This is my lead

Maybe it is difficult to reconcile old beliefs with new ones, because having a new perspective in life will either make other people support what you believe in or turn their back.

Leaving old beliefs that hinder you to a lot of things, is a way to recognize your ability to grow as a person. It is a courage that everyone has to make at some point in their lives.

But beliefs associate you with people, and once you changed yours they may follow and understand or completely make a stand of what they believe in. That happens. But what's dreadful is, you discover how unreceptive some of them are.  That no matter how you understand them, they won't understand you back. How you wish they can be as open-minded as you are but they are not. You see them trapped in their own little world, attached to status quo.

I'm trying to get away from the usual norm, the norm where status dictate where you fit in. We are born to think, what we like, what we want and what we see right for us. If some situation seem to hinder that at least you tried to get what you want - and that's what matters. It may seem suicide, but it is one of the truths we need to face. We need to live like we lived. If for some time I have thought society is ruling  my life, now I will take my lead. I am the captain of my life.

Thai Food

Meeting an adventurous friend, can be a great time to explore new food. So we have agreed to have a dinner in a Thai resto in Trinoma out of gusto. I suppose it was a newly opened one considering the furniture and signage.

A classy interior you'll find there.

It took me minutes to choose my order since I'm not familiar with the foods' names so I had to look at the photos for something that is yummy. We ended up ordering these…

Looked like a fresh lumpia to me. But it isn't, the wrapper is different.

Now this is like the omelete with noodles inside.

The sauce. Quite Filipino ey?

Generally, South East Asian cuisine can be that similar to each other but every country still has their distinction. With Thai food, I don't find it hard to adjust with the taste. I'm just amaze by how they put lots of pepper on food. Regardless of that, I think I can live in Thailand. hahahaha

Arabela in Liliw, Laguna

I'm not a fan of Italian pastas. However, I like pastas cooked in Filipino way. My palate is very much accustomed to the sweet and sour taste of Filipino cuisine, that eating the opposite would be a great adjustment. And, indeed, it was. But I didn't regret dining in this place. I am always amazed by how I manage to change my perception on things by giving it a try.

Both sides are line of shoe stores. It was raining the time we were there but that didn't stop us from checking every stores

As a first timer in Liliw, Laguna, there's not much to see but the array of shoe stores in every street corner. Liliw is a quite secluded town which is famous for the cheapest and durable shoes. It can be a hassle to go there if you don't have a private car. So if by any chance you happen to drop by, you need to grab the opportunity to buy any shoes you want. That's what people told me.

Yet going with the person who frequents there, I've known that it is not just the shoes that this place can be known for. He brought us to this cute little family resto that offers pastries and pastas.

For a bit of history, the place was just an underground of the house converted into one decent resto. You'll find how low the ceiling is once you go inside. But that what makes it so cute.  

This is just to show you how low the ceiling is.

There were lots of pastas to choose from, but I went with his suggestion to be safe. We all had a sort of chicken pasta (I forgot what exactly it' s called) and frappe. But with only an hour given to us to go around and buy, we just had limited time to finish our orders. I ate mine in just 10 minutes or so but we still ended up late. Everybody was waiting for us and got a bit jelly for only having ourselves to eat there.

The so-called chicken pasta.

Frappe

Here are some of the things on their menu. Their price starts from P200 up.

Knowing that this resto has long been existing, there were lots of reviews about it, not only in the net but also in leading newspapers.  

A compilation of newpaper articles about the resto.

It's wise to make a reservation ahead of time  because sometimes it gets so full. We were lucky that there were only few customers when we were there. ;D 

Team Cabiao: 2nd Time Around

I've become a follower of every VSO-ICS cycle in Nueva Ecija. It's weird but I just can't get enough of the feeling of meeting new volunteers especially when they make me feel so welcome.  Volunteers are volunteers - that one similar connection alone keeps the bond together. No matter the background, the status and all the differences. The relationship goes beyond that. 

As  I write this, the 2nd cycle of Team Cabiao has ended. Their cycle started last January and another batch will be deployed in May to continue their work. A very fast turn-over. But that way, ICS can change  more lives of young people per year. And just like the the famous line of the song, "Every new beginning is just some other  beginning's end'.

