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 ;)