Pathetic inday is OVER!!
say hello tomorrow!!
Im starting my Post graduate studies, Masters in Foreign Service at the Lyceum of the Philippines University this first of September. After 3 weeks of searching for a place, at long last I found what I consider my new redemption place for the next months. I got a new Bicolana roomate. Mastering my tagalog is difficult, i must admit. I couldn't just laugh without explaining to her why. I tend to talk to her in bisaya. I think i have to overcome my being claustrophobic since my new dormitory is depriving us from air and sunlight though at the cost of 3,200 php i get to watch the daily news, telenovelas and studio 23. Yes, we have our own telly courtesy of our landlords. Oh, i forgot to mention we have a 10hr use of airconditioner and exclusive rights to my tornado fan. A relief I must say.
Now, im all set for school. I just need a job.
Im in a new world order again! All the luck to me!!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
I hate this part right here
Fast forward.
I don’t want to get into the gory and depressing details. Yes, I haven’t fully recovered. I'm giving myself time to heal. There is no deadline as to when to stop getting senti.
For weeks, my recovery mechanism was tanduay or the bar. Tagays with banot, ate che and holden started as early as 4 in the afternoon till the wee hours. I get to sleep soundly without hiding in the bathroom, turn on the faucet so no one would hear me and pour out my tears. Alcohol has somehow helped me not to get too emotional, not to pity myself, not to listen to love songs, not to watch sappy movies and not to read his letters. Lonely nights without the liver-killer would only make me stare at my ceiling, talk to my pillow and try to grasp the reality. I cried alone, cried with friends, cried over meal, cried watching the news and even cried taking a shower. Then I found out that getting drunk makes me emotionless.
If you've checked my Friendster account lately, my pictures would tell you that I have moved on, or I seem cheerful and enjoying life. Drinking. Laughing. Somehow, I managed to fake it. The old Jef has come to life again. I admit, I missed the fun, I missed myself. But when I am alone and when the effects of alcohol fade, magtanga nalang si Inday.I wish I will not have to go through with this "thinking stage". It sucks!
I don't want people to feel sorry for me. I don’t want them bombarding me with questions on what happened to my marriage. I don’t want them asking me what I will do next. I just don’t want to. I'm still in the process of healing, of grasping the idea of this melancholy. I am not ready to share everything yet because it still hurts. It still hurts revealing my tale when it doesn’t have a happy ending- yet!
So here I am trying to be better. Thankfully, I have an incredible support system. You keep my sanity in place. Thank you is not enough to show how much I appreciate your constant reality checks, counseling and for crying with me. You make healing faster. You make me realize that I am stronger than I thought.
At present, Inday is taking one step at a time.
Monday, March 23, 2009
starstruck
There's a rumor going in town. Celebrities namely Pauleen Luna, Sheryll Fuentes, Dingdong Dantes, and of course the bisdak Max Surban (i dont know how to spell his name) will be here in Sindangan.
My uncle, General Alexander Yano, who will be retiring from the army general post along with other military officials will sponsor a medical outreach drive here in my beloved hometown. This is in line with the PMA's anniversary. (FYI: he is a native Sindanganon!)
Who would expect that Dingdong Dantes will render his perfectly sculptured body to help in the said medical mission or the least please my fellow Sindanganons.
Of course, i was bewildered. Especially when they will be staying in my house!! What???? Yes, you may think im just making a fuss, i understand. It sounds too good to be true. But a reliable source of mine-that is my uncle-called up and asked if they can stay for a night here. Sa way pag two-by-two, i said YES!!!! Why not coconut?
I'm willing to do "operation linis" just to accommodate them. My two aunts here (nicknamed the big and small) are very excited. They said they don't mind disinfecting the house just to see Dingdong. They clearly emphasized Dingdong! Oh well, I don't blame them.
Our house will be fully booked since other generals from the army will be staying here too. Apparently, our house will be the new soldiers' haven, surrounded by men with uniform. How cool is that! or scary since I'll be seeing goons in every corner.