Team Cabiao with their Host family

Life @23

God finds ways to touch our stubborn hearts. HE completely had me on my birthday.

Maybe I have forgotten to appreciate the kindness of people for so long, because when it comes to saying "Thank you" sincerely, I find it hard to do. I consider uttering those words as an act of sweetness, and I'm allergic to it.

Being sweet to people is just not my thing.

But others misconstrued it as being rude. I got comments from people about it but for those who knew me well, they have accepted that part of me.

However, there are cases that I feel guilty for  forgetting birthdays of my dear friends. I often settle in the assumption that a lot of people greet them anyway, so my absence from their message list wouldn't be noticed that much. Then, I thought of myself. Myself who has a very shallow happiness would jump in glee even in a short "Happy Birthday" greeting , maybe, so are them. I kept that truth to myself until I completely realized the value of showing how we care to people dear to us.

At times, our pride keeps us from doing something childish, lovable and kind. Perhaps, that's what happened to me. But the moment you decipher the importance of "caring", you will appreciate the feeling that exudes from within. Tonight people showed me how beautiful it is to be cared and loved. And for that I need to give back. Wholeheartedly.

It is a hard lesson for me to do what I don't do. But if my kind message would mean happiness to lots of people, I'll risk my pride.

To all the people who made me feel special and loved, I'm so grateful to have them in my life. They made me realize that a person who is wicked and stubborn like me deserves the kindness of their heart. And I couldn't thank them more for that.

Tonight as I turn 23, and another chapter of my life unfolds, I'll share the highlights that have made me come this far.

The past year has been a very good year for me to finally travel and test my palate, and I hope I'll have more this year.  AJJA!

My move to Nueva Ecija
This year also marks my one year here in Luzon. I remembered the first time I set foot on this place, my childhood memories came into a flashback. It was one of the things why I wanted to be in Luzon - to visit the place where I had my best childhood memories. Though I wasn't able to drop by at the place where we actually lived in, passing through that place was more than enough for me. It changed a lot. More establishments are seen anywhere. But the dunkin donuts where  I bought my first donuts with my own money was still there, as well as the school where I studied. As I saw everything that was familiar to me, photos and scenes of everything I did flickered in my mind. It was one of the best feelings I had!

First work travel

Welcome to Clark Pampanga!

City and sophisticated vibe welcomed me when we arrived in the Hotel. That was my first travel, and  I couldn't hide the excitement I had inside. For years, I thought I will never be visiting the province again, but there I was, savoring what life has to offer. So if my first visit 15 years ago was in a resort in Arayat, which I have forgotten the name. And to note I was 6 years old that time. My second, was in Clark who tells me both of tourism and history. That was more than a decade you got there!

I was in Baguio

Baguio is definitely in my travel list. When I marked it out of my check list last year, more visits ensued right then. There is something, with the place that I couldn't get enough of, maybe the hilly streets which keep me in awe of how skillful drivers park their cars, the busy market full of fresh veggies and fruits, and people - and of course strawberry, the cheap and cute bistros, and maybe the fresh air and morning breeze that greet new life. Baguio is one of the best place to be, in times of loneliness or happiness. And the nearest place to be in to have that out-of-the-country feel.

Exploring the Mt. Province

From Banaue and  Batad to Bontoc and Sagada.

That trip is the craziest I had so far. I think I got the road trip I've always wanted to do with the right people. After I almost killed myself descending and ascending that majestic place, Batad, I told myself, I definitely need exercise. Nothing caused so much pain on my knees other than the hiking in Batad. When my friends ask about the experience, I tell them that it caused me lots of sweat, sip-on, trips just to get there. But all was worth it - I just laugh at the experience and the week's can't-walk complaints. Probably the things that are very remarkable are the topload rides, walking the streets of Sagada in freezing cold (because we got wet), trying out suggested and new restos, being with a friend who tells lots of stories, and doing all the things I never do.

I'll visit that place again one of these days.

Isdaan in Tarlac
This was the first official lunch-out with my new found friends in Nueva Ecija. The resto is sort of famous in the provinces of Luzon, whose owner is said to be Heart Evangelista's Uncle. Anyway, we had our lunch in its branch in Tarlac, as the name suggests fish haven, cottages were floating on a very large fish pond. That food trip was added on my blogging list.

