Sunday, August 31

My Two Other Boys

By    10:28 AM // No comments
This is the fun part of being Teacher Mauie. I get to have fun with other kids while I'm helping them learn. In teaching, I tend to be more like a friend than a strict tutor. Still, that doesn't mean that I let them do whatever they want. I just make it a point to make them love learning and not hate it.

I'm sharing pictures of my two dear boys, Naoya (who's in K2 at St. Gabriel International School) and Maki (who's in Grade 2 at La Salle Greenhills). I'm sharing Maki's drawing of "Fort Santiago" as well. We were studying about "Mga Makasaysayang Pook" when the pictures were taken.

Saturday, August 30

My Disappointing Maki Mi Sushi Experience

By    9:46 AM // No comments
This should have been posted exactly a week ago but I was too busy with piled up paperwork to do.

Last Friday, August 22, I bought a tray of Maki from the Maki Mi Sushi kiosk at Robinson's Cainta. The presentation was so inviting so I was tempted to buy a tray that cost more than a hundred pesos. Dadijun and I planned on ending the work week with some unwinding by our bedroom veranda. I thought that Maki would be the perfect pulutan along with the spicy anchovies and the margarita and super dry that we would be drinking. I made an effort to beat the 8pm closing time of our neighborhood mall just to buy the Maki that one of my husband's office mates recommended to us.

So there we were, armed with some 80s music to make the evening more fun. Rap joined us because he was anxious to eat some Maki using chopsticks. Dadijun ate a piece with some Kani on it. Rap tried one with the mango cube in the middle. I was the unlucky one who tried the piece with the spoiled egg on top. I can still remember the taste of egg topping makes me want to vomit up to now. I'm thankful that I was able to spit it out and not swallow it. I was so disappointed. I brushed my tongue and let the mouthwash stay in my mouth a little more to get rid of the awful taste. I won't buy Maki from that store again... EVER!

Here are some of the lessons I have learned from this disappointing experience:

  1. Don't buy food with egg toppings on it especially if you're not sure the time when it was cooked. Cooked egg spoils easily.

  2. Don't buy food to go at night because you might not have time to return to the store and complain about the spoiled product.

  3. Make homemade Maki instead. There are lots of recipes available in the internet and ingredients and materials are also available in leading supermarkets.


(left) The tempting Maki presentation. (right) The spoiled egg maki I ate.

Sunday, August 24

It's About Time

By    6:24 PM // 2 comments
Dadijun and I enrolled ourselves in Brickroad Fitness Gym last Saturday. We have been looking for a fitness gym ever since we moved here in Cainta. Back in Sta. Rosa, our bodies were active because we had regular badminton dates with friends. In Makati, I was regularly walking an hour a day inside the Makati Coliseum's grounds. Here in Cainta, the most exercise that I have done was walking from our house to the village's gate! That's why it's been hard for me to reach my ideal weight ever since we moved here.

Last Saturday, while Rap was in his Taekwondo class at Sta. Lucia, we went out to walk around the area of Brickroad that's just behind the mall. I didn't know that there was a gym there if it were not for the tarpaulin in the parking area that announced its Open House that weekend. We went inside and checked the place. We loved it instantly. The gym's ambiance was homey and the crowd was friendly. We ended up signing the registration form after the short tour of the place. We were also lucky that we got a discounted rate on the lifetime membership fee and the monthly fees because it was their Open House promo. We signed up for 3 months and got 1 month free. Dadijun plans to sign up for a year when our contract ends in December because it's cheaper and we can get free parking vouchers and more freebies. With our 3-month registration came the standard gym bag and towels.

Yesterday, we started our workout before bringing Rap to his Taekwondo class. Dadijun's fitness goal was to build muscles while I need to lose the extra 15 pounds I need to reach my ideal weight. Since we have different fitness plans, we were working out separately from each other. He just had his warm-up for 20 minutes in the treadmill and proceeded on going down for some weight training. My routine for a month, according to my fitness consultant is to work-out for 30 minutes each in the treadmill, stationary bike, and step machine. I can also substitute one machine with attending one of the group classes. He said doing so can make me lose 6 pounds or more in 3-4 weeks. I'm having very hopes because I stopped taking Orlistat this June.

We went back to the gym early this morning to do a round of our specified routines. My legs are really aching now. I guess the long leave I took from brisk walking made my legs resist the new fitness routine. I plan to go everyday to the gym for 2 hours once the exams week of my students is done and my mornings finally free from worksheet production. Todo na to no!

