A Time for Change

I am a very private person. I hardly go out to socialize unless I find a lot of reasons to go. Friends would usually think twice before sending their invites because they know me. 

In my younger years, I enjoyed being a loner. In high school, I spent most of my time at the library or at the hallway, doodling or wandering with my head buried in a book. My favorite hangout? Oh, the library! I'd go there even during recess as if I'd catch a new book on display. The library took me places and times I never knew of and may never see in my lifetime. 

But university days marked a lot of changes in me. I learned to mingle with different people, young and old. Friends and acquaintances from different provinces fascinated me. My parents hail from distant regions and we were used to going in and out of the provinces since we were kids. Too bad I didn't keep a journal then. It would've been fun and insightful to go back and learn from those trips. In my attempt to preserve my memories and leave them for the next generation, I started to blog in 2008. I wanted to preserve my encounters and promote the splendor of cultural diversity in Asia, especially in the Philippines.

As a freelance writer, writing was natural to me. There's just too many things to write about! I can tell you so many things and go on blah-blah forever. Although it is at times painful to receive criticism, I welcome them as opportunities to be better. My fear of speaking in public, however, was never addressed, until last September 6. I received an email informing me that my blog bagged the Blog Category for the Social Networking Awards 2011. 

It was suicide to decide to go. But still, I wanted to face my fear. I just kept thinking that it would only be  five minutes of f(l)ame. I wanted to do this because I want change. So no matter how freakin' scared I was, I nervously walked in front and made my short presentation. 

My Million Hectare Run - Blog Category

To the more prestigious winners, Congratulations! Thank you for the valuable lessons I learned from your experience.

To Digital Filipino and Search Profile Index, THANK YOU! I am all the more encouraged to spread great news about living in the Philippines :)

image source:artext.co.uk

Posted in: digital filipino, My Million Hectare Run, philippine blogs