Wala, I just really need to rant.
San ka ba naman nakakita ng boss na 3mos na ako dito pero last week lang ako pinakilala sa mga tao na makaka-work ko???? Tapos ang dami-dami hinihingi na kesyo kunin ko raw sa mga tao, eh duh, pano naman nila ako susundin kung hindi nila ako kilala??
Fine, you're brilliant sa mga bagay-bagay na naiisip mo gawin, pero zero time management and people skills. San ba merong meeting na scheduled from 2-5 (3hrs na yun ah) tapos mag-e-extend pa ng hanggang 7pm. Or from 1-7 ang schedule tapos aabot ng 11pm. At parati yun, hindi siya exception to the rule. Masyado kang concentrated sa own goals mo, tapos pasing-tabi na lang yung mga goals namin na sarili (na ikaw din naman nag-set). So hindi na lang kami matutulog para matapos lahat yun? Hindi naman ako allergic sa OT, pero mag-meeting for 10hrs??? At wala pa akong laptop so wala akong magawang work.
At papa-attendin niya ako ng meeting para ma-build ang credibility ko pero sa dulo ng meeting, susulpot siya at siya ang sasagot sa mga tanong. Pano ba naman yun?!?
Ewan ewan ewan.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
dirt is good!
Kids don't seem to get enough dirt on their hands these days. Almost everyone's locked up in their rooms, busy with too many gadgets. They don't play on the streets anymore, they're growing up too soon.
Alam pa kaya nila yung mga Tumbang Preso, Langit Lupa, TouchBall, mga ganun? I remember when I was a kid, we'd call each other up pa, fresh from our afternoon naps tapos sabay-sabay lalabas. Flores de Mayo muna tapos maglalaro na hanggang mga 6pm. We also became experts in pretend-napping haha :) Mga tipong halatang di naman natutulog kasi kurap nang kurap hehehe. Pero ang saya nun :)
Obviously, I don't play on the streets anymore, but I like acting like a "street-kid" sometimes. Super sarap kaya ng street food!!! Andiyan ang taho, kwek-kwek, fishballs, squid balls, hilaw na mangga, dirty ice cream, cocktail hotdogs, hot monay with cheese, at marami pang iba!! Actually, I like working in noisy and dirty Manila kasi laganap ang street food! Heaven kada umaga! Ayaw ko sumabay sa shuttle ng Uni kasi gusto ko maglakad kasi may nagbebenta ng kwek-kwek sa may tricycle terminal. Weeee! Na-d-disappoint ako pag wala yung nagbebenta. I get more than enough of the correct dosage of eggs per week, pero wala akong pake. Tapos marami pang nagbebenta ng taho. Weeee!! Kulang na lang ang dirty ice cream :(
Gusto ko rin nag-t-tricycle at nag-j-jeep. Kaka-miss simula nung nag-trabaho ako sa Makati. Ang saya kaya sumakay dun sa likod ng tricycle at sa harap ng jeep. Wala lang :) It's refreshing to do kasi batang kalye naman talaga ako, not a Makati yuppie. Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against yuppies, minsan din I like acting like a yuppie pero kapagod minsan mag-formal-formal-an ah.
And if it's a choice between sosi food like caviar and pate or what-have-yous vs street food, street food hands-down!!! :) Di mo talaga kami mapapakain ni Jai sa mga super-sosi na kainan na tipong 5K a meal. Ay ewan ko pala sa kanya, baka gusto niya yun.. Pero ako, ayaw. The most expensive food I'd eat that I'd consider sulit din is steak. Gusto ko rin siguro ma-try yung mga caviar-caviar pero hindi pa siguro ngayon :)
Yun lang :) Dirt is good sometimes!
-----
"Dirt is Good" is a 2005 advocacy program of Unilever :) Walang sinabi about "dirty" food pero pareho na rin yun! :) Hehehe.
Children get dirty when they play, and play has numerous benefits. If children are prevented from getting dirty, they miss out on a raft of developmental benefits.
Young children need the stimulation of play to develop their physical abilities. The outdoors is one of the best physical play environments there is, with freedom to run, jump, skip and develop other motor skills and co-ordination through ball games and other activities that help keep children healthy. Stopping children from playing because of a fear of dirt means that they miss out on valuable chances to fully develop their physical skills.
Play helps children learn about the physical environment around them, how it sounds, smells and feels. Play also gives children the opportunity to practice skills that they have learned over and over until they are perfected, for example when learning to use a paintbrush or ride a bicycle.
Play also encourages creative thinking in young children, and this develops their ability to challenge the conventional, solve problems in new ways, and express themselves effectively . A child getting messy colouring a picture is experimenting with new ways of combining colours and representing thoughts. A child fixing their bike with a parent is learning how to solve problems by thinking creatively, even if they do get covered in oil.
So a child that is brought up to avoid dirt and mess at all costs is missing out on opportunities to develop their motor skills, learn about their environment, master new skills, and think creatively.
Alam pa kaya nila yung mga Tumbang Preso, Langit Lupa, TouchBall, mga ganun? I remember when I was a kid, we'd call each other up pa, fresh from our afternoon naps tapos sabay-sabay lalabas. Flores de Mayo muna tapos maglalaro na hanggang mga 6pm. We also became experts in pretend-napping haha :) Mga tipong halatang di naman natutulog kasi kurap nang kurap hehehe. Pero ang saya nun :)
Obviously, I don't play on the streets anymore, but I like acting like a "street-kid" sometimes. Super sarap kaya ng street food!!! Andiyan ang taho, kwek-kwek, fishballs, squid balls, hilaw na mangga, dirty ice cream, cocktail hotdogs, hot monay with cheese, at marami pang iba!! Actually, I like working in noisy and dirty Manila kasi laganap ang street food! Heaven kada umaga! Ayaw ko sumabay sa shuttle ng Uni kasi gusto ko maglakad kasi may nagbebenta ng kwek-kwek sa may tricycle terminal. Weeee! Na-d-disappoint ako pag wala yung nagbebenta. I get more than enough of the correct dosage of eggs per week, pero wala akong pake. Tapos marami pang nagbebenta ng taho. Weeee!! Kulang na lang ang dirty ice cream :(
Gusto ko rin nag-t-tricycle at nag-j-jeep. Kaka-miss simula nung nag-trabaho ako sa Makati. Ang saya kaya sumakay dun sa likod ng tricycle at sa harap ng jeep. Wala lang :) It's refreshing to do kasi batang kalye naman talaga ako, not a Makati yuppie. Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against yuppies, minsan din I like acting like a yuppie pero kapagod minsan mag-formal-formal-an ah.
And if it's a choice between sosi food like caviar and pate or what-have-yous vs street food, street food hands-down!!! :) Di mo talaga kami mapapakain ni Jai sa mga super-sosi na kainan na tipong 5K a meal. Ay ewan ko pala sa kanya, baka gusto niya yun.. Pero ako, ayaw. The most expensive food I'd eat that I'd consider sulit din is steak. Gusto ko rin siguro ma-try yung mga caviar-caviar pero hindi pa siguro ngayon :)
Yun lang :) Dirt is good sometimes!
-----
"Dirt is Good" is a 2005 advocacy program of Unilever :) Walang sinabi about "dirty" food pero pareho na rin yun! :) Hehehe.
Children get dirty when they play, and play has numerous benefits. If children are prevented from getting dirty, they miss out on a raft of developmental benefits.
Young children need the stimulation of play to develop their physical abilities. The outdoors is one of the best physical play environments there is, with freedom to run, jump, skip and develop other motor skills and co-ordination through ball games and other activities that help keep children healthy. Stopping children from playing because of a fear of dirt means that they miss out on valuable chances to fully develop their physical skills.
Play helps children learn about the physical environment around them, how it sounds, smells and feels. Play also gives children the opportunity to practice skills that they have learned over and over until they are perfected, for example when learning to use a paintbrush or ride a bicycle.
Play also encourages creative thinking in young children, and this develops their ability to challenge the conventional, solve problems in new ways, and express themselves effectively . A child getting messy colouring a picture is experimenting with new ways of combining colours and representing thoughts. A child fixing their bike with a parent is learning how to solve problems by thinking creatively, even if they do get covered in oil.
So a child that is brought up to avoid dirt and mess at all costs is missing out on opportunities to develop their motor skills, learn about their environment, master new skills, and think creatively.
Friday, February 15, 2008
pampalipas-oras
Sana puwedeng masaya na lang parati. Haaay lousy day.
-----
Bumisita sa office yung family ni Ven (boss ko) nung isang araw, lunchtime. Let me describe Ven.. Mukhang totoy pero may itsura. 30 years old pero 4 na ang kids :) At sunud-sunod ang mga edad :) His wife is a commercial model, mga tipong nag-v-vtr tryouts for commercials (her last project was Lactum). She most definitely doesn't look like a mom to 4 kids!! Feeling ko nga, baka may nakikipag-flirt pa sa kanya na college kids pag lumalabas siya :) Pero nalilihis na ako... :)
Si Ven.. Very visionary. He always wants to improve things, institute changes, mga tipong ganun. Very fluent magsalita. Business kung business pero mahilig din makipag-biruan. Hindi niya ata alam ang purpose ng powerpoint (na dapat bullet points lang) kasi puro full sentences ang nilalagay. Hmpf. Very picky sa form ng sentence - kung passive or active - binabago niya talaga to his liking! As in nauupo siya sa harap ng laptop namin para siya na lang ang mag-type. Eh mahilig pa naman ako mag-type, grrr. Workaholic!! Easily loses track of time. Minsan ang meeting namin extended ng 3hrs. At hindi yun exception, yun ang norm. So minsan gusto ko na talaga siya sapatusin dahil nag-allot lang ako ng 2hrs para sa meeting pero umaabot ng 5hrs. Asar. Hindi pa nakakaramdam ng gutom pag nag-m-meeting, helow, yung mga alaga ko sa tiyan, mabilis magreklamo! Kaya nakakaasar talaga. Interesado sa mga personal lives namin kaya kilala na niya si Jai kahit di pa sila nag-m-meet. Siya ang nagsabi sa'kin na based daw sa period na tumira siya sa Mindanao, lahat daw ng Tausug, may itsura. Eh Tausug si Jai.. Soooooo.. Jai therefore concluded, may itsura daw siya. Hahaha. At si Ven din ang parating nag-p-pose ng hypothetical question: what if nga, Eleanor, magkaron si Jai ng 2nd wife o 3rd o 4th.. Dumidilim talaga paningin ko, gusto ko siya sapatusin ulit. Maghahalo ang balat sa tinalupan, sinasabi ko na ngayon pa lang. Hahaha. Back to Ven.. Very generous with praise pero pukpukan din kung may hinihingi siya. Kasi makulit siya until ma-deliver mo ang hinihingi niya.
Anyway... I felt it was necessary to describe Ven before I went to the heart of my post. Di ko siya maintindihan minsan. He goes home 9pm, 10pm, minsan aabutin pa kami ng 12am. At pag umuwi siya, work pa rin ang inaatupag sa bahay. Di raw siya makatulog minsan kakaisip ng gagawin namin the next day, waaah! Nakakapag-quality time pa kaya siya with his kids and his wife? Kuwento niya nga, minsan daw naiilang sa kanya yung mga anak niya :( Ayaw ko ng ganun. Kaya, Jainal Jainal, in mga 5yrs time, pag 8pm na, umuwi ka na. Di na puwede yang 2-11pm shift. Hmpf. Takot ako mag-isa sa bahay so di talaga puwede late umuwi. Hmpf. Pero seryoso, ang lungkot nun pag di na niya namalayan, uy, malaki na pala mga anak ko. Pero di ko rin masisi minsan kasi housewife yung wife niya (kung wala siyang commercials), so basically, they're operating on a one-man budget... Ang hirap ata nun kahit pa feeling ko eh limpak-limpak ang salapi na nakukuha ni Ven sa Uni. Pero ewan, kung lalaki ako at ganun kaganda asawa ko, di ko ata matitiis na umuwi ng late parati.. Tsaka cute nung mga kids niya at well-behaved, sayang kung ma-pass up ang opportunity na makita niya sila na lumalaki :( Pero ang saya nung bumisita sila kasi 1 big happy family sa office :) Soooo... bibisita rin ako sa office ni Jai pag marami na kids. Para cute kami tingnan. Hahahaha ang babaw :)
-----
I cannot believe talo ang Purefoods. Ng Sta.Lucia. As in omygulay, naglalaro pa pala si Dennis Espino at si Marlou Aquino?? Hahaha :) At in fairness, may fans naman sila. Hehehe :) Sayang, andun pa naman si Kris at Sunshine Cruz, cheering on Papa James. Bawi na lang sa Game 2 :)
-----
Walang kwentang post. Haaaay. Just felt like I needed to take my mind off some things.
-----
Bumisita sa office yung family ni Ven (boss ko) nung isang araw, lunchtime. Let me describe Ven.. Mukhang totoy pero may itsura. 30 years old pero 4 na ang kids :) At sunud-sunod ang mga edad :) His wife is a commercial model, mga tipong nag-v-vtr tryouts for commercials (her last project was Lactum). She most definitely doesn't look like a mom to 4 kids!! Feeling ko nga, baka may nakikipag-flirt pa sa kanya na college kids pag lumalabas siya :) Pero nalilihis na ako... :)
Si Ven.. Very visionary. He always wants to improve things, institute changes, mga tipong ganun. Very fluent magsalita. Business kung business pero mahilig din makipag-biruan. Hindi niya ata alam ang purpose ng powerpoint (na dapat bullet points lang) kasi puro full sentences ang nilalagay. Hmpf. Very picky sa form ng sentence - kung passive or active - binabago niya talaga to his liking! As in nauupo siya sa harap ng laptop namin para siya na lang ang mag-type. Eh mahilig pa naman ako mag-type, grrr. Workaholic!! Easily loses track of time. Minsan ang meeting namin extended ng 3hrs. At hindi yun exception, yun ang norm. So minsan gusto ko na talaga siya sapatusin dahil nag-allot lang ako ng 2hrs para sa meeting pero umaabot ng 5hrs. Asar. Hindi pa nakakaramdam ng gutom pag nag-m-meeting, helow, yung mga alaga ko sa tiyan, mabilis magreklamo! Kaya nakakaasar talaga. Interesado sa mga personal lives namin kaya kilala na niya si Jai kahit di pa sila nag-m-meet. Siya ang nagsabi sa'kin na based daw sa period na tumira siya sa Mindanao, lahat daw ng Tausug, may itsura. Eh Tausug si Jai.. Soooooo.. Jai therefore concluded, may itsura daw siya. Hahaha. At si Ven din ang parating nag-p-pose ng hypothetical question: what if nga, Eleanor, magkaron si Jai ng 2nd wife o 3rd o 4th.. Dumidilim talaga paningin ko, gusto ko siya sapatusin ulit. Maghahalo ang balat sa tinalupan, sinasabi ko na ngayon pa lang. Hahaha. Back to Ven.. Very generous with praise pero pukpukan din kung may hinihingi siya. Kasi makulit siya until ma-deliver mo ang hinihingi niya.
Anyway... I felt it was necessary to describe Ven before I went to the heart of my post. Di ko siya maintindihan minsan. He goes home 9pm, 10pm, minsan aabutin pa kami ng 12am. At pag umuwi siya, work pa rin ang inaatupag sa bahay. Di raw siya makatulog minsan kakaisip ng gagawin namin the next day, waaah! Nakakapag-quality time pa kaya siya with his kids and his wife? Kuwento niya nga, minsan daw naiilang sa kanya yung mga anak niya :( Ayaw ko ng ganun. Kaya, Jainal Jainal, in mga 5yrs time, pag 8pm na, umuwi ka na. Di na puwede yang 2-11pm shift. Hmpf. Takot ako mag-isa sa bahay so di talaga puwede late umuwi. Hmpf. Pero seryoso, ang lungkot nun pag di na niya namalayan, uy, malaki na pala mga anak ko. Pero di ko rin masisi minsan kasi housewife yung wife niya (kung wala siyang commercials), so basically, they're operating on a one-man budget... Ang hirap ata nun kahit pa feeling ko eh limpak-limpak ang salapi na nakukuha ni Ven sa Uni. Pero ewan, kung lalaki ako at ganun kaganda asawa ko, di ko ata matitiis na umuwi ng late parati.. Tsaka cute nung mga kids niya at well-behaved, sayang kung ma-pass up ang opportunity na makita niya sila na lumalaki :( Pero ang saya nung bumisita sila kasi 1 big happy family sa office :) Soooo... bibisita rin ako sa office ni Jai pag marami na kids. Para cute kami tingnan. Hahahaha ang babaw :)
-----
I cannot believe talo ang Purefoods. Ng Sta.Lucia. As in omygulay, naglalaro pa pala si Dennis Espino at si Marlou Aquino?? Hahaha :) At in fairness, may fans naman sila. Hehehe :) Sayang, andun pa naman si Kris at Sunshine Cruz, cheering on Papa James. Bawi na lang sa Game 2 :)
-----
Walang kwentang post. Haaaay. Just felt like I needed to take my mind off some things.
work-related
I realized recently na masyado akong ma-reklamo sa trabaho ko. Hehehe :) I talked with Jne, and we both realized may kanya-kanya kaming kalbaryo sa trabaho. We may not have the exact same problems, but we each have our fair share. Minsan kasi wini-wish ko, palit na lang kami ng roles...
Anyway, there are some major developments - huge projects! I'm excited and scared at the same time. Excited kasi the returns would be big kung magawa namin siya nang maayos, scared kasi hindi ko sure kung kaya ko. It's a change project kasi, and I realized managing a change project is one of my weaknesses. Mahina loob ko when I'm tasked to change people's mindsets and ways of working, especially here kasi bago lang ako and I have to talk to people who have been here for a very long time. Resistance is very high talaga. Parang, "sino ka para pagsabihan kami?" Haaay.
But anyway :) No guts, no glory! High risk, high return ito! :) Cool!
On another note... I also realized, the promise of money keeps me going month on month. Sino ba namang hindi? But what really inspires me day to day is words of affirmation and recognition. Pawi lahat ng pagod! Funny how a few words can have such a big impact :) This hardly came by in my previous job, and I'm happy na hindi makunat ang boss ko sa ganito. Ito ang trade-off sa kanyang pagiging madaldal sa meetings! Hehe :)
Pero puwede pa rin ako magreklamo paminsan-minsan oki? :)
Anyway, there are some major developments - huge projects! I'm excited and scared at the same time. Excited kasi the returns would be big kung magawa namin siya nang maayos, scared kasi hindi ko sure kung kaya ko. It's a change project kasi, and I realized managing a change project is one of my weaknesses. Mahina loob ko when I'm tasked to change people's mindsets and ways of working, especially here kasi bago lang ako and I have to talk to people who have been here for a very long time. Resistance is very high talaga. Parang, "sino ka para pagsabihan kami?" Haaay.
But anyway :) No guts, no glory! High risk, high return ito! :) Cool!
On another note... I also realized, the promise of money keeps me going month on month. Sino ba namang hindi? But what really inspires me day to day is words of affirmation and recognition. Pawi lahat ng pagod! Funny how a few words can have such a big impact :) This hardly came by in my previous job, and I'm happy na hindi makunat ang boss ko sa ganito. Ito ang trade-off sa kanyang pagiging madaldal sa meetings! Hehe :)
Pero puwede pa rin ako magreklamo paminsan-minsan oki? :)
Final Piece of a Puzzle
I found this post thru e-mail. I can't say I can totally relate, because I've lived here in Manila all my life, but somehow, her feelings about the Philippines mirror mine.
I would still love to have the opportunity to work abroad for a while - mainly to earn my keep. But never have I thought of settling down in another country. It's not to make a gallant stand (heroic pa nga ata by today's standards, considering the number of people who apply for visas these days) for the Philippines but because I really love it here. Feeling ko babalik at babalik lang din ako dito :)
-------
Final Piece of a Puzzle
By Krisanne Alcantara
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:57:00 02/09/2008
The great Filipino Diaspora has resulted in countless Filipinos settling down all over the world, in countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia. These Filipinos are admired for uprooting completely and attaining the coveted Western dream, all-inclusive of the dollar-earning corporate job, Mercedes-Benz, shiny Gap-clothed offspring and glittering palatial homes in the suburbs.
But let me tell you, all that glitters is not gold.
I know, because I am one of those Filipino-Australian /American offspring, part of
an entire generation of young Filipino adults who have lived and been raised "abroad," a generation who, despite being born into the Great American Dream of their progenitors, cannot help but suffer from some form of identity crisis.
I am the perfect case study. Born in Manila, shipped to Australia for 10 years, only to be relocated in America, then back in Australia during my adolescence, I had completely given up finding a place to call home. Consequently, for years I insisted on calling myself a "citizen of the world." By the ripe old age of 21, I was jaded and slightly defiant, if not a little confused.
That was until a week ago, when I found myself standing in the middle of a traffic-congested road with no distinct lanes, poorly attempting to "para" [halt] a jeepney in the thick of the Manila heat, knowing a total of 12 words in Tagalog and not knowing the difference between a P5 and a P10 coin -- and feeling right at home.
Coming back to the Philippines in my adulthood is akin to the satisfaction of finding that final piece of the puzzle and placing it snugly where it belongs. It is like filling an empty space that you never knew existed. "Where have you been all these years?" I wondered, as sweat poured down my brow and I was almost killed by a reckless taxi driver.
Ironically, I have lived the "dream life" abroad like so many Filipinos constantly tell me they are desperate for. Whenever I mention that I currently reside in Australia, this revelation is always immediately followed by something along the lines of "Ay, Australia, gusto ko 'dyan!" ["Australia, I want to be there!"]
And with good reason. Me too, I like it in Australia. It's practically impossible not to like the country. It is so clean and so green, there is hardly any traffic and the weather obeys the seasons: winter means "cold" and summer means "hot."
Yet, now, after years of desperately trying to find this elusive place called home and instead being offered breathtakingly beautiful substitutes, I find myself loving a country where winter means "hot," and summer means "heat so excruciating you may as well be living inside a furnace." It's a country where people stare at me like an alien when I attempt to speak Tagalog (and oh, I try so hard), and a country where the skyline is defiled by billboards of heavily airbrushed superstars advertising anything, from hair products to coffee creamer.
What many people don't know about we "lucky" Filipinos who have lived abroad our entire lives is that there is a tug-of-war that happens beneath the surface for many of us. There is an entire generation of Filipino young adults who have been brought up in another country, who experience a constant, underlying struggle between the culture that runs in their blood, and the culture that they live and breathe on a daily basis.
We are the young people who have been forced by our parents to adopt English as our first language and eat Weetbix and Cornflakes for breakfast. We nonchalantly take our SATs or HSCs, knowing that getting into universities is no drama, and neither is finding some form of employment if we fail.
Yet there is some kind of inexplicable emptiness that is hard to fill, or even admit, that is common among many of us Fil-Oz and Fil-Am youngsters.
I know this, having Filipino cousins and friends in both America and Australia. Within many of us lies the similar, disjointed feeling of being neither here nor there, being neither wholly American/Australian nor wholly Filipino.
Please don't misunderstand me. I love Australia. It has been very kind to me, and I would not be sitting here had it not generously awarded me a free education at one of its most prestigious universities and then sent me to work here, expenses paid. And I know it sounds shallow, but boy, is Australia beautiful.
But the Philippines possesses a different kind of beauty that does not have to do with immaculate greenery, flawless stretches of golden desert and glittering turquoise ocean. In my opinion, the Philippines is beautiful because of its irony and its endearing imperfection.
A Third World country with gargantuan shopping malls to rival the world's best. A country with the most shopping malls, and also the most slum areas and poverty. A country so devoutly Roman Catholic yet also one of the most destitute and plagued with the most problematic of governments. And a country whose citizens are labelled "the happiest people in the world," according to the Chinese Asiaweek.
I have witnessed firsthand the breathtaking opulence of Malacañan Palace during vin d'honneur, and I have visited slums where shanties are packed so tightly together that the tiny doors can only open inwards and children run around barefoot and naked. I have witnessed both Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo' s presidential address beneath a glittering crystal chandelier and the heartbreaking sight of a sweating man standing in between two lanes of traffic, balancing a stand of peanuts on one arm and his toddler in the other.
The Philippines is such a charming, enchanting, endearing mess of a country. Nothing really seems to fit, yet it all does.
And it reminds me a bit of myself. Perhaps that's why I feel like I fit right in. Perhaps that's why after all these years I can say I have finally, thankfully, found my home.
So, for all you fellow Filipinos here in the Philippines who dream of a life abroad, I am not telling you to stop dreaming. Explore your horizons. Go to college, apply for scholarships, and work abroad. Just know where you came from, and feel blessed to have what you have. And never forget to come back to help your fellowmen, your people.
And to the lost souls, the confused "citizens of the world" like me who may be reading this: Don't lose hope. As the famous saying goes, "Life is a voyage that's homeward bound." In other words, no matter where or how far you wander, don't fret --you will one day end up where you belong. Take it from me.
I would still love to have the opportunity to work abroad for a while - mainly to earn my keep. But never have I thought of settling down in another country. It's not to make a gallant stand (heroic pa nga ata by today's standards, considering the number of people who apply for visas these days) for the Philippines but because I really love it here. Feeling ko babalik at babalik lang din ako dito :)
-------
Final Piece of a Puzzle
By Krisanne Alcantara
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:57:00 02/09/2008
The great Filipino Diaspora has resulted in countless Filipinos settling down all over the world, in countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia. These Filipinos are admired for uprooting completely and attaining the coveted Western dream, all-inclusive of the dollar-earning corporate job, Mercedes-Benz, shiny Gap-clothed offspring and glittering palatial homes in the suburbs.
But let me tell you, all that glitters is not gold.
I know, because I am one of those Filipino-Australian /American offspring, part of
an entire generation of young Filipino adults who have lived and been raised "abroad," a generation who, despite being born into the Great American Dream of their progenitors, cannot help but suffer from some form of identity crisis.
I am the perfect case study. Born in Manila, shipped to Australia for 10 years, only to be relocated in America, then back in Australia during my adolescence, I had completely given up finding a place to call home. Consequently, for years I insisted on calling myself a "citizen of the world." By the ripe old age of 21, I was jaded and slightly defiant, if not a little confused.
That was until a week ago, when I found myself standing in the middle of a traffic-congested road with no distinct lanes, poorly attempting to "para" [halt] a jeepney in the thick of the Manila heat, knowing a total of 12 words in Tagalog and not knowing the difference between a P5 and a P10 coin -- and feeling right at home.
Coming back to the Philippines in my adulthood is akin to the satisfaction of finding that final piece of the puzzle and placing it snugly where it belongs. It is like filling an empty space that you never knew existed. "Where have you been all these years?" I wondered, as sweat poured down my brow and I was almost killed by a reckless taxi driver.
Ironically, I have lived the "dream life" abroad like so many Filipinos constantly tell me they are desperate for. Whenever I mention that I currently reside in Australia, this revelation is always immediately followed by something along the lines of "Ay, Australia, gusto ko 'dyan!" ["Australia, I want to be there!"]
And with good reason. Me too, I like it in Australia. It's practically impossible not to like the country. It is so clean and so green, there is hardly any traffic and the weather obeys the seasons: winter means "cold" and summer means "hot."
Yet, now, after years of desperately trying to find this elusive place called home and instead being offered breathtakingly beautiful substitutes, I find myself loving a country where winter means "hot," and summer means "heat so excruciating you may as well be living inside a furnace." It's a country where people stare at me like an alien when I attempt to speak Tagalog (and oh, I try so hard), and a country where the skyline is defiled by billboards of heavily airbrushed superstars advertising anything, from hair products to coffee creamer.
What many people don't know about we "lucky" Filipinos who have lived abroad our entire lives is that there is a tug-of-war that happens beneath the surface for many of us. There is an entire generation of Filipino young adults who have been brought up in another country, who experience a constant, underlying struggle between the culture that runs in their blood, and the culture that they live and breathe on a daily basis.
We are the young people who have been forced by our parents to adopt English as our first language and eat Weetbix and Cornflakes for breakfast. We nonchalantly take our SATs or HSCs, knowing that getting into universities is no drama, and neither is finding some form of employment if we fail.
Yet there is some kind of inexplicable emptiness that is hard to fill, or even admit, that is common among many of us Fil-Oz and Fil-Am youngsters.
I know this, having Filipino cousins and friends in both America and Australia. Within many of us lies the similar, disjointed feeling of being neither here nor there, being neither wholly American/Australian nor wholly Filipino.
Please don't misunderstand me. I love Australia. It has been very kind to me, and I would not be sitting here had it not generously awarded me a free education at one of its most prestigious universities and then sent me to work here, expenses paid. And I know it sounds shallow, but boy, is Australia beautiful.
But the Philippines possesses a different kind of beauty that does not have to do with immaculate greenery, flawless stretches of golden desert and glittering turquoise ocean. In my opinion, the Philippines is beautiful because of its irony and its endearing imperfection.
A Third World country with gargantuan shopping malls to rival the world's best. A country with the most shopping malls, and also the most slum areas and poverty. A country so devoutly Roman Catholic yet also one of the most destitute and plagued with the most problematic of governments. And a country whose citizens are labelled "the happiest people in the world," according to the Chinese Asiaweek.
I have witnessed firsthand the breathtaking opulence of Malacañan Palace during vin d'honneur, and I have visited slums where shanties are packed so tightly together that the tiny doors can only open inwards and children run around barefoot and naked. I have witnessed both Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo' s presidential address beneath a glittering crystal chandelier and the heartbreaking sight of a sweating man standing in between two lanes of traffic, balancing a stand of peanuts on one arm and his toddler in the other.
The Philippines is such a charming, enchanting, endearing mess of a country. Nothing really seems to fit, yet it all does.
And it reminds me a bit of myself. Perhaps that's why I feel like I fit right in. Perhaps that's why after all these years I can say I have finally, thankfully, found my home.
So, for all you fellow Filipinos here in the Philippines who dream of a life abroad, I am not telling you to stop dreaming. Explore your horizons. Go to college, apply for scholarships, and work abroad. Just know where you came from, and feel blessed to have what you have. And never forget to come back to help your fellowmen, your people.
And to the lost souls, the confused "citizens of the world" like me who may be reading this: Don't lose hope. As the famous saying goes, "Life is a voyage that's homeward bound." In other words, no matter where or how far you wander, don't fret --you will one day end up where you belong. Take it from me.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
i don't get it
I like listening to Paul and Cherry at 96.3 WRock every weekend. They host this noontime portion na they feature the top 5 Most Requested LiteRock of the week, and they also read some of their listeners' stories and problems. I like listening to the songs they feature, and yes, minsan nakakatuwa makinig sa mga love problems :) Minsan may maririnig ako na uy, parang problema ko din yan ah. Or minsan, tina-try ko sila advice-an sa utak ko. Hahaha.
2 weeks ago, I was listening to them again while driving. A girl (aka Marie) wrote to them asking for their advice. Ito raw kasi yung problema niya.. Meron daw syang na-meet na lalaki (aka Sam) before na at the time they met, may girlfriend si Sam. So parang naging kabit siya. Eh since di daw maiwan ni Sam yung girlfriend for her, nag-break sila.. After several years have passed, they met again. Kaso itong si Marie, kasal naman na daw. Bakit kako? Kasi nabuntis daw siya ng then-boyfriend niya (aka Gerry) so pinilit daw sila ng mommy niya na magpakasal. Judging by her story, Gerry loves her to death (as in nung nagpakasal daw sila, alam ni Gerry na di siya gaano kamahal ni Marie at willing daw siya maghintay hanggang matutunan siyang mahalin ni Marie). Kaso yun nga, nag-meet ulit si Marie at Sam. At naglandian ulit sila. Inendorse pa raw niya si Sam para ma-hire ng office niya para magkasama daw sila araw-araw, at siyempre, pinag-ch-chismisan sila sa office kasi nga lagi sila magkasama. At sabi daw sa kanya ni Sam, love pa rin niya siya kaya nga daw ever since nag-break sila, wala raw siya naging girlfriend ulit, puro flings lang (dduuuuuhhhhh, whatta logical explanation!). So ayun.. Humihingi ng advice si Marie kasi daw love pa rin niya si Sam kaso kasal na nga sya.
Waaaahh, what is happening to the world?!? Ganun na ba ka-scarce ang mga lalaki?? Di naman ata. Haaaay naku. Iniisip ko kasi, love is such a beautiful thing - it's a feeling, oo, pero as Jai's favorite line goes, it's a feeling fortified by vitamins, este, fortified by will and decision. Love evokes a flurry of emotions which make it complicated at times, but at the very heart of it all, it's supposed to be really simple.
Signs, my dear. Mukhang hindi talaga kayo para sa isa't-isa, wag na ipilit. If it's becoming more complicated that it should be, get out of it. If it's making you question a lot of things, if you're unnecessarily hurting other people, get out of it. IF IT'S TAKING TOO MUCH SWEAT, YOU DON'T NEED IT (sabi ni TD Jakes sa baba :))! I'm not passing judgment (ok, maybe a teeny-weeny little bit...... kasi naman eh!) but I just don't get it why some people want things they cannot have, making themselves miserable in the process. Sure, masaya siya pag magkasama sila ni Sam pero I doubt if they're really parang sagad-sa-buto-happy-happy. Alam mo yun..
----------
Anyway... since na-high blood na naman ako dahil naalala ko 'tong istorya ni Marie, good thoughts, good thoughts!
Woot woot, finals na ulit Purefoods ko!! :) Yessss, inaangkin ko talaga sila :P
I wanna watch :(
Kalaban nila Sta. Lucia. May fans nga ba ang Sta. Lucia? Yii ang bad ko. Pero Red Bull nga na marami-rami na ang fans, nalulunod sila sa fans ng Purefoods, pano pa kaya Sta. Lucia? Wawa naman :( Hehehe. Pag kinain ko salita ko, ssshhh na lang :)
And... I can't help it. I really don't like Yeng Guiao. Kung maka-trash talk, parang hindi coach. Ang hilig ba naman sumigaw ng, "Mga PI niyo!!!!!" Ummm, kita po kayo sa TV, coach. Not so nice to watch. Grrr.
2 weeks ago, I was listening to them again while driving. A girl (aka Marie) wrote to them asking for their advice. Ito raw kasi yung problema niya.. Meron daw syang na-meet na lalaki (aka Sam) before na at the time they met, may girlfriend si Sam. So parang naging kabit siya. Eh since di daw maiwan ni Sam yung girlfriend for her, nag-break sila.. After several years have passed, they met again. Kaso itong si Marie, kasal naman na daw. Bakit kako? Kasi nabuntis daw siya ng then-boyfriend niya (aka Gerry) so pinilit daw sila ng mommy niya na magpakasal. Judging by her story, Gerry loves her to death (as in nung nagpakasal daw sila, alam ni Gerry na di siya gaano kamahal ni Marie at willing daw siya maghintay hanggang matutunan siyang mahalin ni Marie). Kaso yun nga, nag-meet ulit si Marie at Sam. At naglandian ulit sila. Inendorse pa raw niya si Sam para ma-hire ng office niya para magkasama daw sila araw-araw, at siyempre, pinag-ch-chismisan sila sa office kasi nga lagi sila magkasama. At sabi daw sa kanya ni Sam, love pa rin niya siya kaya nga daw ever since nag-break sila, wala raw siya naging girlfriend ulit, puro flings lang (dduuuuuhhhhh, whatta logical explanation!). So ayun.. Humihingi ng advice si Marie kasi daw love pa rin niya si Sam kaso kasal na nga sya.
Waaaahh, what is happening to the world?!? Ganun na ba ka-scarce ang mga lalaki?? Di naman ata. Haaaay naku. Iniisip ko kasi, love is such a beautiful thing - it's a feeling, oo, pero as Jai's favorite line goes, it's a feeling fortified by vitamins, este, fortified by will and decision. Love evokes a flurry of emotions which make it complicated at times, but at the very heart of it all, it's supposed to be really simple.
Signs, my dear. Mukhang hindi talaga kayo para sa isa't-isa, wag na ipilit. If it's becoming more complicated that it should be, get out of it. If it's making you question a lot of things, if you're unnecessarily hurting other people, get out of it. IF IT'S TAKING TOO MUCH SWEAT, YOU DON'T NEED IT (sabi ni TD Jakes sa baba :))! I'm not passing judgment (ok, maybe a teeny-weeny little bit...... kasi naman eh!) but I just don't get it why some people want things they cannot have, making themselves miserable in the process. Sure, masaya siya pag magkasama sila ni Sam pero I doubt if they're really parang sagad-sa-buto-happy-happy. Alam mo yun..
----------
Anyway... since na-high blood na naman ako dahil naalala ko 'tong istorya ni Marie, good thoughts, good thoughts!
Woot woot, finals na ulit Purefoods ko!! :) Yessss, inaangkin ko talaga sila :P
I wanna watch :(
Kalaban nila Sta. Lucia. May fans nga ba ang Sta. Lucia? Yii ang bad ko. Pero Red Bull nga na marami-rami na ang fans, nalulunod sila sa fans ng Purefoods, pano pa kaya Sta. Lucia? Wawa naman :( Hehehe. Pag kinain ko salita ko, ssshhh na lang :)
And... I can't help it. I really don't like Yeng Guiao. Kung maka-trash talk, parang hindi coach. Ang hilig ba naman sumigaw ng, "Mga PI niyo!!!!!" Ummm, kita po kayo sa TV, coach. Not so nice to watch. Grrr.
Friday, February 08, 2008
much-needed good thoughts
After my grumpy post na naka-save as draft na lang, kailangan ko ng good vibes..