I will post pictures and more reviews of the place soon. I'm still researching on the fact that more people enroll in Brickroad when there's also Fitness First in the area.

Thursday, August 21

My Wristwatch Hunting Ended Yesterday

By    6:49 AM // 2 comments
For a weeks now, I have been looking for the perfect wristwatch for me. I did not bother with wearing a watch before. The clock in my cellphone suited my needs. However, my present work requires me to follow the clock by the second and it's a hassle if I have to check the time in my cellphone every now and then.

I scouted the tiangges to buy the cheapest fashionable watches that I could find. I thought that, with a few hundred bucks, I can buy myself even five wristwatches of different styles and colors that will go with my daily outfits. A wristwatch in a typical neighborhood tiangge only goes for as much as Php150. When I went with my mother-in-law went to Divisoria last year, I was able to buy a watch that was very uso for only 80 bucks but the battery went dead in a week and I had to replace it with one that cost Php100 so I ended up paying more.

Dadijun scolded me for buying cheap wristwatches. He kept on showing his watch that has been with him since 2001 or so. He stressed the fact that buying an expensive, yet reliable, watch is better than buying cheap watches every now and then. I got his point when my latest watch died down on me again lately. My scouting spree for the new wristwatch began. Still, I was not looking for an expensive find. I had a Seiko given by an OFW cousin before and I lost it when I get held up on my way home when I was still in college. The memory still haunts my mind. It's either the fear of losing an expensive property or the fear of being an interesting victim to robbers. Whichever it is, it's still the same banana. As I always advise my friends, "Purdoy look is safer nowadays."

For two Saturdays, I went back to a store in Sta. Lucia East that sells ionized watches. It's like a band with a small digital panel that showed the time and costs Php495. I showed it to Dadijun for some solicited advise and he told me not to buy it. Then last Sunday I watched on Jessica Soho's show that the health benefits of using ionized jewelry is not yet scientifically proven so that watch is definitely out of the list.

Naawa yata ang asawa ko. He called me up yesterday and sent me a picture of watch that was on sale in their Coca-Cola online sari-sari store. He said it's just for 700 bucks and it's strap is made of leather. He showed me two pictures, one was black and the other brown. I chose the latter. It looks classy and casual. It's not that too attractive to snatchers and the like. It's also not that expensive and, most of all, it's FREE! Another gift from the best husband in the whole wide world! (Ehem, halata bang nambola pa? Hehehe!)


I am now awaiting the delivery of my watch. I'm expecting it today or maybe on Monday when Dadijun goes to the office again. My hunt for a wristwatch officially ended yesterday. I just hope that the next wristwatch hunting begins after five years or so.

Tuesday, August 12

A Habit To Break

By    7:40 AM // 1 comment
I have a confession to make. I have this compulsion that bugs me every night. I do not remember when this started but, now that it's interfering with my sleep, I feel alarmed. What happens is, for several nights now, my brain wakes me up from my REM sleep and commands me to get up and check my wallet. Once I see the our ATM cards and my credit card present in the pockets, I can go back to sleep again. Sometimes, I do not even bother to turn the lights on. Just to feel the cards is enough to make me feel secure. It's weird, no? Guess I'm just paranoid of credit card fraud and us losing money.

To control this compulsion, I had to make a reminder on my phone for me to check my wallet before lying down in bed. There were nights when I still got up to check even though I already did before lying down. Hopefully, one night at a time, this compulsion will stop and I will have a truly restful sleep.

Saturday, August 9

Thursday, August 7

Minsan Ako'y Naging Volt

By    4:41 AM // No comments
Finally, I found the time to write my entry for 100 Kwentong Peyups for the centennial celebration. Hope this gets published. If it's not, no problem, this is what my blog is for, right? Still I hope this gets published. Kulit ano? Here goes...

==================


Minsan Ako’y Naging Volt

Isang summer vacation lang sa buong buhay ko ang hindi ko makakalimutan. Ito ay ang summer vacation sampung taon na ang nakaraan nang naisipan kong maging bahagi ng Summer Immersion Services Program ng Ugnayan ng Pahinungod sa UP Manila. Nahila lang ako ng bestfriend ko opisina ng Pahinungod. Dahil kapos sa pamasahe pauwi ng probinsya nila ay naisipan na lang niya na sumali sa Summer Immersion Program at hindi na muna umuwi. Wala rin akong panggastos para magkaroon ng “adventure” habang bakasyon kaya sumali na rin ako. Hindi rin natuloy ang bestfriend ko dahil tinanggap niya ang “summer job” para sa extra allowance sa darating na pasukan. Naisip kong umatras na rin lang pero hindi ko ito nagawa. Mabuti na lang at hindi.

