giselle in kimchi land

repost: homesick

2010-12-21T01:55:00.000+09:00

I posted this entry months after I came to Korea. I was so homesick then and found writing to be the only outlet on that day.

ito ba ang tinatawag nilang homesick??

1. yung tuta namin madalas kinakausap ko in tagalog (dapat english kasi yun yung common language namin). kung minsan, kinakausap ko din si Dohee in tagalog.. hahaha..

2. ang lunch ko pag tinatamad ako magluto eh milo on top of steaming rice.. (parang bata lang)… pag wala si Dohee, nakakamay ako pag kumakain..hehe

3. Hinahanap ng mga mata ko ang parol tsaka christmas lights na naglambitin kung saan-saan (although maraming ilaw dito, neon pa nga na parang pang bar lang na 'on and off' ang ilaw).. pilit na fini-feel ang christmas spirit, unfortunately, hindi ko ma-feel unless makinig ako ng mga tagalog x-mas song.. arrgh..

4. iniimagine and lotte mart (parang hyper mart sa ‘tin kaya lang 3 storey cia) na megamall.. huhuhuhu.. i miss malling.. waah..

5. nakatayo pag sumasakay ng bus kahit maraming upuan.. hindi stressfull sumakay ng bus dito.. malinis tsaka hindi agawan sa pagsakay..

6. gusto kong pumunta ng simbahan linggo-linggo considering na isa ito sa mga kinatatamaran ko before..
waah.. namimiss ko na ang pilipinas!!!!

sobrang miss ko na ang pilipinas…

worried again

2010-12-20T17:52:00.003+09:00

I've never followed the news as religiously as I did since the shelling of Yeon pyeong island on Nov. 23. News about the tension in the Korean peninsula is my daily read and today, my husband and I were glued to Naver for updates since 1pm. Today is the live fire drill that the north was so opposed to enough to promise military actions against the south. The live fire exercise was delayed for one and a half hour because of the fog. It started at 2:30 pm when the fog cleared.

I'm not one to panic but it sure makes me antsy with the threat of war more real than before. My mom's worries will surely be renewed once she hears about this. She'll barrage me with endless pleas to move to the philippines once more while i continue to assure her (in vain) that her fears won't come true. I've been trying to convince myself the same thing as my worries grow. I've been trying to laugh it off when somebody expresses their worries in order to quell their and my fears as well. There's nothing much we can do today but hope for the best.

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mini

2010-12-19T20:01:00.001+09:00

I don't usually go in Tony Moly but I was lured in by their 30% sale signs. I wasn't really hoping to find something that I'd buy from their shop. I'm not really fond of their products for no apparent reason. I just feel that their products are not for me. I was checking out their compact powders which, i found, were too light for me. The saleslady tried to talk me into buying one of their compacts when something caught my eye. I thought it was blush but from closer inspection it was a mini compact powder just 2 inches in diameter if i wasn't mistaken. The powder only came in two colors and both were still too light for me but what the heck i was drawn into its size, the cute packaging plus it'll fit into my kikay kit. I took #1 and thought o buying two since it was on sale and it'd only cost less than 10k for two. I fought the urge. Thank god my trip in Tony Moly wasn't wasted. I might check out their shop from time to time.

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cow's head, anyone?

2010-12-11T14:50:00.001+09:00

It was a weird sight - a huge head of a cow in front of an establishment. I wasn't entirely sure if it was a meat shop. There were no signs and no screaming ajossi (아저씨) in front of the shop trying to entice passers by. I couldn't help taking a few shots. :)

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filipino store on the go

2010-12-04T14:14:00.001+09:00

Finally got the taste of some filipino food this week. I didn't have to go to suwon or seoul for it. I got them at our doorstep, technically at the parking lot in front of out apartment inside a mini-truck to be exact. I met a filipina in the elevator and told where i could get my hands on some filipino food. The store in a truck is owned by another filipina and her korean husband who lives in suwon. She goes to our apartment when summoned. There has to be at least 2 or more people willing to buy for them to come. I was the second one last week. I bought some canned goods, tuyo and polvoron. I missed them so. I was actually hoping i could buy some hotdogs but she didn't bring them thinking nobody would buy them. Apparently, it costs 30, 000. I don't really care so i told her to bring it next time. Hopefully she'd remember to bring it to with them omorrow or next weekend.

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Party Friday:-)

2010-11-27T18:42:00.002+09:00

looking great guys!

Junkfood galore!

15 minutes later

40 minutes later

10 minutes before the hour

this is how "violent" they get

When it is one of your student's birthday, when you're in no mood to teach and your students to listen, when your voice sounds like a rusty engine what do you do? Party!! The kids and I decided to hold a birthday party for their classmate. They brought chips and soda. I decided to buy cheesecake as the birthday cake. We played the games that they play in their school called 31 and 4 or 5. In the 31 game, we counted until 31 with each player giving up to 3 numbers each. The person who lands on 31 loses. Losers had to steel their backs for the onslaught of hands and elbows. I got a taste of it too, not for the lack of trying to scare them or bribe them with more or little homework. After 15 minutes they got past ganging up on me and turned on each other. Everyone kept on munching while the games are played. I took pictures of our food every 15 minutes and everyone laughed at the progress we made. I enjoyed out as much as they did. It was one of those rare occasions when I could relax.

Location : Address not available

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Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Tension-filled peninsula

2010-11-23T22:16:00.002+09:00

It's all over the news - the latest artillery exchange between the north and the south when North Korea fired on Yeonpyeong, a small South Korean island near the disputed maritime border. It's not the first time but the sinking of Cheonan months ago and then THIS kind of made the tension a lot more "visible", made the threat more felt. Right after the incident, a call to prevent further escalation of conflict was made by the korean president. It's a relief to know that the South is exercising some restraint if not, all hell will break loose. I'm just hoping the tension eases in the coming days. My mom would probably ask us to go to the philippines when she hears the news. Hehe

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Another winter rant

2010-11-22T22:10:00.001+09:00

So I missed the bus again and I'm left waiting for the next bus which would take like forever. I decided to browse through my photos to pass the time when I stumbled upon this photo of a little flower growing between the crack in the pavement. It reminded me of spring when the flowers are in full bloom and the trees are lush, when a fine spring day invites you to spent it outside instead of idling at home trying to stay warm, when something as mundane as waiting for the bus is very inconvenient. Before I could rant further I saw the head of the bus peeking out of the curve. There's my ride and I'm just wrote another winter rant. Until next year.

Location : Address not available

Sleeping Connie

2010-11-21T18:33:00.001+09:00

Just can't he lp it. Loads of connie cuteness. I'm planning to frame one. I'm just not sure which one.

Samu't sari

2010-09-22T02:31:00.000+09:00

We should be in husband's grandmother's place right now but because of the heavy rain we decided to leave tomorrow morning. Since we weren't doing any traveling tonight, husband decided to go out with a friend. I, on the other hand, was cooped up at home the whole day waiting for the rain to stop. Unfortunately, it didn't and now I'm drinking this delicious red wine that MIL gave me three days ago while waiting for husband. I am actually a little intoxicated. I've already had three glasses. I'm alone in the house at the moment. We had to leave Connie at the pet shop tonight thinking that we wouldn't be spending the night at home. Great!! I just called husband and told him to bring me home a cheese cake. I'd probably be dozing off when he gets home. I'm already seeing double. :) I'm loving this three-day break though. Lord knows I need a break. I'm also looking forward to seeing husband's grandmother. She's super kind and I love her.

There you go chaps. This is how a drunk me thinks. I'd probably laugh at this tomorrow.

decorating blues...

2010-09-19T11:43:00.000+09:00

I wonder if this scheme looks cozy enough. I've decided to redo our bedroom and make it a bit cozier. I'm so hung up on brown, I hope I'm not overdoing it. These are the basic pieces. I thought they go well together, so does husband.I hope they really do. They're arriving next week. couldn't wait!!

What were they thinking?

2010-07-05T02:25:00.000+09:00

I just got back to watching the latest season of Criminal minds yesterday. Hate that the season is over and the season ender was such a cliffhanger. I had to wait until the 22nd of September for Season 6. The waiting is already bad but snooping for a few hints of what's to come led me to a report that AJ cook won't be returning to the show after the 2nd episode and Paget Brewster with limited episode appearances. I was like "what the f***? Are they serious?"

I just had to rant and here I am, writing my first ever post for the month of July. Criminal Minds wouldn't be the same without AJ and not seeing Paget all the time.

Crazy Over FIFA

2010-06-13T00:47:00.003+09:00

I never realized how intense the FIFA fever is here in Korea until I heard screams and the daehan minguk-cheer at the same time, well almost, from different apartment buildings I passed by on my way to Lotte Mart. If you were there, you'd probably think they were watching the game together. Several restaurants I passed by were filled with people watching and cheering while having their meal. Same scene in Lotte Mart. People were standing around this TV in a cellphone booth, their eyes glued to the TV, oblivious to what's going on around them.

I told husband about it on our way home and told me he was awaken buy the same noise in our building. I guess Shouting Korea is an apt slogan after all. : )

moved for the nth time..

2010-06-06T12:56:00.000+09:00

For the second time, we packed our bags and moved to a place. Didn't mind it a lot this time. I was ready and I really liked the house we moved into. Having "given" up a lot of our stuff from our first house, moving was easier this time. Some of them were still in a box. I guess i kinda sensed that we weren't going to stay long in our previous house. Connie likes our new place too. She actually has a place to run around.