Thank you, Lord, for my family - even if we don't see eye to eye all the time, I owe so much to you, guys. Thank you for the unconditional love :)
... for Jai - for being such a good partner. My troubles seem so little and so distant when I turn my thoughts on you. Thank you so much for the comfort of your hugs and for the sense of security your words make me feel. As much as I know I can count on your promises, you can count on mine :)
... for my friends - you guys are amazing! I don't know how I'd make it through each phase of my life if not for you. You understand without asking for anything in return, you make me smile, you make me HAPPY, you teach me lessons I bring along with me everyday.
... for the shelter above my head, the food that I eat, the clothes I wear, the money I have.
... for the people who make my life so much easier even in the smallest ways - the guard who opens the doors for me, the little kid on the street who smiles at me every morning, the driver who brings us to work safely everyday, the maintenance staff who makes sure our desks are clean and we have everything we need in our bathrooms.
... for my job that secures my future, challenges me to become better, tests my patience, and makes me realize the importance of continuous learning.
... for the education I got - I will never trade it for anything in the world.
Life is good after all :) Thank you, Lord :)
Thank you, Lord, for my family - even if we don't see eye to eye all the time, I owe so much to you, guys. Thank you for the unconditional love :)
... for Jai - for being such a good partner. My troubles seem so little and so distant when I turn my thoughts on you. Thank you so much for the comfort of your hugs and for the sense of security your words make me feel. As much as I know I can count on your promises, you can count on mine :)
... for my friends - you guys are amazing! I don't know how I'd make it through each phase of my life if not for you. You understand without asking for anything in return, you make me smile, you make me HAPPY, you teach me lessons I bring along with me everyday.
... for the shelter above my head, the food that I eat, the clothes I wear, the money I have.
... for the people who make my life so much easier even in the smallest ways - the guard who opens the doors for me, the little kid on the street who smiles at me every morning, the driver who brings us to work safely everyday, the maintenance staff who makes sure our desks are clean and we have everything we need in our bathrooms.
... for my job that secures my future, challenges me to become better, tests my patience, and makes me realize the importance of continuous learning.
... for the education I got - I will never trade it for anything in the world.
Life is good after all :) Thank you, Lord :)
Thursday, February 07, 2008
back to square one
Haaaaay.
Gusto ko na sumuko :( Ayaw ko sumuko kasi di naman ganun ang attitude ko, pero imposibleng trabaho ito. Haaaaay. For such a big company, napaka-ancient ng mga tools at processes pero gusto nila ng outstanding results. Omygulay talaga. Sobrang na-appreciate ko tuloy yung SAP at FEAT sa DKS :( Jeff, where are you. Huhuhu. Feeling ko pag lumipat si Jeff dito, magiging isa siyang god. Hahaha. Pero totoo :( More than the god that he is sa DKS, pramis.
Kahirap naman talaga kumayod ngayon. Syet. Sabi ko na nga ba gusto ko lang talaga maging kahera. Sa grocery. Pero wag sa SM.. Kasi nakatayo nang magdamag ang mga cashier dun.
Kaya ko 'to, kaya ko 'to. Crap. Kaya ko 'to. Parang NY lang nung simula pero naging ok naman nung dulo. Tama? Tama. Waaaah. Kailangan ko ng ice-skating sa Rockefeller para malibang. Waaaah! Jaaaiiii, I need you :(
Gusto ko na sumuko :( Ayaw ko sumuko kasi di naman ganun ang attitude ko, pero imposibleng trabaho ito. Haaaaay. For such a big company, napaka-ancient ng mga tools at processes pero gusto nila ng outstanding results. Omygulay talaga. Sobrang na-appreciate ko tuloy yung SAP at FEAT sa DKS :( Jeff, where are you. Huhuhu. Feeling ko pag lumipat si Jeff dito, magiging isa siyang god. Hahaha. Pero totoo :( More than the god that he is sa DKS, pramis.
Kahirap naman talaga kumayod ngayon. Syet. Sabi ko na nga ba gusto ko lang talaga maging kahera. Sa grocery. Pero wag sa SM.. Kasi nakatayo nang magdamag ang mga cashier dun.
Kaya ko 'to, kaya ko 'to. Crap. Kaya ko 'to. Parang NY lang nung simula pero naging ok naman nung dulo. Tama? Tama. Waaaah. Kailangan ko ng ice-skating sa Rockefeller para malibang. Waaaah! Jaaaiiii, I need you :(
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
let it go
Dear friend,
There are better things waiting for you! I may not be in the same situation as you are, but trust me when I say letting go works wonders.
Love,
Bom :)
----------------
Let It Go
By T. D. Jakes
There are people who can walk away from you.
And hear me when I tell you this! When people walk away from you: let them walk.
I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone.
When people can walk away from you let them walk.
Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.
The Bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us:
For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]
People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay. Let them go.
And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over and you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead.
You've got to know when it's dead.
You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It 's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay.
Let them go!!
If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and
was never intended for your life, then you need to..
LET IT GO!
If you are holding on to past hurts and pains..
LET IT GO!
If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth..
LET IT GO!
If someone has angered you..
LET IT GO!
If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge..
LET IT GO!
If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction..
LET IT GO!
If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents..
LET IT GO!
If you have a bad attitude..
LET IT GO!
If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better..
LET IT GO!
If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him..
LET IT GO!
If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship..
LET IT GO!
If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves..
LET IT GO!
If you're feeling depressed and stressed..
LET IT GO!
If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying 'take your hands off of it,' then you need to..
LET IT GO!
Let the past be the past. Forget the former things.
GOD is doing a new thing for you!
There are better things waiting for you! I may not be in the same situation as you are, but trust me when I say letting go works wonders.
Love,
Bom :)
----------------
Let It Go
By T. D. Jakes
There are people who can walk away from you.
And hear me when I tell you this! When people walk away from you: let them walk.
I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone.
When people can walk away from you let them walk.
Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.
The Bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us:
For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]
People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay. Let them go.
And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over and you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead.
You've got to know when it's dead.
You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It 's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay.
Let them go!!
If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and
was never intended for your life, then you need to..
LET IT GO!
If you are holding on to past hurts and pains..
LET IT GO!
If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth..
LET IT GO!
If someone has angered you..
LET IT GO!
If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge..
LET IT GO!
If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction..
LET IT GO!
If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents..
LET IT GO!
If you have a bad attitude..
LET IT GO!
If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better..
LET IT GO!
If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him..
LET IT GO!
If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship..
LET IT GO!
If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves..
LET IT GO!
If you're feeling depressed and stressed..
LET IT GO!
If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying 'take your hands off of it,' then you need to..
LET IT GO!
Let the past be the past. Forget the former things.
GOD is doing a new thing for you!