Ano ba ang Summer Immersion Services Program na ito? Ang alam ko lang bago kami dumalo sa orientation ay ipapadala kami sa malalayong lugar sa Pilipinas upang doon ay manirahan. Ang inaasahan kong matututunan ko ay kung paano lang mamuhay sa isang lugar na malayo sa kinalikahan kong buhay. Laking Maynila kasi ako kaya abnormal para sa akin ang walang kuryente at tubig na lumalabas sa gripo. Nagkamali ako. Mas marami pa akong natutunan hindi lang mula sa pamumuhay ng mga tao sa lugar na pinuntahan ko kundi mula na rin sa mga nadiskubre ko sa aking sarili habang ako’y nakatira doon.

Sa orientation namin sa UPLB tinuruan kami ng maraming kaalaman bukod pa sa teambuilding session na naganap. Kaming mga lumahok ay mga estudyanteng mula sa iba’t-ibang kolehiyo ng UP Manila. Hindi kami magkakakilala pero pagkatapos ng tatlong araw at dalawang gabi ay naging magkakaibigan na kami. Tinuruan kami tungkol sa mga bagay na aming dapat at hindi dapat asahan sa lugar na aming pupuntahan. Rush ang lectures tungkol sa mga halamang gamot, first aid, pag-iwas sa malaria at dengue, mga lunas sa mga common diseases, at iba pa. Pakiramdam ko noon ready na ako dahil sa mga natutunan ko. Yun pala, patikim pa lang iyon. Ang tunay na kabuuan ng lecture ng buhay ay makikita at maririnig kapag nandun ka na sa dapat mong tirahan.

Na-assign ako sa Talim Island, Binangonan, Rizal. Isang buwan akong tumira doon kasama ang aking partner na si Thea na taga-Public Health. Taga-Pasig ako kaya walang thrill sa akin nung malaman ko na sa Binangonan lang ako ipapadala. Di tulad nung iba naming mga kasamahan na pinadala sa Sagada, Cagayan Valley, at Sorsogon. Pero naisip ko rin na mukhang exciting din naman dahil isla eh. Solved na kumbaga ang summer vacation na inasam ko.

Marami kaming baong gamot, toothbrushes, at iba’t-ibang flyers. Kinagabihan pa lang ng pagdating namin ay may kumatok na sa bahay na tinitirhan ko upang humingi ng tulong. Masakit daw ang tiyan at madalas ang pagdumi. Dahil sa orientation sa LB alam ko nang simpleng LBM lang yun. Pero dahil dalawang araw nang ganun ay hindi lang Loperamide ang ibinigay kong gamot kundi gumawa rin kami ng oresol. Tinuro din sa amin sa orientation yun. Gusto ko sanang sabihin sa kanila na pumunta na lang kay Thea dahil Public Health ang course niya at Poli Sci ako. Yun pala, nalaman ko kinabukasan, na mayroon naman siyang binigyang lunas na hinimatay naman. Iyun na pala ang simula ng aming pagiging doktorang hilaw.

Isinasama kami ng mga kababaihan palibot ng isla sa kanilang mga pagsi-serbisyo. Alam ng mga tao kung bakit kami nandoon at alam nilang may dala kaming mga gamot. Minsan lang sa isang taon kung may dumating na doktor sa health center nilang isang bagyo na lang ang hindi pa pumipirma. Kami ang naging takbuhan nila. Sa aming paglilibot nakita namin ang maraming batang malnourished sa isla. Nagsimula kami ng feeding program at tinuruan namin silang magluto ng masusustansyang pagkain na mula lang sa kanilang hardin. Nalaman din naming marami pang batang at mga binatilyo na hindi pa binyagan sa lugar. Nagpadala ang Pahinungod ng mga doktor na gagawa ng Libreng Tuli at Medical Mission sa lugar. Dahil dalawang doktor lang ang nakarating, napilitan kami ni Thea na kami na mismo ang magtuli. Kinabukasan ay hindi na kami matignan ng diretso ng mga binatilyong natuli namin. Wala na kasi silang maitatago, hehehe.

