UH at Manoa

I've alrdy applied for PhD Econ to UH-Manoa. Deadline was last Jan. 15, 2017. Coincidentally, mao pud ni deadline sa NFP applications 16 yrs ago nga nadawat ko buyag. Si Lorna lent me her credit card so I was able to apply on time. But I have to take the GRE and TOEFL coz required. Mahal na man gud kaju so I decided to shelve it. Mangita na lang ko ug lain. Kanang di ko makagasto or makautang pa. I pray for the best Lord. Amen. I keep the faith!

Econ UH-Manoa

There's PhD Econ at UH-Manoa. Sauna pa mn ko ani giingnan ni Aunty Helen, who's living in Hawaii. She has been there since the 1980s I think. Gahi mn lagi ko ulo, I went to Holland for my Master's. Wa mn ko magmahay ato. Ang NUS jud maoy sajop sa tanan nahong gibuhat. I emailed UH-Manoa back in 2016; asked them for requirements for PhD Economics. Nibawos mn pud ang ilang chair. Ang gipangita ra nila was someone with teaching experience. Pasok unta kaju ko! I did put together my application then. I even paid more than P1,000 so that my papers would get there on time. But nibackout kos GRE and TOEFL exams requirements. Nahadlok pud ko to study abroad again. Is it really where I'm meant to be? Please show me po. Amen. ;) Today Jeff Powell mentioned it on the email. Told him I'll be going there next week. Hay Heide, you can't fight destiny lagi. If meant jud ko para didto then ako dawaton Lord. Amen.

Still a Goldmine

I was told by Luchie Almagro-Blanco today that NUFFIC will be holding a convention in Cebu in 2017 pohon. She asked for my email. She also told me to relay the information to my circle. Si Mam Jessica Uy ra mn gud ako kaila diri mao ako sya giinform. I had an online course with IHS man pag March last year. Sustainable Cities man to. Wow, kinsa na kaha pud sa taga-Manila ang mangari? I'm sure the Manila people will descend here ig abot ana phon ;) Wow Lord, I'm so overwhelmed! Till now, goldmine lng japon ang ako ISS connection. I keep the faith.

Arvin

I had asked Jacky to check out if minyo ba sya o dili. And Jacky found out that he was. Toink! La na jud nako siya gimessage. Thanks for the friendship Dong and wish you all the best always. Dugay2 pud to nako siya gifriend, from August 2012 pa. Cge The last time I messaged him he said he was busy with all the refugees from Marawi. The next thing I know, na'nay taga-CDO who messaged me to ask if I know him. I said yes and I know that he's married. Ngano diay? I will check her reply tonight. Jia you!

The Lobrigos of Legazpi ;)

Fr. Jovic Lobrigo is the unofficial leader of our group in ISS2K. We're very good friends of course. Ako kaya ang sekretarya ng pari while si Stone ang sacristan. Pero grabe pud mi mag-impose on him. Asa ka anang we woke him up at 1030 pm one time coz we wanted coffee? Hay pastilan ning mga baliw na batchmates! ;) Sila Inday and Ning also became my close friends. We went to Rome, Italy together. They also hosted us in Graz and drove us to Vienna back in May 2001. Si Manang Beding pud was kind enough to lend Jacky and I their house in Daraga, Albay. We had so many nights stargazing from the terrace of that house! ;) Namatay ilang Nanay this time. May you rest in peace po. All the best to us and Merry Christmas!

Helen Barayuga

She's a very good friend. She's one of the 3 Marias, the diploma studes at ISS in 2001. Told her about this activist guy. She asked if my feelings for him changed after knowing that he's like that. In a way yes. Coz tuo mn gud ko'g maestro ra siyas univ. La jud ko magtuo nga aktibista diay siya. Sabagay, ang nanay gud niya aktibista so asa pa mn diay siya mosunod? Jia you Doki. Hope daw that after this holiday season ako na sya makalimtan. Mao pud na ako prayer. Cge.

Disturbed

I must say I got disturbed by that outing yesterday. Nangaon ra mn ta mi'g S&R pizza. I don't like it man gud. Coz he once said wala na koy kapilian. And now he approaches me nga mora'g papansin kaju? Bahala ka dihas buhay mo, Dong. All the best and Merry Christmas to us all! ;)

Engr May Tampus

I met her as a fellow Filipino Dutch scholar in Holland in 2000. They studied in Delft while we were in the Hague. Magkita ra mis church at St. Aloysius College in Oostduinland Saturdays or Sundays panagsa. She's 2 years younger than me diay. We've become friends thru the years. She has to take care of her parents maong morag maglisud pud sya'g minyo. We talked in Ayala for like 2hrs. Daghan mi'g naistoryahan, most of which were just how things are at USC this time. Bottom line, I am lucky and should be happy that nihawa na ko didto. I have endeavoured to start again in CDU; I contribute to the development of our International Studies program somehow. Good luck to us Mayang. All the best to us always ;)

Good Old Friend Perte Omega ;)

"You own your heart, Heids. You decide who it wants to love". She once told me these words. Thanks Perts, always a good friend to me. Saun mn gud ning Sagittarius in me nga I think of love as a game mn gud. Heheh. Ajaw palabi Doki kay tiguwang na ka. Tinud-a na na Heidz ug ni Gina Cabudlan pa. Jia you to us all. Merry Christmas! ;) Si Perte is in America these days. C/o Myre daw iya trip. Ako ingnan pangita na'g Amerikano diha, ayaw na uli diris Pinas. Heheh. All the best to us always, Pert! Magbday na pud cja ig July 26 phon. Unsa nang adlawa?