Just a month ago army officials stayed here too. No exagerration, our house was the nth infantry batallion headquarter. It was literally jampacked with soldiers not to mention the other 20 something soldiers guarding our house. It was cool though knowing that you are safe even from irong buang.
However, there is no confirmation yet if the 12th sexiest man in the world will spend a night in Sindangan. So most probably he will leave as soon as his duty ends.
So, I don't have high hopes welcoming him in my house. What I know is the bisaya novelty singer, Max Surban , will definitely stay here.
I just wish di masayang among panglimpyo!!!!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Two Men on Valentines
Two Men on Valentines
As usual, I spent my Vday NOT with a lover. As a matter of fact, I've never had a real date on Valentines Day; it was always with friends. Our usual dates? Of course, everybody's boyfriend- MR. REDHORSE.
However, this year's Vday wasn't spent with the bums or Gramacs. (I wonder where they were and with whom?) I wasn’t planning on going out that day. I had a simple reason: it wasn’t in my agenda to get jealous seeing lovebirds, roses, and those "a dinner for two" ads everywhere. I knew exactly what to do, that is, a romantic movie marathon at home.
I downloaded every romantic flick there is available online: West Side Story, Ever After, Pretty Woman, Two Lovers and PS I Love You etc. Before I even finished my second movie, my Shrek called. (Note: I call my boyfriend Shrek because of his gigantic hands). As always, it was uplifting to hear his voice. It reminded me that I wasn’t alone in this Love Day after all.
I
Well, I didn’t spend the whole day sobbing in front of my laptop. I had a date- a date with my two brothers. We had lunch which was followed by a movie date. We watched Tom Cruise die in Valkyrie. Our romantic date didn’t finish there. A date wouldn’t be perfect without a spa treatment, right? And the best thing was, everything was paid by my manong. I wish I can fly those planes so I'll have at least P60,000 a month in my bank account (It depends on how many hours he flies). I envy him!!!! As usual, I spent my Vday NOT with a lover. As a matter of fact, I've never had a real date on Valentines Day; it was always with friends. Our usual dates? Of course, everybody's boyfriend- MR. REDHORSE.
However, this year's Vday wasn't spent with the bums or Gramacs. (I wonder where they were and with whom?) I wasn’t planning on going out that day. I had a simple reason: it wasn’t in my agenda to get jealous seeing lovebirds, roses, and those "a dinner for two" ads everywhere. I knew exactly what to do, that is, a romantic movie marathon at home.
I downloaded every romantic flick there is available online: West Side Story, Ever After, Pretty Woman, Two Lovers and PS I Love You etc. Before I even finished my second movie, my Shrek called. (Note: I call my boyfriend Shrek because of his gigantic hands). As always, it was uplifting to hear his voice. It reminded me that I wasn’t alone in this Love Day after all.
I
From the left: Jade, moi, Manong, cousin derrick and nephew DK with CESSNA (ang plane)!
Although I didn’t have a love-date, I definitely enjoyed my Valentines with the two men of my life. Love you manong and jade. Thanks to them, I didn’t make Vday a big deal!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
"Guided democracy" of China
China is undeniably a rising superpower, with its economic growth, military strength and stability, and strong international relations with United States, China is holding to its promise of "Peaceful rise". With this rising power, China's leaders also held out the promise of some form of democracy to its citizens. Is the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) making way to a democratic China? Or is it just a "guided democracy"? For nearly a century now, China's promise of democracy is still largely in doubt and debated in the international arena.
Today, China is defending itself from the international criticisms ranging from pollution, "purposely undervaluing currency" and human rights. However, the debate on democracy still continues as its promises are still in the air.
The People's Republic of China calls itself democracy. However, in the way CCP holds and practices its power is not democratic at all. The CCP came into power in 1949 in order to remake China (Gilley, 2004, p. 27). Since then abandoned the Marxist ideology of communism and executed political reforms. However, CCP did not transform into democratic regime. It continues to see its purpose as chasing utopia- "a strong and prosperous, culturally advanced, democratic socialist nation" according to the state constitution-not governing for the ever-changing aims of diverse society (Gilley, 2004, p.27). Until nowadays, since the establishment of CCP and its promised political reforms, the CCP members still decide the direction of the nation, not the masses.
