Tuesday, April 16, 2013
that story: part 1
on their way to dinner at the usual place, one of her friends ask him to join them. he declined saying he had a previous commitment. he and his friends will go some place to eat, as part of a food trip thing that they have. she thought hey, this is a cool guy, he loves food.
one time, after class, they were walking with their usual group. the girl has what her friends call a dry sense of humour. she likes sarcastic jokes. and during that time, they were both laughing from the sarcastic jokes that they were exchanging.
there was an afternoon when the girl came late to their class. her friends from home were in town so she accompanied them somewhere before coming to class. she just had a henna tattoo on her leg. when she came to class, the prof was already on his chair, talking. there was no available seat on the side of the room so she walked directly to the back, with her head bent, looking on the floor. but she saw on her peripheral vision that the guy was looking at her from the time she entered the room until she reached that seat on the back.
she doesnt know what happened but regular dinners with their classmates became a staple. after their friday class, they would always go out to eat. being the wide-eyed student who was still very enthusiastic about her experience as a foreign student, she enjoyed those dinners. she doesnt talk that much but she always laughs at comments and jokes she found funny. when asked, she would gladly share her thoughts about her culture, politics and her experiences in her school.
the guy on the other hand was articulate. he seemed free-spirited and funny. he laughs a lot.
before the semester ended, he planned for a sem-ender thing for the class. so he asked for her number. no big deal.
there were political rallies happening during that time. the country was soon having a big election and the opposition seemed to be gaining popularity. one of their classmates was running for public office. it was an exciting time for the place. she wanted to go and see for herself how things were. she asked her classmates, including him. but in the end she didnt manage to go because she fell sick. he didnt know she was sick. thinking that she went, he texted her, asking how her experience was. and they ended having a long conversation about politics.
during their sem-ender dinner, they were seated at the opposite ends of the table. it was a good night. everybody had a good time. they transferred to a beer place. she was looking at the shelf, inspecting the beers and he was kidding her about her alcohol intake. she playfully hit him on her arm, like how she does with her guy friends. on the beer table, they sat opposite each other. she was teasing him about his facial washing habits. she thought he might be gay.
for the summer break, she was out of town for a monthlong trip. and she stayed in her country for the rest of the break. he wished her well before she left.
connecting
i find listening to people opening up to me quite therapeutic. I know it sounds weird, or even condescending for some, but it's true. and i mean it. maybe it's because of the fact that listening to their stories make me realize that we are all the same. we all have our issues and it's ok to cry. unloading is a normal part of the process. that there's nothing wrong with being weak. maybe because by helping them process what they're going through, i also make sense of what im experiencing. by talking, i get to listen to my rational voice. by telling them to calm down, im also telling myself to calm down. chill. relax. it's gonna be fine.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
excitement!
something to look back to when i feel down
hello there, excitement. we havent met in a long while. glad that you're back :)
it's true, i havent felt genuinely excited about anything for a long time. yes, there are those moments when i would feel excited because i should feel excited and not because i really feel it. ok im mumbling.
what im excited about.
1. im gonna see kulasa and bugoy soon
2. side trip and the idea of roaming around in that city on my own
3. things could happen. things are possible. i just have to be patient and trusting
4. financial literacy
5. % greens to become double digits
6. giving back
7. a friend's one-day visit here
hello there, excitement. we havent met in a long while. glad that you're back :)
it's true, i havent felt genuinely excited about anything for a long time. yes, there are those moments when i would feel excited because i should feel excited and not because i really feel it. ok im mumbling.
what im excited about.
1. im gonna see kulasa and bugoy soon
2. side trip and the idea of roaming around in that city on my own
3. things could happen. things are possible. i just have to be patient and trusting
4. financial literacy
5. % greens to become double digits
6. giving back
7. a friend's one-day visit here
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
change
i used to write what i felt with total disregard of how it sounded like. i didnt care whether it would sound right. or silly. or offensive. and yet when reading those posts now, i can feel the heart in it.
now, i feel that i have unconsciously changed into someone who thinks a hundred times first if what im gonna say or write is politically correct. and oftentimes, id get lost in the process. or id fall into the trap of indecision causing me to just abandon my thoughts and leave them there, unresolved. or id write what i think is correct even if i feel otherwise.
im not sure if it's a good or bad thing.
i noticed though that because of this - i feel lke im writing without a heart. rants are still expressed but only after way too much thinking instead of just typing them directly. i dont know if this is what you call maturity. or sensitivity. or emotional castration.
a few weeks ago, my former colleague sent me one of my old mails to them, written when i was still new here. she said she found it after rummaging through her emails and she didnt stop from laughing while reading it. i was also laughing while reading it because it was so funny. so raw and filled with politically incorrect thoughts. reading it made me see the excited and free-spirited self/writer that i once was, filled with life and enthusiasm about what's happening around. genuinely interested and uninterested about her surroundings at the same time.
i miss that aspect of me.
now, i feel that i have unconsciously changed into someone who thinks a hundred times first if what im gonna say or write is politically correct. and oftentimes, id get lost in the process. or id fall into the trap of indecision causing me to just abandon my thoughts and leave them there, unresolved. or id write what i think is correct even if i feel otherwise.
im not sure if it's a good or bad thing.
i noticed though that because of this - i feel lke im writing without a heart. rants are still expressed but only after way too much thinking instead of just typing them directly. i dont know if this is what you call maturity. or sensitivity. or emotional castration.
a few weeks ago, my former colleague sent me one of my old mails to them, written when i was still new here. she said she found it after rummaging through her emails and she didnt stop from laughing while reading it. i was also laughing while reading it because it was so funny. so raw and filled with politically incorrect thoughts. reading it made me see the excited and free-spirited self/writer that i once was, filled with life and enthusiasm about what's happening around. genuinely interested and uninterested about her surroundings at the same time.
i miss that aspect of me.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
of bosses and staff
i think i can say that im quite lucky to have nice bosses.
si ltc idio (i dont know what his rank is now)
for my first job, my first boss was very patient, very organized and very disciplined. and he was an army man. i remember that he would always come to work on time (in his red car) and seemed very serious (with matching kunot noo) when studying documents. since our office acted as the secretariat of one of the many committees in the military, he always stressed the importance of doing "complete staff work".