Hindi ko rin malilimutan ang isang bangkay na pilit pa naming ni-revive. Limang oras na raw ang nakakalipas mula nang malagutan ng hininga. Pero dahil ayaw bumitaw ng mga kamag-anak ay ipinatawag pa rin kami. Nag first-aid si Thea habang kinukuha ko ang pulso. Wala na talaga. Ganun kahirap ang buhay doon, naghihingalo na ay hindi pa madala sa ospital. Dahil bukod na nasa bayan pa ng Binangonan ang ospital ay magbabayad pa sila sa bangka at tricycle na magdadala sa kanila doon.

Maraming nabago sa akin mula noong tumira ako sa Talim. Nalaman kong marami pala akong kayang gawin. Na kaya ko palang gumawa ng paraan gamit ang kung anong meron lang ako. Nabago ang mga pananaw ko sa buhay. Akala ko hirap na kami sa buhay, yun pala may mas hirap pa. Pero mas masaya sila kasi simple lang ang mga hinahangad nila sa buhay. Ganunpaman, nangarap rin sila ng pag-asenso ng kanilang lugar. Kaya nga sila na ang gumawa ng samahan para tulungan ang mga kababayan nila. Hindi na sila umasa pa sa gobyerno. Ito na rin ang panuntunan ko ngayon sa buhay. Na ang pag-asenso at pagbabago ay hindi dapat iasa sa iba kundi sa sarili lamang.

Kunektado pa rin ako sa grupo ng mga Volts hanggang ngayon. Nakakasagap ako ng balita at imbitasyon sa e-mail. Volts nga pala ang tawag sa mga volunteer ng Ugnayan ng Pahinungod. Nais ko mang tumugon sa panawagan nila na hanggang ngayon ay maglingkod ay kailangan ko munang mag-trabaho at kumita ng pera. Kaya matindi ang paghanga ko sa mga kasamahan ko na hanggang ngayon ay nagbo-volunteer pa rin. Sila ang mga bayaning totoong hindi nakakalimot sa bayan. Pangako ko sa aking sarili at sa UP na ako’y maglilingkod uli sa oras na dumating ang pagkakataon.


Today (Sept. 1, 2008) I received an email from Mr. Tirona of 100 Kwentong Peyups informing me that my write-up was published yesterday (Aug. 31) in Philippine Daily Inquirer. Wasn't able to get a copy, though.

Wednesday, August 6

Ako'y Isang Iska

By    5:13 AM // No comments

Mayroon ngayong mga kuro-kuro sa internet tungkol sa pagiging totoong "Iskolar ng Bayan". Upang mas maintindihan niyo ang aking isinulat, sumaglit muna kayo sa isinulat ni KR na taga-UP na siya namang tinuligsa ni Dennis na taga New Era University.


Ayoko nang makisawsaw pa sa diskusyon nila kaya ni hindi man lang ako nag-aksaya ng panahon mag-komento. Isinusulat ko na lang ito para sa mga bagong Isko at Iska upang maiwasan ang maka-apak sa damdamin ng ibang hindi naman taga-UP. Dahil naisulat nga ni Jester in Exile sa kanyang blog na ayon kay Dean Pangalangan na dating dekano ng UP College of Law, "Look to the man and not to the school."


Para sa akin, dalawa ang maaaring ibig sabihin ng salitang iskolar. Una, pwedeng maging kahulugan nito ang libreng pag-aaral o kung hindi man ay maaaring makatanggap ng diskwento sa matrikula. Pangalawa, (na sa tingin ko ay mas may saysay na kahulugan kesa sa una kong nabanggit) ay ang pagiging matalino at angat sa iba na mag-aaral.


Ako ba'y isang iskolar ng bayan kung isasaalang-alang ko ang mga kahulugang aking nabanggit? OO


Iskolar ako dahil libre akong nakapag-aral sa UP (Batch 95, Poli Sci, UPM). Iskolar ako ng aming baranggay dahil baranggay kagawad ang tatay ko. Wala akong binayarang tuition sa apat na taon na aking pag-aaral, miscellaneous fees lang na sa pagkakakatanda ko ay nagkakahalagang 500 piso lamang. Ngayon sa aking Masters ok lang na magbayad na ako ng tuition. Ano ba naman ang 250/unit. Katiting lang ang wala pa ngang 4 na libo na aking matrikula sa isang sem kumpara na lang sa matrikula sa MBA ng aking asawa sa Ateneo.


