Right Time?

I am still able to laugh at amusing things. Like this morning, when I came for interview at Art + Cafe in St 108. The owner asked me if I had a family, my own family back in the Philippines. I said no, then added it with 'strange'. And he said really, why is that? Reminds me of the taxi driver who chauffeured me from UP-Dil to the domestic airport in 2003. He had asked me if I was alrdy married and why not. I replied w/ "Cguro hindi pa po tama ang panahon". He retorted, "E kelan ang tamang panahon?" I really do not know. I'm still chicken about it.

Bernadette Sembrano alrdy got married last 12 June 2008. She said she's waited 32 yrs for it and she said he (her husband, Emilio Aguinaldo IV, nicknamed Orange) is worth it. I know I would have to wait some more. Pero tan-awon na lang pud ni. Hehe..

Dating and Marriage

Since 2004 pa I had thoughts of getting married. I met Ferolini then, at the watershed research. But he told me to find my kalevel daw mao huna2 ko, he's not worth it. He was the one who went to Panglao w/ that reporter girl during kalag2. Then in December he said she's alrdy taken. Okoy sya! Now he is an attorney and we are friends in Friendster and also sa YM. But I know we now belong to diff. worlds. Good luck to us, Atty!

Then I had chats w/ Jonathan. He even called me on Christmas Eve 2006. Met him when I came back to Sg. He said he's alrdy a PR there, andun na buhay nya.

My former flatmates Deepti and Preeti are getting married soon. I wished them all the best and I would really like to attend their weddings pohon in India.

Now I am not in Singapore anymore, I am here in Cambodia. And I have a very nice group here where I could grow spiritually, which is what I have been looking for all this time. (Makatambok lng b/c nindut man pagkaon every gathering). I am also meeting really nice friends, mga Pinoy sad. I might even meet someone here to marry! Anyway, I keep the faith. It's all in God's hands.

Sihanoukville

We went for an outing to resort town Sihanoukville, formerly Kampong Som for the Khmer New Year break. Lingaw kaau. It had its own share of hitches and intrigues but overall we had a very nice time. Though we had to drive for at least four hours para lang makakita ug beach, nalingaw ra man gihapon mi.

Dreams

I always have dreams that I think are omens/signs of events to come. I used to check papers back at USC only to realize that I alrdy saw this scene in a dream. Sometimes I dread being able to dream of my own death! Haha, too optimistic!

I had a very amusing dream that really left a mark w/ me. I was in class daw when I had a visitor. Nagdala pa kuno'g buwak. The guy's face was not clear to me though. I thought it was in USC, at AS bldg kay mao may positioning of the class. But now I think that it could be somewhere else. I'm quite excited to see that dream materialize. Hehe... :-)

Na'pa lain dream that made me think. It's about seeing someone in church, ig ka peace w/ you part, in Tubigon. I had dreamed that it was Harry then I thought maybe it was someone else. Maybe it was someone else indeed. Let's see what happens next...

Edge

Andrew Chua of CFC once said during the retreat that God is not safe, that is, He puts us on the edge. That is exactly what I'm going thru right now. Because I was disobedient, I declined the job in Siem Reap which I asked Him from. I'm so, so stupid! A person of less faith! Please forgive me Lord and give me another chance.

I ask myself, "Bakit ako nakikipagsapalaran dito sa Cambodia?"I have a very nice job in the university back home. But then, I am not happy with it anymore, that's why. I don't relish feeling disappointed again and again after receiving my teaching load every semester. There has to be something better than that experience right?

I just might end up teaching English here. We'll see how things would unfold. I always ask God for signs. And this time I'd really follow His direction. I hold on!

Siem Reap, Cambodia

I came to Siem Reap, the Angkor Wat town, on 1 April 2008 for a job interview at Western International School. They were looking for English teachers. Part-time ra may ilang available diay.

Siem Reap, as I was told is about 300 kms from Phnom Penh. It was a gruelling 6hr-journey by bus, w/ stops in between. Siem Reap is nice, mora ra syag Pinas jud. I can imagine myself staying here for long. But not for now, maybe in future. Isa pa, I don't like their attitude of milking money out of tourists. When will they ever learn? Filipinos are also like that, unfortunately. Tot straks!