We're almost settled. Almost... I'm still not satisfied with the way things look inside. Yeah, I'm racking my brains again, thinking of the things that we "should" buy to make it homey and cozy. I've been constantly checking design ideas and trying to copy some of them. I'm, I mean, we are almost done. Husband enjoyed shopping and pitching ideas for our house. Cute. Can't wait to get my hands on the last batch of our purchases. They're coming this week. Hurrah!!

I just couldn't resist taking pictures although we were so busy. :)

packed and ready to leave :)

they fit!!

they're moving too!!

gotta work!!

so nice to have lots of place to store things... :)

with or without you (acoustic version)

2010-05-26T10:49:00.000+09:00

fell in love with this version by We Are The Fallen

Fat connie???

2010-05-19T02:26:00.002+09:00

I haven't noticed till last night that Connie is A LOT bigger and heavier. I wasn't sure if it was normal so I checked out sites about dogs and obesity. Found out that it's as common as that in humans (oh no!) Husband decided to take her to the vet this afternoon to find out if she's really gaining weight. Last month, she weighed 7 kilos and I though she was already big. I was hoping my worries were... well just worries. Unfortunately, I was right. She is heavier. She's now 8 kilos. According to the vet, gaining a kilo in a month is not supposed to happen to dogs. ㅜ_ㅜ

I'm partly to blame... eerrr I am to blame, I think. I take her out for a walk once a week and that's the day that she's supposed to take a bath. I don't want her getting dirty and stinky from running around outside (Lord knows how she love it!). She loves to be cuddled and would get every opportunity to lie next to us. I kept her in the house or inside the car most of the time. She's gotten lazy as well (need I say who's fault it is?). When nobody's playing with her, she sleeps. When we're sleeping, she's sleeping as well. She won't touch her toy unless you're playing with it or she's suddenly taken an interest to it which is quicker than than the blink of an eye. Her toys don't amuse her anymore.

What to do? What to do??

I do know I have to take her out more often. I'm not exactly sure if I should lessen the food that I'm giving her though. I don't think she eats a lot. She stops when she's full and she eats slowly as well. I might cut down on her treats though. She's one sneaky "little" dog. She's usually rewarded for peeing and pooping in the right place. So, to get more treats, she cheats. She holds her pee and then urinates twice or three times. She wouldn't play fetch without a treat. She has to be "bribed" to do something. haay

We'll be moving in a new apartment this week. I'm hoping there'll be a place for her to exercise.

Is she fat?

we missed it!

2010-05-11T00:48:00.000+09:00

"Once in a lifetime lang yan", tita Louie said and I missed it, we missed it. It was my grandparent's wedding anniversary yesterdy. Sadly, we weren't there. A million times I wished that we were there to witness their renewal of vows, to join the fun and be with the whole clan. We missed the chance to greet my grandparents face to face. (I also missed the chance to cast my vote since I wasn't able to register at the embassy).

I was hesitant and excited to look at pictures. I was excited to see how it went, but I knew I'd be reminded that I wasn't there. The price of being away. ㅜ_ㅜ We could have been in this photo.

Twice in one week

2010-05-09T14:12:00.001+09:00

I've been wanting to visit Mulhyanggi Arboretum for ages but something always prevented me from going. Anyway, I was able to visit last week, twice - with my in-laws on Children's Day, then with my korean class the day after.

the bid dome.. i mean green house

lake (no idea who that man is :) )

path leading to.... somewhere (no idea why i took this picture)

loving the flowers...

and the turtle

(this is how one of the teenage mutant ninja turtles would look like if they're preserved)

Aahhmm.. don't really know what to call this thing... bahay kubo??

classmates.. resting after a slightly long walk..

lakad uli..


just love taking her picture (sister-in-law)

mala-harry potter maze from the goblet fire.. (she got so frustrated.. haha)


the visitor's center

Had loads of fun. Will surely visit next time.

Cady's not mine anymore!

2010-05-08T23:13:00.000+09:00

I saw Cady again last night. The man who "took" her was kind enough to tell me that he's bringing Cady along with him and he can meet us. I remember telling him I wanted to see Cady. I was curious as to how big she's gotten.

I rushed to meet him. I wanted to see Cady so bad. It's been a month or two since they took her, I was hoping she hasn't forgotten me. Sadly, she was wary of me. I think she recognized me a bit because she wanted to go to me but... I felt sad. Cady's not mine anymore. She has a new master. When I took her out, she was hesitant to come. She whimpered, the same sound I heard when they took her away. She did it not for me, but for her new master. Sucks!

After a few minutes, she finally warmed up to me. She has gotten bigger but not that big. I was so tempted to tell husband he was wrong. Again, i bit my tongue. I missed her, and then, it was time for her to go home. I felt the familiar urge to take her with me, but I let her go. She has a new master now. She doesn't belong to me anymore.

hand-painted mug

2010-05-04T01:27:00.000+09:00

I finally got the mug I painted (still excited!!) after a week of waiting. I attended this painting session hosted by the women's center last week. So glad they retouched the drawing, made a few adjustments but what was there in the mug was still me. There's a picture of a flower just beside the princess and the castle. That's what they wanted us to draw. Then they let us add a few more touches. I decided to paint the princess and her castle.

(so love this mug)
As much as I wanted to keep the mug, I decided to give it to my youngest sister-in-law much husbands approval. I thought she'll like it too. She loved it when I handed her the mug. Thought I was a fine artist.. *chos.. The next time I get a hand-painted mug. I'm keeping it. hehe

just when i thought...

2010-04-10T01:54:00.001+09:00

"You have to give her away. It's for her own good." Crap!

Three days ago, I found this cute little puppy (well not so since she's almost the size of connie) staring at me. I named her Cady. I gave her a name under the assumption that I get to keep her.

I took her to the vet this afternoon for her shots. We walked. She was sooo bahaved. On our way home, she stopped walking, looked at me and whimpered. I picked her up and carried her until we reached the house.

Night, the new owner came. He and husband tried to convince me to give her up with their crappy reasons. They tried. Still, I gave her up. I was allowed two more hours with Cady before I placed her in the hands of the her new owner. He assured me he would take care of her. "Not as much as I would", would've been my quick reply. I bit my tongue to prevent the words from coming out. Come to think of it, I should have said it. He wouldn't understand it anyway.

Tears started falling when I gave her my farewell kiss. I've been keeping them at bay but I couldn't hold them any longer. My Cady was being taken away from me. I had to fight the urge to snatch her back. I didn't see them out but I heard Cady's familiar whimper. More tears broke free. Connie's neck was getting wet. She was kind enough to hold still while I cried on her neck.

Connie and Cady have started to get along. They were playing this morning.

Cady's not mine anymore. She wouldn't be here when I wake up. Just when I though I could keep her.

newest baby

2010-04-08T03:02:00.000+09:00

Meet Cady. Father-in-law dropped her off in husband's workplace two days ago. Husband called me right away and told me 'bout her. Got there in 10 minutes. I was sooo excited to see her. We weren't planning on keeping her at first. FIL asked us to find her a new owner. The moment I saw her, I know I wouldn't be able to giver her away. I kept quiet at first. I took her to the pet shop for a bath before I went to work.

Somehow I managed to convince husband to keep her. Didn't take a lot. I guess he felt the same way when I first saw her. Can't say the same about Connie though. On their first night, their growled and barked at each other. Cady was feisty. She didn't back down. As the night went on, the growls lessened and they resorted to ignoring each other. Connie wouldn't even look at her. We had to let them sleep first so we were up until 4.

This night is better. A little growl here and there, but they're not ignoring each other anymore. A few more nights and they would be like sisters (fingers crossed). For the mean time, I'm just glad they're "getting along" just fine. :)

Connie blooper

2010-03-30T00:16:00.001+09:00

Out of boredom, I decided to film yet another Connie episode, this time featuring all the tricks she's learned so far. Her enthusiasm to get the treat usually leads to a blooper like this:

The usual routine - paw, high five and then the play dead trick. She thought I was only interested in the last trick so she jumped right away to the last one. :D

Here's what we were really trying to make her do, more or less... :)

just like hi, hello, bye!

2010-03-22T23:38:00.002+09:00

Out of nowhere, husband asked me if I wanted to go to the library yesterday. Said he wanted to do "a little reading". I was surprised since he isn't the type who'd hang around a library for too long. I agreed just to see how long he'd stay. It would be a chance for me to hunt for some books that I could use to study Korean. I gathered the books I'm using in my Korean class and headed to the library.

It was my first time to go in that public library. It is a welcome sight as it a really a nice building as opposed to the "aged-old" library in UP. It has a very relaxing vibe as well, just right if you'd like to study or do some reading. The left wing of the first floor is where the children's books are. On the right is like a lounge. On the second floor is the general reference and a spacey study room and a coffee shop on the third floor.

Before we got settled, husband decided to get us our IDs instead of a one day pass. They asked for my alien card. Too bad my wallet was at home and we had to come back for it. On our way back, husband told me that he wasn't sure if they would issue a card for me since I am not exactly a Korean citizen. One of the library personnels made several phone calls just to check. Sad... I look awful in the picture...

I got another ID! I love IDs. Anyway, we head up to the third floor only to find out the study room was already full. I wondered why would it be full on a nice Sunday afternoon. Husband told me it was jam packed with high school and middle school students. Got it!

