The Lascos of Tubigon

Nang Anel told me yesterday that former Mayor Boy Lasco died last week of pancreatic cancer. I messaged his son, Jun, my high school rival for condolences. May you rest in peace po.

I remember him fondly from our high school days, when our families were still in speaking terms. He used to tell Jun daw that dili na lng ko apason kay basin mabuang kuno sya. Hahay life! Of course, things changed when my elder sister, Dete Etel, didn't become valedictorian but only 1st honorable mention. I guess we can heal old wounds now that we're all adults right? Sana nga.

Western Int'l School

My 1st encounter with Western Int'l School was back in April 1, 2008 when I had to go to Siem Reap for a job interview as part-time English teacher. Then later on I learned that Tita Sonia, one of our friends' moms is working there. She recommended me to WIS. On 23 April 2008 I went to WIS De Castle campus for my infamous interview. I was wearing white sandals nga flat then which Tita Sonia called tsinelas. In July 2008 Teacher Shirley Sisante gave me the chance to teach with them. Maths and Science. I'll be forever grateful for the opportunity. From De Castle we moved to K-West then I was at De Castle again for Grade 5 before I decided to go home in October 2010. God bless us all. Amen!

CLP

I am looking forward to my CLP here in PP. It will be this August pa man daw pohon. It is the formal initiation into CFC life. For my part, I will be a participant daw cum service team member. Asa pa ko ana? It is gonna run for 12 Sundays here. We hope naa pud mi madagit nga mga Khmer, try nako from CWF. Hehe, la ta kahibaw..

Time with the Volunteers

Last Monday, Greg talked to me about not being visible and not spending time with the volunteers. I don't come to the volunteer house, and he doesn't see me in school daw so he's starting to wonder if I work at CWF at all. Hehe, pag Friday pa na sya nicomment, 13 June when we went out to Liquid Bar at St 278. Sabot man diay mi mag-istorya about our Level 2 classes kay morag tagduha man amo gihandle ani nga level.

Di man gud ko tigkuyog sa ila mga happening kay naa may bayad, mogasto na man pud ko. La gud ko nikuyog nila to Kratie, morag mao toy pinakadaku na event na wala nako adtoa. Anyway, makatrabaho na man nya ko pohon. Kakwarta na ko aron makahang out w/them. Amen!

Moving Again!

From the looks of it, basin adto na pud ko puyo ila Ate Maline (from Tagbilaran) ig July pohon. Mouli na man ang iyang current housemate nga si Ding, iya ra pud igso. Hahay, ikatulo na tawn ni nako balay diri PP --first, in St 200 then after two months, St 472. Cge lng, basin mao jud cguro ni ako kapalaran kay I insisted on being here man even if I could've gone home or stayed on in SG. Naa gihapoy purpose ang tanan, God will reveal His plans for me soon. I keep the faith!

Change

I am now teaching at the kindergarten level here in PP, at Western Intl School in Toulkork. I started last 1 July as substitute for Ms Shirley Sisante's classes. Math mi Monday-Tuesday, Science Thu-Fri and activity kung Friday.

Lingawon na lng nako ako self didto. Coz I got this job just when I told the Lord 'mag-agwanta ko diri Cambodia Lord coz I dun wanna go back to my life in USC anymore'. Bigay Nya to e.

Incidentally, the previous occupant of the flat I looked at last 18 June at St 480, Nick from Britain is also teaching there. The 1st thing he said to me was "Did u get the flat?"

May dahilan ang lahat. I just keep the faith.

1st Week, Decision

I think I survived my 1st wk at CWF. I'm still unsettled but I think as we go on, I'll relax some more. It's my 1st time kasi to be teaching English and I'm adjusting to the fact that I'm teaching basic levels this time, 2 classes. But I like my level 7 and level 8 huh!

I wanna wish 2 friends all the best. May they have a happy life together. Ug ni Melissa pa lagi before, "Di sya lang ang lalaki sa mundo no?"Yah right, Lis; good luck to us always!

Volunteering in Cambodia

Maybe if I didn't move to St 472, I also wouldn't have found this volunteering job at CWF. I saw their poster at WW Web internet cafe and that's how I thought of volunteering w/ them. I simply walked into the school on 8th May.

Most of the volunteers live at the Volunteer House on St 147, about 10 mins walk to the school. I live quite close by actually.

St 155 is the busiest street in our part of town. Last Monday, 2 June in the morning, I saw Abbey, Chris, and Greg w/ his laptop at Coffee Korner. Then in the afternoon, I saw Amy walking at St 155 again w/ her boyfriend who is visiting.

It is amusing, these volunteers are part of my life now. I realize I have not been interacting w/ a mix of people since ISS days! Coz in NUS most of the students were really from China and India, only the exchange students are the Westerners.

Last Saturday, 31 May we girls went to church --Abbey, Amy, Jane, Teresa and I. The usher at the church even asked us, "Which country are you from?" Then she checked herself and said "Oh, different countries" Heheh..

Yesterday, 7 June only Abbey, Chris, Teresa and I went to church. The others had their own schedule. But hopefully we can have this Saturday schedule alrdy.

Today I saw Greg just outside the school. I was waiting for Teresa. Told him I sent out my CV to schools while they went to the province, Kratie. He said he might also try to look for a job here in Cambodia after our term at the school has ended.

It's all amusing, I keep the faith. God bless our plans!

CWF

Today we had our 1st Khmer lesson at CWF. I got the chance to meet the other volunteers as well. Most of them are young, in their 20s but there are three who are elders and one from Singapore who is maybe three years older than me. Most are from Australia, but there are also from US, Singapore (as previously mentioned), New Zealand, Britain and Italy. I hope to get to know them more as our term progresses. Our English classes would start on 9th June pohon. Vive le Cambodge!

The elders are: Jane from New Zealand, Neville and Rodney from Australia

The Americans are Joe and Greg

The other Aussies are Abbey and Chris from the Australian Army, and Amy who used to work in property and is on her way to the UK

The Singaporean is Teresa

There's Sarah from UK and Giada from Italy who just completed their TEFL training

That's about the gang :-)

Trio Pa Rin

After a really long time, Christian accepted my friend request in Friendster. Si Jayeel also accepted my Friend request just today. Sheryl is alrdy on my Friendster list, a long time ago. Trio pa rin, memorable NUS times. Hehe, good luck to us all!

Sheryl

Last night, I got a very surprising message from Sheryl, my good friend from NUS days. She said I am very welcome to live w/ them at the Ruth Ministry House in Lakeside for a while. Wow, she's really an amazing friend who just refuses to give up on me! She, I really hope to see you in Sing again in future. God bless us always!

PhD

It keeps coming back to haunt me, because what will I do for the rest of my life if I don't stay in the academe/university? Yes, I think that I would still be doing PhD in future, I can try again after my NUS fiasco. Besides, I REALLY do miss studying in Europe. I just need to rest for a while then I can fight again.

I emailed my good friend Reginald, from Kenya for his thoughts. He's finishing his PhD at the Oxford Mission Studies Centre. He gave me real nice insights. Good luck to us my dear friend!

I just keep the faith.

Small World

I started on the YM with Angel Espiritu yesterday. Tua na man diay sya sa Ortigas. He said magiging colleague daw nya soon si Stephanie Anne Sala or Tippy for short. Wow, haven't heard from her for a very long time indeed! She even became my student in Econ 51. Angel said she's been living in New York but she came home to get married. To whom he doesn't know. Small world ra jud no?