as a family man, i see how he was as a father to his sons and his daughter, and how he was as a husband to his wife. he would always call home to check on how the kids are doing, especially his little princess :)
he loved playing table tennis so during athletics (physical fitness), he would always invite me and some of the sarges to play with him. i learned how to play table tennis because of him.
and one of the things that he said that i remember vividly is, "gi, go out. interact more with people. dapat dinadagdagan mo ang iyong social presence" or something to that effect.
we just worked together for a few months though. he was transferred in the field after that. even when he was in the field, we would exchange text greetings during special occasions such as christmas and new year but we lost contact eventually.
si sir allen
ltc idio's replacement as head of our division was an air force guy. he was smart. and he knew it. he was good looking. and he knew it too. i remember that in the first few months of working with him, id always have the jitters during our one-on-one meetings because i was paranoid that what i did may not be too good for him or he may ask me questions that i cant answer. i think he may have noticed that because he softened a bit and tried to become more chill.
what i really liked about him is the way he "fights" for us researchers and made us feel secure about our value in the organization.
at first, i didnt know much about him as a private individual because he didnt talk much about his personal life. it is only much much later that i got to know about his family. and i dont know how it happened but he managed to get into our group and became one of our friends. there was even a time when he would tell us to just call him allen when we're out of the office. he was so integrated into our gang that i remember when i was heartbroken, he was there with us, sitting in a bar, drinking, listening to my story and watching me cry.
until now, we still keep in touch and get together group once in a while. he wrote a work testimonial for me when i was still applying for a job.
si major buca (i think he's ltc now
i had a long working relationship with this boss, also an air force guy. he's the epitome of a "chill" boss. he's always so relaxed that you won't feel the stress even when the workload is too heavy. one thing i would never forget about him is he was always smiling and he easily laughs. he always had new gadgets at work: usb drive - new at that time, the funky stapler/binder, etc. and he had a lot of excel tricks.
it was during his time when our division became very busy (because of constant changes in directives about a certain plan) so we would often work late nights and even on saturdays. sometimes his wife would come with him and we would chat for hours. his wife and i became officemates later on.
si sir ex
sir ex was like a father to me. he was very kind and protective. in him, i saw how it is to work without having to kiss ass. one could sense his frustrations over office politics but would always detect the wisdom that he had gained over decades of working.
on a personal level, his way of handling family and retirement will constantly remind you to not lose sight of what really matters.
si miss butch
miss butch is a smart, cool, and funny boss. i think that professionally, i learned the most from her. working with her is always easy because she is always in a light mood. even when we're busy, you wont feel so stressed out because she always keeps her calm. she knows the policies by heart but she doesnt act like a know-it-all. she suggests but never imposes. she guides me in a way that will encourage me to form my own opinions, decide on myself but if things don't go well, she's there to support me. i've had a few blunders but i never felt for once that she blamed me. if something goes wrong, she sits down with you to discuss what needs to be done. there, she's very good at handling crisis. she makes you feel proud and happy about your little successes. and in her you could see that in perfecting a task, walk the talk is a very efficient strategy.
that's why moving was difficult.
prof wayne
i just know a few things about him. he asked me about my hobbies and my family during the interview which was one of the reasons why i accepted the job. for me, that was an indication that he recognizes me not just as a staff but as a person with different aspects of being. he asked me to just address him in his first name, which was difficult for me because im not used to such power equity. he sounded very excited when he said that he would be on leave for two months because his wife was going to give birth to their second child. it's just sad that we didnt work for a long time. until now, the news of his suddent death still has a surreal feel in it.
prof chou
for the past few months that we have been working together, i can sense that she is a considerate and humble boss. she always says please, even with an apologetic tone sometimes, whenever she needs you to rush something. and she shows how much she appreciates your work whenever she's happy with it. she asks you how you are. she says thank you.
my bosses are not perfect. they have their idiosyncracies. sometimes i complain. but most of the time, im thankful because they were/are my bosses.
si ltc idio (i dont know what his rank is now)
for my first job, my first boss was very patient, very organized and very disciplined. and he was an army man. i remember that he would always come to work on time (in his red car) and seemed very serious (with matching kunot noo) when studying documents. since our office acted as the secretariat of one of the many committees in the military, he always stressed the importance of doing "complete staff work".
as a family man, i see how he was as a father to his sons and his daughter, and how he was as a husband to his wife. he would always call home to check on how the kids are doing, especially his little princess :)
he loved playing table tennis so during athletics (physical fitness), he would always invite me and some of the sarges to play with him. i learned how to play table tennis because of him.
and one of the things that he said that i remember vividly is, "gi, go out. interact more with people. dapat dinadagdagan mo ang iyong social presence" or something to that effect.
we just worked together for a few months though. he was transferred in the field after that. even when he was in the field, we would exchange text greetings during special occasions such as christmas and new year but we lost contact eventually.
si sir allen
ltc idio's replacement as head of our division was an air force guy. he was smart. and he knew it. he was good looking. and he knew it too. i remember that in the first few months of working with him, id always have the jitters during our one-on-one meetings because i was paranoid that what i did may not be too good for him or he may ask me questions that i cant answer. i think he may have noticed that because he softened a bit and tried to become more chill.
what i really liked about him is the way he "fights" for us researchers and made us feel secure about our value in the organization.
at first, i didnt know much about him as a private individual because he didnt talk much about his personal life. it is only much much later that i got to know about his family. and i dont know how it happened but he managed to get into our group and became one of our friends. there was even a time when he would tell us to just call him allen when we're out of the office. he was so integrated into our gang that i remember when i was heartbroken, he was there with us, sitting in a bar, drinking, listening to my story and watching me cry.
until now, we still keep in touch and get together group once in a while. he wrote a work testimonial for me when i was still applying for a job.
si major buca (i think he's ltc now
i had a long working relationship with this boss, also an air force guy. he's the epitome of a "chill" boss. he's always so relaxed that you won't feel the stress even when the workload is too heavy. one thing i would never forget about him is he was always smiling and he easily laughs. he always had new gadgets at work: usb drive - new at that time, the funky stapler/binder, etc. and he had a lot of excel tricks.
