the G-word

what do these have in common?

• Nazi German : Jews
• Ottoman Turks : Armenia
• Khmer Rouge : Cambodia
• Darfur conflict
• Hutus and Tutsis in Burundi

genocide is real. and it's heart-rending.


the thing with travelling and making friends with people from other countries & culture is that i become attached. i wanna know how they live where they come from. i wanna know why they act a certain way. i wanna know what happened in their past that makes them think this way.

lately, i've become interested in geography and history because of that. been corresponding through email and reading up feature stories. that's how i stumbled upon the g-word.

i've been hearing about it, true, but it sank only now.

it's just harrowing that it actually exists.

i think i'd like to live by caskie stinett's saying

i travel a lot,
i hate having my life disrupted by
routine.

i like mine...

too many choices... size, shots, syrup, milk, and the list goes on.

here's how i like mine: tall, peppermint, nonfat milk, extra hot, foamy white chocolate mocha.




alternately, i like mine





here, make your own drink.

comfort sundays

for supper, i fixed myself some comfort food-- a dish of good ole' baked mac and cheese and a warm loaf of yummy banana bread. all home-made.

pair that with a cold mug of calimocho (red wine and soda).
mm-mmm.

i love sundays. i get to explore my culinary skills.

trickle-down effect

"We will not grow rich by pulling the rich down but by pulling the poor up. We should bring up everybody... spread the wealth that way."

- Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on why the benefits of the country's spectacular economic growth have not trickled down to the grassroots.
[PDI, February 10, 2007]

last day on earth

there have been too many deaths lately.

too many in fact, that it's becoming quite disturbing.

at the peak of the Vigan fiesta season, my mom has been to two funerals already. that same week, my lola (grandfather's sister) passed away. day after that, a distant relative in Santiago died. that weekend, a typical Ilocano cortege marched towards the church near our house. at the eve of my lola's internment, one of our staff's brother got killed in a vehicular accident. on the day of the internment, we passed by a neighbor who also set up tents for the dead. at church, another coffin was beside lola. on our way out, another set of mourners for another dead person is coming in. the other night, one of our subscribers was stabbed right inside his house.

10 deaths in 2 weeks. it just doesn't end.

i heard somewhere that life is taken for every repulsive sin we commit.

Have mercy on us, God. Spare our land. Forgive us from our sins. Let there be no more deaths.

"if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
- 2 Chronicles 7:14

maori culture exchange

another set of hospitality club guests i hosted in Vigan.


Kamera and Harley are Maoris from New Zealand. They were happy to show us a bit of their culture:

HAKKA 101. Here's Harley teaching my cousins the stance.

Kamera gives me the lowdown on poi.

some bamboo game to enhance your concentration and coordination skills

unlearning Pinoy blues

Steve was my first guest in Vigan. He's an American teaching English in Japan and it's his first time in the Philippines.

hospitality club is an online community i chanced upon on my quest for travel and cultural exchange. joining it entails that signing members should open up their homes to travellers from other countries and give them a glimpse of what it is like in their side of the world. in return, a travelling member may request to be hosted by other members as well.

when i had the chance to go to the US, steve reciprocated and gladly took me in. after briefly introducing me to his other friends, he recalled his asian trip. thinking aloud, he said, "hmm, which country did i enjoy the most?

"it must be the Philippines," he continued and gave out several reasons why he loved my country.

being the ever skeptic, i supppose he only said that because he was being patriotic. and probably because i hosted him.

for the longest time, i lost pride in my country. what with all the media's been publishing and broadcasting, labeling us "third world" and being known for our corrupt government and rampant prostitutes.

what pride would i have left?

i'm glad that tourists still come inspite of.

and so with that mindset, i called (er, thought of) him a liar.

UNTIL i had another guest. this time, Kat is a New Zealander circling asia for more than 3 months. her verdict?

hands down, the Philippines!!!

"the Philippines is such a beautiful country. I can't imagine why people don't know about it. I should've alloted more time here than in [and she mentions another asian country which i'm not posting]. I'm definitely coming back and tell my friends about it. There's still so much more I wanna see here!"

ok, those weren't exactly her words. i just paraphrased it, but you get the gist. and she said it with a twinkle in her eyes and a heartfelt sincerity.

so maybe my country isn't bad after all. maybe they're right--that the Philippines is charming.

and it had to take two foreigners to convince me.

i guess it's difficult for people to unlearn things and mindsets they have been brought up to. thanks steve and kat for breaking the negative pre-conceived notions i had about my country. and for making me feel a bit prouder that i'm pinoy.

KAT from New Zealand

STEVE from Connecticut, USA

right at this moment, i am certain my God finds me repulsive.

my thoughts are in its filthiest form.

o, what a wretched woman i am. o Lord, what have i done? how can You still love me?

as i read Alan Wright's "Lover of my soul", i succumb to His overpowering presence--not condemning. just compelling:

I will not tolerate for even one moment My bride in the bed of the world. I love you. I always have, I always will. Could I think so little of you as to share you? Could I consider you a commodity to be passed around from lover to lover? How could I, the Lord God, your Maker, your Husband, share you with the devil? I cannot. I will not.

o Lord what will You do with Your heart that i have stabbed?

I will just let it bleed. It's worth the bleeding to have you back.

L.E.G.

i specifically remember going to mexico just so i can teach--my first love.

3 months after, i find myself being dad's little errand girl again.
*sigh.*

another of dad's no-cost gifts:

alright. so he had to drink 12 (?) cups of lattes to get me this.

i'm still thankful.