CGA

She is in Wisconsin n lagi this time. Last February 2021 I msgd her thinking she is in USC p. And because she became excited with my news, she would've wanted to call me. Hinay mn lagi akong signal maong chat n lng mi. Happy ra mn pud xa with Mr Hawaii. These days nga apil n xas among GC with Boyet and Reymar, she said oldie n daw siya. Kami daw kay mga bata p, explore the world daw. Thanks Mam Cor! She actually told me that I can also be an academic in the USA kuno. Coz I told her man lagi that ang ambisyon ni Migs Garcia lagi kuno is makasud ug Ivy League nga school sa USA. To which I thought kaya ra gud kaju. Si Migs p nga PhD in Neuroeconomics gud lagi sija tawn oi from the Univ of Zurich in Switzerland! Anyway, I told her that dili n akong ambisyon jud lagi. Taga bukid ra lagi tawn kos Cawayanan, Tubigon, Bohol oi. But I follow ra jud where God would take me. Kana ra jud. Amen. Anyway, my anecdote with Mam Cora. I had a book on competition policy from the intl conf sa Radisson last Nov 2013 nila Mam Ching during the time of Yolanda. Suya kaayo siya that wala siya kakuha. Heheh. She's always been kind to me. I remember meeting her in Ayala with a colleague in December 2012. Then she took care of me jud when I was part of the TCW training last October 2016 in USC-TC. She even asked me to teach at USC Econ again. Wa n lagi ko mobalik didto ug full time, part time n lng jud. God bless Mam Cora, magkita ra ta pohon sa America! :) I keep the faith. Amen! Christmas is in the air na jud ;)

Holland T-shirt, Harry

I asked my good friend Harry to give me a Holland t-shirt. Coz I said daan na ang akong T-shirt ug gitrapo na lang. He was noncommittal but I'm sure he would eventually send it to me. I asked for it as a Christmas gift gud. Heheh. Jia you Doki! ;) Feb 21, 2017 evening. He said the T-shirt is on its way. Oh my God. Heel bedankt, Harry. You've always been a great friend. God bless u always! ;

Prof Jose Tongzon

He was the only Filipino Econ professor at NUS when I enrolled there in 2005-2006. He's actually from Leyte, did his Econ at ADMU if I'm not mistaken then did his PhD at Australia. He's married to a Vietnamese lady and they only have one daughter. Sa Auckland daw nag-eskwela. I met his wife at the Church of the Holy Cross in Clementi. He said Vietnamese daw iyang napilian kay gamay ra daw Pinoy sa AUS. He left NUS for a while and went to Inha University in Incheon, South Korea. We'd always keep in touch coz there was one time he came to Cebu and asked me for a good dentist. These days, retired na daw sya but still affiliated with some universities. I pray for the best. Amen. He is actually in Kazakshtan daw as of the moment coz tua n mn lagi pud kadung ang mga Koreano kay need daw nila magsecure ug energy resources. I told him about Mr Hawaii Koreano actually. Cge po Sir ;)

Be Brave Little One

"Be brave little one, till your hopes and your wishes come true, you must try to be brave little one. Someone's waiting to love you". "Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, till you find your dream" "Nasasabik akong makita ka. Nais kong mahagkan at mayakap kita. Kung ang larawan mo ay kayang ipinta, sana'y matagal ko ng ginawa. Nang dumating ka sa aking buhay. Di nasayang ang aking hinintay. Mga panaginip ko at mga pangarap noo'y nasa 'kin na ngayon. Ikaw pala un" ... "You're my home and together, we share this love for us to be happy and free"...

Tokyo

Tue, 13 Dec 2016 He suddenly said that he's in Tokyo for a seminar. Wahh, sa'n galing un?? We were just talking about how he looked different the first time he came to TCW and when he came back to finish it. Then he mentioned his mentor as one of the anti-communists daw. Heheh, I will not want to meet him no? Kauwaw uroy! Then after that la na sya moreply. Did he feel cut short when I said 'Go ahead po. I dun wanna bother u in any way. Cge po'? Cge lng Doki, just hang on and keep the faith. I believe we have become friends. The lines of communication can be reopened ra mn cguro in future. Happy weekend everyone! Now I know the reason why they're friends with Jun Borras on FB. Coz his mentor and JB are good friends. Mao cguro pud nga giadd ra sya ni JB. Coz he said 'actually i only read his work. tas inadd ko'. I actually felt suspicious about what he said but didn't push it na lng. There's no need to be a stranger mn pud cguro. I know so many people who are activists mn gud from my ISS days. I can't deny all that! And siya pud aktibista coz of his mom. Exposed na siyas activist world. Cge, jia you Doki ;)

DLSU PhD

I emailed DLSU Econ last Saturday 12/10/16 to ask if I could finish my program from NUS with them. Today 12/13/16 na nibawos ang Dean sa SOE, si Dr Marites Tiongco. She said they might consider my coursework in NUS but 2/3 of the coursework plus the dissertation daw must be done with them. Okay, I said I might take it. But then, I thought again at what she said. Di mn nako kaya Lord oi nga mausab tong akong nightmares sa NUS. So please give me a program na lang Lord that makaya jud nako nga pasaron. Dili ng bukid na pud nga kinahanglan nako iclimb. Tiguwang na baya ko Lord so please help me. I keep the faith always. Jia you Dok!