it was during his time when our division became very busy (because of constant changes in directives about a certain plan) so we would often work late nights and even on saturdays. sometimes his wife would come with him and we would chat for hours. his wife and i became officemates later on.
si sir ex
sir ex was like a father to me. he was very kind and protective. in him, i saw how it is to work without having to kiss ass. one could sense his frustrations over office politics but would always detect the wisdom that he had gained over decades of working.
on a personal level, his way of handling family and retirement will constantly remind you to not lose sight of what really matters.
si miss butch
miss butch is a smart, cool, and funny boss. i think that professionally, i learned the most from her. working with her is always easy because she is always in a light mood. even when we're busy, you wont feel so stressed out because she always keeps her calm. she knows the policies by heart but she doesnt act like a know-it-all. she suggests but never imposes. she guides me in a way that will encourage me to form my own opinions, decide on myself but if things don't go well, she's there to support me. i've had a few blunders but i never felt for once that she blamed me. if something goes wrong, she sits down with you to discuss what needs to be done. there, she's very good at handling crisis. she makes you feel proud and happy about your little successes. and in her you could see that in perfecting a task, walk the talk is a very efficient strategy.
that's why moving was difficult.
prof wayne
i just know a few things about him. he asked me about my hobbies and my family during the interview which was one of the reasons why i accepted the job. for me, that was an indication that he recognizes me not just as a staff but as a person with different aspects of being. he asked me to just address him in his first name, which was difficult for me because im not used to such power equity. he sounded very excited when he said that he would be on leave for two months because his wife was going to give birth to their second child. it's just sad that we didnt work for a long time. until now, the news of his suddent death still has a surreal feel in it.
prof chou
for the past few months that we have been working together, i can sense that she is a considerate and humble boss. she always says please, even with an apologetic tone sometimes, whenever she needs you to rush something. and she shows how much she appreciates your work whenever she's happy with it. she asks you how you are. she says thank you.
my bosses are not perfect. they have their idiosyncracies. sometimes i complain. but most of the time, im thankful because they were/are my bosses.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
medicalization of suicide
http://youtu.be/e5M93Yl8adU
i may not agree 100% with sir gerry but i would always have high respect for him and his analysis of social issues. and he keeps the fire of idealism burning.
i got most of my understanding of sociological theory from him because of his ability to make those abstract and complicated concepts easily understood by young, college students. i wish i had the mental capacity to grasp the point of all the readings he assigned to us before. sayang, kahit anong basa ko kasi hindi ko maintindihan minsan eh :P
i may not agree 100% with sir gerry but i would always have high respect for him and his analysis of social issues. and he keeps the fire of idealism burning.
i got most of my understanding of sociological theory from him because of his ability to make those abstract and complicated concepts easily understood by young, college students. i wish i had the mental capacity to grasp the point of all the readings he assigned to us before. sayang, kahit anong basa ko kasi hindi ko maintindihan minsan eh :P
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
sa jollibee, bida ang saya
jollibee opened last week at lucky plaza. and since it's food from home, i made a mental note to go there one day.
so i emailed the ntu pipol and set a schedule for a jollibee visit. the sched was tonight. a lot couldnt make it so it ended up with maj, mike and vicky, and i.
i went to lucky plaza ahead of them because i had to go to iremit first. the queue wasn't that long so i was done in about 20 minutes or so.
jollibee was at the 6th floor. while walking towards the store, i could see a small crowd outside the store. there were about 20 or more people in queue so i thought, hey this is not bad at all. i was expecting worse than this. and while approaching the store, i even saw a lot of vacant tables so i thought that "hey, we're lucky". seems like the crowd has died down and having a taste of that familiar chicken joy and spaghetti would be a breeze. and then my eyes were directed to the cashier area. "ok, that's quite a crowd". about 100 people maybe? so i thought of texting the others if it was ok for them to queue. and then i saw the end of the line. which was not found inside the store. but on another vacant space adjacent to the store. and was separated from the crowd by a dropdown door. which was already closed. and guarded by a staff. slowly, donned on me, "uh oh, we might not have that chicken joy tonight!"
i asked one of the ladies waiting outside "ibig bang sabihin hindi na sila magpapapila?". and she said "oo yata." and another lady asked the staff who was guarding the door and the staff said "it's already full." then another guy from the crowd shared that the crew seem to be a bit slow. his daughter was at the queue from 6pm and it was already 740 but they were still waiting. the lady whom i asked earlier asked me "umaasa ka pa bang bubuksan nila yung pinto?". i said "mukhang hindi na."
so i called up mike and texted mike to relay the sad news. no jollibee for tonight :( maybe next time. maybe next month.
so i emailed the ntu pipol and set a schedule for a jollibee visit. the sched was tonight. a lot couldnt make it so it ended up with maj, mike and vicky, and i.
i went to lucky plaza ahead of them because i had to go to iremit first. the queue wasn't that long so i was done in about 20 minutes or so.
jollibee was at the 6th floor. while walking towards the store, i could see a small crowd outside the store. there were about 20 or more people in queue so i thought, hey this is not bad at all. i was expecting worse than this. and while approaching the store, i even saw a lot of vacant tables so i thought that "hey, we're lucky". seems like the crowd has died down and having a taste of that familiar chicken joy and spaghetti would be a breeze. and then my eyes were directed to the cashier area. "ok, that's quite a crowd". about 100 people maybe? so i thought of texting the others if it was ok for them to queue. and then i saw the end of the line. which was not found inside the store. but on another vacant space adjacent to the store. and was separated from the crowd by a dropdown door. which was already closed. and guarded by a staff. slowly, donned on me, "uh oh, we might not have that chicken joy tonight!"
i asked one of the ladies waiting outside "ibig bang sabihin hindi na sila magpapapila?". and she said "oo yata." and another lady asked the staff who was guarding the door and the staff said "it's already full." then another guy from the crowd shared that the crew seem to be a bit slow. his daughter was at the queue from 6pm and it was already 740 but they were still waiting. the lady whom i asked earlier asked me "umaasa ka pa bang bubuksan nila yung pinto?". i said "mukhang hindi na."