We decided to go to the general reference. Should I still be surprised? It was almost full as well. Almost all the chairs we're occupied. We spotted two vacant chairs at the far end of the room. Then we scoured the selection for a book that I could use. My trip would have been really productive had I found a book. I just settled with the books I brought while husband found a book he could read. We sat in silence for 30 minutes. I was so engrossed in my work when husband leaned over and told me he was sleepy. What the heck! I was just getting started. I told him to grab a cup of coffee at coffee shop on the third floor. After a several minutes, I received a message that said "Let's go home".

Great! We stayed in the library for 40 minutes to be exact. I teased him on our way home. I kept it until today. It's really funny seeing him embarrassed about it. He promised to take me again on Sunday. I'd like to know how long we'd stay this time.

blah part 2

2010-03-21T04:47:00.001+09:00

I got up to a gloomy day once again. Thought I got up early since it was still dark outside only to find out that it was already 11am. The weather was telling me to stay home but I got a few errands to take care of. With my trusted umbrella, I braved the ... wind??? Crap! I thought the wind was strong enough to knock me down. I passed by a park on my way to husband's workplace. Had to stop by. As I was walking on the nearby park, dry leaves swirled around me as the icy wind blew in circles. It was like magic, made me feel like I was the one making the leaves fly. After a few moments of delight, I felt the wind blew again. This time, I couldn't ignore the cold it brought. It chilled to the bones. Although I was wearing a thick coat, the coldness seeped inside. I had to walk faster to escape the cold. Husband and I had a few chat. Then I went off to do my errands. On my way, husband told me to drop by his workplace again. Wondering why, I got there really annoyed for making me go back only to find out that it was MIL's post birthday party. I totally forgot. I know it was in my phone reminders but I set the alarm too early. I felt guilty all of a sudden. Anyway, we headed straight to PIL's place. MIL didn't mind me forgetting her birthday as it changes every year. Her date of birth is based on the lunar calendar, so as FIL. Since cash is a highly recommended gift here in Korea which I couldn't quite accept, we stopped by the nearest bank. This practice of money as a gift, much to my dislike, saved me this time. I didn't want to rack my brain for a suitable birthday gift. It was a pretty uneventful day save for the birthday party. Totally enjoyed it especially when we had to sing twice with all the lights turned off (for the added drama) since we were celebrating husband's youngest sister whose birthday is not far ahead. We got home and watched Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief which I totally missed in the theaters. I was able to watch it until the end. I couldn't say the same for husband though. He was fast asleep half-way through the movie. It's 4:45 and I'm still awake, again. My body clock is so messed up. Better take care of this and fast. I'm cutting this blog here although I still got lots of things to say and work on getting sleepy, again. Geez! I didn't falling asleep is such a hard work. Anyway, I'm out.

blah!

2010-03-18T02:08:00.002+09:00

It's been days since I've visited my blog sites. I've been busy with a lot of things and I'm exhausted at the end of the day. I'm getting these horrible raccoon like circles under my eyes. gaah!

So I woke up to a gloomy morning with a runny nose a huge headache. I thought my nose and eyes would fall off every time I sneeze. Having a bad cold doesn't worry me much. I'm more concerned with my hoarse voice. My students didn't pass the chance to make fun of it, copying my voice when opportunity strikes, that is when I'm in the hearing distance. Great!

It snowed the whole day. It's like its winter all over again. I wished for a lot of snow last year. It was only granted this year, when I don't want it anymore. I'm so tired of this weather. I want the sun. I miss the sun. I thought the weather was getting nicer. In some days it is, then the temperature drops followed by the snow. It's still snowing outside. I might go outside to take some pictures.

I've finally started taking my much awaited korean class. The women center is just a few minutes away, I have no trouble getting there on time. I'm placed in the beginner's class with four Vietnamese and two Chinese. Haven't made friends yet since their sticking to their "kind". I probably won't be able to as I find two of the Vietnamese girls irritating. I like the class save for the girls. I'm studying really hard too as one of my goals this year is to talk to my in-laws without my usual yes and no reply.

Oh, we're moving again on the 16th of May. My in-laws have found another apartment for us, even bigger than our previous house. I don't know if I'm gonna be happy or just break into tears. I'm already settled in our new house but the prospect of living in a bigger apartment is kinda tempting too.

Oh well, I'm not gonna think about it for now. I've got other things to be concerned about starting with my sleeping habit. It's past two and I'm still wide awake. *sigh. I better work on getting sleepy :)

paquiao- clottey match

2010-03-14T11:16:00.000+09:00

For those of you would liket to watch the Pacquiao-Clottey match, I've embedded a webplayer found on the right side. Unfortunately, it isn't online yet. Since the first match has already begun, you may go to filipinobalikbayantv.com.. go to their webcast and podcast section then click special live presentations. They are showing it live. I'm watching the first undercard match while writing this post.

Enjoy!

home is where your heart is

2010-03-04T01:17:00.000+09:00

The first time I saw our new house, its size struck me the most. It was smaller than our previous apartment. We had to ged rid of some of our things and the few remaining furniture didn't seem to fit still. The wallpaper wasn't done as nicely and only one wall is covered with a decorative wallpaper while the rest is in plain white. Everything appeared small. I figured this was the cost of moving at the heart of the city.

It's been a month after we moved in to this new house. I got rid of most of the clutter although I'm still trying to make our furniture fit. The wallpaper has finally grown on me. Even the house appear "larger". Surprisingly, I don't miss our previous apartment. There's no urge to come back because I feel that our previous apartment is better. I feel at home just as I felt at home in our previous apartment. I'm just glad we're together, husband, Connie and me.

busy.. busy... busy...

2010-03-02T02:51:00.000+09:00

i'm supposed to be sleeping early but i found myself still busy arraging and rearranging the things inside our new house. it's almost a month since we moved but i still can't figure out which things to put where. i spent the the whole weekend pushing the furniture to every corner of the house. husband is frustrated becuase he can see my own frustration. told me he gets tired looking at me. i don't really know what i want to do but the way things are right now just don'y sit right with me. ahhh.. hopefully i'd be able to figure out what i want to do in the coming days. i'm being pushed to throw a house warming party. gaah..still got a lot of things to do.. got to dig deeper and find that interior decorator inside me.. :)

i'm back (part 2)

2010-02-25T00:18:00.002+09:00

Finally!! I found the time to sit in front of my computer long enough to update this blog. A lot of things have happened, wanted to share but was too busy (and lazy) to do so. There's still a lot of things to do but the load is slowly getting lighter. Moving is a pain in the neck and additional additional workload is a killer. They leave me beat at the end of the day. Hopefully I'll be able to get my well deserved rest at the end of this month and be able to participate in normal human activities. Thanks Jehan for checking up on me. : )

hell yeah!!!

2009-12-23T01:13:00.000+09:00

Women Want Fair Division on Chores

my first christmas tree in korea

2009-12-14T01:37:00.000+09:00

After the not-so-merry christmas last year, I decided to just let everyhing pass and not expect too much this year or I might end up sick again on Christsmas Eve. I've discarded my plan of getting some christmas decorations. I though it wouldn't be enough anyway. I need to feel the christmas frenzy or it wouldn't be christmas at all.

Just when I've given up hope, I found my first Christmas Tree well, it's not actually mine and no, it's not at home. It's in an internet shop where husband and I frequented. The owner saw me staring at it while she was decorating and was kind enough to ask me to join in. Although the tree should be called "christmas balls tree" being so havily decorated with christmas balls, I was grinning ear to ear after decorating it. Then, I felt the familiar longing which I was trying to crush for the past few days. Great! I couldn't feel entirely awful though. I had fun doing it and for a moment there, I felt that it's christmas.

I couldn't help but smile whenever I see this chrismas tree. It made me relize how lame my decision was this christmas season. I'll try to make it as close to what i usually have back home. After all, i've already had my first ever christmas tree here in Korea.

*sniff

2009-12-11T20:18:00.000+09:00

I was rummaging through my old blogs for a photo of Connie when I saw the article Paolo Mangahas wrote that I featured in my blog two years ago. I cried when I first read it and it brought me close to tears the second time. It is one of the few essays I've read that really touched me to the core. It is such a powerful essay that he received an award for it.

Between Poverty and Paradise

Paolo Mangahas head of WWF in Malaysia
LAST night, I had dinner with a German friend to talk about her
planned trip to the Philippines. She had just completed an internship
program in one of the law firms here in Malaysia and wanted to take a
short holiday in a nearby country before heading off to Australia to
finish her studies. She wanted to know more about the Philippines and
asked me for tips on making the most of the two-and-a-half weeks that
she had allotted for this vacation.

We planned her trip between bites, armed only with a faded map of the
Philippines that we had downloaded from the Internet. My goal was to
identify all the "must-see" places in the country (her criteria being
beaches and volcanoes), plot them according to distance and flight
routes, and then cram them all in 17 days. A tall order indeed,
especially for someone like me who has never had a sense of
direction even in my own neighborhood. For the life of me, I could
not spot where Boracay was on her map. So I took the easy way out and
told her to go to Palawan instead.

I carried on with the task like a diligent student trying to remember
my geography, starting from the rice terraces in Banaue up north,
moving down south to the Mayon Volcano in Bicol and the Chocolate
Hills in Bohol. It was an embarrassing ordeal nonetheless as she
could see that I was struggling to find all the other attractive
destinations on the map, which in turn made me realize how little I
truly knew about my own country. She was very excited about the trip
and was eager to learn more about the country and its people.

