really pretty.
Oh about the tooth problems, absolutely, definitely hard lessons. Hope yours are all well. I am just grateful that my dentist was available online during ECQ so she sent prescriptions to manage the infection. Crazy times.
That was good foresight on your part for not jumping into the tourism business around that time.
We are in the process of dealing with the accounting requirements so to speak. We can't wait to get that over with. We still want to continue towards the entrepreneurial path depending how things go in the 1st quarter of the year but we are also open to other things. Hopefully all goes well.
Wishing you a peaceful and reflective new year.
Totally related but I just knew they existed after seeing it from an anime. Even contemplated on growing them if the climate on the Philippines allows it. It's an invasive species according to my Google searches anyway.
Dealing with my own broken molars right now. They're not painful now but I know they will haunt me later. No dentist available in my local area so I need to travel for that appointment. Tough times :/
Looking forward to see your updates on new ventures. Might as well take the time to explore other online businesses speculated to be a thing on 2021. There's food delivery services popping up here and a friend just talked about franchising. That business on paper is nice but haven't really studied the business as a whole. Maybe that could be something to interest you with.
Good luck on your plans for 2021, let's try our best to make stuff happen :>
It's fascinating how food and online businesses are prospering during this period. I have something in mind. When I see the ball rolling, I will share it here. 😊
Thank you and cheers to a proactive 2021!
बहुत सुंदर 👌👌👌
Thank you for dropping by and leaving a comment. Cheers
🙏🙏🙏🥰
I won't be here forever. Its too bloody cold
We missed your company at this time of the year, looking back at the first Hive meet up in Moalboal at the dive center. Hope we could bump into you wherever in the world that may be. Happy New Year Kevin!
Why is it that the first point I picked was the one that has something to do with your tooth? lol. Maybe because I also have a similar problem. Whenever I hear anyone mention a tooth problem somehow I see myself in their shoes cause I know how troubling toothaches can be.
I do pray you to get yours fixed before it gets worst, you still have to bite those steaks don't you? hehehhe.
Reading this letter to yourself makes me feel like writing one to myself as well.
Reflecting on all the loss and gains is something to write about and it worths penning it down for future reference, who knows when you might need it.
Along the line. you had to give way to somethings and let them have their way but nevertheless, the struggle is what will fine-tune and help you fashion your story well someday. Nice to read from you @discoveringarni
Hello @zanoz, thank you for reading. Haha, so funny how you mentioned the tooth, so far so good, the ordeal made me more vigilant on dental matters. Hard lesson learned. Would love to read your letter and that's what I like about blogging, you're able to capture and freeze moments and I agree, it's nice to re-read them someday.
I hope to do that sooner or later. Anyhow it would be I am sure I will write a letter either to my future self or to my past. All the same, a message and letter needs to be passed. I am glad to know about your vigilance on dentals matters, meaning your tooth is a little safe lol.
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