Hobbies & Interests

Volleyball

Volleyball has always been a big part of my life.  As captain of my high schools varsity team and captain of our club travel team, it has given me much experience with team building and cooperation as well as team leading skills.  Our varsity team was started in my first year of high school when the program was newly introduced to our school.  Being a first-year team and a freshman in high school, managing the team was difficult.  We had come across many ups and downs but it only made our team stronger and closer.  I love watching and playing volleyball, whether it is at the collegiate level or at the Olympic level or indoor or beach volleyball, the atmosphere of the game is still the same. Misty May-Treanor and Keri Walsh are two of the best beach volleyball players in the Women’s League.  They have won numerous titles including 2008 Olympic Gold Medal for team USA.

Technology

The reason I’m in the field I am in is due to my interests in technology. It’s not only the new smartphones or TV’s that come out, but its the way that technology is constantly changing our lives. It’s amazing that 10 years ago, cell phones were such an abstract thing, and the dependency we’ve created to our tablets, smartphones and other handheld devices had managed to change the way we live. New technologies in medicine are helping patients live longer and healthier. While technology has many benefits, the downside of it is our dependency to do everything with technology. I could go on for hours about how technology interests me and the different things I find when reading up on the newest trends, but all in all, without technology, the advancements our world has come to would be nonexistent.

Traveling

I absolutely would love to travel around the world. With my first job in the consulting field, I am able to get a taste of traveling. Within the past year I’ve made it to California, Texas, Iowa, Massachusetts, Canada, and New York. I have plans to see Louisiana, Nevada, Washington, and anywhere else my job or travels should take me! I would love to backpack through Europe and see the exotic countries of Asia. The one thing I would love to do, is to go back home to the Philippines and travel through all the islands and natural beauties like the chocolate hills and hot springs. Traveling is probably one of my favorite things to do. Exploring new places, people, and cultures has always made life interesting.

Food

I love food. I love finding new foods to try, going to new restaurants, and of course cooking. I always believe that food is the way to anyone’s heart. You can tell so much about a person based on their eating habits and style. Like picky eaters, I feel, tend to be less outgoing. They don’t like trying new things and don’t like change. They stick with what they know and are comfortable. Me on the other hand, love trying new foods. It compliments my outgoing personality and my ability to always “go with the flow”. And I love cooking. Looking up new recipes, or classic recipes, and putting my own twists to them always lead to a great meal. The passion and ability to cook apparently runs in my family. We hope to one day open a family restaurant serving authentic, homemade Filipino food!

Philanthropy

Being part of multiple organizations throughout my academic career made it easy to get involved in philanthropic work. Whether it was participating in walks for The Kidney Foundation or staying up all night to support The American Cancer Foundation at Relay for Life, or picking up trash in our local neighborhood for a street clean, I always enjoyed giving back to the community. I’ve done my fair share of philanthropic work in high school and college, and it has always made me feel good to give back to the community, even if it is as simple as volunteering at a nursing home or singing carols during the holidays. It’s a good feeling when even something so small has helped someone out in a big way.