The earth is continuing to spin as it revolves around the sun. With billions and billions of man that exist in this fertile soil, only few can prove his meaningful existence in this world…

Capt. Lin Kim Chua met a very beautiful maiden named Vilma Fabula. Their love led them to get married and live a happy life. Soon, on 1:30 am of January 26, 1986 at Chinese General Hospital, they were gifted a healthy baby boy thru normal spontaneous delivery. They named him Lin Chong Shen. They lived at Blumenttrit, Sta. Cruz, Manila It was the time with the forced departure of former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos to Hawaii on early 1986; Corazon Aquino formally assumed office as President of the Philippines, following the peaceful 1986 Revolution. It was a new era of peace and hope. Lin and Vilma gave their child another name who someday, if possible, will lead the future nation of the Filipinos. They named him Ian…and it happens to be me.

My father is a Taiwanese. He’s the eldest among three siblings of Lin Bing Wan and Lin Tan Ha. Their family’s major religion was Buddhism. My father’s first wife (we’re the second family) was Lin Bon Chok in where they have four siblings namely In Chong, Wi Sing, O Bin and In Kon. They were divorced for unknown reasons.

My mother was a Filipina lived at Pola, Oriental Mindoro. Her parents were Juanito Fabula and Liberata Fabrero. She’s the youngest among the six of their children. She’s a Christian Catholic. One of the personalities that I’m proud of her is that she was so kind, hard working and always sacrificing herself for our sake. I was not baptized, so I often thought that I’m just a pagan wandering in this earth. My mother said that I’m a Christian (It appears on my birth certificate) so I gave my faith in Jesus Christ and God Almighty.
Time has passed by and I finally grew up as kid. My first birthday was held at Sta. Cruz, Manila. The first word I was able to mumble was ‘mama’, referring to my mother. She was my first teacher, same also to our national hero Jose Rizal, who was thought then by his mother, Teodora Alonzo. I already learned the alphabet by heart when I was four years old. I also learned to write my name with very little confusion.

My surname ‘Lin’ was changed to ‘Lim’. My parents realized a big mistake on my birth certificate but it was too late for them to change it. They can’t do anything but to accept. So until now, the mistaken surname ‘Lim’ was permanently marked on me and, accepts it or not, uses it in my whole lifetime. I just ignored this situation as my colorful life came.

My fruitful years as a kid were full of wonders and adventures. My family moved to Taiwan where my father lives where I met my step brothers and sister there. There, my father is busy doing his job as a sea captain. Then, we moved to Malaysia to complete his business. Sometimes, my mother and I would go to Singapore and Thailand to remedy some documents. We use our excess time to visit some popular places in town. My life was so exiting until the worst day came into my life.

My parents got separated when my mother broke up with my father because he’s a gambler. He spent all his day with other woman and sacrifices all our money for a nonsense gambling game. This event turned my life upside down.

My mother and I returned to Philippines for we can’t handle the situation about my father. They were separated, but not divorced. Then, my mother was loved and married in this hardworking, loving and responsible person by name of Gilbert ‘Jing’ Bela. I thank him very much because he gave me support throughout my life like a real son. They gave birth to my little brothers and sister named Jivilson, Jan Mavil and Neenya Pilar. In this matter I’m the youngest child in my father side and the eldest child in my mother side. I considered myself as the eldest child because I didn’t stay with my older brother and sister that long. As the eldest child I feel that I have the biggest responsibility in my family. What made me today is the product of different experiences in my juvenile years.

I lived with my aunt and cousins at Payatas for years. Then I live in my second family. We move house to house for residence: Roxas, Proj. 6, La Loma, and then our current home, at Balintawak. I received my formal education when my stepfather gave me an opportunity to study.

My fist day at Philadelphia School (Talayan Village, Quezon City) was so exiting. I was able to make new friends and play with them. My best friend then was Gian Carlo Tauro and my first crush then was Diane dela Cruz. Of course I don’t feel deep love way back then and I learned that it was just a puppy love. I moved to Apolonio Samson Elementary School near us when I entered grade three where I received my first bacon as Best in English. I met many good friends such as Daniel Aldiano and Edrian Alvarez, which also my neighborhoods. We are good friends and sometimes we visit each other’s house just to play or hanging out. I remember that I got a fight with Daniel for reasons with didn’t both agree on our rule in playing ‘text’. I’ve got a crush on my seatmate Jane Singson because she was pretty nice and smart. We’re always together when we’re going to school and going home. Then, Ate Trioni Perrera entered in my life. She’s from Sri Lanka and came here to study at AMA Computer College. We shared many momentsbut she later returned home after a semester. Time has passed and I graduate elementary and entered my secondary level.

