My Health Challenge

I discovered that I had goiter when I was in the Netherlands. Si Madon who is a nurse pointed me to it. I think nitunga to siya tungod atong akong schedule lagi nga 130 to 23o pm sa AS building then 230 to 330 pm sa Science Building then 330 to 430 pm sa AS Building n pud. I would eventually request to transfer my 330 to 430 pm class sa Science Building n lng pud but I guess the damage has already been done. I even had a gorry thought of spending Christmas (in 2000) at a hospital in the Netherlands 'cause I was asked by our doctor, Dr Dikker to have an ultrasound of my thyroid. I went and I saw how good the Dutch medical system was. I had it done at the Westeinde Ziekenhuis (Westend Hospital). When the results were in, I went to him again and he said there's nothing to worry about it. So of course, naglamierda ako sa Europa! Then I came home to Philippines and went back teaching at USC. And this was when I encountered real problems with my thyroid. Di na man ko katingog! I was scheduled for surgery on February 24, 2003 but Mam Inday Yap, Nang Anel's former teacher in ChE introduced me to intra. So la na ko nadayon paopera. But I also made HUUUUGGGEEE mistakes out of this intra thing, the details of which are so embarrassing to even reveal here. Suffice it to say that I committed a CONSTELLATION of mistakes because of it! I guess life is like that, we all have challenges to face. Healthwise, this goiter and cancer runs in my father's side of the family. My mother's side sad kay high blood. Ingon lagi ako Nursing students sa Health Econ before, "Di ka mahadlok, Miss?" Well, Ginoo maoy nakahibaw sa tanan di ba? That's why He's giving us all these challenges so that we'd keep on holding on to Him. Sya guy nakahibaw sa tanan. Amen. All praise be to You, Lord! Please keep us healthy always.

Amassed

I have amassed so many students alrdy out of teaching for ten years here in USC. Kwenta2 nako mga 1,000 gud per semester ako tudluan so 10,000 na tanan in 10 yrs! Hasta gud ako student this sem lang sa Econ 1N, si Miss Alyssa Kaye Cabigas nakit-an na nako nilansar as SK Councilor sa Tabok. Then taga Tabok sad si Jun Alfon Tan, si Baguio Juanito IV, I forgot the name of the girl na, basta Lucero to iya family name; si Mary Ann Prosia nga taga-Palm Heights sad then three of my students last sem taga-Palmas Verdes pud. Grabe, halos asa ko moadto naa ko student! I feel that it is really time to move on. Please bless my plan, Lord. Amen.

HOME

There is a place that each one of us calls home. And in my case that is Tubigon, Bohol. Here I'm inserting a pic from our beloved port, and also where it is on the map, just for orientation.

I grew up in Cawayanan, my mother's hometown in Tubigon, about 11 kilometres from the town centre. We lived there till I went to high school. I had precious memories there, growing up. Then my parents decided to build a house in Tinangnan, my father's hometown and that's where we've been for almost 20 yrs now. Twenty years and I don't even feel it. Perhaps because I only stayed there for high school and during semestral breaks when I was in college. Then I worked in Cebu, at USC after graduation and I really just go home during semestral breaks and/or special occasions. It is home but it is biniyaan kanunay. Even our neighbours, we hardly know by heart but we know that almost all of them are relatives of my father.

I once told a friend in NUS that I live in a small town. But actually Tubigon is not a small town, I just feel that it is so. Because I do feel that whatever actions I do are monitored or magnified somehow. Kaila2 ra man gud mi tanan didto. Any tsismis and it sure will circulate around. Once our salutatorian in high school was said to have been pressured to graduate w/ honours b/c Hazel and I alrdy graduated w/ honours. It's all part of hometown life, if ever there's such a thing! :-)

NUS-Singapore

Does my NUS stay deserve a spot in this blog? Okay, albeit grudgingly. Here, immediately to the left, you'll see a pic of my former flatmates, Preeti and Deepti from India. This was taken by our friend Deepak at the NUS Comp Ctr bus stop on 28 August 2005. Only the other half of my face was taken. Hehe.. We went to Suntec after this where we bought tables and chairs for our individual rooms.

The picture on top is taken at Komala's during Preeti's birthday. With my Indian circle of friends! In NUS I had a Filipino and an Indian circle. I remember being the only Filipino when we went to meet Deepak's parents in Bedok on 9 December '05. I even sang "Give Love on Christmas Day" that evening as token of appreciation to Deepak's mom who painstakingly cooked that delicious dinner for us. Deepak's dad on the other hand is so cool. He was drumming when Preeti sang "Vooh Lamhe"

PORTUGAL

It was in Portugal where I experienced 40 something degree temperatures! Now I understand the Spanish penchant for siesta --it is absolutely necessary! Who would like to go outside around 2-4 p.m. when it's simply smoking? Once Gillian and I made the mistake of walking around Fatima at that time of the afternoon. Only to look for an internet cafe which was just in the post office, near the shrine. They call it Correos! I miss Portugal, esp Sintra where I had a very nice glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean from the Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle). Charmed life indeed!

