DEAR KUYA ATBP. KWENTONG CANADA

"Dear Kuya, kamusta ka na jan, anong balita?

Malamig ba jan? Dito mainit...

Ngunit pag bumagyo para bang lahat ng tubig sa mundo ay nandito..

Matagal narin, mula ng ikay magpasyang subukan ang swerte..."

Ito ang kanta ng bandang Sugarfree na ginawa para sa mga kapatid, kapamilya at kaibigang nangingibang-bansa.   Kanta na nagpapahayag ng damdamin ng pamilyang naiwan dito sa Pilipinas, mga kaibigang nag-aalala at mga kapamilyang nagmamahal. Marami akong mga kaibigan na napilitan o piniling mangibang-bansa at bukas, madadagdagan na naman ang bilang nila. Bagong kaibigan ko si Hubert, nakilala ko sa Music Ministry ng aming Christian Church (WIN Pateros). Lilipad siya bukas patungong Alberta, Canada sa sponsorship ng Papa niyang immigrant doon. Doon na niya ipagpapatuloy ang pag-aaral. Mababawasan ng isang miyembro ang Ministry sa pag-alis niya at mami-miss namin ang kakulitan niya.

Si Hubert ay isa lamang sa maraming Pilipino na mas piniling iwan ang bansang kinalakhan para mahanap ang mas magandang kinabukasan sa dako pa roon. Hindi natin maaaring husgahan ang sino man sa kanila sapagkat aminin man natin o hindi ay sadyang hindi kayang ibigay ng ating mahal na bayang Pilipinas ang mga oportunidad at kinabukasan na maibibigay ng mga bansa sa Kanluran.

Dalawang araw mula ngayon ay mararating na niya ang pangalawang pinakamalaking bansa sa mundo. Ang bansa na kilala sa kanilang "diversity" at "multi-culturalism". Ang bansa nina Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne at ang siyempre di natin pwedeng di banggitin sa Justin Bieber.  Kilala ang Canada bilang bansa na kung saan may snow sa loob ng halos buong taon (maliban sa Alberta na considered as the sunniest province in Canada). Ang Canada ang bansang pinipili ng maraming Pilipinong nagbabalak manirahan sa ibang bansa. Doon, may excellent Health Care Services at napakaraming job opportunities. At maituturing man silang isang English nation, maraming mga bagay na masasabing "Only In Canada".

Kilala ang mga Canadian sa pagiging likas na mabait. Natural sa kanila ang mag apologize if somebody steps  on their foot and the other apologizes for making the other apologize for it. At kilala sila sa kanilang unique na vocabulary. Hindi ka maituturing na Canadian kung di mo alam ang ibig sabihin ng chesterfield, poutine, serviette at toque. Ang letter "Z" ay tinatawag na "ZED" as in "X-Y-Zed". Ang biever ay isang napaka-importanteng hayop. Ang Ice Hockey ay napaka-importanteng laro na di pwedeng palampasin.

Alam namin na sa Canada, ang aming kaibigan ay nasa mabuting mga kamay. Ngunit gaya nga ng laging sinasabi ng lahat ng aming mga kaibigan at kasamahan sa pananampalataya, "Wag kang makakalimot lumingon sa iyong pinanggalingan". Maaaring napakaganda ng mga bagay na maibibigay ng mga bansa sa kanluran, ngunit para sa akin, wala paring mas hihigit sa pagmamahal at pag-aaruga ng mga kaibigan, kapitbahay at kapamilyang Pilipino. Iba parin na tumatanda ka na kasama ang mga kaibigang iyong kasamang kinalakihan. Iba parin pag nagigising ka sa umaga sa agahan na pandesal at kape at sa tanghali ay kasalo ang pamilya sa pagkain ng sinigang, adobo o tuyo at itlog na pula na may kamatis. Iba parin talaga sa Pilipinas at iba parin talaga kapiling ang mga Pilipino.

Sa'yo Hubert, Bon Voyage! Maligayang Paglalakbay at naway gabayan ka ng Diyos sa mga kakaharapin ong pagsubok sa dayuhang bansa. Humayo ka kaibigan at wag mong kalimutang humingi lagi ng gabay sa taas! Salamat sa mga ala-ala at  mga masasayang tugtugan!