It was year 2000 when I stepped high school at Quezon City Academy (EDSA, Quezon City). I was in star section then. There I met many friends and lovers. I also met my best friends here. We called ourselves Isomarojo (short for Ian Lim, Sonny Llamas, Mark Langit, Ronald Obos and John Patulan). They inspired and help me sharpen my skills and talents especially in the fields of humanities. My other good friends were Lorenz Navarrete, Melvin dela Cruz and Jackie Gajudo where just near in our house and we sometimes go to each other’s house just to visit, chat or drinking alcoholic beverages. I learned how to play basketball and volleyball, but I’m not that good player. Instead, I enjoy watching these sports rather than to play it. I also learned to draw, swim, sing, dance, and play musical instruments.

I learned many things in my high school life, and it obviously one of the most unforgettable years of my life. I joined many activities, organizations, and competitions. I learned to make friends, discovered love and to have hope in my heart. I also have many crushes on school (just like any other teens).

I face many bad experiences throughout high school life such as when I was holdup and my silver necklace and ring was taken. I can’t help myself but to keep quiet because the thieves had an ice pick. After that unfortunate moment, I was like a madman possessed by a demon, as my classmate said because I don’t even remember that I did that.

I finish my secondary level at fifth section with honors in Best in Science and Technology, Best in English, Best in Social Science, Best in Technology and Livelihood Education and Best in Values Education. I was honored as the Top One in our class. I also achieve many awards such as Champion in Script Writing Intercompetition, 1st placer in Stenography competition, and 2nd placer in Macromedia Flash Movie competition. I planned to enroll at AMA Computer College with Computer Science as my course for it was exiting and easy for me.

I entered my tertiary level at Far Eastern University (2004) with the help of my best friend Dexter Valdez and chose the course BS Nursing, ignoring my preferred course for three reasons: 1) To help my family since nursing is in-demand, 2) I want to challenge myself in the fields of difficulties like science, and 3) to help other people in needs of caring and love.

I joined the FEU Modern Dance Company and got full scholarship grants in three semesters. My unforgettable experiences here in the company is when I got a chance to see my idols Philippine All-star (World Hip-hop Dancing Champion) show their moves on SM Mall of Asia and when I got a chance to dance our hip-hop and contemporary dance on Concert at the Park, Paco, Manila (which was aired on television and posted in Manila Bulletin), FEU quadrangle and auditorium, and the Malacañang Palace. Although the P45, 000.00 is really a good help for my tuition, I quitted my career as a dancer when I entered 4th year because I want to concentrate on my study.

I met many unforgettable friends and lovers here on FEU. I very appreciate and thanked Ray-An Mallari, Katrina Bonaobra, Manuel Conde, Sherryrose Perez, Armi Dagsa, Jemelyn Raguindin, Carla Reodique, Kevin Maynes, Emwil Monje, Christian Tabag, Emiliana Castro and my current friends Rowell Dela Cruz, Kristin Nazareth, Ted Kenneth Magallanes, Fatimary Lamorena, Sarah Musallam and other members of BSN 808 Group 29 as part of my life.

I love humanities: music, literature and arts. I like music. Sometimes when I feel bored or lonely, I just listen to any genre of music and reflect the lyrics of the song in my life. From oldies to techno, I like to way whatever the music would be. I play many musical instruments: guitar, piano, flute, and lyre. Sometimes I compose my own music and I put my feeling into the lyrics and I feel good. Sometimes, I make a poem. Like music, I put my feelings into words. I draw fine, as my classmate and friends told me. When it comes to dance I preferred hip hop, contemporary and folk dances. You can express yourself through dancing. Besides humanities, I also love to play many computer, video and arcade games. I preferred adventures, RPG’s, and strategic ones.

My personality varies from people to people that I currently interact. I think I’m always the one who cope with people. If my close friend is a studious, I might be studious at some time. If my friend is a stubborn, I also might be a stubborn at some point for him/her. I imitate other people’s personality. In regard of my true personality, I can said that I am a curious person (wanted to explore what is unknown), always sharing whatever I had, always wanted to be with other people, and at some point a very suspicious person (just like a paranoid) and get raged when there is an extreme pressure of anger and climax of depression. I usually aimed for my desired goal. I think I’m closer to my friends rather than my family. I think my personality is a product of 1) different personality of people that I interacted with, 2) past experiences and 3) my true personality.

My friends told me that I’m nice, kind, good friend. They said that I will do anything for the sake of family, a private and confidential person (that I’m not even sharing my thoughts and feelings with other people), tried to not to be affected in my surroundings (especially negative ones), and an ill-tempered person. They also said that other people tend to take advantage from my kindness, easily to fall in love, reliable and emotional but hardly express what I feel (I think it is true because I’m afraid about of their negative response upon me). Regarding attributes, they often told me that I’m quiet, hardworking, enthusiastic, phlegmatic, smart, goal-oriented and talented.

I think people thought of me that I’m always open to them even though I’m not sometimes; I tend to hide my feelings and ideas. I think they thought that I do not care for them but actually I am. I am a caring person I will do my best to protect my love ones.

My dream is to have a family full of love, to be a responsible husband and a model father. I will give my best to be a responsible father for my siblings that was once I didn’t experience from my past. I wanted to live a simple but happy and meaningful life. I want to achieve it to prove that I had a meaningful existence here on earth that I believed the most precious thing in the world.