Mon Voyage...Ma Vie

The "Awakening"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" That vigorous knocking on our door, together with the building alarm going off definitely roused me from my sleep. Having heard the fire alarm go off the week before then finding out that the alarm was just grounded made me and my neighbors in our apartment complex learn to ignore the sound. But with the agressive knocking on our door, I knew it was not a false alarm anymore.


It was a Sunday morning, three weekends ago that this happened. Having been awakened by the agressive thumping on the door, I immediately tapped my husband beside me to wake up.  Like almost all people who are awakened so quickly, his eyes opened with a surprised look. Of course by this time, he already heard the fire alarm sounding off and I also informed him about the knocks on the door.  We both ran to the door and opened it.  Thick smoke was covering the whole wing of our apartment complex.  My husband got his shoes and the only footwear I was able to grab was my pair of slippers.  Dashing down the staircase, we bumped into tenant-neighbors from the upper floor. 


Looking around, almost all of us were wearing our sleepwear. Obviously, on a Sunday morning, we were all enjoying a no-work day, sleeping soundly on our beds.  Good thing my hubby and I were wearing our jogging pants, or else, we would've felt cold outside as we failed to get our jackets.  I had no time to be conscious of how non-color coordinated I was with my 101 Dalmatian shirt, pink jogging pants, and green slippers. ;p  Our concern, like everyone else's, was the safety of all the tenants.


As we moved to the parking lot, we got to talk to two of our neighbors who lived in the units in front of ours and the one beside us.  They are also Filipinos.  One of them was trying to comfort her 4-year old daughter who was visibly shaking because of nervousness and fear.  Upon talking to the woman whose unit was beside ours, we learned that the smoke was coming from their unit.  Whoa! It hit me that we were awakened because if the fire got out of control, Johnny and I would have been affected as our room was adjacent to the kitchen of the other unit.  She told us that her father was heating up soup but forgot to attend to it because he got distracted by a television show he was watching in another room.  It was the wife who smelled the burning scent and got out of the room, only to discover that the pan had turned black already, produced a small fire around the rim, and emitted black, thick smoke.  By then, their unit had already been covered with smoke. Since each unit has a smoke detector, theirs rang off quickly. When they opened the door, smoke spread fast along the hallway causing the main building alarm to do its job. 


Paramedics and firefighters were prompt in responding to frantic calls.  But THANK GOD because there really was no fire that spread, except around that dried-up, badly burned pan.  Of course, the smoke was another problem, but with industrial fans turned on the whole day, the burning smell dissipated.


Our Pinoy neighbor who lived in the suite beside us was very apologetic.  The old man, her husband, did not even show his face anymore that day because he was so embarrassed.  But we assured his wife that we understood it was an accident and told her that what's important is the safety of everyone in the apartment complex. 


Lessons have been learned and all of us are extra careful about leaving the stove on.  Before going to bed, I don't fail to double check the stove and oven controls.  And even if it sounds romantic to light candles for special occasions or maybe to even benefit from aromatherapy, I'd rather rely on the energy-efficient light bulbs I bought for sale to provide whatever light I need.

Because of that experience, I felt that there's now some sort of bonding among the tenants, especially those staying in our wing. In that 40 minutes or so of uncertainty, the Filipinos, French, South African, East Indian, Canadian, and Chinese got to mingle and share a moment that could have been harrowing, yet turned out to be a positive, wake-up call to everyone about safety.


Fire is a serious thing. Property damage can be colossal but that is nothing compared to the GIFT of LIFE which we must all strive to keep precious, not only for ourselves but for our neighbors as well. Besides, we only have one each, right?

Lucky cats!

No Money...Honey

I don’t have money but I have love. Yes, it sounds mushy but I really don’t have the means as of yet to buy something special for my husband.  With just a few coins left in my wallet, the only item I could afford to buy for him was a heart-shaped Kitkat, which is his favorite chocolate. He called me a few hours ago from his work and said that he received a pleasant surprise when he saw the Kitkat I placed inside his lunch bag.  I let him sleep early last night so he wouldn’t know that I was up to something.  Sneaky me? You bet! Hehe.  I just figured that nothing is more special than the thought and act of giving, regardless of the price.

Happy Hearts’ Day to Johnny! It’s our first Valentine together as husband and wife.  We may not have everything we are wishing for at this moment, but as I’ve told him during our wedding, I am willing to take each step slowly towards our dreams as long as we are together.

To my family and friends, HAPPY VALENTINE to you as well! Let us continue to be givers of love to all around us.  As Mohandas Gandhi once said, “Love never claims; it ever gives.”

A Good Cry

Life has always been good to me that’s why in my own little way, I return whatever blessings I have by showing goodness to every person I meet.  But I remember clearly what a co-teacher once wrote me during our retreat, that I shouldn’t try too hard to please everyone. Perhaps, that friend of mine saw how I was spreading out myself thinly (and that’s speaking figuratively) in trying to accede to the wishes of others.

To be always sensitive to the needs of others is what I believe in and practice. But maybe, I’ve always been too sensitive to their needs for my own good. I am not wont to confronting people even when I feel bad already.  So when I feel down, you can just find me back in my reflective mood.

Just last week, I felt this ebbing point. Sleep didn’t seem to be on my agenda as I cried silently at 2 AM. At that moment, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was feeling. I knew that I was sad; I was tired. Some things were just taking their toll.  But as I cried, I also felt ashamed that I was feeling that way because my reasons for crying seemed to be petty.  Suddenly, faces of people whose lives have always been in the pit flashed in my mind.  What gave me the right to complain when I am actually living a good life? Why am I crying when my being enervated does not even compare to the hardships of other people?  Those two questions I immediately had to ask myself.  Precisely at that instance, I felt guilty for entertaining self-serving complaints. 