In its democratic elements on paper, including universal suffrage, direct election of the lower two levels of the four hierarchies of congress, and constitutional powers for the legislature amounting to parliamentary supremacy still remains on theory (Nathan, 2000, p. 23). CCP has never exercised their powers in practice. China has never had a chief executive elected by direct popular vote and there has never been more than one strong political party running in an election. Likewise, speech and organization have never been free of serious restrictions (Nathan, 2000, p. 21).
Furthermore, a democratic state practices a multiparty system. The West continues to advocate the adoption of multiparty system for China however, until now China is still ruled merely by the Chinese Communist Party. Though members of CCP argue that the party is divided into different political parties still it is not convincing enough to say that they have a multiparty system. The different political parties are still under the CCP's leadership and dictatorship (Ogden, 2002, p. 256).
In a speech given by President Hu Jintao during his 2006 visit to the United States, he repeated the word democracy as "the common pursuit of mankind" (Thornton, 2008, p. 3). Likewise, Premier Wen Jiabao in his address to the 2007 National People's Congress, deliberately emphasized developing democracy and improving the legal system as the basic requirements of the socialist system.
However, the question still remains. Is China in the process of having a democratic rule? Are the Chinese citizens freer? Under the CCP, in 1987, the government promulgated the Organic Law of Villagers' Committees giving the 800 million villagers the right to vote directly every three years for leader of villages (Ogden, 2002, p.5). This was the first time that the villagers participated in the election process. This may be a significant step for democratic participation in China's vast countryside however, in the early 1990s, the CCP was disappointed and threatened that only 40 percent of elected village chiefs were CCP members (Thornton, 2008, p. 5). Due to the small number of CCP members being elected, authorities immediately instructed the local officials to ensure that the "leading role" of the Communist Party was maintained.
Indeed, local elections were held due to international pressure on the communist party. The Chinese government gave a taste of freedom to its citizens. The local elections were definitely just a "show" towards freer Chinese political participation. Democracy is when you are free to choose your own leader without internal or external intervention and manipulation, a West-type of democracy.
There may be elections held but the questions lie if there were really elections held in all rural areas and if they were provided with candidate choice. In a 1993 survey (Tianjian, 2000, p. 33-34) conducted by the East Asian Institute, more than 75 percent of the respondents residing in rural China reported that their villages had held elections. Of the respondents, 16.7 percent reported that their village failed to hold elections while 7.7 percent said either they forgot whether their village had held elections or refused to answer the question. Of the respondents, 50.6 percent said that the election was semi-competitive, and 12.5 percent said that the election was plebiscitary. Moreover, 24.2 percent said that the election did not provide them with the freedom to choose village leaders. The survey says that slightly more than 50 percent of peasants in rural China voted in a semi-competitive elections for village leaders.
For many democratic states, elections are held to exercise sovereignty, freedom of expression and freedom of choice and competition. However, in the case of China, the semi-competitive election does not provide us with single evidence that a democratic suffrage was held.
Although the officials of China disagree on the results of the survey, there was no way they can show any official document of the election process. In the communist China, official records are withhold and are not accessible to the public. If there may be documents, it has been noticed by numerous organizations and media that there are flaws in the official records of voter turnout.
Rural elections give a sense of political reform in China and political participation of rural Chinese villagers. In spite of this road to democracy, citizens are still trapped by the Communist Party in selecting and choosing their leaders. In other words, village leaders should be member of the CCP. Villagers could nominate candidates, but the nominees had to be approved by the village party committee. Electoral procedures have not made Chinese citizens the right to choice their own leader, the selection are still control by the CCP.
