The iPhone 5 and My Love Affair with Apple

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Everyone has that thing that they really like — that “thing” could be anything: video games, notebooks, vintage clothes, cars, Starbucks mugs, music, television, and so forth. For me, that “thing” would be Apple products. From my first iPod touch four years ago to the iPhone 4 that I got two years ago, Apple has always been “that thing” in my life.

As you may know, the iPhone 5 was released yesterday in the United States, as well as countries such as Canada, Japan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. For weeks, I’ve been ready to just go out and ditch my old iPhone 4 for the new iPhone 5. Since I didn’t have school yesterday, I thought “why not?” and convinced my mom that we should get the iPhone 5 on the release date.

IMG_1650Fine, I wasn’t really thinking “let’s wait in a line on my day off!” I’ll admit that I really just wanted to walk into school on Monday and be the coolest person with the shiny new iPhone 5. (If it means anything, my old phone’s home button wasn’t working, and it was deteriorating rather quickly.)

My morning started off at 5:20 AM with an alarm I forgot I set. Like most days, I turned off the alarm and rolled over to the other side of the bed. Did I really want to get up? Is it really worth it? Most of the time, I’d just answer my inner dialogue with “No, I’m going back to sleep” but today was different.

I trudged out of my bed, got dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt (I assumed it would be cold), and dragged myself downstairs. I filled my Manila travel mug with green tea before my mom and I left the house.

We made it to the mall at about 6 o’clock in the morning. My mom called the Apple Store on Thursday afternoon and she was told that the lines form outside the mall at around 9 PM the day before the release. They open the mall up at 6 AM and the Apple Store itself opens at 8 AM. Personally, I think it’s crazy to be waiting all night outside of a mall, but I guess there are people who want that iPhone 5 a lot more than I do.

IMG_1654After attempting to through a locked door, my mom and I found the correct entrance on the floor below us. I’m not sure how many people were in front of us, but it really seemed like a lot. You couldn’t even see the Apple Store from where we were standing.

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Becoming a Dual Citizen

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There’s something I have to admit. I’d been looking forward to this part of my trip to Los Angeles the most. (Well, it was second only to Disneyland, so close enough.)

That sounds completely crazy, I know. Who in their right mind would look forward to going to a consulate of the Philippines for a half day? Why, that would be me of course!

Why was I at the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles? To become a dual citizen!

Prior to 2003, the Philippines didn’t recognize dual citizenship. When my mom was naturalized, she had to give up her Filipino citizenship to become an American. As a result, I was born as an American citizen.

Because of the Citizenship Retention and Re-Acquisition Act of 2003 (Republic Act No. 9225) signed on 29 August 2003, natural-born citizens of the Philippines who lost their citizenship because of naturalization in a foreign country are now able to re-acquire their Filipino citizenship and become dual citizens. Not only that, but the unmarried children (under 18) of a Filipino who re-acquires their citizenship can also become dual citizens.

Filipinos who re-acquire their citizenship would have the right to vote in Philippine national elections, the right to own land and property in the Philippines, the right to engage in business or commerce as a Filipino, the right to travel bearing a Filipino passport, and other rights and privileges enjoyed by Filipino citizens.

Applications for dual citizenship were from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM and oath-taking is scheduled at 12:00 noon. “I want to get there right at 9 AM so we can get the paperwork done quickly,” my mom said.

We arrived at the Philippine Consulate shortly after 9:00 AM, just missing the targeted time by about 10 minutes. There was a window with the words “Dual Citizenship” in the back of the room, and a line was forming behind the window.

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Gong Xi Fa Cai!

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Gōng xǐ fā cái! Wishing you to be prosperous in the coming year.

Today is the first day of Chinese New Year (the Lunar New Year), and what better way than to start my first blog entry?

I’m really excited to share my thoughts and experience with you! Are you ready?