She imagined the Philippines to be an eternal fiesta of Spanish and
Chinese Third-World flair, filled with warm and accommodating people
who all speak with a clear American accent, where all men have the
handsome earthy appeal of Jericho Rosales and women the heavenly
mestiza charms of Kristine Hermosa (thanks to Filipino soap operas
that have become so popular here in Malaysia). It was certainly one
of the most honest cultural impressions that I have ever heard and
quite amusingly, one shared by many. In my German friend's opinion,
the Philippines is one of the most open-minded countries in Southeast
Asia. I found this view rather interesting, especially since it came
from a European who has never stepped foot in the Philippines and
whose only direct exposure to the country, was me.

The funny thing about cultural impressions is that they often come
from a place of both acute perception and blatant ignorance, split in
the middle by what is painfully true. But they are what they are ~
impressions. Quite naturally, my friend and I have come to build our
own impressions about Malaysia in the several months that we have
been here. Malaysia is a beautiful country that seems to be in a
hurry to develop economically, but is hampered by a palpable trace of
social reluctance. It seems grounded on an age-old culture that
simply does not mix well with progress, or at least the kind dictated
and exemplified by the Western world. I find this true for most
developing Asian countries, including the Philippines.My friend
pointed out that she has never seen a beggar in the streets of
Kuala Lumpur since she moved here and asked me if it is the same in
the Philippines. As a matter of fact, she admitted that she has never
seen a beggar up close in her whole life and asked me to explain how
it is to live in a poor country like mine.

She wanted to know more about poverty. Her question struck a chord in
me because I realized that apart from Jericho Rosales, this woman had
absolutely no idea about the country where she was going and how it
was out there. Here was someone who came to me wanting to know more
about my country and the best I could offer was a geographical
representation of scenic destinations, which I hardly even knew
myself.

By this time, I had put down the pen I was holding, set aside the
map, and got ready to explain to her details about my country. I did
not know where to begin. After all, how does one explain poverty to
someone who has never experienced it before? To make things more
relevant to her, I started by comparing the Philippines to Malaysia.
I told her that blue-collar workers in the Philippines did not have
the same opportunities as the ones in Malaysia, who can afford to eat
in the same restaurants where executives eat or even shop in stores
where their own bosses shop. I told her that unlike the ones I have
met in Malaysia, secretaries and administrative clerks in the
Philippines will eat in posh restaurants only on very special
occasions and can barely afford to travel to other countries. I then
told her about the beggars, young and old, who parade the streets of
Manila, the children who knock on car windows selling sampaguita, the
mothers who have to forage for food in garbage landfills, and the
unemployed fathers who waste their lives on drugs and alcohol. I told
her about the shanties that bedeck highways and railroads, the
unproductive traffic jams, the garbage-infested streets and sewers,
and the regular typhoons that flood the country and exacerbate
already poor living conditions. I told her that poverty in the
Philippines unapologetically hits you in the face the very moment you
step in. It is an open wound just waiting to be healed.

My friend looked shaken, as if experiencing for the first time a world
she has seen only on TV. That was when my tears started to fall. I
could not help it. I have never cried in front of a semi-stranger
before but for some reason, I cried this time because she was still
not immune to these things.

Her unawareness taught me to see poverty as if for the first time
myself, which brought out a lot of pain. I have become so used to the
pain that I have forgotten how it felt until I painted for her the sad
face of poverty.

I then found myself having to explain to her that despite all these,
the Philippines is still a beautiful country and this you will also
feel the very moment you get there. It is a beauty
characterized by the indomitable human spirit of a people who have
seen better days and yet still have the capacity to find a piece of
heaven in their lives. It is a beauty defined by the untiring faith
of a people who have learned to acknowledge their plight with
reverence and yet have never lost the courage to dream big dreams. It
is a beauty characterized by the painful history of a people who have
been abused and pillaged through the years and yet still have so much
of themselves to give.

Now her tears were falling, smearing the map that I had earlier
vandalized with circles and arrows. But I knew it did not matter
anymore at this point.

I realized that my friend had learned all she needed to know about my
country and my people. She thanked me profusely, saying that she came
to me wanting to know more about how poor the Philippines is but in
the end, she learned how abundantly blessed Filipinos truly are.

A beach is a beach and a volcano is a volcano anywhere in the world,
but it is the people who make the difference. I learned in that moment
that I may not know the geographical features of my country all too
well, but I sure know its heart and its soul because it is who I am.
The real poverty lies in not knowing this.

THIN

2009-12-10T20:31:00.000+09:00

One out of five Korean women are undernourished.. shocker there.. not! I rarely see single korean women or those who at least look like single plump and full of jingly thingies on their arms or belly. They may not always appear as thin as a stick but thin nevertheless. Then again Korea is not singled out in the quest for a thin body (read: that of an adolescent boy or a bit bigger than that).

I haven't been pressured to appear thin until I entered university. I was at my heaviest when I was in the first year having developed the habit to pig out at night. I become fully aware that I "need" to be thin (for aesthetics) when I was in my second year. Pressure, pressure, pressure. The fact that I've been exposed to school of thoughts that liberate women from the confines of society did little to ease the pressure. It just showed how much I was succumbing to the "ideal" female body size and shape.

I started losing weight when I began working by skipping meals with and without intentions. There was a time when a full time job and a part-time tutorial work left me almost without a chance to have a proper meal.

I have never fully gotten out of that habit until now although I have the opportunity to eat on time. I'm trying to get back on track though. I don't want to find myself with a huge hole in my stomach. I've been trying to gain a few kilos to reach my ideal weight. I've been eating more than what I usually consume when I was back home so hopefully I'd be able to reach it in a few months.

i never thought i'd read something that says...

2009-12-10T17:56:00.000+09:00

'Smelly' Man Banned From Library

and

Lee Byung-hun (korean actor) Sued by Female Gymnast for a false marriage promise

the third day of the month

2009-12-06T19:11:00.000+09:00

Every third day of every month, there's always this nagging feeling that I forgot to do something important. I'll only remember what it is when I see a huge check on the gas meter list in front of our door which means I forgot to write the number down. Writing four digits and falling into the habit of writing them down every third day of the month is not much of a task. I don't know why I'm still not used to it after more than one year.

Last year's list was almost empty. lol. I often find this post it stuck on our door, reminding us to send the numbers through SMS. Husband had to do this for almost a year and not without complains.

Not this month though (yes!!!) but not without a few post its in front of the fridge, a reminder in my phone and from husband and one more post it somewhere, I forgot where I put it. I'm not sure how much we'll pay this month. Hopefully, not too much. I'd rather spend some money on "stuff" rather than on bloody bills.

how to flatter a girl (the mathematician way)

2009-12-01T17:57:00.000+09:00

another victory for the filipinos

2009-11-22T21:18:00.000+09:00

I'm so glad Efren Penaflorida won the CNN Hero of the Year (2009). Among the 9,000 candidates, his push-cart classrooms" gained him a spot as one of the ten finalists. It's another reson for Filipinos to celebrate after Manny Pacquaio's victory over Miguel Cotto more than a week ago. I just wish he gains the same recognition as that of Pacquiao from everyone back home.

I'd give anything to have this opportunity!

2009-11-18T22:32:00.000+09:00

I'm not sure why but I'd love to put make up on husband's face. I think he'd look pretty. I tried it once when he was fast asleep but he woke up before I could fully do his face. He didn't get angry though but he'd warn me not to put anything on his face whenever I buy new a new make up.

Jennifer's out!

2009-11-15T21:43:00.002+09:00

I love this cycle of America's next top model, as every season of ANTM. They are claiming that this season is very special because they're not going for the more traditional model in terms of height. This season, they are looking for a model whose height won't go beyond 5"7'. In the modelling world, you are considered short if fall on or below that height. Geez! Talking about gigantic females. So, cycle 13 is about searching for a little less than their usual giants (most them are 5'5' to 5'7') as a top model and doing things that haven't been done in the show so far.

This cycle is nearing its end and the season finale is next week. Nicole and Laura were chosen to be the final two and JEN is out. *sniff*. Jen wasn't the only one eliminated this week, Erin too, becasue they decided to have a double elimination. How's that for something that hasn't been done in the "history" of ANTM? Whatever!

Anyway, I've ben rooting for the three girls in the final four (except for Erin 'cause she's ungrateful and a brat) since the start of the competition. Jennifer is my favorite for a number of reasons. One, because she's Asian (love your own). Two, becasue she's so hilarious and I don't think I've ever heard her trash talk another girl in the competition. She's just sweet. I lover her expressions when she's talking to the camera. It just made me sad to see her go. The judges love her but its not enough to get her to the finale. At least she's going back to Hawai with Laura as part of Laura's reward for winning the challenge.

As for the winner, I'm thinking Nicole has this in the bag but I can't rule out Laura as well. They're both great. I'm so excited to watch the finale!

바보 (idiot)

2009-11-14T16:48:00.000+09:00

I just discovered this super funny video which a cousin of mine (from the philippines) recommended. This is a video of a popular boy band Super Junior. They were in this show called Intimate note.

Pacquiao-Cotto Match.

2009-11-14T16:47:00.000+09:00

I'm not much of a boxing fan but Manny Pacquiao is one heck of an athlete for me to ignore. I do get excited about his fight and feels pride as a Filipino whenever he steps into the ring. I just love that for several hours, time seems to stop in the Philippines when there's a Pacquiao match. I've also won a bet ( a case of beer) from one of his matches which I haven't been able to claim. Will call Marvin later. hehe

I forgot thel channel where I watched his match. I'l probaly do it in the internet.

mass blind date??

