Back from the frugal world...

I'm still alive and well. My life has gotten so much better after I've came back from my backpacking trip. During the two months of travelling alone, I learned so much about myself.

I'm in University now and I'm majoring in Administration and minor in Political Science. I started volunteering two months ago and it has been a life changing experience for me.

Family problems are a thing in the past because I decided not to care and concentrate on myself from now on.

I can't write as much as I'm used because I have finals to study for. I still do update on my blog almost daily... If you guys are interested, you're welcome to read my blog.

http://goxtina.wordpress.com/

P.S: Do guys know how to make this picture smaller?

For the past five days, I've been living in my god brother's place to catch up on my studying. I seem to be doing different things all the times but I guess it's a way to keep myself sane.

My god brother left for Singapore last Saturday to see his parents for the summer and his roommate is living near her school till tomorrow to study for her final exam. It was a really nice experience to live by myself, I finally learn how to cook. I manage to only spend $35 for five days (Breakfast,lunch and dinner). I'm going to do grocery again tomorrow.

I guess I'm going to be staying there before I leave for my backpacking trip. My house has been getting a bit weird lately and I have two weeks left of school.

A little update here...

In 17 days starting today, I'm backpacking in Asia for two months and a half. Three countries are on my list to visit: Japan, China and Mongolia.

After 12 years of talking and wishing about it, I'm going to realized this dream of mine which is to travel the world. I can tell you I'm a bit frighten at the idea of traveling alone (Yes, you hear it right, alone...). I figure if I want to travel somewhere, I wouldn't let anyone keep me from going; not having a travel partner to travel with is fine.

My family life has gotten worst lately, my parents wanted to open up a new and bigger grocery store near where I live to be able to compete with the bigger ones. Problem is, the rest of the family (Uncles and aunts) do not approve of that and they refused to invest in it; my parents decide to part ways with them. My dad made a loan at the bank and he mortgages our house. Now, they are having problems financing the new grocery store and our house, so they started asking my uncles to give them money/repay money back (I personally don't know the real reasons because my brother wasn't clear enough). My mom went to one of my uncle's house next door (Our uncles live next to us) and she created a chaotic scene by slamming the door and yelling on the phone. Then she went to the old grocery store to create a scene in front of the clients; threatening to ruin the business if she does not get the money.

Well this situation has a lot to do with my backpacking trip... I am going to be using the money I have been investing on my mutual funds (The travel funds) to go backpacking but my parents will make a fuss about it. Already, my mom is criticizing me on everything and practically anything she finds fault in. She also refuses to pay for my education and try to make my dad believes that I`m not even studying. If I`m going in this trip, they (my mom especially) will use more threats on me. This trip is important to me because it will set me on a different path, different from my parents anyways.

Life has been getting a bit hectic lately because exam week is coming. I'm also busy preparing for my backpacking trip to Asia on May 17th, 2010.

I've said it for years and I'm going to say it again, I'm traveling the world! After 12 years of dreaming and wishing, I'm finally going to achieve this dream of mine. This time, I'm going to Japan, China and Mongolia alone for the first time and I don't know anyone. I've taken the plane alone plenty of times before but I never visited a country by myself. As for the security, I'll reassure you guys that I will take extra precautions because I know I will have only myself to rely on and I read a lot of extra precautions and tricks to get out of uncomfortable situations. One of them is to not go out at night alone especially in China and Mongolia. Japan, I would have to use common senses.

Everything is almost ready: Flight ticket, visas, insurance, JR rail pass (21 days), backpack...

On Thursday, I saw a penny face up on the floor at a department store. I told myself that I'm going to need luck for my math test next Thursday.

Then, my boss called me to work on Friday. I was going to work with L (coworker) and Bobby (the boss assistant), I thought the assistant will get his share of the tips but near the end of L shift at 9 pm. I learned he does not get any tips because he is paid more than us. At the end of my shift (at 11pm), guess how much tips I got? $50.75!! Usually, I get $15 per six hours shift and $20-$25 per eight hours shift. 2 hours of tips for myself feels great! Whenever I see someone dropping their change at my tip bowl, I feel even more happier.

The next day, Bobby told me to work from 9 am to 5 pm instead of my usual 3-9 pm shift. I got $25 and the next day (Today), I got $25. Total tips for three days of work : $100. Yes! That money is going straight to my trip this summer. (Will talk about it on my future post)

By the way, I'm quitting my job in about two/three weeks. After three years of working at Tim Horton, I figure it's time to move on to something else and I'm going to miss this place a lot.

Hope the penny will bring me luck on Thursday test but I need to study hard.

Three weeks ago, my sister and I started having a movie night at home on Friday. We rent a movie of our choice at blockbuster and we make our own popcorns. We love it so much we decided that every Friday is movie night.

Watching movie at home cost way cheaper than going to the movies. Of course, I am the one paying all because my sister does not have a job (She's 12). Renting a movie cost around $3.50 for the classic and the recently release movie cost $4.50. I bought a pack of six popcorns at the grocery store and each batch cost around $1. Drinks, I prefer we drink juice or water. In total, it always cost less than $7 for two people and up.

I'm getting a hang of the frugal world. I have not bought any new clothes since last summer. Also, I eat at home and I treat myself to something special once in awhile outside. But I'm having cravings here and there lately because my time of the week is coming.

Here what I made today to satisfied my cravings today:


Fries anybody? Cost $2 to make and it's enough for 4 people. xD

I used to blog a little while ago but stopped because there were too many problems at my house. You can read it from my past blogs.

I guess the problems I was having this time were more serious (and I started having a lot of stresses and it results in me having a lot of skin and health problems). I had to escape the house a few times awhile ago because my grades were suffering from all the problems in my house. My parents were the ones causing the problems on my siblings and I because they were unhappy at their workplace. My mom would make sure that I hear about how everybody hates me near me with an aggressive voice while I was doing laundry. Sure everybody in your entourage hates me, you talk crap about me with them and they don't like me because of you. I recently learned how to cook and my dad will talk behind my back about how my food are disgusting. One time, he literally threw my food on the sink claiming that I don't listen to him and accusing me of wasting my food.

Now they stopped working and my mom would not let me cook. Reason? She needs the fridge to fill hers and I take so much space. (I only take 10% of the fridge). Oh and a good one, I make a mess in the kitchen. (I showed her that I can clean the kitchen after I'm done but she still accuses me.) I tried to be a good girl but she would find every little thing to destroy me. My dad will act so emotional (because we are growing up I understand and he wants everything to remain the same, it could if you stopped acting so emotional).

To concluded... It is all psychological problems. We try to talk with them about it but they would act offended and they would not change. I try to be nice with my mom only to be greeted by a shun. Now what can I do? I'm moving out to my aunt place... I can't be myself in this house and I couldn't for the past 20 years. I secretly took a course this semester to be able to breath a little and to learn about myself; it has helped me a lot and I've become a lot stronger. I'm building a future whether my parents like it or not and I alone will determine how I will lead my life. I will raise my future kids the way that they deserve to be and I don't want like my parents who are paranoid at everything that is different.

I'm going to continue to cook (It is difficult at the moment because of my mother) and I'm backpacking in about a month to Asia. I'll blog about it on my next blog.

For some people who already knew me, you know I like to share pictures with you guys. Here are some of the food I made over the past few months: