Lava

Recently I heard from Lava Thapa, my Nepali classmate in ISS. He asked me for our other classmates' emails. He started the ball rolling again. Sya mn to niemail nga since nanguli daw mi to our respective countries, la na mi contact. Didto daw sa ISS, everyday we say hi and hello to each other.

God bless you and your family, Lava. I might make it to Nepal one of these days. We'll see about that. Keep in touch!!

New Year 2010

Last New Year 2009, I was looking forward to a new city and a new work. I was up for work then at SEDP Inc. in Legazpi City. True enough I went but I only lasted four months. I went home, stayed for a while in Cebu then came back to PP in October.

Now I'm still looking for a better job. I have payables man gud. But if la koy makit-an then I'll stay with Western. Basin naa diay moabot some time soon. I keep the faith. God bless us more in the New Year...

Survived It

I survived my 1st Christmas in Cambodia. This week we were so busy --Monday 21/12 night pa lang daan, 11pm na mi uli from our Mktng Team mtng. Nadugay due to the printing of envelopes for our GK show solicitation. Wed 23/12 Practice for our presentation for the Christmas Party. Then Christmas Eve, 24/12 we had a party in school. After the party, my sister and I spent the night at our friends' new place in St 59. Puyat tawn mi. Christmas Day 25/12 I went to Mass at St Joseph's Church at 10am. Spent the rest of the day preparing our attire for the presentation. When evening came it was party time! But the party started late...8pm na nagdinner so natapos mga 10pm. But I think overall, the celebrations went well. I'm looking forward to my New Year's celebrations. God bless!!!

Super Freakonomics

Yuka gave me a copy of Super Freakonomics when she came to visit me two weeks ago. I like reading it but it made me realize that since I don't teach economics anymore, it doesn't have much of an incentive. Good luck, Doki!

Sentiments

The other night I talked to Ate Jing abt old sentiments back home. Seems these problems would haunt me forever. It's about the house in Cebu again and my restless phase where I wasted a lot of money in Sg.

She emailed all my siblings and asked them to air out all other sentiments too. Dapat man gud mi magmove on na. Kay dugay na gud to.

I think about Bantil in all these and I realized that cguro she's like that coz she's been out of a job since 2005. Pila gud to iya sweldo in Taiwan per month. Ipray n lng daw sya namo.

Basta, Ginoo nay mahibaw nato tanan. Merry Christmas!!

Christmas 2009

I'm gonna spend Christmas this year in Cambodia. Last year ta to but niuli man ko. Start na of the parties here this pm at the SAMAPI/Philippine Embassy Christmas at 430pm. Then next week nana pud parties to attend. Ate Jing and I went to buy our attire for the party last Thursday, aliw kaau. This will be my 3rd Christmas in a foreign country. I'm gonna miss home but this is also an opportunity to bond with Pinoy friends here. Merry Christmas everyone!!

Marathon

I went to Siem Reap over the weekend to watch the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon (AWHM). It is the 14th installment this year and draws quite a number of people. I went with my good friend Yuka Kato who's visiting me from SG.

My friend and former colleague Nick ran for his org, Globalteer. He did it in 1 hr and 20 mins and 12 sec. I talked to him for about 10mins after the run then Yuka and I went back downtown and got ready to go back to PP. Weekend spent quite well.

That was the first time I watched a marathon. Lingaw man diay. I have a Dutch friend who runs but I never really watched his runs, even once. The AWHM has a 3K Fun Run category. If I'd still be here in Cambodia by next year, I wanna try it. There were students from ISPP running this year with their teachers. That was really nice...

Meant to Be Here

I know that I'm meant to be here in PP again this time. Coz the Lord is taking care of everything!! Kapoy lng to go through it but I'm sure if He brings us to it, He'll bring us through it too.

Happy weekend everyone!!

Sihanoukville 2009

After a year and a half, I am back in Sihanoukville for a holiday. There are some changes, specif. in Ocheutteal beach but I had a better time than last year. Enjoy kaau mi ligo dagat yesterday. Nag-banana boat pa mi today. I plan to go back to PP tomorrow.

Till next time Kampong Som!!

Signs

All signs point me back to PP naman so far. So I keep hoping...

It's totally different to when I wanted to leave for DLSU. La gud koy kwarta pang-allowance then. When la na ko pasakya sa eroplano kay late na daw ko nicheck in, la na koy mahimo.

Ikaw na bahala tanan Lord. Amen.

Return

I just emailed my coordinator in PP. I now want to return there. I have to do this, I have a house to pay e.

I might stay there for good. I hope in future I can find a better job. I pray for God's blessings always.

Have a nice weekend everyone! :)

Moving On

"Stop being sad, Signora" --from the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" starring Diane Lane. True, because it is a wonderful world out there. "As soon as my heart stops breaking Anticipating As soon as forever is through I'll be over you"

Academic

Last Sunday, I bumped into Academic Forward Thinking Inc. I applied as In House Researcher/Writer. Good luck to me!

Kalurong2 pa ko as of the moment. Coz one week na man ko lay klaro tulog. Napay Philam ako gibuhat. Hahay, di jud cguro ko para aning night work. I'll find something new. God bless me. Amen!

CWF Friends

Neville --He once called me a crazy Filipina. But he calls me Princess too and Angel. He's such an amusing chap. Last week we had a very interesting chat on the YM. It involved Khalil Gibran's The Prophet and the Bhagavad Gita :)

Today he sent me email that he met a person in Vietnam who could possibly give me an opportunity to better my career. I emailed the person alrdy. Any channel is always good!

Joseph --He said on FB that he found a job and will be moving. Wished him all the best and told him to keep in touch.

Aliw kaau the friends I made with my volunteering stint at CWF last year. God bless us all!

You by Basil Valdez

You give me hope
The strength, the will to keep on
No one else can make me feel this way
And only you
Can bring out all the best I can do
I believe you turn the tide
And make me feel real good inside
You pushed me up
When I'm about to give up
You're on my side when no one seems to listen
And if you go
You know the tears can't help but show
You break this heart and tear it apart
And suddenly the madness starts

Chorus:

It's your smile
Your face, your lips that I'd miss
Those sweet little eyes
That stare at me and make me say
I'm with you through all the way
Coz it's you
Who fills the emptiness in me
It changes everything you see
When I know I've got you
With me

Ayusin

True, ayusin ko muna buhay ko before I can think of anything else. I keep the faith, God will continue to bless me, I won't have to worry a thing.

Have a nice week everyone! :)

What a Week!

Yes indeed. This was one tough week. At the start of the week, I found myself alone again coz my cousin went to Manila for the Bar Exam. Then I received email from UEA telling me that my application for the studentship was not successful. I tried to finish my TESOL course online. I still had 3 modules to go.

But lo and behold, during Saturday lunchtime, I received a call from Sykes in Mabolo. They asked me to come for the exam. Then I went through the HR Interview and the Final Interview. I was hired!

We were supposed to start last Monday, 31 August with a training first, 2-10pm. But when I saw the compensation package from the contract, I knew it wasn't for me.

I finished my TESOL on Monday, 31 August and I'm now seriously looking for a job.

I signed up to soooooo many job sites. I'm confident I could find that new stable work soon. I keep the faith! :)

2009

2009 has passed so I wanna assess how my year went.

Actually I wanna say that it is 4yrs after I went to NUS. I was having a very hard time then. But I met very nice friends there and they kept me going. I had an Indian and a Filipino circle of friends in SG coz my 2 flatmates were from India.

Anyway, at the start of 2009, I went to Legazpi City, to work in Fr Jovic's NGO. I only lasted 4months then. Umuwi rin ako ng Cebu. I stayed there for a while. Akoy kusinera ni Dondon who was reviewing for the bar exams. I was asked to interview diay in DLSU but I didn't go in the end. Then in early October I asked my coordinator in Western if I could go back. She eventually said yes so I came back to Phnom Penh in October 2009.

I spent my Christmas holiday in PP. My sister and I were busy man pud with our charity event, Ex Dono so la kaau nako mafeel that I missed the Christmas spirit this year.

That was how my year went. I survived it! And I'm still in PP!

Filipino Mafia

Hay naku, istoryahan n lng namo Filipino mafia at Western. Saun!

Di daw sya matinag with ex-nun videoke singers. My God, how would he describe me if it comes to that? Makes me really think. Hard.

Good luck to us. See you soon.

Femininity

I found a very nice book by Marianne Williamson at Book Sale yesterday. It's titled, "A Woman's Worth". I am learning so much from it. I gave it as a birthday present to my old college friend. I hope she's getting as much from it as I am.

Let's all celebrate our femininity! :)

TESOL

I just enrolled myself in a TESOL program. I'm so excited! They said I can finish it in a month's time then they'll give me a certificate. Good luck to me!

This could just be my new field. I hold on!

Uncle Linus

Was on the YM with Uncle Linus yesterday. He said he'll lend me some money in order to do the TESOL. Please bless him Lord.

I have known him for eight years now. We met at the annual pilgrimage of the Tamils to Lourdes and Fatima. I tagged along, together with Gillian, Badong and his wife Malut. My first impression of him was that he's such a chatterbox!

He once said that "To ask you to marry me is like asking for the moon". Haha, God keep you healthy always. Amen!

Opportunity

I was supposed to come for an interview in DLSU today. But then the airline didn't accept me for my flight and I was really not that intent on going so I decided not to go.

I emailed my good friend Marije today. Told her I wanna borrow money from her to pay for a TESOL certificate. Hope she understands me.

I still keep the faith. Amen. While there's life, there's hope right? :)

Contentment

Is this phase that I am in really just a matter of contentment?

I found an opportunity to train as call centre agent this week. We actually started training today, training is gonna last for thirteen days.

But a part of me still wants to be in Cambodia. Call/contact centre is a very demanding job. After six months pa daw pwede kamove on to other positions. Nick said good luck with it. He hoped it would satisfy my requirements daw and that I find fulfillment in it. Requirements, what is that???

Di na sad ko kahibaw asa ko, Cebu or PP. Please help me figure it out Lord. Amen.

Economics and Religion

I found the book, "Competing Gospels: Public Theology and Economic Theory" in Legazpi City. I made sure to buy it, souvenir. It is written by an Aussie, from UNSW. A very interesting read indeed! :)

Risk

I am scared to risk things. Wah!!! jud.

I suddenly remember my cousin's daughter, Jacky, my housemate in Legazpi. She used to say, "Ate, tiguwang ka na, natatakot ka pa rin?"

God bless my plans! And I have faith He will. Right now I am a living witness to the fact that He takes care of us, provides for our needs. So I know in time, I'll be where He wants me to be. I just keep the faith.

Happy Sunday everyone, God bless!

Passion/Acceptance

I have to accept that I do belong in the academe. Yun lng naman gusto ko gawin e, mag-aral at magturo.

I met Mam Ching yesterday, she told me to move on. For me this means finding a new school to affiliate with Lord. Di na man ko gusto sa USC. Please help me, I keep the faith!

Words

Words don't come easy to me
But you will always be
:
:
:
I am going to miss SEDP, Legazpi etc.
But I have to go home
I have been away for far too long!
Will see you soon...:)

Nang Anel

My eldest sister, Nang Anel is now working in Metro Manila. I am happy for her. Hopefully dire-diretso na to coz she has to prepare for Biboy's future.

I feel all the more that it is time for me to get married. Eyyy, I keep the faith!

Happy Mothers' Day!!!

Sihanoukville, Khmer New Year 2008

These are pictures taken from our Khmer New Year outing in Sihanoukville last year. Lingaw kaau ni nga outing, daghan memories. Look on...

1 Yr Later

I wrote this blog from Legazpi City Albay diay.. It has now been a year since my volunteering experience in Cambodia. Actually, one year since I withdrew my NUS candidature. And in that year I have found alternatives to teaching economics --I taught English and kindergarten maths and science in Phnom Penh, I taught English to Koreans in Cebu, and I worked in an NGO here in Legazpi.

I will be home in a week's time. I am looking forward to it. It is time to MOVE ON indeed. I always keep the faith!

You by Karen Carpenter

You are the one who makes me happy
When everything else turn to gray
Yours is the voice that wakes me mornings
And sends me out into the day
You are the crowd that sits quiet
Listening to me
And all the mad sense I make
You are one of the few things
Worth remembering
And since it's so true
How could anyone mean more to me
Than you

You get what I mean... :)

Summer

It seems summer has unofficially ended with the advent of rains (and typhoons here in Legazpi). But I do miss home and the summer outings more and more. La pa man gud ko kaadto sa beach, la pa ko kakita butanding or done any summer activity.

I am just dying to get out there. But I don't have company. Why did (and do) I leave myself alone? I hardly learn my lessons in life. They're very simple actually, but I always get off the track. Tsk, tsk...Have faith, Heide!

Acceptance

Who am I really???

I have to focus on my life first, on what I have to do. My options right now are to work abroad, like for an intl NGO or study for a PhD. I need to pay for Palm Heights man. I cannot pass on the responsibility to my siblings.

If I'd get married along the way then I'm gonna be so thankful to God. If not, I cannot do anything else about it anymore. Jia you!

MEDC

Yesterday we went to the soft launching of another of Fr Jovic's projects --the MEDC (Microfinance and Entrepreneurial Devt Ctr) at Landco Business Park across Pacific Mall. They also launched the book, "Counting People In: Sharing the Bicol Agenda". I realized that I do want to do development work. But I also want to keep learning and sharing. Yes, devt work can be both inspiring and frustrating. Inspiring daw if you overcome the obstacles per Madon. I hang on.

Letting Go and Moving On

I am now in my 2nd house here in Legaspi City. I find myself alone in the room again.

I got to think about so many things last night. Yes, I do want so many things but I cannot have them all. And I realized that I don't want to be alone anymore. So I thought, uli ko Cebu pohon, work ko in Mam Genie's recommended post then plan to get married. I think if I'm lucky enough, I can get engaged (or even married) before the year is out. I keep the faith.

Friend Indeed

Today I realized the true meaning of the saying, "A friend in need is a friend indeed". I needed help and my old high school friend helped me out. I pray the Lord will keep blessing him always. Told him that if ever I'm really getting married, he'll be the first one to know. I keep the faith! :-)

Healing

I keep on saying that I must heal from my SG experience. These days I keep thinking the time must be right. After all, it's been three years since I first went to SG.

Today I talked to Corrinne on the YM. She knows Janice daw from their Student Council days in USC. They went to the 2002 Ayala Young Leaders Congress together too. My God, what a small world indeed!

It is time to heal na jud. And move forward. God bless us all!

Realize

I went to the dentist today to have my wisdom tooth extracted. I had wanted it removed coz it's impacted. Mahirap, di kasi ordinaryong bunutan. The dentist kept trying till ako na lng ang nag-giveup. I dun wanna go thru the whole thing. Naisip ko si Ate Jing kasi nagpabunot din sya ipin before at di rin nya tinuloy dahil nga masakit daw. Matatanggal din yun in time.

I realized something very important today. And it is that I have been isolating myself for a very long time, I have avoided relationships. Simple lng naman ang life e, I cannot go thru it alone!

Sage

Deepti once told me to make a decision and stick to it! Maybe that's just what I have to do. Happy Khmer New Year everyone! :-)

Precious

Yesterday I emailed Sir Frank to tell him that I've sent my resignation letter to USC alrdy (for the nth time). I said I hope he'd accept it. This is a painful but necessary step for me.

Today he replied. He said I should think more of coming back daw. Thanks a lot. Di na man gud ko kahibaw how to proceed there so I have to move on. God bless us always!

USC would always be precious to me. I hope the feeling is mutual.

Happy Easter!

Family Problems Again!

Hay kakapoy ba ani oi, abi nako human na ni problemaha. I pray for strength Lord. Amen.

Say

Ang dami na naming sinasabi sa isa't isa ah. Where is this going and how did it happen?

Well, I don't think I'll be in PP again till I could afford it. No use going there w/o a good job.

I still want to pay NUS up so that I can move on. I can shelve that part of my past.

I keep the faith!

WK

Friends say la daw sya klaro. Well, I thought it has become clearer than ever. I haven't been in touch with anyone like this before man gud. I wasted nine years and three years respectively in the past on things that were not going anywhere, no chance!

Today I had a haircut and gichika ko sa isa sa mga barbero. What is that?

I keep the faith!

Ate Jing

I am very grateful for family for the 2nd time --this time it's b/c of Ate Jing. She said tunga n lng mi bayranan PH coz kuwang ra man daw ako sweldo. Pls bless her always Lord, a thousandfold.

Told someone that she's a really good sister. Magkadayon lagi mi sya juy maid of honor pohon, hands down! Btw, it will be her 36th bday this Monday pohon.

God bless us always! :-)

Wisdom

I pray that God will give me the wisdom to know if I'm doing the right thing or not.

Minyo na si Araceli, ako nus-a? May said 'Go'. Yah I will, soon.

Why is life like this???

Bangkok

Just what is it with Bangkok that makes me nostalgic???

Today Ate Jing told me to scout for fares from PP to BKK. Plan ta sya adto ig Khmer New Year pohon. But later on, la na nidayon. When she told me this, I had wanted to fly off with her too. I wished I was also working abroad. But again, I thought of my retirement. Wah!