2009-11-14T02:15:00.003+09:00

I've read a very interesting article in Korea Times about a mass blind date in Gangnam district. Having the lowest birth rate among the other urban areas, Gangnam not only offers a venue for potential couples to meet but they also have the biggest incentive for having children. The mass blind date in Gangnam seemed very similar to speed dating since paticipants will name three dates they liked the most at the end of the event.

Korea's population is aging as birth rate continuously declines. It might have dipped at its lowest as law makers considers several counter measures such as granting dual citizenship and a less-mainstreamed move as in the case of Gangnam. Although they are looking for more innovative ways to solve this problem, I'm a bit skeptical about this mass blind dating (it is an experiment according to the report). They are basically replicating what match-making companies do. The only difference might be the clients need not pay a large sum of money to find a suitable spouse (I assume its for free). Then again, we (in the Philippines) never had problems with low birth rates. We need to reduce the number of babies born every year as a matter of fact. Who knows what this mass blind date can do?
Coming from a country where match-making (as a business) is illegal, blind date is not one of the most popular means to get a mate. One might get set up on a blind date through a friend or someone he/she knows in some occasions but I still believed most Filipinos find/found their spouse by going through means other than going on blind dates.

After reading the whole article I've realized both husband and I haven't really considered (yet) the thought of children. We are pretty content with the way things are. I started wondering if women or at least the women in Gangnam district (me included) are smarter for wanting to make marriage and/or motherhood less of a priority when they are at the peak of their fertility.

SOS: SMS

2009-11-13T16:56:00.001+09:00

I miss texting!!! I found myself itching to receive and send a message from my phone. I've been sending husband randoms messages during the day just to receive answers like why, ok and sometimes nada!

I miss the days when my phone would beep more than once and find several unread messages then scrambling to answer each one of them. And before you could put your phone down, there's another message waiting for my reply. I remembered having my right thumb looking a little disfigured. The left part is flattened from pressing on the keys. Imagine how many messages it could take to change the appearance of your thumb.

I got my first phone when I was in high school. There were no colored phones yet and everyone was using a Nokia phone (i think). Nokia 3310 was my first phone which was pretty much everyone's phone back then. I had to beg for it first. Since then, my allowance was spent mostly on buying phone cards. A 300-worth would last me for less than a week. Aside from talking to unknown people through SMS, my load was spent on forwarding mushy quotes and pictures messages which cost millions back then. When my phone is silent, I spend idle moments by playing snake ( i forgot my highest score.. lol)

As I grew older, the appeal SMS has finally grown on me. I often ignored messages not related to work. My battery would last several days compared to a day back then. My parents and my friends complained about it but I was just too lazy to press the keys.

And now, I'm cursed!!! lol . I have no one to send me any messages, forwarded or not. My phone beeps with spam messages. Gone were the days of texting till the wee hours. Arrgh..

the first day of winter?

2009-11-12T20:45:00.002+09:00

I was ranting last night about the weather ( I actually complain everyday), how cold it was, that it'll be winter soon, that it'll be unbearably cold (for me) and so on. (I am sometimes surprised at how whiny I am over so little things.) I was anxious to know that winter is coming soon. All of a sudden, husband told me that tomorrow (today) would be the nationwide college entrance exam for all the high school students. I stared blankly at him while he waited for me to comment on what he said. My eyebrows almost met from trying to find the "non-existent" connection as if what we had said was comparable to the north and south pole. The only word I could say was "SO?".

Exasperated, husband explained what he meant. Apparently, there's this belief that it gets really cold the day before the college entrance exam which signifies the beginning of the winter season. Then I remembered. He told me about it last year while I was complaining about the weather too (funny). I stared at him a little longer. I could see that he knew what was on my mind. He knows that I hate winter. He knows the only thing that makes me happy during winter is snow (now you know one of my deepest darkest secrets). He put his arms around me and we sat silently as we drove home.

Even if today is not the first day of winter, it's got to come, right? I just have to suck it up.

a childish whim

2009-11-12T16:58:00.001+09:00

November 11 (11.11), also known as Peppero day in Korea is a widely celebrated occasion by children and young couples by exchanging boxes of Peppero, chocolates or any other sweets and cute stuffed toys. It's basically like Valentines Day only held on the last quarter of the year. As Peppero day approaches, department stores prepare a section where you can choose a variety of gift items to give your special someone. I've also seen a flower shop ride on this occasion to boost their sales.

I searched for the origin of this day and several explanations came up. One of them says that some middle school girls jump started this occasion in 1994 by exchanging boxes of Peppero and wishing each other to be as tall and as slender as a stick of Peppero. Another explanation says it is a marketing strategy to boost the sales of this product.

Three years ago, I received my first Peppero box (the red one) on Peppero day. That was the first time I tasted Peppero as well. It reminded me of Pretzels which was one of the favorite junk food when I was young. It became an instant favorite of mine.

Last year, I celebrated my first Peppero day with a huge surprise from husband. He gave me a big basket filled with chocolates and a cute teddy bear. He actually took the time to call someone to make that basket. He would have left on my table in the academy for me to discover when I get to work but the academy was still closed when he dropped by. I couldn't be any happier though. A for effort .

Needless to say, I kinda expected something like that this year. Unfortunately, he didn't put so much thought to it. He gave me this cute gift set and a sword-like container with Peppero sticks inside (pardon me for sounding disappointed). I still love it though and I couldn't thank him enough for giving in to my childish whim 'cause that's what it really is, a childish whim.

this year's sort of surprise...

this was last year's SURPRISE!!

Could you? would you?

2009-11-11T00:36:00.001+09:00

These pictures cam from an email from a former classmate of mine.

This is a bathroom in Houston. It's entirely made of glass. This is how it looks outside. Wait till you get inside..

The toilet is made of one-way glass. No one will see you while you're doing your business. I think I'll pass. : )

This bathroom will surely make you catch your breath.

Would you take your cigarette break in this particular smoking lounge?

Liking this one. It's kinda uncomfortable to stare at what will happen to you while you are doing what will lead you there. Maybe I can have our bathroom painted like this one. lol

I'm back!!

2009-11-08T22:56:00.000+09:00

I've been in a foul mood these past few days. Husband's patience was running thin. He tried to get out of my way but to no avail (poor him). Even I wanted to get away from me. My mood has been affected by the weather (bring back my summer!!) and PMS I guess. I didn't actually think PMS applies to me. I am basically a happy person and doesn't get quite sad so easily and for a very long time. I don't know what has gotten into me. I just felt sad, annoyed, irritated, grumpy.

Thank god I'm out of it and back to my old self. I missed ME!! I didn't know it was hard to be angry and annoyed at all times. Thank god I'm back!

moving on!

2009-11-08T15:29:00.001+09:00

I finally found the thing that took my mind off make up brushes, NAIL ART!! I found them while searching for, well, make up brushes. I immediately fell in love with them. It was the right timing as well since I've been trying to grow my nails longer and quit on biting them. I have this horrid habit of chewing my nails nervous or not. I got three image plates to start with and when they came, I got right on paiting my nails.

image plates

love the butterfly..

love the fairy even more!

these were my all hallows eve nails!

doing the dirty finger while taking this picture..

my forefinger

Justified

2009-11-06T21:04:00.002+09:00

Although everyone raves about iphone, i didn't take a liking to it, much less desire to acquire it. I found this article enumerating the flaws iphone has. I thought my dislike was justified. I still think iphone is a fad and just for show.

Click here to read the whole article.

DIY fairy wings

2009-10-27T14:07:00.002+09:00

the new 1000 won bill (or so I thought)

2009-10-27T02:13:00.002+09:00

While waiting for the students to arrive for my next class, I decided to make a quick run to the PC room on the second floor to buy a cup of noodles. The girl at the counter gave me this unfamiliar looking bill. I hurried back to the academy to inspect it. I saw this brown 1000 won bill that is slighty bigger than the present 1000 won bill. Since they recently released a 50 000 won bill, which I am totally crazy about (I know, weird), I actually thought it was a new one. I excitedly showed it to husband only to be told that it was the old one, the one replaced a few years ago. And I thought I was the who would deliver a fresh news. I was even ready to brag. Anyway, I decided to keep this bill as a keepsake.

old 1000 won bill

the old and the new

Connie's newest trick!

2009-10-22T02:19:00.001+09:00

still crazy about philippine TV

2009-10-22T01:32:00.002+09:00

I admit it. I'm a TV addict. I can easily be a couch potato if I don't have a job. One of the things that I do the moment I wake up is turn on the TV. I also like to sleep with the sound of the TV in the background.

Nothing's changed since I came here although the channels I enjoy was reduced to less than 10 due to the fact that only a few channels feature series, shows and movies in English. I do love their back to back to back to back (lol) episodes of popular series like CSI, Ghost Whisperers, Supenatural etc. Their movie selection is sadly outdated and could use a little updating.

However, I still miss Philippine TV and I do love watching talk shows, noon time shows (batang Eat Bulaga) and game shows. I don't care much about Teleseryes/Fantaseryes, Korean Novelas and the like. I guess I've outgrown them.

To "quench my thirst" for philippine TV, I've searched for websites that stream Filipino shows. After months of searching, I've finally found what I was looking for. Filipinobalikbayantv.com offers several filipino and foreign channels. They also feature filipino radio stations and for those who enjoy filipino movies, they offer movie streaming. They also have forums and threads for you to post your opinion on the shows and probaby actos/actresses that you like or bash the ones that you find not to your liking with or without valid reasons.