Sky Ranch Tagaytay and Pampanga

I don’t intend to visit amusement parks, it just so happen that we had a side trip at Sky Ranch in both Pampanga and Tagaytay. And as I go gaga over new and wild adventures, "Lets do it!"

Remember that I've always wanted to try bunjee jumping, sadly they don’t have it there. However the rides we had made it interesting for me to conquer my fears.

Nueva Vizcaya and Baler, Aurora
It was work related but I had fun accompanying our trainees to their field evaluation. Hahaha. What a pretentious me! Ok, to be honest, I had absolute fun when we ate at the street restos of Vizcaya and Baler, stayed at the beach and took some pictures, bought souvenirs, strolled the streets of Baler while we laughed at our trainee's jokes. That was the "fun" that I do only with friends but it happened there with them.

Hot Air Balloon Festival

It would have been nice if I was in that balloon, but I was not. Riding it was for rich people, huh. To spend almost 20K is unreasonable for me to do at the moment (cause I'm broke). Anyway, seeing the hot air balloons for the first time was worth the P300 ticket.

Got my passport!

Ok, initially I don't have the passport on my hands yet. But it’s going to be delivered in March. That's another cross-out on my check list there. And I hope having it will open doors to new adventures! 

As part of the learning I had in the past years, I will continue to be invincible and confident. My volunteer stint has been a very big part of my learning process and I owe most of my optimism to the VSO-ICS program. Hope this year is another year for me to appreciate what the world has to offer.  Ganbatte ne!

At the training

Here's what I've been doing for a while now.

I've been assisting the ongoing training of the project I'm working with. It's been two months since it started, and we still have another two months to go before  our trainees' graduation.

The Team in Baler, Aurora

Currently, we have 25 trainees, which we call AgRiDOCs, coming from different parts of Luzon. AgRiDOC stands for the Agricultural Development Officers of the Community. They are expected to be new breed of extension workers equipped with new knowledge and skills capable of creating change in communities. They are technical experts, as well as, development agents.

Age range from 22-40 years old, most of them are middle-aged. And for two months I am surrounded by adult people that I had to think in a mature way as well. They are experts in their own field and I admire them  as they grew passionate about the new things they are learning so far. For the months they are here, they will have to complete six modules, which are packed with interesting topics  designed to be experiential and fun.

Training Mangement Team

For two months of working with them, I have come to know almost all of them. Of course there are times that it feels boring because I see the same people everyday, but most of the time I feel blessed to be part of their batch, which is the pilot-batch by the way. Its great to be with this bunch of idealistic and amazing people. 

A Farmer

He is not a farner, he's just one of our trainees picking up the weeds early in the morning....

One morning I met this farmer  whose farm is adjacent to where our trainees do their experimental plots. I have heard of him but it was my first time to meet him. He is old. He commended us for our efforts in documenting the training so well - which at first was a compliment. But after he told us his stories, I realized he was a little bit sarcastic.

....as he picks it up, he throws it with all his might across the other side of the field.
While our trainees were busy doing this. I listened to the real farmer's stories.  

He mentioned that most projects make good outputs and reports yet not all are well implemented to farmers. He had a point. So I listened further. I know this is not just about how Government do things in the wrong way. His reasons root from something - maybe a grudge, I don't know. Regardless of what that is - this old farmer gave me a thing or two to ponder. 

Mhai-mhai

I fear death. But I think she does too, that's why she's given that quick accident to not feel that much pain.

I'm afraid of funerals, I don't usually go to one because it makes me feel depressed and think of my own death. But that day was my first time to be told that someone I knew and close to me died. I can't completely understand my feelings - I was confused of whether to cry, feel shock  and stay calm. That was my first time to feel that.

It was all so sudden.

Mhai, you surprised me. I completely don't know what to say. My mind speaks a lot about it but I just couldn't grieve too much. Because a part of me says of letting go. And, all of us have to let you go.

Philippine TV has a lot of things to say, but for us - you are that simple and sweet Mhai-mhai that will always be remembered. Rest well my friend, your long travel has just started.