Moreover, when nonparty candidates are elected, the CCP always recruits them to ensure that the Party remains in charge in decision-making in the villages while giving the villagers the leaders they want (Thornton, 2008, p. 5). As recruits of the CCP, these leaders are then subject to CCP's command. Therefore, the leader can not make decisions that are against the Party. One can argue that this is also the same case for liberal democracies when mayors are subject to the command of the higher officials. But in liberal democracies such us in the United States, they are subject in the sense that the political platform should be followed rather than the mayors' policies and decisions in their constituents should be reviewed and approved first by the Party leaders.
Moreover, separation of powers is not practiced. The judicial system is still independent from the executive branch. Local officials and CCP committees still continue to hold over the courts. They are closely involved in the appointment of judges and prosecutors, and local governments have discretion over salaries and budgets throughout the judicial system (Thornton, 2008, p. 12).
In addition, CCP controls everything, it has indeed impoverishes individuals life by limiting the space for self-realization. Critics and human rights activists in China either flee out of the country, in prison or exiled. Beijing's response to demands of individual rights -access in the internet, freedom of assembly, rallies and demonstrations-is shot full of contradictions. The few brave individuals who try to assert such rights quickly find themselves staring at the prison walls. Almost 90 percent of China's population that lives well beyond subsistence is not given more rights (Gilleys, 2004, p. 47). CCP members claim that "group rights" must be considered, however, not all groups are allowed to organized and claim attention.
Just recently, the Tibet demonstration against the policies of Mainland China was met with resistance from the government. As the leaders of China had promised to its citizens, freedom of expression is one of the key elements of a democratic regime. In the news recently, the demonstration in Tibet injured many. It attracted foreign media attention, unsurprisingly, no local media organizations reported the incident as the way the foreign media reported it. The media is inevitably controlled by the state. As what Premier Wen pointed out in his speech, the media and China's nearly 200 million internet users should participate "as appropriate" in the supervision of the government's work (Thornton, 2008, p. 4). There is a fear induced in every "guided democracy" theme of the Party. The government exercises extensive control over the media through government ownership of outlets and censorship.
However, there are some changes in journalism. In 2002, a veteran reporter for China Economic Times wrote an in-depth account of Beijing taxi-licensing system (Thornton, 2008, p. 15-16). The newspaper sold immediately due to alleged collusion between company owners and the government supervisory body. The story was about the drivers were being forced to work long hours for low wages. As a counter attack of the government the Central Propaganda Bureau responded by banning other publications from reporting on the story. Some taxi drivers who were interviewed in the article received death threats, and the author had to be protected by body guards for three months.
How can citizens exercise their rights if every move they make is being tracked by the authorities? Any actions against the state and its policies will result to imprisonment or killing. Now, is China moving towards democracy?
As we can see it, China is still not democratic. The CCP has still the monopoly on political power, citizens have no freedom of speech and press, no freedom of assembly and other fundamental elements of a liberal system. With China's rise to power relying on its economic growth, we can just hope that as the economy grows and as the international society pays close attention to the happenings in China, its leaders will execute their talk and promises and citizens will fight for democratic regime. It is still uncertain whether China will move toward democracy anytime soon.
Today, China is defending itself from the international criticisms ranging from pollution, "purposely undervaluing currency" and human rights. However, the debate on democracy still continues as its promises are still in the air.
The People's Republic of China calls itself democracy. However, in the way CCP holds and practices its power is not democratic at all. The CCP came into power in 1949 in order to remake China (Gilley, 2004, p. 27). Since then abandoned the Marxist ideology of communism and executed political reforms. However, CCP did not transform into democratic regime. It continues to see its purpose as chasing utopia- "a strong and prosperous, culturally advanced, democratic socialist nation" according to the state constitution-not governing for the ever-changing aims of diverse society (Gilley, 2004, p.27). Until nowadays, since the establishment of CCP and its promised political reforms, the CCP members still decide the direction of the nation, not the masses.
In its democratic elements on paper, including universal suffrage, direct election of the lower two levels of the four hierarchies of congress, and constitutional powers for the legislature amounting to parliamentary supremacy still remains on theory (Nathan, 2000, p. 23). CCP has never exercised their powers in practice. China has never had a chief executive elected by direct popular vote and there has never been more than one strong political party running in an election. Likewise, speech and organization have never been free of serious restrictions (Nathan, 2000, p. 21).