To use the services they offer, one must sign up and install Microsoft Silverlight to browse their channels. After that, knock yourself out.

I'm actually listening to an FM radio station while writing this post.

better late than never

2009-10-20T17:57:00.001+09:00

If surfing the internet can really help your brain maintain your brain's function as you age like what this article says, I better force my mom to learn how to surf the internet. She thinks it's too complicated.

Click here to read the whole article.

I want me some Beyonce

2009-10-20T15:55:00.000+09:00

Tonight is Beyonce's concert and I so want to be there. Unfortunately, I'm working late (overtime) and it's a weekday. Why did they have to choose weekdays for the concert?? WHY???

current obsession

2009-10-18T01:20:00.002+09:00

From time to time, I get really involved (translation: "obsession") in shopping for certain things. From clothes, shoes to cute notebooks and pencils, I "indulge" on things that catch my fancy. And now, my current obsession is make up brushes. I've been trying to replace old my old brushes that I have accumulated over the years. I thought its time for them to be laid to rest.

I've started to build my brushes when I was in the university. I've stopped collecting them when I felt that I have everything I needed. It took me almost three years to complete my collection since I'd only go back to collecting them when I felt like it. And I'm into them again now. It's been going for 3 months and I'll probably be in this state for several more moths. I can feel it.

I'm currently trying to get hold of the blending brush from Mac (217 and 224) since my bobbi brown is a tad too big. I couldn't find it online so I'm thinking of either visiting the Mac branch here or just ordering from them online.

My make up bruh holder is getting a little crowded (yeah!). I like looking at the different shapes and sizes of the brushes. I'm mixing korean brand brushes to the well known brands like mac and bobbi brown and shu eumura which is finally available on 11st (hurray!!) I've been collecting the high-end brushes one at a time since they can really take their toll on your wallet and mine is losing weight fast! Argh...

super funny (part 3)

2009-10-13T02:48:00.002+09:00

super funny (part 2)

2009-10-13T02:47:00.001+09:00

super funny (part 1)

2009-10-13T02:43:00.004+09:00

traffic and more...

2009-10-12T02:35:00.003+09:00

And I thought heavy traffic in the highway doesn't exist here in Korea. I understand the rush during important holidays but on a regular Saturday afternoon? Come on!

We were on our way to Seoul for my 2nd attempt to attend a korean language class. We left an hour earlier than the previous Saturday, very sure that we would get there on time. Lo and behold!! The traffic was as worse as that in Manila. Grrr. We left at 2 and we arrived in Seoul at 5.

So there, I missed the class twice but I didn't let that bother me. We went to Ilsan the last time so I wondered where husband would take me this time. We passed by Itaewon and wanted to get out of the car becaue I saw Body Shop. I also tried to convince husband to go to Apgujong or anywhere I could find a MAC store. Too bad for me. Husband had already arranged a meeting with his friend. We picked him up, drove some more (in the terrible traffic) to this restaurant somewhere (i didn't bother asking where we were). We met husband's friend's sister there. She's very pretty. I wish she doesn't look like a butch though.

After a sumptious meal, my mood had already improved, husband told me that they were coming with us to Osan. We took them home first to get their things. I rode with husband's friend's sister's in a scooter while husband and his friend followed us in the car. It was so cold I thought I'd be frozen before we even got to their place.

And before I could talk husband into visiting another place in Seoul, we were on our way home and I was left sulking in my seat... AGAIN.

hate traffic!!

while waiting for a table...

fried rice after the main course (I've always wondered why)

a couple waiting for a table

I was so irritated that we had to wait for almost half an hour to get a table and the people seemed to take their sweet time eating so I made sure I chewed my food really well and I knew almost everything about the lives of the siblings before we went out of the restaurant.

I know. I'm petty and a meanie when I'm annoyed.

korean shows

2009-10-12T00:51:00.001+09:00

I finally saw Charice Pempengco's first performance in a Star King rerun. She was really good and impressed everyone in the show. Her duet with one of the Super Juniors was so sweet. I haven't seen this episode that practically launched Charice's international career.

I love this particular episode and Star King is one of those Korean shows I enjoy watching although I have absolutely no idea what they are saying in the show. I get a good laugh from the host and the judges' antics. They're so out there and they aren't afraid to look like "fools" on national TV given their status. I thought its cool.

I also love this show called 1박2일 which also starred the main host of Star King together with 5 other men. They go on a trip for one night and two days. They play various games for food, sleeping places etc. They also love to play tricks on each other. They're just like overgrown children in the show. They are hilarious and the places that they go to are beautiful. I often tell husband to take me to the places that they go to.

I have so much fun watching these shows. If only I could understand what they are saying.

politically correct terms

2009-10-11T21:44:00.000+09:00

I was doing a little research about politically correct terms and my search landed me to this website.. i'm not really sure if they are correct but they sure are funny.. i got a good laugh out of them.. i copied some. here goes...

Actor: metamorphosing being (possessing great wealth).
Actress: metamorphosing being (possessing great wealth, and occasionally great beauty).
Boy: oppressor-to-be.
Car: earth-unfriendly vertically-challenged mode of transport.
Dancing: the vertical expression of a horizontal desire legalized by music
Farming: exploiting mother earth.
Fart: human ozone depletor; ecologically incorrect expression.
Loser: uniquely fortuned individual on an alternative career path.
Man: oppressor.
Mugging: unforeseen funding of underclass.
Murderer: termination specialist.
Nerd: under-attractive cerebrally gifted individual.
Pregnancy: parasitic oppression.
Prisoner: client of the correctional system.
Prostitute: body entrepreneur; sex care provider.
Ranch: cattle murdering neighborhood.
Slut: female sex addict.
Stud: male sex addict.
Uglier: over under-attractive.
Ugliest: over-under-attractively gifted.
Ugly: aesthetically challenged; facially challenged; under-attractive.
White: melanin-impoverished; member of the mutant albino genetic-recessive global minority.

TGIF

2009-10-10T04:14:00.000+09:00

Friday's got to be the most loved day of the week. Apart from the fact that there's no work the next day, it's GIMIK (sorry for the term) night! Sweet!

Unfortunately, no more gimik nights for me. NO more late night out with friends. No more bars and clubbing...

But, Friday is still the best of the week because husband and I have our own "gimik" every Friday night. We usually order food, buy soju and beer and watch movies until the break of dawn. Tonight, husband decided to order chiken and get beer from Family Mart. We still had soju from last week and Voila!

I think I had one too many shots this time. I'm already seeing double. Sorry for the typos. I'll edit them this afternoon.

A creative way to order at McDO

2009-10-09T01:47:00.002+09:00

A Filipino Hero

2009-10-08T15:55:00.002+09:00

I came across this article about a Filipino named Efren Peñaflorida who's one of the top 10 candidates for CNN's Heroes 2009. He's a public school teacher who teaches not only in the classroom but in the streets as well.

I already cast my vote and I told husband to do the same. The stories of the other candidates are also inspiring. They tried to help others with what they have. Their story made me think about development work again which I swore to practice after graduating from the university. My university friends and I were all in different fields now but we often talk about going back. Hopefully, I'll be able to fulfill my life long dream of working in the United Nations, that is after I get my MA and PHD.

Click here to read about Efren and his work. There's a widget on my sidebar if you want to support him.

supressing my shopping urges

2009-10-07T14:59:00.000+09:00

How in god's name I got hooked on shopping, I may never know. One thing's for sure though. I NEED to stay away from it.

Since husband and I are both spendthrift (unfortunately), we promised to get our act together and start saving the money we are wasting on unnecessary stuff. However, the bulk of our expenses comes from ME! I used to drop by shopping malls after work or spend the whole day in it during weekends. I was a certified mall rat according to my friends. That was then, and now I make do with Lotte Mart or E-mart. I found the ultimate alternative to malling though. Internet shopping is my new addiction. It became the outlet of all the energy I used to spend roaming around malls.

With convenience comes more purchases. They usually come week after week. I've told myself a thousand times I should only buy stuff that are necessary. Time and again, I've always justified that the things I buy are [absolutely] necessary. To lessen my guilt, I try to purchase things one at a time and in smaller quantities.I try not to know the total amount of the purchase. The bigger the amount, the bigger the guilt.

Husband is no help either. He tells me to go on instead of discouraging me from shopping. I tried to regulate my spending with little success. I'm trying my hardest to keep my wallet shut. ATMs are a hot spot and new shops are a red flag.

Yesterday, I went to the opening of a new branch of Nature Republic. I bought some moisturizers, a couple of lippies and a loose powder. I'm thinking of dropping by again after work, or maybe not. Arrgh. I'm hopeless.

Chuseok 2009

2009-10-06T01:54:00.002+09:00

Although Chuseok (korean thanksgiving) was relatively shorter this year, I enjoyed it more than last year's. We went to husband's grandmother's place in Incheon like we did last year with his sisters and Connie this time. We left on Friday at 7pm and arrived in Incheon after an hour and half. Husband needed to drive slowly than he normally would since we were with his sister.

Grandma was alone when we arrived. Apparently, his uncle visited a friend and left grandma alone (grrr..). There was a delicious meal waiting for us when we got there. We were still full then so we had to literally stuff the food down our throats. We shouldn't have eaten before we left. (Note to self: Don't eat on the day to grandma's place).