:)

ANG PANSIT CANTON AT ANG PILIPINAS

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Tanghali na ako nagising kanina at parang feel ko kumain ng Pansit Canton. Di pa man ako nakakapag-hilamos ay lumabas na ako para bumili sa 24hrs na tindahan sa may labasan. Inabot sa akin ang binili kong Lucky Me Pansit Canton Kalamansi Flavor at... watdapak! P9.00 na pala ang pansit canton. Bihira na kasi ako kumain ng noodles kaya di ko alam na ang mahal na pala. Nung hyskul ako, P5.00 palang yun.. Tumaas na pala ng P4.00 sa loob ng limang taon.

Nung college ako, pag nagkaka-gipitan sa allowance, pansit canton ang tinitira namin. Yun ang pagkain ng mga gipit sa pera dati (at syempre sa mga tamad magluto). Pero ngayon na P9.00 na ang panist canton at P8.00 ang instant noodles, maituturing pa ba itong "affordable"? At syempre, ang bottom line, mahal na ang preso ng gasolina kaya mahal na lahat. Eh kapag bumababa ba ang presyo ng gasolina, magbababa din ang bilihin? Hindi! Halimbawa, ilang buwan na ang nakakaraan, tumaas umano ang demand ng asukal sa world market na naging dahilan ng pagbulusok ng presyo ng asukal sa bansa. Ngunit hanggang ngayon ba ay nagkakaroon parin ng ganoong problema? Hindi na po. Subalit bakit ngayon ay P18.00 na ang 1/4 na kilo ng segundang asukal na dating P8.50 lang? Maraming mga katanungan ang nasa isipan ng mga ordinaryong mamamayan ng Pilipinas. Bakit mahal ang asukal gayong nasa Pilipinas ang malalaking 'sugarcane plantation' na pag-aari pa nga ng pamilya ng ating mahal na Pangulo. Bakit gayon na lamang ang mahal ng bigas gayong nasa Pilipinas ang pinaka-malalaking palayan? Kung umaangkat man tayo ng bigas sa mga karatig bansa, hindi rin dapat ganoon kalaki ang deperensya. Ang LPG, tuloy-tuloy din ang pagtaas, magro-rollback lamang ng kaunti ngunit tataas din ng doble o higit pa sa ibinaba. Pati nga uling na dating P150 lang ang sako, ngayon P250 na. Ano na lamang ang gagawin ng mga mahihirap na pamilyang Pilipino? Hanggang reklamo nalang, dahil wala namang magagawa, hindi mo naman pwedeng boykotin ang bigas, asukal at mantika dahil kailangan ito sa pang-araw-araw.

Sa lahat ng ito, kawawa ang mga mahihirap na mamamayan na walang magagawa kundi sikmurain ang pagbulusok ng presyo ng bilihin, maswerte ang mga mayayamang negosyante na nagmo-monopolize ng industriya. Kawawa ang mga drayber na sinisikmura ang pagtaas ng presyong petrolyo, kawawa ang mga pasahero naaapektuhan ng  pagtaas ng pamasahe, maswerte ang BIG 3 na tinatawag, mga monopolistikong  malalaking kompanya ng langis na tanging nagkakaroon ng benepisyo sa paghihirap ng mga simpleng Pilipino. Kawawa ang mga mahihirap na maysakit na walang magagawa kundi bilhin ang mahal na gamot na pini-prescribe ng doctor, maswerte ang mga malalaking pharmaceutical companies na bumuo ng oligopolyo upang makontrol at mai-fix ang presyo ng mga gamot sa domestik na pamilihan. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit mga bata palang tayo ay naririnig na natin ang mga katagang, "Sa Pilipinas, lalong yumayaman ang mayayaman at lalong humihirap ang mahihirap." Nung bata ako, akala ko lahat tayo ay magiging maalwan ang buhay kung magsisikap lang at magtatyaga, akala ko tamad lang ang nagiging mahirap. Ngunit habang lumalaki ako at nagiging saksi sa kalupitan ng mundo, napagtanto kong hindi lahat ng nagsisikap ay umaangat. Dahil dito sa bansa natin, wala ang tinatawag na "equal opportunity". Equal opportunity to excel, equal opportunity to express, equal opportunity to be heard at equal opportunity to justice. Lahat ng ito ay hindi makikita sa Pilipinas. Sa halos lahat ng pagkakataon (kung hindi man sa lahat), mayayaman lang ang nagkakaroon ng boses.