Furthermore, a democratic state practices a multiparty system. The West continues to advocate the adoption of multiparty system for China however, until now China is still ruled merely by the Chinese Communist Party. Though members of CCP argue that the party is divided into different political parties still it is not convincing enough to say that they have a multiparty system. The different political parties are still under the CCP's leadership and dictatorship (Ogden, 2002, p. 256).
In a speech given by President Hu Jintao during his 2006 visit to the United States, he repeated the word democracy as "the common pursuit of mankind" (Thornton, 2008, p. 3). Likewise, Premier Wen Jiabao in his address to the 2007 National People's Congress, deliberately emphasized developing democracy and improving the legal system as the basic requirements of the socialist system.
However, the question still remains. Is China in the process of having a democratic rule? Are the Chinese citizens freer? Under the CCP, in 1987, the government promulgated the Organic Law of Villagers' Committees giving the 800 million villagers the right to vote directly every three years for leader of villages (Ogden, 2002, p.5). This was the first time that the villagers participated in the election process. This may be a significant step for democratic participation in China's vast countryside however, in the early 1990s, the CCP was disappointed and threatened that only 40 percent of elected village chiefs were CCP members (Thornton, 2008, p. 5). Due to the small number of CCP members being elected, authorities immediately instructed the local officials to ensure that the "leading role" of the Communist Party was maintained.
Indeed, local elections were held due to international pressure on the communist party. The Chinese government gave a taste of freedom to its citizens. The local elections were definitely just a "show" towards freer Chinese political participation. Democracy is when you are free to choose your own leader without internal or external intervention and manipulation, a West-type of democracy.
There may be elections held but the questions lie if there were really elections held in all rural areas and if they were provided with candidate choice. In a 1993 survey (Tianjian, 2000, p. 33-34) conducted by the East Asian Institute, more than 75 percent of the respondents residing in rural China reported that their villages had held elections. Of the respondents, 16.7 percent reported that their village failed to hold elections while 7.7 percent said either they forgot whether their village had held elections or refused to answer the question. Of the respondents, 50.6 percent said that the election was semi-competitive, and 12.5 percent said that the election was plebiscitary. Moreover, 24.2 percent said that the election did not provide them with the freedom to choose village leaders. The survey says that slightly more than 50 percent of peasants in rural China voted in a semi-competitive elections for village leaders.
For many democratic states, elections are held to exercise sovereignty, freedom of expression and freedom of choice and competition. However, in the case of China, the semi-competitive election does not provide us with single evidence that a democratic suffrage was held.
Although the officials of China disagree on the results of the survey, there was no way they can show any official document of the election process. In the communist China, official records are withhold and are not accessible to the public. If there may be documents, it has been noticed by numerous organizations and media that there are flaws in the official records of voter turnout.
Rural elections give a sense of political reform in China and political participation of rural Chinese villagers. In spite of this road to democracy, citizens are still trapped by the Communist Party in selecting and choosing their leaders. In other words, village leaders should be member of the CCP. Villagers could nominate candidates, but the nominees had to be approved by the village party committee. Electoral procedures have not made Chinese citizens the right to choice their own leader, the selection are still control by the CCP.
Moreover, when nonparty candidates are elected, the CCP always recruits them to ensure that the Party remains in charge in decision-making in the villages while giving the villagers the leaders they want (Thornton, 2008, p. 5). As recruits of the CCP, these leaders are then subject to CCP's command. Therefore, the leader can not make decisions that are against the Party. One can argue that this is also the same case for liberal democracies when mayors are subject to the command of the higher officials. But in liberal democracies such us in the United States, they are subject in the sense that the political platform should be followed rather than the mayors' policies and decisions in their constituents should be reviewed and approved first by the Party leaders.
