8th Wonder of the world.

I have been given a lot of names, the latest of which being the 8th wonder of the world! Haha.  I guess this namesake was given me because no one could ever believe that I'd leave my promising career of 25 years and venture into the world of the unknown.  Where I set my foot at 45 is considered the road less travelled by many.

But I have no regrets.

Where I am right now promises growth in all areas of my life.  It is here where I have grown my mindset, beliefs and attitude.  It is here where I practice my faith in action.  It is here where I learned to practice positivity and gratefulness regardless of the circumstances that life may bring.    

Where I am right now promises freedom.  Right now, I am enjoying time freedom.  I don't have to ask permission from someone or to file for a leave of absence if and when I want to go somewhere.  While doing that, I am also blessed to be earning some passive income.   

Where I am right now is where I fully exercise my power over myself.  Everyday I have to make a decision to win over small things.  Everyday I must exercise that discipline to do things that I don't feel like doing but is important for my growth.  

Where I am right now is called entrepreneurship.   It is not easy, but it is all worth it! It is not easy, but I am slowly succeeding anyway.  And that's what makes me the 8th wonder of the world!

Page 45.

Yesterday, I celebrated page 45 of my life's chapter.  I am so grateful of the love, kindness and generosity showered upon me not to mention all the positive birthday greetings, prayers and wishes that I have also received.

Surprise gifts on my table. Photo taken July 4, 2011.

Specifically, I am very grateful for these:


HSC Family.  The beautiful people at my department have this unique way of making me feel so special and so loved.  Always, as in always, they see to it that my birthday bash is different every year without me spending a single cent.  They lavish me with food, gifts and greetings.  Yesterday, our department was overflowing with food from mid-morning till late afternoon.  It was like fiesta for us.  Not only was my stomach full; my HEART WAS also FULL.


Jazt Calim.  This girl is super cool.  We've been working together for more than six years.  She always does the dirty work, but has never complained.  I know that behind all the surprises I had on my birthday was her ingenuity.  She does make me feel that I AM SPECIAL.  And, oh, you can find this cool girl here.


Nanay.  When I got home from work, Nanay was already cooking pancit canton for me.  For long life, that is!  You know my mother is the person that I can't live with but can't live without.  From time to time she comes over from Iloilo to stay with me.  She's not telling me this but I know that she is proud of me.  One time she told me that she can already die a peaceful death when I am already married.  Oh well, I don't want her to die that's why I am not married yet. :-D  Yesterday was the first time that my Nanay had cooked again for my birthday since 1982 when I left home in pursuit of a better future here in Manila.  That made me feel again that I AM A DAUGHTER.  I felt so delighted.


Impromptu celebration.  My friends for almost two decades now went to my place last night.  What I planned to be simple family dinner turned out to be a celebration of friendship, too.  Well, these people are my true friends - they can come anytime and I don't anymore need to put my best foot forward.  So thank you, Pol, Aimee, Lai - you once again made me feel LOVED.


And of course,  I am so grateful for this blog entry from my one and only.  It melts my heart.  It gets me speechless.  Thank you very much, Hry.

Mother and child.

Mother and child. Photo take August 20, 2008.

She came from the Queen City of the South.  Some 35 years ago, she went to Manila to avoid being ostracized by her family for being pregnant at a very young age.  Thus she left a child for adoption here in Manila to the childless, generous couple.  Her name was written on a piece of paper as a proof that she was giving her child to this couple.  Fortunately, this piece of paper was seen by the girl; hence, she got her mother's name.

Now the child has matured and she too is going to be a mother soon.  Her adoptive parents whom she dearly loved have all joined their Creator.  Practically, she was left alone.  But God has been so good to her that she has found a man who loves her unconditionally.  

Her very pregnant condition now stirred this ardent desire for her to find her biological mother.  Not for anything else, but only to see her, to know her. And maybe to hug her, to let her know that she has forgiven her.  That she understands her.

I know that that day will come.  I know that.  I just hope and pray that that day will come soon.  Just before the girl delivers her baby by December 2011.

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PS1.  If you know of the woman in the story, please let me know through my email address in this blogsite.

PS2.  The mother and child in the picture are not the ones described in this entry :-)

My Taiwan trip.