At kung gaano naman kamahal ang bilihin dito sa aking bansa, siya namang mura ng buhay ng tao. Saan pa ba, kundi dito ka lamang makakakita ng buhay na nakikitil dahil sa cellphone na nagkakahalang P1,000 o mga taong tinutumba ng hired killer na binabayaran ng sampung libo. Dito nabibili ng mura ang hustisya. Naaareglo ang kasong pagpatay o rape sa dalawampung libo at nababayaran ang otoridad para sa proteksyon ng malalaking sindikato. Dito rin mura lang ang dignidad. Mga taong ipagpapalit ang dangal at prinsipyo at sinumpaan sa bayan para sa kaunting halaga gaya ng mga heneral ng hukbong tanggulan na lumilibot sa mundo para magbakasyon gamit ang pera ng bayan. Dito iniiwan ng mga ama, ina at anak ang kanilang pamilya upang makipagsapalaran kapalit ang maliit na halaga at minsan ay nagpapahamak pa sa kanila.

Mahal ko ang Pilipinas, paulit-ulit ko itong sinasabi simula noong kinder kung kailan natutunan kong bigkasin ang Panatang Makabayan at kantahin ang Lupang Hiniranag, para sa akin, napakaganda ng aking bansa, dahilan upang araw-araw ay dalawin ito ng mga turista, ngunit ang mga katotohanan na kumakalabit sa akin sa tuwing nakakakita ako ng batang natutulog sa kalye at nakakapanood ng balita sa telebisyon tungkol sa krimen, kahirapan at korapsyon, di ko mapigilang manghinayang. Ako ay isang Pilipino, nagta-Tagalog, kumakain ng fishball at kwek-kwek, isaw at adidas, mahilig ako sa pansit canton gaya iba kong kababayan at ako ay buhay na saksi sa mga malungkot na pangyayari sa lipunan. Dahil sa pansit canton na kinain ko kaninang agahan, napagtanto kong muli ang isang malaking katotohanan na pilit kong iniiwasan... MALALA NA NGA TALAGA ANG SAKIT NG MAHAL KONG BAYAN.

CLICK THE PHOTO BELOW TO VOTE TAYLOR SWIFT AS ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR AT THE ACADEMY FOR COUNTRY MUSIC (ACM) AWARDS...

Histrionic Personality Disorder (HDP)

Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a personality disorder characterized by a pattern of excessive emotionality and attention-seeking, including an excessive need for approval and inappropriate seductiveness, usually beginning in early adulthood. These individuals are lively, dramatic, enthusiastic, and flirtatious.

They may be inappropriately sexually provocative, express strong emotions with an impressionistic style, and be easily influenced by others. Associated features may include egocentrism, self-indulgence, continuous longing for appreciation, feelings that are easily hurt, and persistent manipulative behavior to achieve their own needs.

People with histrionic personality disorder usually have GOOD SOCIAL SKILLS, but they tend to use these skills to MANIPULATE other people and become the CENTER OF ATTENTION. Furthermore, histrionic personality disorder may affect a person's social or romantic relationships or their ability to cope with losses or failures.

People with this disorder lack genuine empathy. They start relationships well but tend to falter when depth and durability are needed, alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation. They may seek treatment for depression when romantic relationships end, although this is by no means a feature exclusive to this disorder.

Additional symptoms include:

* Exhibitionist behavior.
* Constant seeking of reassurance or approval.
* Excessive dramatics with exaggerated displays of emotions.
* Excessive sensitivity to criticism or disapproval.
* Inappropriately seductive appearance or behavior.
* Excessive concern with physical appearance.
* Somatic symptoms, and using these symptoms as a means of garnering attention.
* A need to be the center of attention.
* Low tolerance for frustration or delayed gratification.
* Rapidly shifting emotional states that may appear superficial or exaggerated to others.
* Tendency to believe that relationships are more intimate than they actually are.
* Making rash decisions.

Teenage Heartbreak, End of The World? (Of course not!)