Then in the evenings, it is extremely cold in those places. I remember shivering during one of the processions at Our Lady of Fatima Shrine.

MEMORIES

Memories are made of these...

This is my pic at the Westbroek Rosarium in Den Haag taken on 25 August 2001. This was how I look six years ago :-)

Madon and I went to Etos Scheveningen after this where we bought some of our perfume pasalubongs. Iba talaga ang Europe, sale ang mga perfumes during summer! Madon and I used to call it our data gathering activity.

LOURDES & FATIMA PILGRIMAGE

25 July to 9 August 2001, joined annual pilgrimage of Our Lady of Banneaux in Lourdes, France and Fatima, Portugal. Two solid weeks of road travel and prayer in Europe in summer! Really one for the books! How did I get into a trip like this? Primarily because of Father Arul, our batchmate at ISS who's a Tamil priest. He was chosen chaplain of the pilgrims, and he asked us of course if we'd like to go. Kami pay gipangutana? ;) On this trip was Gillian from Trinidad and Tobago, me and Salvador and Malut Feranil of Davao City. Nabung jud ko'g tan-aw ug Indian movies coz our bus had Indian movies man. We first travelled to Paris then from Paris we proceeded to Lourdes. Early morning the next day na mi naabot sa Lourdes, France. We stayed at Secours Catholique, medyo bukiron mn to nga part. Maglakaw pa mi padung sa Grotto of Massabielle. Nindut ang Lourdes, France; a very charming place. There's the River Gave by the side of the Grotto where Our Lady appeared to Bernadette Soubiros. By the way, ang grotto is now 3 layers of basilica. Lourdes gave me an idea of what pilgrimages are like in Europe. I understand that Lourdes is the biggest pilgrimage site in Europe, attracting about 5M pilgrims in summer. They have a procession of the sick every 2pm. It was in Lourdes also that I saw an underground basilica. I think the first mass that we attended there was celebrated at that venue. By the grotto is an overflowing spring. Sa kilid ato, naay daghang faucet aron magkuha'g tubig ang mga tawo. Gamay ra tawn kaju nga gallon ahong gikuha. And I especially remember telling the Lord that la na koy mapangayo pa when I was in Lourdes. Little did I know that nasakit na diay ako papa that time. Anyway, we spent one week in Lourdes then planned to proceed to Fatima, Portugal. Nasiraan mi at around 230pm while we were leaving Lourdes. Morag karaan na mn gud to among bus. But by early morning we were in Fatima, Portugal n pud. Fatima was amazing and very imposing! When we were there, a big picture of the 3 children, Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia was hung outside the Cathedral. So many people walk on their knees from the hilly part of the shrine,then descend then climb up again to the entrance of the Cathedral. Nice ang Sunday coz it was a high mass we were able to attend ;) We stayed at Pope Pius Ctr in Fatima. Daghan kaju olive oil didto. And they say 'obrigado/a' for thank you. One morning we decided to do the trip to nearby Aljustrel, to the residences of the kids. Then we also went to the Grutas de Moeda, the Cave of Coins. What happened on our way home was my undoing. Out of impulse, I went into the woods and took Malut along with me. Kasaag2 tawn mi. Nanghitch na lng mi pauli sa Fatima. Hapit ko patya ni Badong, Malut's husband ato. Never again Doki! But that was a clear example of how impulsive and crazy I could be. It would repeat it again in SG in 2008 but that's another blog post altogether! ;) Gillian and I also made side trips to Lisboa/Sintra on this pilgrimage. I saw the beauty of Portugal (and the Mediterranean) during summer. Palacio Nacional, Palacio da Pena, and Castelo dos Mouros in Sintra were all amazing! Sintra is 45 mins outside of Lisbon so la na kaju mi kasuroy2 didto. I missed the Belem tower and the Mosteiro de los Jeronimos. I can only remember that we made it a point to get on one of those very old and charming electricos or tram. Another side trip that we made was in Tomar, in Convento di Cristo. Amazing sad kaju ang ilang architecture! There was a window there and its decorations that one local was very kind enough to explain to us. Thanks a lot and God bless, Kuya ;) Twas on this pilgrimage mn diay that I met Uncle Linus Aloysius. He's a chatterbox only. Heheh. So it means I've known him for the past 15 yrs now. God bless us, Uncle Linus! ;)

LONDON Study Tour

London Study Tour of Population and Devt class, 20-25 October 2001. Nakisali ra ko!