It's been awhile since my last blog post. I have been busy these days that my therapeutic activity, blogging like this, has been put aside. It dawned on me when I saw the date in the my last post - it's been two weeks. The last entry was on May 9.

Well, on May 11-15, I was in Taiwan. I went with a group of technical people for university visits: National Sun Yat Sen University, Kaoshiung University of Applied Sciences, and Cheng Shiu University - all in Kaoshiung, Taiwan.

On Day 1, we went to the National Sun Yat Sen University - a huge university near the coast. This we did right after a few minutes of unloading at our hotel. What impressed me with NSYSU is their electric power saving strategy. It was as simple as requiring the students to take the stairs instead of the elevator. And the students do not complain. This made me recall the faces of our students back home and their complaints when the elevator in our school gets malfunctioned.

The NSYSU Campus. The building behind is the Library.

After this first university visit, we had our first night market shopping. Since I forgot to bring some shirts for this trip, I bought two shirts for myself and one blouse. My comapnions got some souvenirs for their loved ones. What I loved with this night market were the authentic Taiwanese food and stuff sold all over the street. I did not try any of the food though :-(

At the KUAS campus, in front of its Library.

Our Day 2 in Kaoshiung was the most memorable one for almost all of us. In the morning, we visited National Kaoshiung University of Applied Sciences. After that, we had lunch at the traditional Taiwanese restaurant. Then we went back to our hotel to change for an island-hopping activity. Indeed we went to another island by boat, and that boat ride lasted for about three minutes. Yes, you read it right - three minutes! What was funny was that we

were geared for an island tour thinking that we would dip in a white beach water.

However we were in for a great suprise -we would be biking our way to the lighthouse to watch the sunset! And there we we went! We biked and hiked to the lighthouse! We biked and hiked to the sunset!

Hiking to the lighthouse!

And since I am petite, I would't want to go on a kid's bike; so I biked in tandem with our Taiwanese host. So did my other two female companions. The experience was indeed awesome!

After biking, we proceeded for our second night market experience. This night market, which was different from the first one, sold some western-inspired stuff. Hence, it did not appeal to many of us. The stuff there can be found in our own 168 and Divisoria mall here in Manila.

Day 3 was the most fantastic! I was fascinated by the latest technologies at Cheng Shiu University. When we got there, we were greeted by men in coat and tie. It was such a formal occasion. Then we were toured all over the campus most especially to their IT and engineering laboratory. Then, the MOU signing between our school and CSU ensued, which was appropriately followed by a sumptuous lunch.

At CSU, after our Library visit.

In the afternoon, we went to the supermarket to grab some Taiwanese delicacies for our loved ones back home.

Looking back, I was amazed at how the CSU students seriously take their studies of the English language. Their Language Training Center was superb! I'd like our English Resource Center here to be like that!

Picture-taking under the rain in Taipei.

Rainy Taipei was the highlight of our Day 4 in Taiwan. Taipei is five-hour bus ride and two-and-a-half bullet train ride from Kaoshiung. In order to give ourselves an experience, we got on the bus going to Taipei and a bullet train ride on our way back to Kaoshiung. It was indeed fun for us in Taipei though the sun hid the whole day. For most of us, walking under the rain in raincoat and umbrella is an experience that we do not have in Manila.

Walking under the rain in Taipei.

So we basked into the experience of walking, train ride, gondola ride and walking again. My pedometer that day told me that we walked for a total of 14 kilometers! Whew!

It was a lazy Sunday morning for us on Day 5. We got up a bit later than the previous days, and we packed our things to be ready for our flight back home in the evening.

Packing for home.

At 12 noon, we were picked up by Peithe, our indefatigable tour guide and brought us to have lunch in a small resto that serve delicious duck meal. But what I liked most of our Day 5 was the trip to "bagsakan", where I got two trinkets and two beautiful bags! Thank you, Peithe! This "bagsakan" trip made my Taiwan trip complete.

All in all, our Taiwan trip was both successful and enjoyable. But its real success can only be measured by the research output that our university can produce as a result of this five-day Taiwan exposure trip.

My Fridays and Sundays.

"Today is Friday, but Sunday is coming!" This is the theme of Bo Sanchez's preaching during the Grand Easter celebration at the SMX. After attending this grand celebration, I have come to reflect on my Fridays and Sundays in life.

I used to gorge on nilagang saging, camote, balinghoy, and any edible root crops for breakfast, now I can have bacon, egg, ham, bread, and anything I like.

I used salt in brushing my teeth, now I can have any toothpaste and toothbrush that I want.

I used to have cooking oil for my dry skin, now I am using branded lotion.

I used to borrow pants and jeans for school activity, now I can buy pants of my own.

I used to stand in the jeepney because, aside from my height, I have no money for my fare, now I can ride a taxi everyday in going to work if I like.

I used to wear shoes that are dilapidated and are "smiling at you even from afar", now I can buy shoes that are of the latest style.

I used to wear hand-me-downs from my rich cousins, now I can already buy new dresses for my cousins.

I used to work as a house-helper just for me to get a college degree, now I am sending house-helper to school.

My family used to eat one full meal a day, now we can have as many meals as we like.

These are just but a few list of my Fridays and Sundays in life. Looking back, I may have lots of sufferings, trials and failures (Fridays), but I also have so many victories, triumphs and successes (Sundays). Those Fridays are actually the ones which encourage me to work harder and made me become more determined in pursuing goals that I set. When I was in those Fridays, I made a resolve that I am going to make my life and my family's life better. I am not saying that I am already there, but life is better now. Life is comfortable now; life is good now. Hence any Fridays that would come can easily be looked at with the eyes of faith that sooner or later Sundays would come.

I am grateful for those Fridays. Without them, I would not have my Sundays. I would not have realized how blessed I am. And because I am blessed, I am trying my best to bless the world, too.

So if you think you are in your Friday, just wait. I am sure your Sunday is coming soon.

Jennilyn.

In less than 36 hours, Jennilyn is coming. I am anxious of her coming home to me. She who has not known me personally, and I who haven't met her personally, too. Funny we only get to know each other through my mother, but I decided to accept her in my home and to send her to school, God willing, to study in college.

Crazy idea, isn't it? While others would love that they do not send anyone to school, I accepted my mother's challenge of taking care of Jennilyn and most especially to help her get a college diploma.

Who is Jennilyn anyway? And why is she coming over in less than 36 hours from now? Read on.

Jennilyn, as far as I know, is in her early 20's now. Yesterday, she got her high school diploma. If not because of my mother's soft heart for her, she could have gone to her graduation ceremony alone. Why? Because Jennilyn seems to be living alone. She lost both of her parents -her mother when she was around pre-school and her father some four years ago. She studied ina "barriotic" place all by herself, though she lives with her paternal grandparents who don't seem to care about getting or giving good education to Jennilyn.

My mother recounted to me that Jennilyn was sobbing when she was receiving her high school diploma. For whatever reason, only she knows. As far as I know, while studying in a barrio highschool, she worked in grocery store every weekend. In that work, she's paid roughly 80 pesos per day and that money she used for her studies. When I learned of this story, my heart beat for her. It was like love at first sight for me. Why? Because her story I can so well relate. I was once like her except for the fact that I had both of my parents alive and were morally supporting me in my studies.

When my mother told her about this opportunity to come to Manila to study, she was so hopeful more than excited. She looks forward to the chance for her to get a college degree and give herself a better future, a better life.

With God's grace, deep in my heart I know there is an opportunity for her. I am anxious but I know. I just know. I am very positive and I declare that Jennilyn will be able to study come June and get her college diploma after four years!

Three wishes for Lydia.

Lydia and I have been friends for almost two decades now. We met in one search-in activity when we were still searching for our place under the sun, for the meaning of our existence. Eventually we both decided to answer the call of the cloistered life, and we both decided to leave when we found out that the meaning of life for us is not in the cloistered convent of the missionary sisters. Lydia went ahead of me for like one year, both in coming in and going out of the cloistered life.

After that chapter of our life, we found each other and we both mended our woundedness. She helped me picked up my broken pieces, and I did the same to her. Sometimes I slept over in the two houses they have, wherever Lydia was, and we talked our hearts out till the wee hours.