so i called up mike and texted mike to relay the sad news. no jollibee for tonight :( maybe next time. maybe next month.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
inspire 2013
i was at the bayanihan center last sunday to learn about the basic computer course that they're offering. my friend's friend, who recruited me in the program, has been volunteering for four years now. her post as a teacher would be vacated because she will be moving to program development.
in the briefing, i met 2 fellow volunteers. one is from ilocos and a former student of the course. another is malaysian, who just loved the philippines so much when she lived there for 6 months as an exchange student that she decided to volunteer for the program.
very inspiring people.
in the briefing, i met 2 fellow volunteers. one is from ilocos and a former student of the course. another is malaysian, who just loved the philippines so much when she lived there for 6 months as an exchange student that she decided to volunteer for the program.
very inspiring people.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
i have a resolution for 2013. write more. this has been part of my previous resolutions and sadly, this, like some of the other resolutions i have had, remained a resolution. but next year, im determined (oh yeah)and driven (di nga?)to do it more regularly.
i may have written a lot of crap but when i look back at some of my previous entries, i sometimes am surprised at the way my mind worked at those particular points of time. turns out... sometimes i make sense.
and i need the exercise for my line of work. and probably, for some future endeavors.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
RIP
i heard sec robredo was a good man. ive read news about him before. and his passing is really a loss to our country.
===
i was on my way to the toilet earlier when i saw some students in the pantry. i waved and one of them confirmed that i was working for my boss. when i said yes, she readily knew that i didnt know yet. and she broke the news that my boss passed away last sunday. heart attack.
it is surprising. really. i was supposed to meet him at 2pm. that's why i was on my way to the toilet. to freshen up for the meeting. we have a lot to talk about. he is supposed to tell me what data to gather next. and i was supposed to ask when would he want to have the meeting with one of our point persons. after two months of coordinating, we are moving forward with our project.
but life has other plans.
===
may they both rest in peace.
===
i was on my way to the toilet earlier when i saw some students in the pantry. i waved and one of them confirmed that i was working for my boss. when i said yes, she readily knew that i didnt know yet. and she broke the news that my boss passed away last sunday. heart attack.
it is surprising. really. i was supposed to meet him at 2pm. that's why i was on my way to the toilet. to freshen up for the meeting. we have a lot to talk about. he is supposed to tell me what data to gather next. and i was supposed to ask when would he want to have the meeting with one of our point persons. after two months of coordinating, we are moving forward with our project.
but life has other plans.
===
may they both rest in peace.
Monday, August 06, 2012
Reproductive Health Bill
binasa ko ulit kanina ang kopya ng reproductive health (RH) bill na kasalukuyang pinag-uusapan sa kongreso. at upang malaman din ng iba pang pilipino kung ano ang nakasaad sa inihahaing saligang batas, malaking bagay sana kung basahin ito ng buo kesa ibatay lamang ang opinyon sa mga nababasa o naririnig tungkol dito.
narito ang kabuuan ng kontrobersyal na RH bill.
medyo mahaba sya(24 na pahina) ngunit madaling maintindihan. at salungat sa mga sinasabing dahilan ng mga kumokontra dito, hindi itinataguyod ng batas ang "paglaglag" (abortion). para sa akin, ang mga pinakaimportanteng punto ay ang mga sumusunod:
Sec 3. Guiding Principles
f) The State shall promote, without bias, all effective natural and modern0methods of family planning that are medically safe and legal
j) While this Act recognizes that abortion is illegal and punishable by law, the5government shall ensure that all women needing care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner
SEC. 16.Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health and Sexuality 0Education. -Age-appropriate Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education shall be1taught by adequately trained teachers in formal and non-formal education system starting from Grade Five up to Fourth Year High School using life skills and other approaches...
Age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education shall be integrated in all relevant subjects and shall include, but not limited to, the following topics:
a) Values formation;
b) Knowledge and skills in self protection against discrimination, sexual violence and abuse, and teen pregnancy;
c) Physical, social and emotional changes in adolescents;
d) Children’s and women’s rights;
e) Fertility awareness;
f) STI, HIV and AIDS;
g) Population and development;
h) Responsible relationship;
i) Family planning methods;
j) Proscription and hazards of abortion;
k) Gender and development; and,
l) Responsible parenthood.
narito ang kabuuan ng kontrobersyal na RH bill.
medyo mahaba sya(24 na pahina) ngunit madaling maintindihan. at salungat sa mga sinasabing dahilan ng mga kumokontra dito, hindi itinataguyod ng batas ang "paglaglag" (abortion). para sa akin, ang mga pinakaimportanteng punto ay ang mga sumusunod:
Sec 3. Guiding Principles
f) The State shall promote, without bias, all effective natural and modern0methods of family planning that are medically safe and legal
j) While this Act recognizes that abortion is illegal and punishable by law, the5government shall ensure that all women needing care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner
SEC. 16.Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health and Sexuality 0Education. -Age-appropriate Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education shall be1taught by adequately trained teachers in formal and non-formal education system starting from Grade Five up to Fourth Year High School using life skills and other approaches...
Age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education shall be integrated in all relevant subjects and shall include, but not limited to, the following topics:
a) Values formation;
b) Knowledge and skills in self protection against discrimination, sexual violence and abuse, and teen pregnancy;
c) Physical, social and emotional changes in adolescents;
d) Children’s and women’s rights;
e) Fertility awareness;
f) STI, HIV and AIDS;
g) Population and development;
h) Responsible relationship;
i) Family planning methods;
j) Proscription and hazards of abortion;
k) Gender and development; and,
l) Responsible parenthood.
Friday, August 03, 2012
biyernes na!
sumama ako kaninang tanghalian sa mga kasalamuha kong estudyante dito. lahat sila ay tiga-tsina at ako lamang ang pilipino. isa sa kanila ang nanlibre para sa pagbabalik ng kanyang asawang galing alemanya at isang taong nanatili doon bilang isang exchange student.
unti-unti na kong nasasanay sa pagkaing szechuan ngunit ito pa rin ang pinakagusto ko sa lahat: dried fried string beans.
unti-unti na kong nasasanay sa pagkaing szechuan ngunit ito pa rin ang pinakagusto ko sa lahat: dried fried string beans.