Iskolar ako dahil nakapag-aral ako sa UP. Aminin man natin at hindi, o siguro noon lang kapanahunan namin, mahirap pumasa sa UPCAT. Sa pagsumite pa lang ng application namin para sa UPCAT, pinili na ng aming principal sa AdU kung sino lang ang pwedeng mag-apply. Nakakahiya raw kasi kung hindi makapasa. Sa mahigit 30 na kumuha ng UPCAT, 4 lang kaming nakapasa. At taas noo kong ipaaalala sa lahat na pinaghirapan namin ang maging kabilang sa mga Isko at Iska ng bayang ito.


Sa isang banda, gusto ko rin lang ipaalala sa mga bagong Isko at Iska na hindi dapat ipagsawalang bahala ang matawag na Iskolar ng Bayan. HIndi ito isang pribilehiyo, bagkus, isang responsibilidad. Hindi dahil nasa UP ka na ay made ka na. Oo, nakatulong din sa aking paghahanap ng trabaho ang nakadikit na UP sa aking resume. Ganunpaman, nahiya naman akong nakadikit ang UP sa aking pangalan at biglang makikita ng employers na puro 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 ang nasa transcript ko kaya nagsunog talaga ako ng kilay. Ngayong nasa UP ka na, pagsumikapan mong maging angat sa iba. Dahil, hindi ba, ito ang tunay na kahulugan ng isang iskolar?


Isa pang punto, dahil taga-UP ka, pagsumikapan mong maglingkod sa bayan mo. Sumali ka sa Pahinungod nang mapatunayan mong ang isang Iskolar ng Bayan ay Pilipinong tunay na naglilingkod sa kapwa Pilipino. Sa aking pagiging Volt (ang tawag sa mga Isko at Iska na miyembro ng Pahinungod) namulat ako sa hirap ng buhay sa Talim Island, Binangonan. Tumira ako ng isang buwan sa isang isla kung saan ako, na noo'y 19-anyos pa lamang, ay naging doktora, dentista, health worker, SK adviser, guro, kusinera, mananahi, mangingisda, at marami pang iba. Natutunan ko rin kung paano mag-tuli, hehehe. Higit sa lahat, natutunan ko ang tunay na kahulugan ng paglilingkod na dapat lang asahan ng bayan sa mga nabansagang iskolar nito. Ganito rin ang natutunan ng iba pang Volts na naipadala na sa mga sulok ng Pilipinas na tila'y nalimutan na ng ating gobyerno.


Tingin ko, dahil dito sa karanasang ito, napipigilan ng aking damdamin ang tawag ng paglilingkod sa ibang bansa. Sabi nga naming mag-asawa, hanggat kaya pa ng aming kita ang buhay dito sa Pinas ay dito pa rin kami. Hindi ko naman sinasabing wag na kayong mag-trabaho sa ibayong dagat. Walang masama dito lalo na kung kailangan talagang makatulong sa pamilya. Isa pa, nakakatulong sa ekonomiya ng bansa ang remittances ng mga OFW. Yun nga lang, ang mga remittances na yan ay hindi namin natin siguradong napapakinabangan ng tunay na nangangailangan sa bayang ito. Syempre, sa gobyerno muna dadaan yan eh. Sana lang naman, bago lumabas ng bansa, ay mapagtuunan niyo rin ng pansin ang paglilingkod sa ating bayan. Dalawa o tatlong taon naman siguro ay di na masama hindi ba. At pag kayo'y nakalabas na ng Pilipinas, pagsumikapan niyong makapaglingkod pa rin kahit na nasa labas na ng bansa. O kahit man lamang na makapag-bigay ng karangalan.


Huwag mong aksayahin ang panahon mo sa UP sa pagyayabang dahil parte ka na ng insitusyong ito. Bagkus, paghandaan mo at gawin ang mabigat na responsibilidad na iniatas sa iyo mula noong araw na matanggap mo ang sulat mula sa admissions office.


Personal na opinyon lang po ng isang Iska ng Bayan. Nawa'y mamulat ang sinumang tamaan.


****


Hay, masyadong seryoso ano?


Hirap pala magsulat ng Filipino pag matagal mo nang hindi nagagawa, ano? Hahaha, naalala ko lang dati si Doti na propesor ko sa Poli Sci noon. Kailangang lahat ng reaksyon ay maisulat sa wikang Filipino para raw mas lalo siyang maniwala na ang opinyon ay galing sa isang tunay na Pilipino.

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