Practically, Lydia and I have seen each others highs and lows, sacrifices and joys in life. I was there when she first fell in love. I was glad I was the first one to know. Maybe because she knows that I would defend her; I would fight against anyone who would hurt her. And fight indeed I did for that unworthy person who broke her heart.

When I first fell in love, she was also the first one to know. And she exactly did what I did to protect her, too.

Now Lydia is in the States. She has been there for almost a decade now, but she has never forgotten me. Everytime a sister of her comes home, I can never be without chocolates and other stuff. The last time she sent me my first Anne Klein watch. She has convinced me for several times to go to the US to the extent of offering to spend for all the expenses, but I never had the courage. She is more courageous than I am indeed.

Lydia got married on March 5. I was surprised one day when I opened my inbox to see her message asking me of my current address. I asked her why and she joyfully told me that she's going to send me her church wedding invitation. I was touched by her gesture, and I am so happy for her. Finally she has found someone with whom she can spend the rest of her life.

Soon, Lydia will be celebrating her birthday. And for that occasion, I have three wishes for her:

1. A blissful married life. I know that with the man that she chose to marry, she will always be happy. Her husband loves her so dearly, and the last time that I spoke with her she sounded so ecstatic and so satisfied with her life now.

2. Good health for her and her hubby. I am wishing that they both live long and celebrate many anniversaries together.

3. Long-lasting friendship with her. She is one friend that anyone wants to keep for life. She's very encouraging and very inspiring. She is very gentle and tough at the same time; I know she has that inner strength that makes her a winner in all areas of her life.

I love you, Lyds! I am blessed to have a friend like you. May all your dreams come true.

Brave and bold.

I happened to google the meaning of my name. My search yielded these results: origin - French; meaning - brave like a bear.

I smiled at what I found :-) Somehow the meaning of my name speaks of me as a person as I am always considered as brave and bold. And I would like to believe that I am.

Yes, I am brave and bold. When I was five years old, my mother enrolled me in Grade 1. I was the smallest and the youngest member of the class. And I was sickly. But I was brave! I would walk with my aunt for like eight kilometers to school everyday. Sometimes barefoot, sometimes the weather was unfriendly, but I never gave up. I went on to that school until I finished my elementary education on top of my class.

Yes, I am brave and bold. After elementary, my parents told me that they could not afford to send me to high school. Time was tough then. We lived in the farm, and my mother worked as laborer in the farm to feed us. My father was a mechanic and would go from one place to another to look for malfunctioning radios to fix in order to feed us. During weekends, he would help in the slaughterhouse; his labor pay in that slaughterhouse of fresh meat would be made into dinuguan which my mother and I would sell around the barrio. But, our poverty did not deter my dream of studying in the private school run by the Dominican Sisters in our town. Small and young as I was at 12, I took the scholarship exam, and lucky me! I passed the exam.

Yes, I am brave and bold. In high school, I did not join any activity. My mother didn't allow me because we have nothing to finance any school activity. So I did look for a job during weekends - I helped in the store of one rich neighbor, or sometimes, I'd sell anything from ice candy to dinuguan to help augment the family income and for me to have an allowance of two pesos per week. I could not even remember a recess time that I went to the school canteen to buy even a skyflakes and lem-o-lime. Instead, I would hide in one corner of the room pretending that I was studying when in fact I just didn't like that my classamates would notice me eating nothing at recess.

Yes, I am brave and bold. In college, I braved the hardship of being a working student. I'd worked as a house and store helper at daytime and studied at night time. That I did for five and a half years. When I arrived in Manila to work, I did not enrol in college right away. But after a year, I asked my amo if I could study at night. I was allowed to enrol, but I could only take courses from 5-8pm daily. Since I could carry 15 units only per semester, my four-year course was finished in four and a half. And little did I know, I was graduating with honors, too.

Yes, I am brave and bold. I have no regrets. If I have to start my life all over again, I would still travel the same road. Why? It's that road of perseverance, sacrifice, hardship and suffering which has made me the person that I am now. It's that road of inner strength which has built my character and will-power. It's that road of poverty which has motivated me to dream, big and small. It's that road of determination which has sharpened me to become BRAVE AND BOLD.