Sunday, February 03, 2008
aling tindera
Haaay, I wanna sell stuff!
I sell some of my stuff sa GirlTalk kaso it's so tiring having to take pictures of your items tapos posting it sa website. Pero ang hirap kasi mag-organize ng garage sale - well, not exactly mahirap pero I don't wanna sell them naman sana at P20 each kasi magaganda pa yung iba :( Eh pag garage sale, ganun lang ata dapat yung prices, otherwise, di rin mabebenta :( Eh pag bazaar naman, siyempre icky yun para sa mga mayayaman kung second-hand na lang :( Nung pumunta nga akong ukay-ukay (I love ukay-ukay talaga :) Very icky for some siguro, pero sobrang nasisiyahan ako sa kanya :)), tinanong ko si Ate kung puwede ba akong magbenta sa kanila ng mga damit ko, eh hindi raw puwede :(
Saan pa ba puwede magbenta ng mga gamit?
I sell some of my stuff sa GirlTalk kaso it's so tiring having to take pictures of your items tapos posting it sa website. Pero ang hirap kasi mag-organize ng garage sale - well, not exactly mahirap pero I don't wanna sell them naman sana at P20 each kasi magaganda pa yung iba :( Eh pag garage sale, ganun lang ata dapat yung prices, otherwise, di rin mabebenta :( Eh pag bazaar naman, siyempre icky yun para sa mga mayayaman kung second-hand na lang :( Nung pumunta nga akong ukay-ukay (I love ukay-ukay talaga :) Very icky for some siguro, pero sobrang nasisiyahan ako sa kanya :)), tinanong ko si Ate kung puwede ba akong magbenta sa kanila ng mga damit ko, eh hindi raw puwede :(
Saan pa ba puwede magbenta ng mga gamit?
what is your vocation?
Sabi sa Mass last week:
You have found your vocation when your happiness meets the need of the world.
Ummm.. naguluhan ako. So ano na ang vocation ko? Hindi ba puwedeng married life tapos need na lang ng husband-to-be ang i-f-fulfill ko? Kailangan ba talaga need ng buong world? Or am I taking it too literally?
Meron daw ibang tao na finu-fulfill ang need ng world pero di sila masaya.. So di daw yun yung vocation nila.. Pero feeling ko mas marami yung cases na masaya sila per self-serving lang. Pero seriously, how can a normal person meet the need of the world? Is it thru charitable work lang?
You have found your vocation when your happiness meets the need of the world.
Ummm.. naguluhan ako. So ano na ang vocation ko? Hindi ba puwedeng married life tapos need na lang ng husband-to-be ang i-f-fulfill ko? Kailangan ba talaga need ng buong world? Or am I taking it too literally?
Meron daw ibang tao na finu-fulfill ang need ng world pero di sila masaya.. So di daw yun yung vocation nila.. Pero feeling ko mas marami yung cases na masaya sila per self-serving lang. Pero seriously, how can a normal person meet the need of the world? Is it thru charitable work lang?
Saturday, February 02, 2008
the Afghan Girl
Sharbat Gula, aka the Afghan Girl
This picture was taken by Steve McCurry for the National Geographic Magazine when Sharbat was only 13 years old. No one, even Steve, knew her name so she was popularly known across the world as The Afghan Girl lang until 2003, when Steve went back to Afghanistan in the hope of discovering her true identity.
Since I'm not an avid fan of National Geographic, I only learned about this photo recently nung nakita namin sa TV ni Jai (pero siyempre si Jai, alam na niya yung tungkol dito kasi nerd sya :)). National Geographic was doing a special segment on "The Most Recognized Photographs" in the history of their magazine, and this photo took the top prize.
I learned that when they finally found Sharbat (and this is after a lot of women came forward claiming that they were her), she distinctly remembered when the photo was taken, because it was the only time someone photographed her. Unbelievable. The National Geographic team had to persuade her (and her husband) to have her picture taken again... Ang hirap, kasi she had a scarf covering her entire face as dictated by their culture, and sabi ni Jai, asking her to take the scarf off was similar to asking her to take all her clothes off. She had no clue that her photo served as a symbol of the state of refugees around the world and that she was famous, if only thru her beautiful, beautiful eyes.
I had mixed emotions when I saw this. Her innocence was a breath of fresh air, because it was apparent she was not after personal fame. But more than that, nakakaawa... Sharbat was already 30yrs old when Steve found her again, but her life now is not that different from her life 16 years ago. They're still struggling, they still don't eat 3x a day, there's still war at her side of the world. Even if her photo 16 years ago captured the world's attention, nothing tangible was done to tremendously improve their plight. Nakaka-lungkot.. :(
about trade-offs
Life is really all about trade-offs. You cannot want to have something more and expect everything else to remain the same. Like when you get married... You wake up each morning beside that one special person, but you have to adjust to a lot of things like getting used to cleaning up that person's mess, serving him breakfast, putting the toilet seat down, etc. It's much the same in corporate life... You cannot want to earn bigger bucks but expect your workload to remain the same. May kapalit talaga lahat :)
I was talking to someone about the odds of getting sent abroad in a few months' time. Nothing definite yet, pero may chance. One of his biggest dreams is there, waiting for him. I'm excited for him, pero yun nga, may kapalit. Masaya na malungkot. And I want to find that place where I'm just happy, period. Walang lungkot. A bit impossible, maybe, but doable. I have a feeling I'll get there when I've completely come to terms with the trade-off being only temporary and is necessary for a happiness that's sustainable and longer-lasting. Ganun din sa lahat ng iba pang bagay na may trade-offs :)
P.S.
Selfish na ba agad ang tawag dun pag nakakaramdam ka ng lungkot kahit alam mo namang magiging masaya yung ibang tao sa gagawin nila?
I was talking to someone about the odds of getting sent abroad in a few months' time. Nothing definite yet, pero may chance. One of his biggest dreams is there, waiting for him. I'm excited for him, pero yun nga, may kapalit. Masaya na malungkot. And I want to find that place where I'm just happy, period. Walang lungkot. A bit impossible, maybe, but doable. I have a feeling I'll get there when I've completely come to terms with the trade-off being only temporary and is necessary for a happiness that's sustainable and longer-lasting. Ganun din sa lahat ng iba pang bagay na may trade-offs :)
P.S.
Selfish na ba agad ang tawag dun pag nakakaramdam ka ng lungkot kahit alam mo namang magiging masaya yung ibang tao sa gagawin nila?
Friday, February 01, 2008
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