Rijkmuseum Amsterdam

I asked for a souvenir from their exhibition before of the Dutch East Indies Company. Wala na mn daw so libro n lng ila ihatag. I said I will take it. It arrived on the mail yday. More than one month pud kay Nov 8 mn daw to nadispatch from Amsterdam. It's called "The Dutch Encounter in Asia: 1600-1950". Wow, coloured pa! Jia you, Rijks. Heel bedankt! ;)

Mam Shirley Sisante ;)

Sya maoy akong nanay2an sa PP. She's my former coordinator at WIS Kindergarten School from Bataan. I always admire her words of wisdom. The first lesson I remember from her is "Kung anong ayaw mo, yun ang ibibigay sa 'yo ng Diyos till you'd learn to love it". Heheh, thanks Mam. These days as I'm meeting a new guy and thinking of where I want to go and what I want to do in life, her advice is "Mahalin mo ang sarili mo coz mahal ka ni Lord". I am a very giving person daw, but very stingy and stubborn when it comes to self love. I should love myself daw coz it would set me free. Wag daw isip gamitin but puso naman. Hahha ;) Thank you Mam, I appreciate it always. Good luck in the US and God bless. Merry Christmas!

I'll Read It Na Lang

Since he decided to keep me as a friend, I looked at reviews na rin of what he said is his favourite novel. Okay ra man diay, I downloaded a free copy already. 80 pages pud oi! Darkness at Noon. Saun! Ako lng giscan2 till I reached the end. Tragedy. Then I said what's life-changing about it? I have a classmate from Indonesia who did a braver thing by going to Cuba! Jia you Doki. Just enjoy the friendship lng gud and don't expect much ang advice sa mga tawo. Mao gud, probinsyana ra gud ko. Ako n lng pud iya tilokon? Heheh ;)

VSO and Columban Lay Missionary

I applied to VSO Bahaginan last Sunday Dec 11, 2016. La pa mn silay reply. I'm also waiting for VU's response. Coz Sylvia vd Bunt said the one in charge is still in New Zealand and would only be back on the 18th pohon. Okay, sakto ra pud. Enough time for things to pan out. Show me Your direction Lord. Morag wala na cguro tong UU kay wa n mn mobawos si Guus. Nibawos na pud ang Columban. They gave me a lot of information just in case I'd proceed on being a missionary with them. I'd have to think about it of course. Coz I wanna do my PhD after mograduate si Michelle pohon. Jia you Doki, everything will be alright. Ginoo ray nakahibaw sa tanan lagi. While there's life, there's hope. Happy weekend! ;)

Salony Sainju Bazimaya

After what seemed like ages, I found and reconnected with Salony, my good friend from Nepal on Facebook very recently. She was with Joy and I on the weekend trip to Luxembourg. She said that trip was ours alrdy, while right now she's very busy with life. She was my classmate in Ashwani's class also. If I'm not mistaken OPT 305 on Poverty. Or was it globalization? Thanks for reconnecting, Salony. Let's stay in touch! ;)

Anti-communism, Koestler, Kolakowski, Judt

These were the authors he mentioned as the primary reason why he's anticommunist daw. I searched in our library. Thankfully they have a copy of "The Memory Chalet" by Tony Judt; this came out in 2010. Indeed it's a very interesting read. His insights on Europe were very true and direct. I cannot of course judge for America coz I've never been there. Koestler wrote fiction kuno and Darkness At Noon daw iya favourite novel. Nah saun! Ako pa na basahon? Even Kolakowski's works di na ko gusto mobasa. Boring na na kaju! I ended up reading Koestler. It changed his life kuno. I wondered why. Coz para nako, ordinaryo ra mn gud nas mga komunista nga patyon ang ilang myembro who they think is not anymore loyal to the party and its objectives. Jia you Doki, keep the faith always! ;)

Relatives

Our relatives have really gotten old. Jacky told me the other night that blind na daw si Ate Cynthia nya niwang na kuno pud si Uncle Loloy. Mga diabetic mn tawn sila. So as much as she wants to leave to get over Pastor Ross, di pwede kay way mobantay nila. I still haven't dropped by Baybay, Leyte pud to see Ate Alfea. Day before TCW mn to namatay si Kuya Rey. God bless them. Padayon lng ta ani. There will be a right time for everything. Jia you!

We're Friends Now

I think we have already established a friendship. I'm sure I can message him on Facebook whenever I want. Mobawos ra mn na sya if ganahan siya. It's just a simple exchange of ideas oi. I pray for the best! I asked him why he's moving to DLSU. Coz of research daw, coz they are #1 in research. Cge po. Anti-Marcos siya. I think due to the fact that taga-ADMU mn siya, so biased sya's dilawan. Jia you Sir, all the best to u always! ;) I also asked him if sya japon ang course leader sa 2nd batch of TCW training. Oo daw kay Ateneo mn iheld. Tiring daw, wala na sya'y break. Heheh, nigawas ang boy in him. But I'm sure we've become better friends. Usually mornings mn na sya moreply. But for this one, late nas gabii. Around 22:32 na iyang reply. Cge lng Doki, cherish the friendship you've made with this new ADMU person. God bless! But then last Tue 13 Dec 2016 I think I said or did something wrong. He was talking mn gud of anti-communists when he suddenly said he's in Tokyo for a seminar. Out of surprise pud sa iyang gisulti I said ' go ahead, I dun wanna bother u in any way'. Wahh, was he offended by what I said? I hope not. Hang on Doki. Daghan kaju mo'g kaila in common. Coz pareho ra mn gud mi'g line of work. Cge

Sylvia, VU, Possible PhD

I emailed my friend in VU, Sylvia vd Bunt today. I told her I'm interested to do a PhD with them. She replied by sending me information about the Amsterdam Business Research Institute. I asked if they have scholarships. She told me to send my CV, application and proposed research. Wow, I pray for the best. This could be it, Lord! What a very nice Sinterklaas gift indeed. I pray for the best! ;)

Christian

I had to overcome my demons with him as I meet this new guy from ADMU too. Coz he left me with so much heartbreak back in SG in 2005-2006. All because I was having such a hard time in my program and needed every friend that I could get. Besides, gwapo pud sya nya taas and puti. I think that's my type. As early as Dec 2005 I knew that he had a girlfriend alrdy. I saw his note man that said 'buy a card for Princess'. But trio mn lagi mi so when we came back after Christmas break, we got together in The Deck. Jayeel gave each of us a copy of PDL, The Purpose-Driven Life. It had his own personal message. I still have the book at home ;) By February 2006 around Chinese New Year, I saw his Friendster of him and his Princess. Aray! She's a girl from Pangasinan, maybe they were officemates. He worked there man, in a power plant by Mirant in Sual. (We passed by it last May when my sisters and nephews went on a trip to Pangasinan then La Union. Hundred Islands in Alaminos man amo first stop). Anyway, the real heartbreak came in Holy Week 2006 when his gf came to visit him in SG. He msgd me to ask for the time of the Easter Vigil service. Kauban kuno niya iya gf oi. Kasama ko sya, ipakilala ko sana sya sa 'yo. Wahhh, kasakit! That must've been the saddest Easter of my life. I remember that the next day during Easter Sunday Mass at 10am, I also went but I avoided meeting her. Di ko kaya! But by God's grace we were able to rescue our friendship. I saw him man at the Computer Centre (CC) after my exam on Singapore Economy. We went to McDonald's SDE and talked about her. Ayun, probinsyana sya... Kung di nga naman kayo pareho mag-isip... But that's not all there is to it yet. In May 2006 while I was waiting for my grades, I'd see him sa Computer Centre every now and then. He'd encourage me always. 'Bilib nga ako sa yo e. Mahirap ang pinagdadaanan mo but nakikita kong di ka sumusuko'. '30 y.o. k mn, mukha ka pa ring mas bata kaya ok lng' Hay kasamok aning taga-ADMU diay. Na'nay gf nya motan-aw or mangita pa jud ug lain. Syempre, kay di p mn gud sila minyo! Basin gusto pud niya nga ako sya ipaglaban. Coz he lost his gf, the great Janice Isabelle Lao who went to Oxford to study. She studied in USC-TC for a while. Mao to iya gigamit na link in order to ask for my age. Asa ka anang, 'Anong year ka ba nag-graduate sa USC?' He had to blink gud when I said 1996. But the best memory of that afternoon was Bishop Nicholas Chia's 'bless the young couples who are here with us this pm'. Hahah. I must have been beaming then. And I went to that mass wearing my famous cargo shorts. Morag tua ni Ate Ica na to nga shorts, kupas na. We had satay for dinner. He introduced me to sugar cane juice at the Clementi MRT station. I'd also be damned if he didn't look at my legs while he was looking at some electronic product didto sa shop. Boys talaga.. The last memory would have to be 26 May 2006 Monday afternoon. I was packing my things then when Nicky Kheh called me up. I went to Econ Dept. He got on the bus just when I got down in AS block. I took a very long time to go home. Naglakaw ra gud ko ato. It was alrdy dark then. I found him near our block. Sa may DVD shop. 'Iba kasi pag nasa malayo ang gf mo. Masakit masyado sa ulo'. Ok. Sabay kuno mi uwi. I said via Clark mn siya; via Cebu mn ko. Then he said magluto daw mi sa amo apartment. I said ayaw na kay di ko ganahan manghinlo sa bay. Sa The Deck na lang mi lunch with Jayeel on May 31 then we also met up sa Holland Village. Mao ni ang expat, expatriate episode. Di mo alam na anak ni LKY si Lee Hsien Loong? Hello, welcome to Singapore! Makigsuroy pa ta sya nako sa Lucky Plaza. Wala jud ko. Sakto ra cguro pud kay basin iya ra ko gipahilak ato. Nagminyo na gud sila ni Mischelle last April 18, 2008. Duha na ila anak ron, sila Jandi ug Jacob. We keep in touch. I had to cancel my FB friend request kay wa jud nija actioni. SA LinkedIn ko niya giadd. All the best to us always, Christian. See you when I see you! ;)

40 is the new 30 ;)

Pastilan oi. When I told him that 41 na tawn ko nya Ate n lng niya ug sa iya kauban sa work, he said 40 is the new 30 :) Hahah, pagsure diha Dong oi. Daghan na ko gipamati sa lawas, di mada na. But at least I'm happy that I can still attract young men at my age. Per Nemia Zacarias, di mn gud kuno maklaro sa ako nawong nga 40 n ko. True, coz so many women in their 40s look so much older than me. So jia you Doki. Thank God for my fresh face and fresh outlook in life ;)

Friends

Since I told him on 28 Nov morning that I could've met him in the past, I know that we've become friends. A friend told me man that he went to his mom's lecture on the RH Bill in UP last October 2011. I was there pud coz I was one of the participants of the training. We were required to attend it. In fact, I remember nga nalate pa mi ato kay our session was at University Hotel while the lecture was at College of Social Work and Community Development (CSWCD) where his mom was and is still connected. I said coincidence lang. In response he said 'friend mo rin si mom?'I said no coz we never talked. But I know a friend from Zamboanga who's a personal friend of his mom. So you see, we do have a lot of people in common. Taga-academe ra mn gud mi. I was online last Monday when he replied. Yday I asked him why he's moving to DLSU. Coz that's what the story in CDN last Sunday 28 Nov said. He replied real time. He said #1 daw sa research ang DLSU. Okay. So it means he'll be working with Xiao Chua in future. All the best po! ;)

DLSU Polsci

My friend from there said he will join the DLSU History Dept. But CDN said PolSci. Which is which? Basta, the only thing I know is that my friend is in the PolSci Dept. Maybe he will be our bridge or agent? Sobra n mn pud oi. Jia you Doki, look forward to Christmas! ;)

GF?

Well, my friend from there said he has a girlfriend daw. True? Why can't I process it? Sabagay, get real Doki. Di to sya mamansin nimo kay taga-probinsya ra lagi ka. Taga-Metro Manila baya to, taga-ADMU pa jud thru and thru. All the best!

CDN Story, 11/27/16

There's a story of Cebu Daily News (CDN) about him, this is the link http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/113808/leloy-claudio-real-deal-breaker Jia you Doki. Stalker na jud ka. Basin mahadlok na nuon na sya mostorya nako. Iyaha pud na. Hehe

Friend Joycie from Malaysia

I met her in PP in June 2008, on the birthday of my co-volunteer Nev. She's her landlord. She's a very gracious woman, I admire her buyag. She came back in PP sometime in February 2010 and she brought me 1 box of Ferrero Rocher. We also had dinner at FCC Phnom Penh. I think I had the best puttanesca there. We've been in touch. Lately she invited me for a visit. Adto daw ko abot sa ilang balay sa Penang, mas daghan daw makita didto kesa JB. Okay po. Parenew sa ko passport aron madayon n jud ko phon. Na'may direct flight ang KL from Cebu via Air Asia. She asked me why I was in PP and not in SG, Canada or similar rich countries. I told her that I was there coz Cambodia makes me happy. She said, 'yeah, it is a charming place.' Lately I told her about this guy who's my latest interest. She said there must be something about him that drew his attention to you. Heheh. I will be fine daw. In the past daw I prioritized family and si Michelle nga ako gipaeskwela. Sakto ra daw nga after ana, ako happiness na pud ako atupagon. God bless Joyce and I do hope to see u soon indeed! ;)

Give It Time

True, panahon n lng agdon ani ako lovelife. Keep the faith Doki. Holiday ugma phon, kapahuway ka. Mag-offer ko from my salary, pay my Philam and VECO bills nya magparenew pud ko passport pohon. I plan to meet up with an old friend in HK in Feb phon. Jia you sa mga plano! ;)

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 push 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 Refrain: It's your smile Your face, your lips that I miss Your 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

YOU by Karen Carpenter

You are the one who makes me happy When everything else turns to grey 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 all true How could anyone mean more to me Than you Sorry if sometimes I look past you There's no one beyond your eyes Inside my head the wheels are turning And sometimes I'm not so wise You are my heart and my soul My inspiration Just like the old love song goes You are one of the few things Worth remembering And since it's all true How could anyone mean more to me Than you