Moreover, separation of powers is not practiced. The judicial system is still independent from the executive branch. Local officials and CCP committees still continue to hold over the courts. They are closely involved in the appointment of judges and prosecutors, and local governments have discretion over salaries and budgets throughout the judicial system (Thornton, 2008, p. 12).
In addition, CCP controls everything, it has indeed impoverishes individuals life by limiting the space for self-realization. Critics and human rights activists in China either flee out of the country, in prison or exiled. Beijing's response to demands of individual rights -access in the internet, freedom of assembly, rallies and demonstrations-is shot full of contradictions. The few brave individuals who try to assert such rights quickly find themselves staring at the prison walls. Almost 90 percent of China's population that lives well beyond subsistence is not given more rights (Gilleys, 2004, p. 47). CCP members claim that "group rights" must be considered, however, not all groups are allowed to organized and claim attention.
Just recently, the Tibet demonstration against the policies of Mainland China was met with resistance from the government. As the leaders of China had promised to its citizens, freedom of expression is one of the key elements of a democratic regime. In the news recently, the demonstration in Tibet injured many. It attracted foreign media attention, unsurprisingly, no local media organizations reported the incident as the way the foreign media reported it. The media is inevitably controlled by the state. As what Premier Wen pointed out in his speech, the media and China's nearly 200 million internet users should participate "as appropriate" in the supervision of the government's work (Thornton, 2008, p. 4). There is a fear induced in every "guided democracy" theme of the Party. The government exercises extensive control over the media through government ownership of outlets and censorship.
However, there are some changes in journalism. In 2002, a veteran reporter for China Economic Times wrote an in-depth account of Beijing taxi-licensing system (Thornton, 2008, p. 15-16). The newspaper sold immediately due to alleged collusion between company owners and the government supervisory body. The story was about the drivers were being forced to work long hours for low wages. As a counter attack of the government the Central Propaganda Bureau responded by banning other publications from reporting on the story. Some taxi drivers who were interviewed in the article received death threats, and the author had to be protected by body guards for three months.
How can citizens exercise their rights if every move they make is being tracked by the authorities? Any actions against the state and its policies will result to imprisonment or killing. Now, is China moving towards democracy?
As we can see it, China is still not democratic. The CCP has still the monopoly on political power, citizens have no freedom of speech and press, no freedom of assembly and other fundamental elements of a liberal system. With China's rise to power relying on its economic growth, we can just hope that as the economy grows and as the international society pays close attention to the happenings in China, its leaders will execute their talk and promises and citizens will fight for democratic regime. It is still uncertain whether China will move toward democracy anytime soon.
Parlez-vous franḉais?
Comment on dit speak en franḉais? Parlez-vous franḉais?
Learning French is not that easy. I hate conjugating. Period. And oh, I hate remembering the "genders" of the nouns. Blah blah blah…
I still don’t find French as the most romantic language. Nicolas sounds like a Nazi when he first talked to me. That "French accent" is not that inviting. I should know.
Will I ever speak that language now that I am with a French man? Now that Mich baptized me as the "French girl", maybe I should give justice to that.
I'm learning that language not because I love to but I am obliged to. I'd rather speak Italian. However, French government requires every immigrant to take a language exam prior to getting a citizenship. So, here I am in the midair metamorphosis, attending language class.
God knows how I sound. Terrible! My teacher laughs every time I try to have that French accent. It's so unnatural. Let's just hope I'll be a REAL French girl and not just a girl who has a French partner. I'm pressured!
For the time being, I'm still a bum, enjoying my moment in this joyful pandemonium.
Zut alors!
Bonne journée!
Learning French is not that easy. I hate conjugating. Period. And oh, I hate remembering the "genders" of the nouns. Blah blah blah…
I still don’t find French as the most romantic language. Nicolas sounds like a Nazi when he first talked to me. That "French accent" is not that inviting. I should know.
Will I ever speak that language now that I am with a French man? Now that Mich baptized me as the "French girl", maybe I should give justice to that.
I'm learning that language not because I love to but I am obliged to. I'd rather speak Italian. However, French government requires every immigrant to take a language exam prior to getting a citizenship. So, here I am in the midair metamorphosis, attending language class.