Thursday, August 02, 2012
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
ang agosto...bow
1. isang taon mula ng ako'y matutong umawit...mali, mali. hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin ako marunong umawit. ulitin natin.
isang taon na pala mula nang ako'y magpaalam sa aking dating trabaho upang ipagpatuloy ang pag-aaral ko dito. limang taon din akong nanatili sa kanila (1 taon nito ay nakabakasyon bilang estudyante) at sa loob ng limang taong iyon, marami akong pinapagpapasalamat: kaibigan, kasanayan lalo na sa pakikitungo sa mga tao, at libreng biyahe.
ngayon 3 buwan na ako sa aking bagong trabaho at kasalukuyan ko pa ring sinasanay ang aking sarili sa bagong kapaligiran. may mangilan-ngilan na akong kabatian ngunit wala pa ring maituturing na malapit na kaibigan. hay nakakalungkot. kaya kailangang maging mas palakaibigan! kailangan kong matutunan ang kasanayang iyon!
2. 3 taon na mula ng pumanaw ang dating pangulong cory aquino. naalala ko, umuulan noon ngunit sumuong kami ng aking kaopisina upang makita ang kanyang labi. mahaba ang pila at medyo mataas ang baha ngunit tumuloy pa rin kami. isang pambihirang karanasan! (mababasa dito ang aking sulatin tungkol sa aming karanasan)
3. sumulat ako sa aking mga kaibigan gamit ang wikang filipino kanina at ito ang naging resulta, mga likas na makata :)
"Ngayon din pala ay ikatlong taon ng kamatayan ni Corazon Aquino. Taon na rin pala ang binilang noong sinuong natin ang Maynila masilayan lang ang kanyang labi "
"ako ay buhay pa naman dapatwat ang mga dpat gawin ay prang bagyo na di mapigilan bglang bumubuhos.. prang mga alon sa baybayin ng maynila na humahampas sa panirangtubig (breakwater)"
"Nakita ko nga ang iyong sinulat sa pader ng Facebook. Sana magtagumapy ka sa sa iyong mithiin na gamitin ang ating wika ng buong buwan. Nawa'y hindi magdugo ang iyong ilong. Binago ko nga pala ang nakasulat na paksa sa liham na ito upang maging akma sa ating pag-uusap."
"karumaldumal naman ang inyong naranasan na paglubog sa napakaruming tubig..na puno ng mga rumi ng daga, aso, pusa...buhangin..lupa..putik...at kung anu anu pa"
TWN (tumatawa ng malakas).
isang taon na pala mula nang ako'y magpaalam sa aking dating trabaho upang ipagpatuloy ang pag-aaral ko dito. limang taon din akong nanatili sa kanila (1 taon nito ay nakabakasyon bilang estudyante) at sa loob ng limang taong iyon, marami akong pinapagpapasalamat: kaibigan, kasanayan lalo na sa pakikitungo sa mga tao, at libreng biyahe.
ngayon 3 buwan na ako sa aking bagong trabaho at kasalukuyan ko pa ring sinasanay ang aking sarili sa bagong kapaligiran. may mangilan-ngilan na akong kabatian ngunit wala pa ring maituturing na malapit na kaibigan. hay nakakalungkot. kaya kailangang maging mas palakaibigan! kailangan kong matutunan ang kasanayang iyon!
2. 3 taon na mula ng pumanaw ang dating pangulong cory aquino. naalala ko, umuulan noon ngunit sumuong kami ng aking kaopisina upang makita ang kanyang labi. mahaba ang pila at medyo mataas ang baha ngunit tumuloy pa rin kami. isang pambihirang karanasan! (mababasa dito ang aking sulatin tungkol sa aming karanasan)
3. sumulat ako sa aking mga kaibigan gamit ang wikang filipino kanina at ito ang naging resulta, mga likas na makata :)
"Ngayon din pala ay ikatlong taon ng kamatayan ni Corazon Aquino. Taon na rin pala ang binilang noong sinuong natin ang Maynila masilayan lang ang kanyang labi "
"ako ay buhay pa naman dapatwat ang mga dpat gawin ay prang bagyo na di mapigilan bglang bumubuhos.. prang mga alon sa baybayin ng maynila na humahampas sa panirangtubig (breakwater)"
"Nakita ko nga ang iyong sinulat sa pader ng Facebook. Sana magtagumapy ka sa sa iyong mithiin na gamitin ang ating wika ng buong buwan. Nawa'y hindi magdugo ang iyong ilong. Binago ko nga pala ang nakasulat na paksa sa liham na ito upang maging akma sa ating pag-uusap."
"karumaldumal naman ang inyong naranasan na paglubog sa napakaruming tubig..na puno ng mga rumi ng daga, aso, pusa...buhangin..lupa..putik...at kung anu anu pa"
TWN (tumatawa ng malakas).
buwan ng wika
alam ng bawat pilipinong lumaki sa pilipinas na ang pagdating ng buwan ng agosto ay nangangahulugan ng pagpasok ng buwan ng wika. noong ako ay nasa elementarya, naaalala kong madalas ay may pagdiriwang na isinasagawa sa aming paaralan. kung anu-ano ang mga aktibidades na iyon, hindi ko na maalala. ngunit malinaw sa akin na bawat taon, isa ako sa mga may hawak ng gunting at gumugupit ng mga naglalakihang letrang ipapaskil sa entablado para sa pagputong ng korona para sa mga napiling ginoo at binibining buwan ng wika.
ngayong ako'y nasa ibayong dagat, ingles ang wikang aking ginagamit sa pagsusulat maging sa pakikipag-usap sa mga bagong kakilala at kaibigan. malaking tulong ang pagiging bihasa sa wikang ingles ngunit iba pa rin ang ginhawang (?) idinudulot ng pagsasalita ng sariling wika sa pakikipag-usap.
noong ako'y nasa kolehiyo, madali para sa akin ang pagsusulat ng sampung pahinang papel gamit ang wikang filipino. ngunit ngayon, nahihirapan ako sa aking ginagawa. ilang beses na akong sumangguni sa google translate para sa tatlong talatang sulatin! hindi ba ito isang kabalintunaan?