New Life Pohon

I received a very beautiful email from Joyce this morning. She said in the past ako kuno giuna ako family and cousin, ang ako pagpaeskwela kang Michelle. Human daw ani phon I can now focus on my life and my happiness. Thank you Joyce, I love you. You've been a good friend to me ever since we met in June 2008 during Nev's bday. Thanks again for the Ferrero Rocher chocs and the lovely dinner at FCC Phnom Penh. That must have been the best puttanesca I've had. Till I see you in Malaysia phon then! ;) I have emailed Columban Lay Missionary kay gusto lagi ko magmisyon with them by June 2017 pohon. I would like to take a break or move away from teaching na mn gud. I've been doing this for the past 20 years, cguro naman it is high time for me to move on. Nisakit n mn lagi ako likod. Nya mapwersa pud kanunay ako tilaok. Cge lng Doki, ipray ni tanan. Cf "God wants Kevin where He wants Kevin" ;)

Gillian Macintyre

She's my batchmate in ISS from Trinidad and Tobago. She was in Public Policy program. She lived in Dorus also with Dawn on the other side of our hall. We were in the Italy trip and in the Lourdes/Fatima pilgrimage. I went with her to Venice. But she went to Tivoli Gardens in Rome on her own. Daghan2 na pud mi'g lugar nga naadtoan diay. All the best Gillian, stay well always. Miss u! ;)

Small World

Grabe, lumiliit ang mundo oi! Ang main resource person sa among TCW is the son of Dr Sylvia 'Guy' Estrada Claudio, head sa UP Ctr for Women's Studies. He's also a colleague of my Pinoy friend from NUS. Sus kadaghan namo'g kaila in common. Expected n mn gud na kay we work in the academe mn. Gretchen said we don't live in a bubble gud. And not only that. Famous mn pud ang ISS as Marxist mao daghan mga aktibista tua didto. Ayaw lng gud hatagi ug meaning Doki. Just keep the faith!

Christmas 2016

Twas the first Sunday of Advent yday. So Christmas is really just around the corner! Ang mensahe sa pari yday was not to worry. Coz if you always worry, u're in a hurry kuno to the cemetery. Hahha, I like that Father. God bless! I dunno asa ko celebrate Xmas ani pohon. Gusto si Ate Ica adto mi Tagum kay la mn mi kaadto pagkamatay ni Aunty Betty. But gusto pud ko bisita ni Ate Alfea sa Baybay phon. Cge tan-awn n lng. Jia you sa mga plans, Dok. Keep smiling! ;)

Birthday 2016

I had a simple birthday celebration at school last Tuesday. I bought one box of S&R pepperoni pizza, 2 pcs of rotisserie roasted chicken, rice and softdrinks. Daghan2 bya pud sa ako mga kauban ang nakakaon. Diha mn gud koy longevity pay niabot maong diha koy gikabangka. God bless us all! ;)

Participation

I got a certificate of participation from our TCW training. I guess sakto ra pud. Wa mn pud ko mag-apas sa certificate of completion lagi. I was happy to have completed the entire training last Oct 10-27 at USC-TC. God bless us all! ;)

Nov 18, 2016

Today must be a very memorable day. It is my mom's 3rd death anniversary, my nephew Patrick Zuriel's 1st birthday, Nang Anel and Emman's wedding anniversary, our 12th anniversary pagbalhin sa Palm Heights, and Mam Ching and Alda Hazel's birthdays. On top of all that, gilubong na daw sa Libingan ng mga Bayani si Marcos. Whhaaatttt? What an outrage! I think mao na ni ang start nga matagak nas Lolo Digong. Good luck na lng nila! ;)

Moi

He's my Sierra Leonean classmate at ISS. There were only 3 of us with Econ background sa ARD -- me, him and Ivan from Uganda. I distinctly remember that we had a group study for our Intermediate Micro class with Arjun Bedi. We solved all those problems in Varian that he sent. At least the ones we can solve ;) I liked him coz buotan mn sya and pareho lagi mi background. Linginon pud na iya lawas. We went to the market once. And I also typed his paper kay hinay mn cja motype. When we went to Italy in December 2000, he borrowed my The Corrs In Blue CD. I lost touch with him. Honest. Coz I distanced with him mn gud when I felt that he was getting close. Syempre, coz the elders didn't agree. Improvement of the race gud kuno. I told Mam Malou Mandaue abt him before. She said ngano nagpacute pa mn ka if ganahan diay ka niya? I kept looking for him on FB. By Sept this year, we reconnected. He's now with UN Women; Southern Sudan iya station. We chatted that time. But nahadlok ko kay tiguwang na lagi. I was able to pass TCW thru God's grace. Because of that I got the courage to chat with him again. Nagchat mi dugay last night. We will see each other soon lagi daw. I pray madayon jud Lord. This Sunday morning Ate Bebeth reminded me about one of the Africans' risky sex behaviours. That they are free to mate with someone daw when the spouse is not there. Suddenly I got scared. I asked him if he's single. La mn sya moreply. I hope I didn't insult him and that he's still there. I actually told him last night that it will be my bday on the 22nd. He may want to give me a bday surprise. He said he will try daw. I won't expect but I'll be really happy if naa jud sya ihatag phon ;) He came to my bday celeb in Holland in 2000. Sila Mette and Fanneke were there too. I think morag si Kandeh, iya kababayan accompanied him. Kalimot na ko kinsa pa to lain. Jia you Doki, keep the faith always! ;)

2 Richards

Today 2 ka Richard ang nakigchat nako on FB. Richard Lanzaderas and Richard Alfajora. The first one is a stranger, I think my kababayan. Baw lng nga niadd mn sya nako on FB. Then today he said 39th bday daw niya on Nov 24. Okay. The other Richard is my former student. Kapila na na sya invite nako sauna to join their religious activities. Mocomment pud na syas ako FB. Good luck Doki, maybe one of them is it? Cf Ate Ica's advice: hatagan ug chance ang guy nga sincere. But tiguwang n mn lagi ko Lord oi! Please bless me and show me always. Amen.