Picnic

I was reluctant to join the CFC retreat cum teambldg activity this weekend. But it was worth it! On the drive back, I got to ask myself, "Bakit sa dinami-dami ng countries sa Cambodia pa Lord? Then it came to me that I wouldn't have decided to resign from USC had I not gone to that retreat. Yes, I had thoughts of resigning from USC before but never really got the courage to do it!

Gipapahawa na ko sa ako gipuy-an, one week na lang daw ako stay. Pls help me find a new place to stay Lord. Then si Ate Jing said naa kuno koy interview sa Western International School in Siem Reap tomorrow. I thought mao na ni hinatag sa Ginoo. But then, part-time ra man diay ilang job opening as English teacher. Di ko modayon. The Academic Head is Ms Arlene Beguerras, also a Filipina. We talked, I was happy to meet her. She told me to keep in touch. I'm still thankful for everything Lord. Amen!

Teacher for Life

I guess it is in me to be a teacher for life. I realized that I first became a teacher in elementary, when I was asked to mentor a classmate, a distant cousin, to improve his reading skills. We'd have reading sessions during lunch break. I did that for a time and later on, his reading skills greatly improved! My fond memories of him include the poem, "School days, school days, always make me feel gay..." Way to go, Heide!

Chance

To live is to take a chance, why didn't I ever know that?

Got to Believe in Magic

Pity those who wait
Trusted love to fate
Finding out too late
That they've lost it
Never letting go
They will never know
The ways of love

Did I tell someone, 'Someday mahahanap mo rin ung magic my friend'? Haha!

My Cambodian Sojourn

I didn't realize that I only came to Cambodia because I needed refuge from the tough times I was having in Sg. Now that I'm thinking to come back to Sing and really finish things off, because I have been told here that I'm an 'abortionist', my university in Phils is giving me a tough time. Since Holy Week pa gud ni. Ate Jing said maybe I am not meant to leave USC. I dunno, I am not happy there anymore. Anyway, yah, I keep the faith. God bless all our plans. May we be pleasing to Him always.

My good friend, Joy said find a good-paying job na lang if u don't intend to further ur career as an academic/researcher. I am now living the life of an OFW. Siguro this is the change that I had always wanted. I hold on.

Chase

I once read in astrology that people with my sign, Sagittarius, tend to think of love as a chase. Ika nga ni Jennifer Connelly in "Blood Diamond", "I'm used to being chased but what the heck?" when she gave her numbers to Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio). I think I am also like that. We'll see :-)

Change...

My problem is that I equate USC w/ the academe. Why not? I have been w/ USC all my life and now I want it to change? Well, as a good friend once said, "If you really want it, it will be worth it" That's where I am right now, and I ask God for guidance. Cause I had wanted to leave USC since 2005, it was just not possible then b/c of my remaining return service. Now it is my loyalty that's stopping me --I'm a VERY loyal person and I take my loyalties to heart. But there has to be pain so that things would end right? I pray for the best, I keep the faith.

It is time for change in my life! Gikapoy na ko ginamit sa akong utok, magtrabaho sa pud ko lain. But I'd have to continue trusting God thru and thru. "For anyone who trusts God will not be put to shame". Amen!

I haven't found a job in Cambodia yet, but we'll never know where I'd be led tomorrow. Or the day after or whenever!

The Lord said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid". Exactly! Diyos sya, He's ominiscient, omnipotent, etc. I hold on.

I Will Be in Cambodia

I have decided to go to Cambodia. My sister is there, I'll join her.

I arrived here on 8th Feb, in the evening. I started looking for jobs just this Monday, 11 Feb. I keep the faith!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Love is indeed the reason why we're all alive. Love is life!

Told my old Dutch friend that I am here. Adventurous daw ko. Well, kagamay pa sa ako naadto countries diri SE Asia! I had asked him for postcards of Cambodia and Vietnam when he came here on a holiday in 2004. And indeed, he sent me one of the Angkor Wat and in Halong Bay, Vietnam. He has been to Laos too, he and his friends went there as a sidetrip when he was holidaying in Thailand in 1999. God bless you, man!