kaya ngayon, sa buwan ng agosto, tatangkain kong sa bawat sulating aking ilathala sa pahinang ito at sa facebook ay pawang filipino lamang. hindi ito pagtalikod sa wikang ingles ngunit isang pagsisikap na maibalik ang aking pagiging komportable sa pagsusulat sa wikang filipino. sana'y swertehin ako sa aking mithiin :)
Friday, July 27, 2012
paradigm shift
this week was a pretty good one. and im realizing more and more that im not very happy with the way my mind works if left wandering on it's own for a very long period of time. it becomes a drama queen, a moaning myrtle. not good, not good at all. but when i talk to my friends, even if it's just through fb, text or email, i become fine. i would go back to my relatively optimistic self. the self whom i prefer.
last tuesday, i read a short write-up about female relationships from facebook (nope, not one of those one-liners about life and love) and i thought it was pretty accurate. it says that keeping a healthy relationships with your girl friends is very good for one's well-being. in the process of talking about each other's feelings (which is a staple topic whenever women would congregate), more serotonin is produced. i dont know how accurate the description is but it says that serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps combat depression and can create a general feeling of well-being. so that explains a lot of things.
this afternoon, i went to a staff bonding activity organized by the school. i don't know anyone but consistent with my self-imposed challenge to go out of my comfort zone and create friends (because i feel that contrary to my previous workplaces, friendship will not naturally blossom in this kind of environment), i still went. and im glad i did because:
1. there's free lunch :P
2. i met people from our college and i learned that there are people who also crack jokes even while working. yey! (yes, im that shallow)
3. i became a part of a percussion orchestra and we actually learned how to play beethoven's symphony 9 (ok, just a part of it)
4. i got to know who the dean was
5. i felt alive. even if im an introvert by nature, i still enjoy the company of people.
last tuesday, i read a short write-up about female relationships from facebook (nope, not one of those one-liners about life and love) and i thought it was pretty accurate. it says that keeping a healthy relationships with your girl friends is very good for one's well-being. in the process of talking about each other's feelings (which is a staple topic whenever women would congregate), more serotonin is produced. i dont know how accurate the description is but it says that serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps combat depression and can create a general feeling of well-being. so that explains a lot of things.
this afternoon, i went to a staff bonding activity organized by the school. i don't know anyone but consistent with my self-imposed challenge to go out of my comfort zone and create friends (because i feel that contrary to my previous workplaces, friendship will not naturally blossom in this kind of environment), i still went. and im glad i did because:
1. there's free lunch :P
2. i met people from our college and i learned that there are people who also crack jokes even while working. yey! (yes, im that shallow)
3. i became a part of a percussion orchestra and we actually learned how to play beethoven's symphony 9 (ok, just a part of it)
4. i got to know who the dean was
5. i felt alive. even if im an introvert by nature, i still enjoy the company of people.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
the unfortunate encounter with immigration officials in batam center
last july 1, my mother, aunt, sister and i went on a one-day tour to batam. since my mother and my aunt have seen most of the places-to-see here, my sister and i thought that it might be a good idea to hop on a ferry and bring the oldies to that accessible neighboring island called batam. the tour was arranged in singapore so we didn't had to worry about anything except hopping on that ferry and looking for our tour guide at the port.
our ferry left harbourfront at 9am so we reached batam center at around 10am (9am indonesian time). the immigration queue wasnt very long and there were about five officers (if i wasnt mistaken) manning their desks. it was a snake queue, so there was just one line and the person in front of the line will be assigned to the next available officer.
first in line was my sister, followed by my aunt, my mother and i. my sister was cleared quite fast. then it was my aunt's turn. she went to the same officer whom my sister went to. i noticed that the immigration officer was asking her questions but i didnt mind it because well, they do really ask questions. afterwards, the officer began looking around so my sister (who was already at the other side of the queue) and i (who was still at the snake queue) motioned that i was with her. the immigration officer motioned me with a "stop" hand gesture so i thought, "ok, maybe it's nothing serious". then my mother was directed to the next immigration officer. and me to the next.
the officer assigned to me asked how long i will stay in batam. i answered one day. she asked me if im working in singapore and i said yes. she demanded to see my pass so i showed it to her. after checking it, she returned it to me. then she scanned my passport and browsed through the pages. after that, she asked me again if i had a working visa or IC in singapore and i responded that i do and that i showed it to her just a few seconds ago. only then did she stamped my passport.
on my way out, i didn't see my sister at the spot where she was waiting a few minutes ago so i assumed that maybe, the oldies had been cleared and they're already waiting for me outside. so i passed through customs and went outside.
i easily spotted the guide who was holding a bond paper with my sister's (and other tourists')name on it so i approached her and told her that my companions are still with the immigration so we might have to wait a few minutes for them. she seemed pretty cool about it and i assumed that she might have encountered a lot of similar situations so waiting will not be an issue.but 5, 10, 15 minutes passed and my companions were still not cleared.
there were also another girl and another guy outside who were waiting for their companions. another 5-10 minutes passed and still, i couldnt see my companions from the gate so i chatted with the tour guide. she told me that these cases usually happen especially if the officers suspect that a particular tourist has the tendency to overstay. in some cases, the officers just simply want bribe. she said that usually, they ask sgd50 in return for a stamp. of course they don't say it directly but the practice is, handlers of groups would just insert the money in the passport.
overstaying in batam is not in our plan. and i think, it is pretty clear that two senior citizens will not have plans of overstaying in batam either. and it is not their first time to travel out of the country, their passports could prove that. so i was pretty confident that they will be released soon. at this point though, paranoia was starting to enter my mind and the story of chng reyes and her experience with immigration officers in bali
is playing in my mind.
a few minutes later, i saw my sister coming out of the gate, escorted by a man in orange shirt (apparently he is from the company where we booked our tour but i dont know what his business is being at the immigration room). my sister told me that my mom and my aunt were being held because the immigration officials are suspecting that they will overstay in singapore. what the heck! are they working on behalf of the singapore ica? the last time i checked, i thought we were entering indonesia so i was surprised that they are also problematizing with the issues that their counterparts in singapore are concerned with.