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Love is a strange thing. When you are young and thinks you are in-love, you tend to do weird things, fall for weird people and fall apart in the weirdest way imaginable. I am pretty matured now, but every time I read teenage magazines and see teenage girls giggling over crushes and high school lovers, it feels like a time capsule is bringing me back to the old days.

I was pretty young the first time I fell in love, although I didn't know yet the difference between true love and puppy love that time. And when you're the teacher's daughter striving to be on top of the roll, boys seems to be distant. Nobody really courted me for real even until I was third year. I occasionally get love letters taped under my desk from "anonymous" senders saying "I'm cute" and "they are shy", those kinds of thing.... but there was no formal courtship. I somehow envy my girlfriends who had suitors who visits them at home on weekends and got boyfriends with their parent's blessing. Everybody says I'm lovely and smart and jolly and talented and all that, but I asked myself "Why in the world don't I have a boyfriend?". A question left unanswered until a few months later. Not to mention, my dad specifically said "NO BOYFRIEND TILL AFTER COLLEGE!", and that was one rule so hard to follow.

First, I will share my story with Chris (real name hidden for the person's privacy), a guy whom I had a huge crush for sometime. I started to notice him in second year. He was a petite boy with a clean cut and very neat. he is an awesome dancer and does "back flips" flawlessly. He plays the guitar and plays baseball for the athletic meet and he has a very good handwriting (I know, coz I often sneak at his testpapers on my mom's desk, I often hide some of them). My mom handled their Filipino class until they're senior year, and I can hardly count the times when I interrupt their class, calling my mom to ask for random things (money, ballpen, paper or even ask stupid questions) just so he could notice me. During the Student Council room-to-room campaign, I had the longest speech on the senior class. I absolutely did everything to get noticed but it seemed like non of them worked. Everytime I received anonymous letters I keenly checked the penmanship but nothing matched. He often smiles at me whenever we pass by each other (and of course I giggled to death) but that was all, nothing more. On the night of Student Council Induction Party, I finally had the courage to do what a decent teenage girl wasn't supposed to do. I asked him one huge question, "DO YOU LIKE ME OR NOT?" A moment of silence.... then he walked away without a word. I was horrified, embarrassed, disgusted and broken. I went home crying, I wasn't able to finish the party. The following morning, his bestfriend gave me a letter. It was from him, saying he was sorry and that he just didn't know what to say the other night. And there was the answer to the question of why I don't have a boyfriend. He said, "I liked you since last year. It's  just that it won't be possible. I'm afraid to embarrass your mom, she might get mad at me if I court you. And I'm not good enough for you. You were up there smart and pretty. I am down here, with nothing." (that was really his statement and I kept that letter until my latest heartbreak last year when I decided to burn everything from my past, which I regret now). Then after that, I realize I never really loved him--- just INFATUATED. I was just stunned for his looks and therefore fantasize as what normal teens do. Then I moved on with my life. That was basically my first cry, not knowing that a lot will follow as year will go.

Months after that, I finally had my first boyfriend. But I won't elaborate more about him, coz I can hardly put in detail how I lost him. But I lost him a year and three months after, in the most painful way that you can possibly lost someone (you probably have a vague idea of what I mean).

After all, I realized that there's more to life than a high school romance that turned sour. I got a chance to meet other guys and even though most of them didn't work the way I wanted them to, I still stood up after every fall and moved forward.

In the past five years, I've been loved and dumped a couple of times already. And apart from the pain and heartaches, I learned a lot of lessons. 1) a teenage heartbreak is never the end of it all 2) a lot is yet to come during the rest and after our teenage days 3) when somebody leaves, it's an opportunity to find a better one 4) people come and go so you really can't expect everybody to stay, and 5) Everything happens for a reason -- so if you are in a difficult, painful situation today, keep believing that something good will soon come your way. Take it from me... I've been there!

---------------------------------------------

P.S.

I heard about Chris a few weeks ago (seven years after what happened), and I learned that he is currently in a serious commitment with another dude. Yes, I learned that he is homosexual. And I was enlightened... that's probably why! :)

THE CLIMB (The Mt. Sembrano Adventure Photo Blog)

"Ain't about how fast I get there, ain't about what's waiting on the other side... 

It's the CLIMB..."