God knows how I sound. Terrible! My teacher laughs every time I try to have that French accent. It's so unnatural. Let's just hope I'll be a REAL French girl and not just a girl who has a French partner. I'm pressured!
For the time being, I'm still a bum, enjoying my moment in this joyful pandemonium.
Zut alors!
Bonne journée!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Odyssey
Writing for me is like staring in a white bull. It takes me a while to write especially knowing that people might read your work.
I may not be a good writer, yet I'm striving to become one. Now, I'm trying my luck to fulfill this rêve in this universe of blogs.
Blogging is like writing in your diary, right? It has been a while since I owned and actually wrote religiously about my mantras in life.
Well..here are the vestige of thoughts/actions:
First off, after almost two years living in Holy Land, I decided to quit my studies. Yes, my dream of becoming one of the mediators of the UN may be postponed-that is for now-due to some circumstances that I willingly embraced. Studying in "Ba Aretz" (as the Jews call Israel) was intellectually stimulating except for the countless intimidations I got from few "uneducated Zionist jingoist".
To fight intimidation, my one goal was to speak their language. I studied Hebrew for two months and learned the old scriptures handwriting. Then, I learned how to curse cab drivers and shout at some sales ladies who constantly turn you down thinking that you can't afford a Narciso Rodriquez dress. Fun fun fun!
Nevertheless, I made some really good Jewish and non-Jewish friends at school. Most of them were really accommodating and did I say younger than me (most of them are barely 20)?
Scenario:
English guy: Hey mate! Manishma (that is Hebrew for how are you)? You are look cold.
Inday: I'm doing good though I'm freezing my ass. This is my first winter experience. (it was 5 degrees).
English guy: Oh, really? I guess you are not a Jew? Where do you come from?
American girl: You're from the Philippines, right? So you are the same country as Angelo ( the Philippine ambassadress' son to Israel)?
Inday: mmmm..yes.
English guy: But Angelo sounds American. He has an American accent while you don’t have.
Inday: Yeah, I guess so. I was born, raised and studied there my whole life. Angelo rarely visits the Philippines because his mom is a diplomat.
English guy: (Shouting at Angelo) Shame on you mate! You're an American whore.
Obviously, that felt great!
One unforgettable moment at school is my first recital. My friends know I'm not fond of talking in front of the public. Unsurprisingly, I was hysterical. Well, I surely did stutter, and I felt my face was incongruous with my voice.
My classmates' feedback? Well, they just said, I sound Chinese. So every time someone new asks me where I came from, my classmates would say, " Jef is from China, well, at least some part in Asia".
Didn’t I say some of the classes were dreary and some were really intellectually orgasmic. Dreary means fucking ECONOMICS and STATISTICS. Yes, I took Microeconomics again. Yes! it may be the same Econ that I took in SU but I'm talking about a different teacher here unlike the teacher we had in SU (what was his name again?). Thank God I passed, who could've imagine that? Without cheating and I mean all kinds of cheating- the thing we usually do way back in SU- I crossed the enemy lines. The hell! I passed STAT!!! I couldn't be more proud of myself.
Interestingly enough, my international relations and history classes kept my eyes wide open, not to mention the former is 4 hours and the latter 3 hours. Maybe I took up World History before but, the hell, I forgot why WWI and WWII started and why it was called Cold War. I admit, I got a high grade probably in my World or Middle East history class way back when but my brain bank was empty. Shame on me!
I might give you the wrong impression, but my school is not full of school nerds and walking encyclopedias. They may be brainiac but they do party hard! Liberals!
The school government sells draft beer in campus, there is a cigarette vending machine and party fliers scatter everywhere almost everyday. The school doesn’t hold parties such as our Freshmen's Night inside the campus. I'm talking here about Ibiza-like parties!! well, the big difference is we held it in the middle of the dessert which is really more amusing plus music that you've never heard before (Chris Brown was never played). Plus occasional school parties in different clubs—for free! Amazing!