my mom and aunt arrived in singapore on june 10 and was cleared by the singapore ica without any question. they came to singapore to attend my commencement ceremony on july 9 and also to have a month-long holiday. i dont think they have to explain for that. my aunt is leaving 2 days after graduation so her return flight was booked on jul 11. my mom is using her trip pass which is essentially an open ticket hence she can use it anytime she wishes to. the immigration officers pointed at these as evidences that they might overstay. for what reason? for work? they are two senior citizens who are way past their working age. they are just in singapore and batam for vacation.
my sister clarified that we are in indonesia for a one-day tour which has been paid beforehand. when they asked her why are we going on just a one-day tour, she told them that both of us are working during weekdays so we only have a limited amount of time to show my mom and my aunt around. she told them that we do not need a 15 or 30-day pass because we have no plans of staying. we just need a one-day pass, if that's what they want to give. but they said no. when she asked them what could be done to resolve the situation (i assume other immigration officials would require a proof of financial capability, hotel/tour bookings, or any valid document just to prove that we will not extend our stay in indonesia), they could not provide any. hence, the situation is at a stalemate.
and it didn't help that they were not the most courteous lot there is. my sister said that the room was like that of a movie scene: the airconditioned room reeked of cigarette smoke and one officer was even smoking even with the "no smoking sign" on his back. they were sitting lazily and their shirts were not buttoned properly. these may be trivial details, but one could detect that professionalism may not really be their strongest point.
the tour guide was saying that maybe, they just need bribe. my sister agreed that it is pretty obvious, they just want bribe. but we do not want to give in. why would we bribe them?
my sister went back to the holding room, still escorted by the guy in orange shirt. i wanted to go too but i wasnt allowed. so i waited outside, hoping that those immigration officers would at least show some respect to two women senior citizens and finally clear them. but still, a few minutes after, my sister came out without my mom and my aunt. and with the immigration officers still not giving a resolution to the situation.
we could have opted for a port-to-port situation. they could have just sent us back to singapore if they wanted to. but on the otehr hand, we thought that it might reflect badly on my mom and my aunt's travel documents/history. they would have a history of being denied entry by a country. and we don't want to let those immigration officers to ruin our day! so my sister thought of just printing a new flight itinerary for them. but the nearest intenet shop will not open for the next 75 minutes! so what's the most viable option? yes, despite our utmost resistance to that despicable idea, we opted to bribe them. we were fuming mad because we dont want to do it yet it's the only feasible option that we have and worse, because do not want to comply with the game those corrupt immigration officials are playing but practicality says we have to!
so we gave the guy in orange shirt sgd50 and my sister went back with him to the holding room. after the incident, my sister recounted that she didn't dare go near them anymore because she didnt want to give the bribe personally and she didnt want to look at those faces. and it was really obvious that the money is what they just wanted because when the guy entered the room, my sister heard the passports being stamped in an instant. and shortly after, my mother and my auntie were released from the holding room.
we went on with the trip. we joined the group for the city tour, we had lunch, had a massage, shopped a little, and came back to singapore. we tried not to let that unfortunate incident bother our short trip. but the fact remains that such unfortunate encounter with those corrupt immigration officials tainted our experience of batam.
when philippine airlines announced the launch of its flight to bali, me and my friends were eager to go on a trip to that place this october. despite the slight paranoia brought by chng reyes' article, we still wanted to see the island and swim on its shores. but after my family's personal encounter with the immigration officials in batam, my interest in bali sank.
i guess for now, i'll scrap indonesia in my list first.
our ferry left harbourfront at 9am so we reached batam center at around 10am (9am indonesian time). the immigration queue wasnt very long and there were about five officers (if i wasnt mistaken) manning their desks. it was a snake queue, so there was just one line and the person in front of the line will be assigned to the next available officer.
first in line was my sister, followed by my aunt, my mother and i. my sister was cleared quite fast. then it was my aunt's turn. she went to the same officer whom my sister went to. i noticed that the immigration officer was asking her questions but i didnt mind it because well, they do really ask questions. afterwards, the officer began looking around so my sister (who was already at the other side of the queue) and i (who was still at the snake queue) motioned that i was with her. the immigration officer motioned me with a "stop" hand gesture so i thought, "ok, maybe it's nothing serious". then my mother was directed to the next immigration officer. and me to the next.
the officer assigned to me asked how long i will stay in batam. i answered one day. she asked me if im working in singapore and i said yes. she demanded to see my pass so i showed it to her. after checking it, she returned it to me. then she scanned my passport and browsed through the pages. after that, she asked me again if i had a working visa or IC in singapore and i responded that i do and that i showed it to her just a few seconds ago. only then did she stamped my passport.
on my way out, i didn't see my sister at the spot where she was waiting a few minutes ago so i assumed that maybe, the oldies had been cleared and they're already waiting for me outside. so i passed through customs and went outside.
i easily spotted the guide who was holding a bond paper with my sister's (and other tourists')name on it so i approached her and told her that my companions are still with the immigration so we might have to wait a few minutes for them. she seemed pretty cool about it and i assumed that she might have encountered a lot of similar situations so waiting will not be an issue.but 5, 10, 15 minutes passed and my companions were still not cleared.
there were also another girl and another guy outside who were waiting for their companions. another 5-10 minutes passed and still, i couldnt see my companions from the gate so i chatted with the tour guide. she told me that these cases usually happen especially if the officers suspect that a particular tourist has the tendency to overstay. in some cases, the officers just simply want bribe. she said that usually, they ask sgd50 in return for a stamp. of course they don't say it directly but the practice is, handlers of groups would just insert the money in the passport.
overstaying in batam is not in our plan. and i think, it is pretty clear that two senior citizens will not have plans of overstaying in batam either. and it is not their first time to travel out of the country, their passports could prove that. so i was pretty confident that they will be released soon. at this point though, paranoia was starting to enter my mind and the story of chng reyes and her experience with immigration officers in bali
is playing in my mind.