The next day, were awaken by grandma telling us that it was time to eat (again). She served some rice cakes in between meals so there was no time for us to be hungry. I thought my stomach would burst from every meal.

At 5 pm we left grandmother's place (she was still alone when we left *sniff*) and without prior plans whatsoever, we headed to Everland. We thought of going the next day but husband's youngest sister threw tantrums. We expected to get to Everland at 8 but husband avoided traffic like a miracle and arrived two hours earlier instead.

It was too late for me to realize that I would have to ride (again) what I call the "devil ride" (a.k.a T-express) when we come back. And the sole reason I didn't want to set foot in this place again is T-express. It never escaped husband's attention and true enough, we headed straight to it to "exorcise" my fear. I tried to disappear while we were waiting in line but the moment they learned of my plan to bail, husband locked me in his arms until it was time for us to get on it. The moment of truth. I was so scared I cried while we were climbing for the first drop which is the part I hated the most. And then it was over (thank god!) My knees turned to jelly and I had to lean on him for support.

After what I've just been through, I decided to try all the other rides which I didn't dare try the first time I went. They failed to elicit some hard core screams from me and the experience paled in comparison to T-express. I thought it was kinda cool. I guess I am less fearful now but not with T-express. Maybe some other time (if there'll be a next time).

It was fun spending time with husband's sisters. I've been wanting to go somewhere with them (not necessarily in Everland for the above mentioned reason) but it had to be postponed because of swine flu.

We got home late and tired but we had so much fun. Hopefully, it'll be like this next year.

sisters-in-law

midnight magic parade

never want to miss the fireworks

last pose before we left

Tofu and Kimchi...Yum!

2009-10-01T01:41:00.000+09:00

Since husband is on a diet and he's begging for food at 1 am in the morning, I decided to prepare boiled tofu and kimchi. I learned this from his mom. At first I couln't stomach eating boiled tofu. It was too soft and squishy. I taught myself to like it since my mother-in-law loves to prepare this one. Right now, I'm sharing a bite with husband.

Why is it so hard to get a day off in this country?

2009-09-30T23:55:00.001+09:00

Koreans are known to be workaholic. I know. But...

I was expecting that we will be given an early Chuseok break. Since tomorrow (Thursday) is the start of our new lessons for this month and the day after it is the start of Chuseok (Korean thanks-giving), I thought it makes sense to just cancel the classes for tomorow and officially start on Monday. However, he announced that we are to report for work tomorrow and play games with the students.

..........................

I guess my employer and I weren't running on the same wavelength.

help for the victims of typhoon Ondoy

2009-09-29T15:57:00.001+09:00

The Philippine Embassy has released an announcement regarding donations for the victims of typhoon Ondoy. You can send your donations to the following KEB accounts: 650-007417-736 (US Dollar Account) / 630-006910-568 (Korean Won Account). Donations will be accepted from Sept. 28 to Oct. 28. There's also a donation box at the lobby of the embassy.

Click here to view the announcement.

Manila during Ondoy

2009-09-28T15:56:00.005+09:00

Typhoon Ondoy Hits Metro Manila | Video Clips @ Yahoo! Video

playing make up artist...

2009-09-28T02:06:00.006+09:00

I woke up from my late afternoon nap really starving. I mad a quick dinner and glued myself to the computer and the TV. There weren't any good movies and my facebook wall was inactive (blackout in the phil. I guess) so I looked around and my eyes fixed on my dresser. That's when I decided to play make up artist. I sat on my dresser and started painting my face. I tried combining different colors and the results were mostly hilarious. I was trying to see which colors blend well.

Here are two looks that I thought looked nice (minus the mascara and the eye liner).

I love soft browns. I'm not so sure if its too shimmery but I'm sooo wearing this tomorrow.

I used NYX mocha pearl pigment all over my eyelids and blackest black eyeshador on the outer edge.

Purpple is one of my favorite colors. This was the first look I made.

I used NYX purple pearl pigment all over my eyelid, a darker shade of purple on the outer edge of the eye and NYX mocha pearl pigment on the crease.

I was able to achieve my perfect blend because of my new fluffy brush. I also liked the ones I recently got from Etude House. Having the right tools definitely helped.

contour brush overall angled brush

shadow brush

Sunday+Indiana Jones+Connie on my lap

2009-09-27T17:54:00.006+09:00

I've always had a love and hate relationship with Sunday. When I was younger, I hated Sundays because it meant waking up early for the Sunday mass. It also meant the weekend is almost over and it'd be a school day when I wake up.

When I got in high school, Sunday meant more time with my friends. We all go to Sunday mass or pretend to go to Sunday mass (at times). I absolutely loved Sunday becasue it gave me an excuse to stay out of the house. I couldn't stand my sisters back then (I'd like to think it was becasue of our age gap and not becasue my secret fantasy was to be an ony child) while my mom and I decided that the time for us to get on each other's nerves has come.

When I was in college, Sunday meant malling, movies and SHOPPING!! at least during the first two Sundays of the month. We were reduced to window shopping on the third Sundays while the last Sundays of the month were spent idling at home.

Now that I'm married, Sunday meant chores. CHORES!!! I abhor chores and nobody's a fan expecially me. My whole day is spent on chores not because there's a pile of things to do but becasue I am a natural born slowpoke.

It's 5:38 and I just finished all my chores (finally!!). After three Indianan Jones movies (and a Chris Tucker movie) I'm finally done. I practially spent my whole day doing them. I decided to write this blog while resting and Connie decided to make me her bed. She's sleeping on my lap. I'm feeling numbness on my legs but I couldn't get myself to move. She's sleeping so peacefully, like a baby. This is a rare moment. Connie usually runs around the house adding more mess. Not today though. Maybe because of the weather. It's drizzling outside and it's gloomy the whole day. Love it except for the rain.

I hate this Sunday and like it as well (thanks to Connie). I'll probably hit the bed for a nap a little later. For now, I'll enjoy another Indiana Jones movie while babying Connie.

Stranded!

2009-09-27T01:02:00.006+09:00

Tropical storm Ondoy is unrelenting. I never expected this storm to affect Manila this way. Almost everyone I know is/was stranded in their offices or schools. My facebook wall was filled with complaints about being stuck in the office for hours. I'm not sure if most of them have gone home.

My aunt was stranded in her office for several hours. She's at home now. She was able to drive home after hours of searching for possible routes. She was desperate since all of her officemates braved the storm leaving her in the office alone. On her way home, she had to pick up an officemate (and her child) of hers in Megamall who taught she could wait until the storm let up. The basements of Megamall were also flooded and at 7pm, they finally decided to stop their operation for the day leaving the poor mother and child outside. They all got home safely thanks to my uncle who tried everything to get my aunt home.

I called my mom and asked how they were. Fortunately, Lucban is far from being submerged like Manila (thank god!) but it was still pouring when I was talking to her. I had to try all their phones bacause of fluctuating signals. My dad on the other hand travelled to Lucban this afternoon after I told him to let the storm pass first. He's safely home (thank god uli!).

This storm made me anxious the whole day. I'm just glad all the people I care about are fine. I feel sad for those who are greatly affected though.

literal?

2009-09-26T02:09:00.002+09:00

I was searshing for some more widgets to add to my blog when I came across Google Translate. This widget will translate your entries to different languages in just a click. I tried how it works by choosing Filipino and this is what I got. (this is the filipino version of my previous entry)

handa na glam up!!

Yey! Yey! I got my coastal scents 78 pallet and my blending brush today. Nakuha ko ang aking mga baybay-dagat ng scents 78 papag at sa aking blending sipilyo ngayon. I've been searching for this two for months. Ako ay naghahanap ng mga ito para sa dalawang buwan. The minute I stumbled upon them, I wasted no chance. Ang mga minuto stumbled ko sa kanila, ako walang nasayang na pagkakataon.

Based from the rave reviews about the coastal scents products, they're prone to get sold out fast. Batay mula sa magmagaling review tungkol sa baybay-dagat ng mga produkto scents, sila ay madaling kapitan ng sakit upang makakuha ng nabili na mabilis. Coastal Scents 78 pallet has nice shades of brown, blue green, yellow and pink. Coastal Scents 78 papag ay magandang shades ng kulay-kape, asul berde, dilaw at rosas. The blushes come in great colors too. Ang blushes dumating sa malaking kulay masyadong. I thought of buying the 88 pallet but I thought I don't need that much color. Akala ko ng pagbili ng 88 papag ngunit Akala ko hindi ko na kailangan na maraming kulay. Besides, the 78 pallet has both matte and shimmery shadows. Bukod, ang 78 papag ay may parehong malabo at shimmery Shadow.

The blender brush on the other hand didn't seem to exist until I found it two days ago. Ang blender magsipilyo sa iba pang mga kamay ay hindi mukhang umiiral hanggang sa natagpuan ko ito ng dalawang araw nakaraan. I've searched online and in cosmetics shops but I always get the standard brushes. Ako hinanap sa online at sa mga pampaganda mga tindahan pero lagi ko makuha ang standard na brushes.

So glad I got them now. Kaya natutuwa ang nakuha ko sa kanila ngayon. Here are the snap shots. Narito ang mga snap shots.

nakuha mo sa pag-ibig ang mga kulay! (below the coastal scents snapshots)

ang aking bagong mahimulmol magsipilyo para sa mga perpektong mga mata mausok! (below the blender brush snapshots)

I'm still laughing my ass off. I wonder how it is in other languages.

ready to glam up!!