Ignorant as I am, the first time I got into a school-sponsored party, I wore jeans. Inappropriate!
My odyssey in Israel didn't start and end there. Mmmm….should I write how I met him?
There you go! I've tried my luck. Will that still make me a coward writer?
I may not be a good writer, yet I'm striving to become one. Now, I'm trying my luck to fulfill this rêve in this universe of blogs.
Blogging is like writing in your diary, right? It has been a while since I owned and actually wrote religiously about my mantras in life.
Well..here are the vestige of thoughts/actions:
First off, after almost two years living in Holy Land, I decided to quit my studies. Yes, my dream of becoming one of the mediators of the UN may be postponed-that is for now-due to some circumstances that I willingly embraced. Studying in "Ba Aretz" (as the Jews call Israel) was intellectually stimulating except for the countless intimidations I got from few "uneducated Zionist jingoist".
To fight intimidation, my one goal was to speak their language. I studied Hebrew for two months and learned the old scriptures handwriting. Then, I learned how to curse cab drivers and shout at some sales ladies who constantly turn you down thinking that you can't afford a Narciso Rodriquez dress. Fun fun fun!
Nevertheless, I made some really good Jewish and non-Jewish friends at school. Most of them were really accommodating and did I say younger than me (most of them are barely 20)?
Scenario:
English guy: Hey mate! Manishma (that is Hebrew for how are you)? You are look cold.
Inday: I'm doing good though I'm freezing my ass. This is my first winter experience. (it was 5 degrees).
English guy: Oh, really? I guess you are not a Jew? Where do you come from?
American girl: You're from the Philippines, right? So you are the same country as Angelo ( the Philippine ambassadress' son to Israel)?
Inday: mmmm..yes.
English guy: But Angelo sounds American. He has an American accent while you don’t have.
Inday: Yeah, I guess so. I was born, raised and studied there my whole life. Angelo rarely visits the Philippines because his mom is a diplomat.
English guy: (Shouting at Angelo) Shame on you mate! You're an American whore.
Obviously, that felt great!
One unforgettable moment at school is my first recital. My friends know I'm not fond of talking in front of the public. Unsurprisingly, I was hysterical. Well, I surely did stutter, and I felt my face was incongruous with my voice.
My classmates' feedback? Well, they just said, I sound Chinese. So every time someone new asks me where I came from, my classmates would say, " Jef is from China, well, at least some part in Asia".
Didn’t I say some of the classes were dreary and some were really intellectually orgasmic. Dreary means fucking ECONOMICS and STATISTICS. Yes, I took Microeconomics again. Yes! it may be the same Econ that I took in SU but I'm talking about a different teacher here unlike the teacher we had in SU (what was his name again?). Thank God I passed, who could've imagine that? Without cheating and I mean all kinds of cheating- the thing we usually do way back in SU- I crossed the enemy lines. The hell! I passed STAT!!! I couldn't be more proud of myself.
Interestingly enough, my international relations and history classes kept my eyes wide open, not to mention the former is 4 hours and the latter 3 hours. Maybe I took up World History before but, the hell, I forgot why WWI and WWII started and why it was called Cold War. I admit, I got a high grade probably in my World or Middle East history class way back when but my brain bank was empty. Shame on me!
I might give you the wrong impression, but my school is not full of school nerds and walking encyclopedias. They may be brainiac but they do party hard! Liberals!
The school government sells draft beer in campus, there is a cigarette vending machine and party fliers scatter everywhere almost everyday. The school doesn’t hold parties such as our Freshmen's Night inside the campus. I'm talking here about Ibiza-like parties!! well, the big difference is we held it in the middle of the dessert which is really more amusing plus music that you've never heard before (Chris Brown was never played). Plus occasional school parties in different clubs—for free! Amazing!
Ignorant as I am, the first time I got into a school-sponsored party, I wore jeans. Inappropriate!
My odyssey in Israel didn't start and end there. Mmmm….should I write how I met him?
There you go! I've tried my luck. Will that still make me a coward writer?
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