We got to London by bus (Eurolines). We passed by the Channel Tunnel, Calais to Folkestone on the way there and Dover to Oostende on the way back. Immigration as usual was strict. We got delayed in Calais as they detained some of our co-passengers whom they suspected of bringing drugs as they came from A'dam. Anyway, the trip across the channel was at 3:15 a.m. anyway, we had an hour to wait.

London is of course the biggest metropolis in the world and it lives up to its expectations. We got to know the Tube, as how they call the London Underground. You wouldn't miss the "Mind the Gap" announcement blaring over the entire subway system. And that's where I learned that you have to stay on your right when taking the escalators. Because if you don't, they're gonna bump you from behind as they're very busy hurrying away.

Londoners and the Brits in general have a very amusing (read: funny) accent. I overheard one lady say, "It is lovely to read" on the Tube. Then a child who we got on the double-decked red bus w/ that is ssooo London, blurted abt her companion, "He's convinced he's got more moles than freckles" Hehe...that's London for you.

Of course me and my companions made the most of the trip. We went around London. I just missed a trip to the British Museum. My fellow travelers (P&D participants) were required to sit for that lecture at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine w/c was really just a stone's throw away from the museum. I was not. Still I sat through the entire lecture. That was where I heard the phrase 'Coca-Cola marketing' :-)

Overall, this London trip was memorable. Because after I came back from this trip, I had to go home for two weeks for my father's wake and burial. I may not have the chance to go back there again. But I loved my time there alrdy, it's enough.

TAIZE

Our chaplain at ISS, Fr Ben Engelbertink was so kind to drive us all the way to Taize, near Cluny in France. We were there from 10-16 June 2001. It was on this trip that I met Ms Jo, a Filipina who's divorced from a Swede. She emphasized that she's the holder of a Swedish passport but her nationality is Filipino. Her card is w/ Salvador, my Filipino classmate from Davao. He said he'd lost it.

I realize that my first encounter w/ Taize chants was in '92, during the Pilgrimage of Faith, the 50th anniversary of our diocese in Tagbilaran. That was a very memorable event; we were housed in Maribojoc w/ our foster parents, Manay Ipay (Felipa) Falar.

We made sidetrips to Ars-sur-Formans, the shrine of St Jeanne Marie Vianney, the patron saint of priests, and to the town of Cluny.

What I can remember from that trip was this line: "Do they expect us to pray on an empty stomach?" from an American pilgrim who had to adjust to simple life, incl. food there. But what I miss about Taize the most was Source St Etienne, the beautiful lake. A friend once said he had beautiful memories of me contemplating there. Hehe..

Long live Brother Roger and his brothers! Though he was murdered a few years back but I know, the spirit of Taize would live on.

LUXEMBOURG Weekend

I was in Luxembourg on 28-29 April, 2001. I didn't even bring my passport! But there were no border checks as they are a customs union, i.e. BENELUX for BElgium, NEtherlands and LUXembourg. This trip is memorable 'cause I failed to call my father on his birthday and I would forever regret it b/c this was to be his last bday alive. But you'd always be in my heart, Pa. Make no mistake of that.

BELGIUM

I officially went to Belgium joining the NUFFIC trip on 10-11 November 2001 where I met Katia Enrique Ariosa from Cuba. We became roommates at Hotel Ibis Bruxelles as they spell it. But I came back to Belgium once again on 24 January 2001 when I was disturbed that this ardent admirer of mine could still reach me even when I'm out of the country. Talk of undying love! :-)

ITALY

Our Italian trip is another blog altogether. We had made it into an Italian pilgrimage, meaning it was subsidised! We just made a little writeup on it on our return to ISS :-)

There were eight Filipinos on that trip and two of our friends, Any from Indonesia and Gillian from Trinidad and Tobago.

We went for that trip from 27 December 2000 to 2 January 2001. First stop was Milan but then I went to Venice w/ Gillian. When we came back to Milan, we boarded a train overnight to Rome. Spent three days there, including the end of 2000 where loads of tourists went to St Peter's Basilica to pass thru the Jubilee Door. We also had to toe a very long queue (2hrs) for the Vatican Museums, where the Sistine Chapel paintings could be viewed. We learned that the museums are free to the public every last Sunday of the month. But boy, to get to the Sistine Chapel paintings of Michelangelo is a really long detour!

My classmate Any (from Indonesia) and I also dropped by FAO in Rome 'cause my mentor, Mam Ching was a visiting researcher there. But she wasn't there, she went to the US for Christmas so I only left my present for her, beer mug (w/ matching Heineken can for good measure) at her office table. Then we went to the rooftop and saw Rome in all its glory! To die for site daw yun.

Then Any and I had lunch at the Avenue facing the Colosseum. That was really awesome! Near the Colosseo is the Piazza Venezia and we also made pictures there.

