The Victory

The Victory

"I just grabbed the single chance of a lifetime..."

I started dreaming about travelling abroad after I succeeded in flying to some places in the Visayas region before I turned 30, however, I preferred not to work as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) or be employed in a foreign land.  In short, I wanted to travel like most tourists do or fly abroad for free like my previous domestic flights,which are considered official business trips.  Well, it was surely a long process to get what I really wanted...and after I have painstakingly undergone all the screening and selection  process plus the completion of documents...I became a scholar...yes! I simply made it! (Not to mention, the failure I experienced on my initial attempt...)

It was indeed a roller coaster ride to find success in everything that you wanted to become in life...but when you happen to be there at the finish line, you'll always wanted to look back and smile at all the struggles that you've gone through...and just reminisce those times that you were almost raising the white flag to surrender and give-up on achieving your goals.  Yet there's always a saying that everything will just be part of the history...and all you have to do is focus on what matters most at the very moment--or simply called, NOW.

It may not have turned out so well as I didn't make it to be one of the best performers in class...but being one of the successful scholars who made it to earn a Master's degree abroad was more than enough.  I would never have that single chance if I have foregone  all the opportunities beforehand...I am just so glad that I grabbed it when the doors suddenly opened for me!  It would surely  come once in my lifetime...Thank you so much, Dear God, for showering me with great blessings!

There are a lot of words that I wanted to utter to simply show how grateful I am...and to make people believe in me and on what I can do...but there are no words to say:  "God is always good!"  In whatever I have achieved,  I know that it won't be possible without Him and His unconditional love.  I may have gone through a lot of trials and painful experiences, yet I know that it's His way of telling me that I should continue what I have started and should stay  strong to hold on to my dreams and aspirations.  I am so happy I made it!

V-ery

I-ntense

C-ourses

T-aken (with)

O-utstanding

R-ealization

Y-es!!! Yes!!!  Yes!!! (Yahoo!!!)

That's right, the Victory was finally realized...and I am overwhelmed that two (2) years of hardwork finally paid off...I am officially Meilin Bocobo Lee-Hirang, CPA, MA.  The bits and pieces of my dreams are finally coming true...Mama, wherever you are now...I hope you're always proud of me...

Next stop, PhD or LLB then, Dr. or Atty.!!! As I learned from my daughter...#yolo "You Only Live Once!", hence, I will make the most of it!

MEILIN :)

Japan...I'm Coming!!!

When the good news arrived earlier this year, I wasn't really sure yet since all the documentary requirements needed for the much awaited moment were not ready...but now, the arrival of my "departure" is  about to unfold...the long wait is about to be over...and I'm really happy to fulfill one of my life-long dreams...

Cake given by my Aunt during my 'Despedida' Party

I know that the journey may be tough since this is a brand new life for me...but I will never give up until I will be able to achieve what I've been longing for...I may experience some disappointments and frustrations at times...but I know that the Lord will never leave me through this journey...and I know that He has better plans for me...that's why, I will never stop to believe until my dreams will come into reality...

Cake given by my Boss during the 'Office Despedida Party' 

Lord, please continue to guide me along the way...please be with me through this journey...and please bear with me for whatever shortcomings or weaknesses that I may have...I believe that you'll always be there to bless my family, my friends, and me as I embark on another chapter in my life...please be with my 'child' despite of my absence...please make her understand that I'm doing all these not only for myself, but solely for her...I love you, dear God...Thank you very much and please bless and guide me.

I got this from the internet.  Yokohama, Japan

SEE YOU SOON, JAPAN... 

MEILIN :)

Thought is Truly Supreme

"Thought is supreme."

The phrase that inspired me to believe on what you can do and to be someone you expect yourself to become.  The phrase that Rhea, my colleague, my friend, my "kumare" inculcated in me in claiming whatever success you wanted to have in life.  The moment that I felt that my efforts weren't enough to achieve what I've been aiming for...I just utter the words...and voila!...in just a span of time, I am at the peak of my much awaited moment...

The moment I took the chance in taking the CPA Board Examinations for the second time in 2012, then took my second chance and apply for the study grant this year...I claimed to myself that I will be successful in my endeavors despite all the failures that I've met in the past.  Yes, I really made it!!!

As I shared a blog on March 12 regarding my application for the Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Grant (JJ/WBGSP) earlier this year, I am still clueless and I don't know if I really made it...but still claimed that I could make it...and now, I am at the midst of achieving all my goals in life...the good news came to me on May 16 at the airport when my tears were about to pour out due to the departure of my brother, Jim...who became my constant companion for eight (8) long years when we were still struggling with life in the Metro...and he was about to leave then when my colleague gave me a text message regarding a package from Yokohama National University  (YNU) that came to our office at that very moment...without any knowledge on what was the content of the said package...I just jumped for joy and hugged my brother!!!  I just felt that I already made it...and when I arrived home, my colleague was waiting for me at my doorsteps and handed me the good news that is about to unfold... that will change my life forever...

Good news it is!!!  I was filled with so much joy...the same feeling that I felt when I learned that I passed the CPA Board Examinations last year...I immediately told my friends about my success...and I was really happy because they truly supported me all-the-way...and to my Savior...Lord, you never left me in every step of the way...I really wanted to thank you for all the wonderful blessings that came to me...I don't know how to express my utmost gratitude for giving me this great opportunity...although this is only the start of everything that I have to go through...please be with me and guide me in my journey...please be my light, Lord...Thank you very much!

I also wanted to give the credit to my father who inspired me and gave me the chance to redeem myself after all the troubles that I have caused in my life...Thank you very much, Papa!  For my daughter, Linlin...who never left me despite of all my shortcomings...I know this good news would be a "not-so-good-news" on your end because I have to leave you for a while...but I'm telling you this:  "Every bit of success that I shall achieve would mean a bunch of success on your end ...because the moment that I can prove myself that I can be someone someday...we will have a good life...and we'll be together by that time. Just have patience, my dear!  Mama will be coming home with flying colors!  That's a promise that is not meant to broken.  I love you so much!"

Now, I'm still in the process of completing all the documentary requirements necessary for my flight to Japan in September 2013.  Japan...I'm coming!!!!  Watashi wa Nihon ni ikamasu (I am going to Japan)...the phrase which I wrote at the back of my books upon submission of my application for the study grant...Thought is truly supreme...It is proven!!!

MEILIN :)