I had asked Achara for an update of her help to find me a job. I'll wait. I keep the faith! :-)

PAG-IBIG and SSS

Today I went to Pag-Ibig to have my records transferred from Cebu. I also went to SSS. Well, I haven't been contributing to both since Oct 2007. Ang SSS ang medyo problema kay di ko kaloan till mabayran ako outstanding balance.

I thought this must be it, that I may be here in Legaspi for a while. But then, I think of PP too so I dunno. If God would give me a job there, He would really want me to be back there again. If not, la koy mahimo, I cannot force things.

I still keep the faith. While there's life, there's hope.

Conservative

This afternoon we had visitors from UCPB, they had a presentation on retirement fund. At one point the talk was about investing, you can be conservative daw or daring (risk-taking). Fr Monching made a side comment that conservative daw ko. Haha, how did I come to be like this nga naman if I'm not? Well, life is just like that. All the best lng gihapon to us!

Manila TOT

I am here in Manila for the PCFC-sponsored Training of Trainers. We're staying at the Pearl Manila Hotel in Ermita, Manila.

Meet daw mi ISS friends on Thursday night. Hope lingaw!

I'm thankful coz I'm here in the training, we have access to internet. I resolved a very important matter. Kung didto pa ko sa ofc, di ko kahirit sa internet, strikto na man.

I may be planning for a Bangkok holiday this Christmas pohon. All depends...

Little Things

This time here in Legaspi has really made me see the blessing in little things. In nominal terms, my salary is small but the institution is very generous. I look forward to the continuous outpouring of blessings.

Di lang ko kalikay nga sungugon ko nila pirmi about why I'm not married and when I plan to marry. Magmadre ba daw ko?

Still I think everyday of where I come from and where I go from here.

I am simply happy about it! :-)

Econometrics

I won't stop till I learn econometrics talaga. I looked up introductory econometrics notes online, I will study them. I have become like this due to my experience in SG, I look at economics from that perspective na. God bless me!

I dunno when I can study again. I'll think about it and propose it to God. Amen.

Right Move?

Did I do the right thing to work here in SEDP Inc? I am simply swamped with work! But I need the NGO experience so that I can work in an NGO in Cambodia in future. I can plan to live there for good.

Today he bragged about his official result in the marathon. I keep the faith. Good luck to us!

Settle

I guess we all come to a point in our lives when we have to decide to stay, settle in a certain place. For now I have to be here in Legaspi coz I don't have better options yet. I can't say yet that this is the place where I'll rest my hat. I dunno, I keep the faith!

Legaspi

I am working here in Legaspi City, Albay for an NGO of the Diocese of Legaspi. It is called SEDP, Inc, Simbag sa Pag-asenso, a microfinance institution. Things are happening so fast but I am loving my new job naman.

I arrived here on 10/01/09 Saturday, had an interview on 12/01/09 Monday then I started on 14/01/09 Wednesday. I took the time off last Tuesday coz I had to find a place to stay and wait for my things from Cebu etc.

Yesterday we went to the 3rd district, and it presently includes Nabua, Cam Sur.

Today during the meeting, our Executive Director (ED) said four months na lng daw ako probationary period, instead of 6 months. I leave it all up to God, may dahilan ang lahat!

New Year, New City, New Work

I am now working in an NGO here in Legaspi City, admin post. It's my 1st time in an admin post. It's very challenging, I hope I'll last here.

I know so many people naman here in Legaspi --my classmates from ISS, Fr Jovic and Nelia, my second cousins and their families, Uncle Loloy and Inse Neci, my pamangkin, Jejen Belen Belisario, and my high school classmate, Darlene Fuentes Ching.

Kakainis lng si Jovic manungog. Bicolano lng daw ang katapat. I keep the faith.

Repeat

Today I had a repeat of my experience in PP last 1 July 2008, undoubtedly the most memorable day of my life there! I was called for an interview and demo at SME in Tigbao, Talamban. 1230pm na nako nabasa ang Chikka msg and 1pm ang call time. Hahay, dali2 tawn ko adto!

Gipangita ko sa amo head. La pa jud ko load. Nagpaload na pud ko sa gawas. Pero la ko kaeskapo from our boss, giyaw2an ko sa Korean!

La pa jud ko nadawat didto! Mas gamay pa daw to sweldo kaysa EGA.

I have learned my lesson the hard way again. Now God is showing me to go to Legaspi. I hold on. Ginoo ra lagi nakahibaw sa tanan. Amen.

Happy New Year to us!