Ibarra Kuno

The late Benedict Anderson translated the phrase 'el demonio de los comparaciones' as the spectre of comparison. He was referring to the character of Crisostomo Ibarra in Noli Me Tangere Chapter 8 wherein by looking at the Manila Botanical Garden, he remembered the gardens in Europe. He actually mentioned it in class. I have it in my notes gud. Hay nimo Sir, good luck always!;)

TCW

From 10 to 27 October 2016 I attended a trainors training sa USC-TC. It was for the subject "The Contemporary World" to be delivered at university in 2018. Whole Philippines ang participants, mga PhDs na ug administrators ang uban. We were divided into groups. I belonged to Group 3 English. I thoroughly enjoyed the training. On the 2nd week, especially after midterm exams, some of us almost crumbled under pressure. But thanks to God's blessings and our camaraderie as a group, we all managed to pull it off and hurdled the final exams. Lingaw na kaju amo grupo. Magzumba na gud mis Exhibit Room sa USC LRC. Lingaw pud kaau amo presentations on Global Cities and Migration. Examples were Barbecho, rape victim in Qatar. And Dr Gracia Sarao and Dr Gary Lapiz, are you a couple by the way? ;) We have created a Facebook group for our group so adto n lng mi keep in touch. Thanks for the opportunity Lord. Coz bigay Nyo un e. I hope I was worthy of it. Amen.

Moving On

I had a very challenging summer this year. Nisakit ako likod sa akong kabusy sa ako DPE. I decided not to teach during summer na lng gud. As it is, Cabgan Island ra akong nasuroy last summer. Sagdi n lng, may n lng naa kesa wa jud. Fast forward to August 2016. At last I was able to dip at Esoy Hotspring in Catmon. Anxiety ra jud ni ako tanan maong naniwang ko. But conscious effort mn pud ning ako kay pamilya lagi mis mga highblood buyag on my mother's side. And unfortunately, cancer on my father's side. But my siblings always tell me not to think of bad things, but to always think positive. Jia you Doki. Good luck! ;)

Complicated

Arvin told me that ako na daw unta iya pakaslan but complicated na daw iya status ron. What does it actually mean? Di mn cja motug-an. But Ruthie said most likely nakacommit na kuno cjas isa ka girl then basin married or separated ang girl. Hahahy! Cge Doki, wait lng kung kinsa ug unsa jud ang moabot sa imo life. Everything will be fine. Stay well and keep smiling! ;)

Business? Gone!

I told him to look for a job here in my city aron di mi maglagyo. I even sent him the format for the CV. In reply niingon mn nuon siya nga magtukod n lng kuno ko'g negosyo diri Cebu and sya ang mobantay. I like the idea, coz I've been thinking of going into business myself but just didn't find the time. Eskwela gud ko and tudlo pa full time. I kept thinking about it. I even bumped into the herbal farm stand thing. But then I thought, ngano ako man magnegosyo nga nagtrabaho pa mn ko? So I told him to think of a business himself. I even gave him a small money to start this business. I didn't hear from him till I messaged him. I became suspicious and a little nasty. I asked if gipalit nya'g celfone ako kwarta? Wahh! Nireply sya. He said nagkatrangkaso daw sya and nagpaayo. Ngano daw namoyboy na ko. Di lng daw ko mabalaka. Cge, I'll give him space he wants. Cf Ate Ica: Ayaw kaguol ana Doki. Mangita ra na cja'g paagi if sincere jud cja. Yeah. In the meantime I have my work and school requirements to think about. I should get busy. He has to make the effort if he wants to be with me. If not, wala na ko mahims. Jia you Dok! ;)

Valentine Bokya

Naglagot ko coz wala sya'y Valentine surprise for me yesterday. Wa mn gd na cjay kwarta intawn. Ahh, bahala siya oi. Ako na sya ilisan. Mora mn sya'g di maningkamot. Kakapoy ba pud kung ako na lng tanan. Ate Ica said ayaw kaguol ana Doki. If sincere jud kuno cja, mangita ra na'g paagi. Ana kuno na basta bag-o pa nato mameet ang lalaki. Cge gud. I keep the faith! ;)