We spent the New Year's Eve at St Peter's Square where we drank wine that was called Viva Il Papa "Long Live the Pope" after listening to his New Year message to the City and to the World. Then we spent the night at the train station. Wow, it was full of people! Early in the morning, we were alrdy allowed to board the train so we immediately got in and slept. The next thing I saw when I woke up were the hills of Tuscany, we were travelling towards Firenze (Florence) where we had a very short stopover. I love Florence, who doesn't? It is the site of the Renaissance. Most of all, in Florence we were able to have rice at the Chinese restaurant after surviving on all kinds of pasta in Italy for the past few days. I can't say I complain coz I had the best-tasting pizza in Venice!

From Florence we took a train to Milan and from there another overnight trip again back to the Netherlands. When I arrived in the Hague, I saw that I had a package from my sister from Taiwan. It was really awesome, she sent me a CD player and boxes of chocolates!

And that's what transpired of our Christmas study recess. I made sure to bring reading materials on the trip. Hehe, just for comfort, so I won't feel guilty that I went on a trip when I was supposed to be studying. Student life talaga!

Germany-Austria Tour (Assumption Weekend)

How do you define Europe? It is definitely a continent. And what is quintessential European? You have to discover it for yourself. I think I got to know the heart of Europe when I was boarding a train from Köln (Cologne) to Mannheim on Assumption Thursday 2001. At Mannheim we took another train to München (Munich). We got on an ICE by mistake! That was another story altogether. Anyway, I went with Tina and Madon on that trip. There was this guy alternately talking in French, Italian and German, and I knew then that I was really in the heart of the continent. English was hardly spoken! And you'd hardly find people of other colour (excuse the pun) except for us Asians --the three of us Filipinos and another Indian there. Well, that's Europe for you. Then in Munich, we chanced upon the 'leftovers' of their celebration as they celebrated the victory of Bayern-Muenchen in the European Champions league against Valencia, I think. That was when I got to know Oliver Kahn and company :-) The night before, we were in Aachen, totally clueless to the noise as people were watching the game. So, that explained the big screen mounted at their Rathaus (City Hall). We only stayed for a short while in Munich. Then we boarded a train again to Salzburg, Austria and that was where we spent the night. Salzburg is of course the hometown of the musical genius, Mozart. His old home is now a museum. Salzburg's old city is just mindblowing! Salzburg is famous as the site of the movie, "The Sound of Music". Though hardly popular w/ the locals due to some liberties that the producers took in the movie, we made sure to join the tour. The tour took us to other places out of the town centre --to Fuchsl and to Gilgen-am-See which has a very beautiful lake and where we tasted apple strudel. Then from Salzburg we boarded another train to Graz. That was a really looonnggggg trip, about 5hrs all in all! Our hosts were in Graz, the Lobrigos, sisters of the unofficial head of the ISS Filipino batch, Fr. Jovic Lobrigo. They took us around town, even drove us to the border w/ Slovenia, (in Maribor), and drove us all the way to Vienna! On the way there, I vividly recall hearing on the news the kidnapping of the Germans, one of them, the lady was sick. In Vienna, we visited the Stefansdom (St Stephan's Cathedral) and the Stefansplatz outside where we heard traditional music from the Alphorns, Schloss Schonbrunn (Schonbrunn Palace) and also the Hofburg. From there we boarded a train that would take us back to the Netherlands. We passed by Frankfurt Intl Airport on the way back. It was alrdy late at night. That was when I knew how strict the German police could be w/ visas/documentations. Our coachmate had a visa from Canada and one of the inspectors really scrutinised if it was authentic! Gibale2 jud niyag tan-aw gamit iyang flashlight! By earling morning we were alrdy approaching Koln. But we still had to travel on to Aachen, then from Aachen we'd take the bus to Maastricht where we'd take another train to The Hague (Den Haag). It was a really long trip and we reached The Hague by 1pm the next day. And that was how we spent our Assumption weekend while studying in ISS! Wait, this blog is just to talk of what is Europe but I've alrdy said too much! Hehe, can't help it. Naglakwatsa ako ng husto dun e. I utilised my temporary residence permit to the max! As one Filipino friend in NUS said, "Ang dami mo nang napuntahan!" Or 'di ka ata nag-aral dun e'. Hahah. It's only because I'm really a wanderer, I love discovering new places and horizons. As what my brother aptly cautioned me, I'd rather let down my guard outside the country than any place here in Phils. Sadly enough, it's very true. But the Phils. would always be my home! Till next blog!

Welcome to My Blog

This is my own blog spot, separate from my Friendster account. I would like to document here the life and times of a lost soul at thirty-something, not anymore thirty nothing as the title of a British novel went. For all those who take time to view my blog, thank you and hope you share your thoughts sometimes. No porn and no cross-posting please?

Let's all live it up!!!