The Passion

Outdoor adventures had already been my interest since I was young. When you're a girl who spent half of your growing years in a place around 100 miles away from the city, surrounded by mountains and hills (Chocolate Hills to be exact), you can't really help but appreciate nature and the wonderful adventures it can offer. When almost all people my age are fascinated with beach hoping, clubbing and spending long hours shopping, I am more interested in mountain climbing, hiking and caving. Being a Girl Scout since eight probably contributed much to that interest. My mom, who is a Girl Scout Leader and Coordinator thought me at a young age on how to make fire from a bamboo stick and make an improvised oven by digging a hole in the ground. She was also my first harness mentor. I didn't mind getting bruises and skin burns. For me, an adventure is never complete without a couple of minor scratches.

Mt. Sembrano 

Mt. Sembrano is a famous hiking destination sitting at the helm of Jalajala Peninsula near Laguna Lake in a way that the lake surrounds the mountain in three sides. It used to be a haven of NPA insurgents, but in the past few years, it's one of the most famous destination of mountaineers from the Manila area. The summit is 745 m above sea level. 

The Climbers' Trail

When I started working more than a year ago, the adventures ceased. But after 20 months after my last climb, an opportunity for another adventure knocked. My boyfriend's bro will be climbing with his peers and Jhabar and I will take an adventure together for the first time. I, Jhabar (my boyfriend), Daddy Eddie (his dad), Kuya Jet (his older bro), Jan-jan (his cousin's hubby) and six other guys headed to Pilillia, Rizal one cold Saturday night.

Kuya Jet, Janjan, Jhabar, Poi and the others..

Kuya Jet inside his tent upon arrival to the camp.

Kuya Jonel and her girlfriend (both professional mountaineers)

Jhabar and I

I (muse?), Poi, Mark, Kenneth, Janjan

Daddy Eddie with the rest of the guys in a tree house at the second jump off on our way home

The Climb

January 22, 2011 marked another unforgettable adventure. We decided to climb at night to avoid the scorching heat of the sun. When we reached the jump off, it was raining a bit, but there's no turning back anymore. We decided to start hiking at around 11:30 pm. The trail was slippery. At the first few meters of the climb, I almost fainted due to oxygen loss. It had been a while since the last time I hiked (not to mention that I never jogged or worked out all those times). But after a few minutes of rest, we decided to move forward. Jhabar too, had a hard time. It was his first time ever to climb a mountain and although he had been working out, his muscles is not accustomed to such a pressure. Daddy Eddie at 60 years old climbing with young people never said a thing (but after reaching the camp, he said he almost gave up but he never did). The rest of the group are constant climbers, so it was easy for them to climb a Level 2 Moderate climbing destination. The others never complained, so I decided to shut up no matter how painful my feet are. I don't want to be a pain in the ass mentioning that I am the only girl in the group.

After two hours of "rest-walk-rest", we finally reached the first stop-over, Manggahan Camp. It was almost 2am (Sunday). At the camp, a  family of climbers were waiting for us, Kuya Jonel (Janjan's cousin) who is a professorial climber (he had already climbed the most famous mountains in Asia and personally know those legendary Filipinos who first climb Mt. Everest) is camping with us together with his girlfriend (at least I'm no longer the only girl in the group now) and his 10 year-old son. They are warming up for a Mt. Apo climb the following week.  We set up our tents, had an hour of talk and decided to rest for the day ahead.

The following morning, we were supposed to climb the summit ( a 30mins climb from the camp) but decided not to do so anymore for nobody will be left to watch over our things. We just spent the next 2 days laughing at the camp and chilling at the Manggahan Falls nearby. We just watched a couple of groups climbing the summit.

Chef Cook Lee (Janjan) :)

The View
Making use of his self-taught photography skills, Jhabar took time to take as many pictures as possible (unfortunately, we don't have much photos together since only the two of us knows how to use the DSLR focus, and auto focusing sucks!). The place is great and he is so stunned not to mention that it was the first time he encountered such a view of nature (because he is a city guy).

The two nights and two days we spent 500 m above sea level had been nothing but great. It felt great to finally unwind after months of city-life stress. After lunch on January 24 (Monday), we went down bringing home a hope for another adventure.

_____________________

More photos at http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=1071362528