ISS Books

I had asked my school in Holland, the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) if they could give us some of their books. Yes daw but they will not cover the shipping cost which is 250 euros. I had asked my friends there to help out. And the first one to show willingness was Mette de Vries. I told her to get in touch with Ave Baxa, a Filipino staff there. I didn't hear from her for a very long time. Karon lng after coming back from Mindanao sya niemail balik. She told me more money needs to be raised. Coz Mette was only willing to give 25 euros. So I emailed Guus van Westen of UU. He said he was willing to give 100 euros. Wow indeed! So gamay n lng ako kuwang. I asked Pinky and Leslie. Willing pud daw sila mohatag ug 25 euros. I emailed Oriane and Jamie too. Si Oriane replied to me right away. She said she'd tell me in the morning pila iya icontribute. Si Shiv Raj Bhatt jud lagi kay he generously sent $120. Wow, God bless you and your loved ones always Shiv. Aloha! Wow, matter of time n lng jud Lord. I know mabuo ra jud ni ang amount needed. God bless us always! ;)

Valencia/CDO 2016

I went to Valencia City on 8 February for the interment of my aunt, Fernanda Andamon Medidas there. I went with Coach. Lunchtime na mi naabot. Lunch mi kadyot then didto nas simbahan. Bilib ko ni Coach kay agwanta tawn cja didto bisan wa cjay kaila. Didto mn diay sila Nerfe, Jojo ug Aunty Soling so nakit-an ra japon nilas Coach. Ingon si Uray Neting diay pagminjo na mo aron makaanak pa. Cge, all the best sa mga plano. Ako na raba to cya ingnan nga mokuha n lng mi'g sakyanan diris PH. Sya lay drive kay di mn ko ana gusto. Heheh. God bless our plans!

Double Deaths

Pakana cguro ni sa mga kalag. Kay last January 30, 2016 Saturday nagsunod ug kamatay si Tya Esming ug Tya Imping. Dungan pud ang ilang lubong ig Feb 8 phon, Chinese New Year holiday. Ako na lay moadtos Valencia, Bukidnon kay plano n mn jud naho moadto CDO that time. Jia you Dok. And eternal rest grant unto them Lord.

CNY Pohon

Told him that I wanna visit him ig Chinese New Year holiday phon. Said I wanna meet some of his family and friends. Okay mn siya. Cge, I pray for the best. I'll take the boat on Sunday night phon then spend the day in CDO then take the boat again ig ka gabii. Ate Ica said don't think too much about it aron di ka mastress. Thanks Ate Ica! Sent him a Cebu T-shirt (XL this time), 2 packs of otap from what Joy gave me and my Blue Mountain Christmas card. Belated Christmas and early Valentine message n lng to. Btaw, I think about what my life will be with him man gud. Guess I just have to trust him and things. Coz there's no point in unnecessary worry. Love conquers all bitaw. Heheh ;)

Coach Was Here

Niari na jud si Coach. Hahah. Niabot syas Tagbilaran on 13 January around 530am. Ako xa gitagbo didto. Then byahe mi for Tubigon. After breakfast sa bay, nangadto mis Cawayanan. Nameet niya si Nong Billy ug sila Lola Senda. Nihapit pud mi ni Tya Esming kadyot. Then tulog mi after lunch. Ngadto mi minteryo pagkahapon then adto ila Ate Wewens. Bday mn niya, timing kaayo. Nameet pud niya sila Tata, Dodong Denden, Aineen ug Gemma. Nalipay ko nga wa siya mauwaw; niadto jud cja didto. After dinner didto na mis pantalan. Nabiyaan na mis 630pm ug 7pm. Tuo mn gd ko'g na'pay 745pm sa Starcrafts, wa n mn diay. So huwat2 mi didto for 12mn nga trip. Mao nay amo nasakyan. Sakto ra pd kay nagkameet pa mi ni Doc Ruthie Balaga Cellan. Heheh. And sus, 120am na nilarga ang 12mn, abot Cebu 330am. From the boat diretso na mi pangita ug masakyan to Oslob. Nagvan n lng mi to Simala then sakay Ceres to Oslob. 8km pa diay from Oslob proper and whaleshark watching. Nya 2nd to the last town na ang Oslob sa tumoy sa Cebu South. Next town Santander na gud. Sus, kadaghan n mn lng sa tawo didto nga gusto motan-aw ug butanding oi! Sagol2 n lng to --naay puti, Korean/Japanese, Tagalog ug mga local tourists. Nalipay ko nga dali ra mi natagad nya kami ra pud 2 ni Coach sa bangka. Tuo pa sila'g minyo na mi. Heheh. Nisnorkel diay si Coach but ngwatch ra ko. After lunch, sakay mi van to Cebu. Mga 3pm abot na mis syudad. Ngita dayon mi ticket niya back to CDO sa Trans Asia. Then palit ko pasalubong nga otap ug hopia niya. Then nangari mi PH. Layo ang byahe, reklamo siya. Kay bug-at mn gd iyang dala nya wa pa sya'y klaro tulog. Lingkod lng sya kadyot then ngaon na mi dinner. After dinner ako sya gihatod sa Pier 4. 8pm mn iya barko. Then we had to part ways. Sad gamay. But I'm sure mobalik pa to sya diri pohon. Depende n lng sa time and money. Jiau Doki, pray for the best always. This could be my year. Heheh ;)

Is This It?

I hope this is it Lord. Sabot na mi nga mobisita siya'g Bohol and possibly Cebu in a few days. I pray madayon na jud this time. Jiau Doki! ;)