a few minutes later, i saw my sister coming out of the gate, escorted by a man in orange shirt (apparently he is from the company where we booked our tour but i dont know what his business is being at the immigration room). my sister told me that my mom and my aunt were being held because the immigration officials are suspecting that they will overstay in singapore. what the heck! are they working on behalf of the singapore ica? the last time i checked, i thought we were entering indonesia so i was surprised that they are also problematizing with the issues that their counterparts in singapore are concerned with.
my mom and aunt arrived in singapore on june 10 and was cleared by the singapore ica without any question. they came to singapore to attend my commencement ceremony on july 9 and also to have a month-long holiday. i dont think they have to explain for that. my aunt is leaving 2 days after graduation so her return flight was booked on jul 11. my mom is using her trip pass which is essentially an open ticket hence she can use it anytime she wishes to. the immigration officers pointed at these as evidences that they might overstay. for what reason? for work? they are two senior citizens who are way past their working age. they are just in singapore and batam for vacation.
my sister clarified that we are in indonesia for a one-day tour which has been paid beforehand. when they asked her why are we going on just a one-day tour, she told them that both of us are working during weekdays so we only have a limited amount of time to show my mom and my aunt around. she told them that we do not need a 15 or 30-day pass because we have no plans of staying. we just need a one-day pass, if that's what they want to give. but they said no. when she asked them what could be done to resolve the situation (i assume other immigration officials would require a proof of financial capability, hotel/tour bookings, or any valid document just to prove that we will not extend our stay in indonesia), they could not provide any. hence, the situation is at a stalemate.
and it didn't help that they were not the most courteous lot there is. my sister said that the room was like that of a movie scene: the airconditioned room reeked of cigarette smoke and one officer was even smoking even with the "no smoking sign" on his back. they were sitting lazily and their shirts were not buttoned properly. these may be trivial details, but one could detect that professionalism may not really be their strongest point.
the tour guide was saying that maybe, they just need bribe. my sister agreed that it is pretty obvious, they just want bribe. but we do not want to give in. why would we bribe them?
my sister went back to the holding room, still escorted by the guy in orange shirt. i wanted to go too but i wasnt allowed. so i waited outside, hoping that those immigration officers would at least show some respect to two women senior citizens and finally clear them. but still, a few minutes after, my sister came out without my mom and my aunt. and with the immigration officers still not giving a resolution to the situation.
we could have opted for a port-to-port situation. they could have just sent us back to singapore if they wanted to. but on the otehr hand, we thought that it might reflect badly on my mom and my aunt's travel documents/history. they would have a history of being denied entry by a country. and we don't want to let those immigration officers to ruin our day! so my sister thought of just printing a new flight itinerary for them. but the nearest intenet shop will not open for the next 75 minutes! so what's the most viable option? yes, despite our utmost resistance to that despicable idea, we opted to bribe them. we were fuming mad because we dont want to do it yet it's the only feasible option that we have and worse, because do not want to comply with the game those corrupt immigration officials are playing but practicality says we have to!
so we gave the guy in orange shirt sgd50 and my sister went back with him to the holding room. after the incident, my sister recounted that she didn't dare go near them anymore because she didnt want to give the bribe personally and she didnt want to look at those faces. and it was really obvious that the money is what they just wanted because when the guy entered the room, my sister heard the passports being stamped in an instant. and shortly after, my mother and my auntie were released from the holding room.
we went on with the trip. we joined the group for the city tour, we had lunch, had a massage, shopped a little, and came back to singapore. we tried not to let that unfortunate incident bother our short trip. but the fact remains that such unfortunate encounter with those corrupt immigration officials tainted our experience of batam.
when philippine airlines announced the launch of its flight to bali, me and my friends were eager to go on a trip to that place this october. despite the slight paranoia brought by chng reyes' article, we still wanted to see the island and swim on its shores. but after my family's personal encounter with the immigration officials in batam, my interest in bali sank.
i guess for now, i'll scrap indonesia in my list first.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
and we're back
after months in hibernation, this blog is in public view again (though im not sure if the public cares :P). its unintentional escape was caused by a slight level of dummy-ness on my part. and it didnt even entered my mind that a simple google search might help. well, until now :)
Friday, June 01, 2012
bad brain day
a few days ago, i read an article about bad brain day. it's that moment when no matter how you push yourself to work,write, or do what you should be doing, you just can't. oftentimes we would say, just force yourself to do it. but the author said that it is sometimes more helpful if you just give yourself a break first, to allow the brain to recharge. if you cant run, then dont run. go home and watch tv. if you cant write, then dont write.
this afternoon is my bad brain day. i have a literature review to write but i can't organize my thoughts. i have my notes but i can't write...well, academic stuff that is.
Thursday, April 05, 2012
updates
i have been watching movies for the past two weeks and im getting tired of it. aside from the fact that there were only a handful of good movies that i saw (some of the movies make me think "seriously? you set aside a budget for that?"), the increasing disinterest is rooted from the feeling of unproductivity. watching movies makes me realize that im doing nothing but to consume. i like watching and yeah doing so for a few days is relaxing, but doing it everyday makes we want to puke.
so instead of wasting my time watching movies, i decided to update my blog entries instead.
in 2010, i planned to write about my budget trips. so far, i have only done one: phuket. meaning, i have done so bad in executing my plan. hence, given the amount of free time i have (A LOT!), i vow to write about my other trips. i hope, i'll do better this time.
so here's the list:
san juan, batangas (feb 2010)
san juan, la union (apr 2010)
sta. ana, cagayan (may 2010)
boracay, aklan (may-jun 2010)
cebu (jun 2010)
phuket (dec 2010) - DONE
kuala lumpur (jan 2011)
new zealand (may 2011)
ho chi minh (dec 2011)
so instead of wasting my time watching movies, i decided to update my blog entries instead.
in 2010, i planned to write about my budget trips. so far, i have only done one: phuket. meaning, i have done so bad in executing my plan. hence, given the amount of free time i have (A LOT!), i vow to write about my other trips. i hope, i'll do better this time.
so here's the list:
san juan, batangas (feb 2010)
san juan, la union (apr 2010)
sta. ana, cagayan (may 2010)
boracay, aklan (may-jun 2010)
cebu (jun 2010)
phuket (dec 2010) - DONE
kuala lumpur (jan 2011)
new zealand (may 2011)
ho chi minh (dec 2011)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)