2009-09-24T14:52:00.005+09:00

Yey! I got my coastal scents 78 pallet and my blending brush today. I've been searching for this two for months. The minute I stumbled upon them, I wasted no chance.

Based from the rave reviews about the coastal scents products, they're prone to get sold out fast. Coastal Scents 78 pallet has nice shades of brown, blue green, yellow and pink. The blushes come in great colors too. I thought of buying the 88 pallet but I thought I don't need that much color. Besides, the 78 pallet has both matte and shimmery shadows.

The blender brush on the other hand didn't seem to exist until I found it two days ago. I've searched online and in cosmetics shops but I always get the standard brushes.

So glad I got them now. Here are the snap shots.

you've got to love the colors!

my new fluffy brush for the perfect smokey eyes!

breaking the ice

2009-09-22T17:01:00.001+09:00

It's been several months since the new teachers arrived but the atmosphere in the faculty room (until now) feels like everyday is our first meeting (awkward). We can go for 6 hours without talking to each other. We find small things to talk about, but they're too small to provide some kind of cue for us to move further. Most of the time, the faculty room is dead quiet.
Perhaps we are waiting for one of us to break the ice. I'm unsure how to go about it though. There are a number of ways to do it but I want it to look "natural", like its a normal thing.
I was surrounded by friends when I was in the Philippines. I want friends here in Korea as well. Hopefully, I'd be able to figure out what to do, or one of them figures it out . Keeping my fingers crossed.

Minus 10 years?

2009-09-20T14:27:00.002+09:00

Smoking, drinking, bad eating habits etc. have been known to shorten our life expectancy. By how much? At least ten years. A study showed that middle-aged men who smoke, with high blood pressure and high cholesterol die 10 years earlier.
Scary huh? I've been trying to rid Dohee of his smoking habits. He doesn't smoke as much as he does before but he just couldn't resist having one or two (or more without my knowledge). I've tried almost everything. I've made it my habit to search his bag and pockets for a pack of cigarette I also begged, threatened him, ask him to promise and even told him I'll smoke too but nothing worked. I'm running our of ideas.
Then there's OUR eating habits. Both of us are concious of our weight. I'm thankful I'm still within my ideal weight but i can't say the same for him. He's gained "some" weight in the past few months mainly due to our irregular eating schedule. We loved eating at night. It was hard for us to break this habit at first but we came around eventually. We try to eat on time and he decided to go on a diet. We also bought this exercise machine called "Twist and Run'. He's slowly losing weight but he would probably lose a lot more if he regularly gets on that machine. I nag him every night to use the twist and run. I'm happy with his progress though. I know it is easy to put on weight than lose it.
Hopefully, we'll be healthier as we grow older. Losing ten years is not what we are looking forward to.

internet shopping and new clothes for Connie!!

2009-09-19T22:41:00.001+09:00

One thing I miss the most in the Philippines is shopping in malls. Malling is part of my weekly routine. Now, I have to make do with Lotte Mart and E Mart, which are both less than half of Ali Mall in Cubao. I found a solution though. I got acquainted with internet shopping which is my newest addiction. The almost infinite choices make me feel dizzy (love it) although I always have to pray that what I got fits me well.

I used to use Gmarket but I switched to 11st since the products are a little cheaper and it is easier for me to navigate. I thought the "categories" are condensed and easy to remeber for someone who can not understand what she's reading.

Yesterday, I did some shopping for clothes. This time, not for me but for our very own Connie. She's outgrown all her clothes and she desperately needs a new wardrobe. I got her a few shirts to use at home and some to use when we go outside. We were surprised that the clothes got here this afternoon (talk about express delivery). To Connie's displeasure, I made her try all the pieces. I love the "lady bug" dress". Unfortunately, some of the clothes are big for her although they're still wearable.

I'm waiting for my Coastal Scents and NYX eyeshadows. I think they're coming on Monday. I can't wait!!

Connie as a lady bug. (the hood is too big for her head)

I couldn't take a decent picture because she didn't want to stop moving.

money, money, money...

She loves our bed.

party girl!!

Bamboo Taxi

2009-09-19T01:09:00.001+09:00

I saw this article in yahoo philippines about bamboo taxis in Leyte. These vehicles were made to replace "habal-habal". They are made of bamboo and covered with "banig". They have two versions, Eco 1 and Eco 2. Twenty (20) people can ride in Eco 1 and 8 people for Eco 2.

They're so cute and they're less dangerous than those "habal-habal". They're eco friendly as well since they're made of indigenous materials and they run on coconut biofuel. I would love to ride in one of these things.

Click here to read the whole article.

guess...

2009-09-18T01:13:00.000+09:00

Ten minutes before I end my class, I let my students play this game. I give them a card with a word written on it and they have to describe the word for a minute or two. Their clues and answers are hilarious!! Never failed to give me a healthy dose of laughter everyday. Below are some of the things I couldn't forget.

word: jail
Student A: it's a place where bad people (criminals) go.
Student B: internet cafe

word: mosquito
Student A: (immitated the sound of a mosquito and slapped his face)

word: helicopter
Student A: airplane's friend

word: throw
Student A: what do you do with a ball when you're playing baseball?
Student B: running

word: wig
Student A: fake hair
Student B: curly

What a mess!!!!

2009-09-16T00:07:00.001+09:00

This is what we come home to every night.

We always find our clothes (especially my shirts) strewn everywhere and Connie wrestling with one of them. This is the worst one yet. I'm trying to teach her not to make a mess. She does fine during our "teaching sessions" but once we leave her alone, "all hell breaks loose." Arrggh... Time to clean up the mess...

they are not funeral flowers

2009-09-15T03:30:00.001+09:00

Whenever a new establishment opens here in korea, I always see these flowers that look like the ones sent to a funeral. I was creeped out at first. Once, my husband took me to a new bar downown. It was on the second floor and the stairs leading up to the entrance is lined up with these kind of flowers. I actually thought we were on the wrong building until I saw the entrabce. My husband told me that these are the same kind sent to a funeral and the only difference is the messages written on the sash.

The picture above was taken at the reopening of Nong Min Mart, a sort of hypermart near my workplace after weeks of renovation. They were displayed at the entrace. I'd like to know the messages written on the sash. I think they are written in Chinese.

Whenever I see these flowers, I still get this strange feeling but I'm getting used to it.

Koreans Flock to the Phil.

2009-09-14T01:00:00.001+09:00

I've read an article in The Korea Times about Koreans going to the Philippines to study English. This might mean their numbers are increading as this news is not new at all. Koreans topped the list of foreigners visiting the Philippines followed by Americans, Japanese, Chinese and Australians. I've only been aware of their growing number three years ago when I began teaching English. My aunt was much more updated than me as she was already hooked up on Korean dramas by that time.

The commenst to this article kinda hit a nerve. They were raving about the quality of English in the Philippines.

Read the whole article here Koreans Flock to the Philippines

Love this less trashy version!

2009-09-13T23:32:00.002+09:00

Connie's all grown up

2009-09-13T23:11:00.001+09:00

Our super cute cocker spaniel is all grown up. We got Connie a year ago when she was just 3 mos. old. She was so small then and had this cute little bark. She can fit inside my husband's bag. She loved to play with her squeaky toys.

After a year, she's bigger, louder and mas makulit. She loves our bed and would find every chance to go up. She still loves her squeaky toys but she'd rather play outside.

I was browsing at her pictures and never really noticed how much she's grown until now.

interview

2008-08-28T00:18:00.000+09:00

Finally!! I'm in for an interview tomorrow. The first one was too far, in Ilsan City which is two hours away from Osan. Imagine my disappointment when I learned that. It was my first intervieW supposedly.

Good thing this one is just inside the city.

I was taken aback though when Mr. Han asked for a 9PM-interview. Not a good time but I stated in my cover letter that I would be availabe for interview anytime. Actually, 9PM is fine; it's just that nobody will take me to the place. In my one month here in Osan, I have yet to learn how to travel around the city. Dohee won't be home by them so he can't take me there. Good thing Mr. Han was considerate enough to schedule the interview the next day at 1PM.

Hopefully, everything will work out tomorrow. Hopefully..

sana

2008-08-24T00:28:00.001+09:00

Magmula ng tumapak ako sa bansang ito, tatlong lugar lang ang madalas na pinaglalagian ko - bahay namin, bahay ng in-laws ko at ang lugar kung saan s'ya nagtatarabaho . Habang isunusulat ko ang walang kwentang blog na ito, nakaharap ako ngayon sa isang computer unit habang pinipigil ko ang paglabas ng reklamo sa aking bibig. Nandito ako kagabi, marami-raming gabi na rin. Sa una, ayos lang. Masaya kasi maraming tao. Pero nakakasawa din, nakakabagot. Wala kang makausap. Bukod sa problema sa lenggwahe, lahat sila nakatutok sa kani-kanilang computer, concentrated sa paglalaro. Sa kagustuhan kong hindi maiwang mag-isa pagkatapos ng halos sampung oras na paghihintay sa kanyang pag-uwi galing sa trabaho, heto tinitiis ko ang pagkabagot at usok ng sigarilyo sa lugar na ito. Gusto ko magwala, gusto ko magreklamo pero pero wala naman akong magawa. Nagpaalam naman s'ya at pumayag ako. Hindi ko lang talaga masakyana ng trip nila. Ang ending, eto, nakaupo ako dito ngayon, pilit nilalabanan ang sama ng loob at nagtitiiis. Sana bumilis ang takbo ng oras. Sana pauwi na kami.