Thank God for my husband who’s been one of my best friends too all these years. Upon seeing me, he was naturally concerned about my emotional state at that time.  After confiding in him my initial thoughts and sharing my realizations afterwards, his encouraging words lifted up my spirits. Not long after three in the morning, I was already in dreamland, snoozing to my heart’s content.

When I woke up 7 hours after, I welcomed the brightness that the sun’s rays offered. The good cry I let out several hours before made me feel emotionally unburdened. I faced the day with a smile on my face and a renewed vigor, with a promise of continuing to do what is good and right for everyone around me.

So what about my lacrimal glands? They're momentarily inactive. But do cry once in a while. It’s ok. It’s good for the soul.

Q&A

I was tagged by my friend, Ana (betchay), in her blog (www.buhaykorea.com). An obedient friend that I am, I will answer the questions....hehe.

1. What are the things you enjoy, even when no one around you wants to go out and play?

• reading newspapers, magazines, books

• experimenting with different dishes and baked goodies in my Ate's kitchen

• watching shows in Foodnetwork and TLC

• surfing for more news in the net

• searching for delectable recipes

• emailing family and friends

• reviewing favorite episodes from my Korean drama series collection

        2. What lowers your stress/blood pressure/ anxiety level? Make a list and post it in your journal.

• Prayer calms me a lot. Divine guidance is what I seek

• I go to my room, close my eyes and take a deep breath

• If my hubby is around (and he's not the cause of my stress...hahaha...joke, joke, joke), then I confide in him whatever I think and feel because he can surely comfort, encourage and enlighten me

• I play with my niece or if Bebot's in her usual playful mood, then I run around the backyard with her

• I email my family or my friends. Keeping in touch with loved ones gives me a feeling of peace

        3. Tag 5 friends and ask them to post it in theirs.

               Since everyone is busy with his/her own personal activities, I will not specify any friend anymore. But if you happen to read this, then you’ve just been tagged! ;)   

Bebot

This is Bebot...the new "bunso" in my sister's family. She's a 9 week old beagle who's turning out to be such a delight.  But she can be a cause of headache too. Hahaha!

My nephews and niece have long wanted to have a dog. Last year, when I was on vacation here, I heard them bugging my Ate and Kuya to get them a dog but their wish was always declined. But two weeks ago, the couple finally acquiesced to their children's request.

Bebot was obviously named after one of Black Eyed Peas' hit songs.  The popular group was here last month and my nephews had a grand time watching their free concert, sponsored by Best Buy. Since my nephews and niece, who all grew up here in Canada, would always hear me and my sister talk in Tagalog, it wasn't hard for them to pronounce "bebot" for the first time. But all the neighbors who have taken notice of the very playful pup have added the dog's name to their list of tongue twisters. ;p

I am a certified dog-lover, having taken care of as many as 28 dogs at one time in our house in the Philippines. They, who are called people's "best friends" are truly loyal.  Seeing Bebot for the first time, after being purchased from dog breeders, made my heart skip a bit. I was really excited to have a dog again. Of course, she isn't mine. But even if part of her play is biting our toes and destroying our shoes and slippers on the floor, I still appreciate having her around.

Poohs and pees...eeeek! They're really yucky! But even if I have to bend over and clean the floor countless of times, it is ok with me as long as I know that Bebot's presence makes everyone happy.

The Search Is On

Although I’ve been in and out of British Columbia since the 1990’s, it was only in my recent trips here that I appreciated staying here for long periods of time. Since I’m now applying as an immigrant, I might as well learn to embrace everything that Canada has to offer.

My hubby and I are staying here in my sister’s house. My Ate and her family have graciously accommodated us in their lovely home. Johnny pays rent but for a very minimal cost. Since he’s been here since 2003 and I’ve recently moved in after our wedding, he feels that it’s about time we find our own place. For the past few weekends, we’ve been going out, scouting for apartment suites and condominium units available for rent.

Despite the scorching summer heat, it has been a lot of fun to check out different apartments. We looked at one-bedroom units as well as two-bedroom suites. Although we’re a young family that doesn’t have children yet, we are considering of renting a two-bedroom unit where we can welcome visiting family and friends. Narrowing down our choices to three, Johnny and I have been having long discussions on the merits and demerits of what we have on our list. One is located 20 minutes away from where we are now. Let me call it, “unit A.” Considering that my hubby travels 18 minutes in going to work, he will have to add another 15 minutes if we transfer to location A. That is not exactly a problem for him because in his previous job, he used to drive for two hours everyday. Anyway, this apartment we found boasts of two very spacious bedrooms and a large living room. But the kitchen and the bathrooms disappointed me. Although there were 1.5 bathrooms (meaning, the guests can use their own bathroom while we can have our own), the cabinets and ceiling looked very old. In the kitchen, the cupboards and the appliances didn’t look too appealing to me either. Being the eager learner that I am in the kitchen, I love cooking and baking. And that would mean I require a nice kitchen. If we choose this place, we may have to shell out extra money for repainting jobs.

Unit B also has huge rooms. However, Johnny and I couldn’t help but look at each other when we saw the hideous carpet. It was clean all right, but it had two or three tones, making it appear like there were stains. The carpet was also too thick, like fur. Feels comfortable to the bare feet but I can just imagine all the dirt that will hide in there. Oh, I don’t want the bugs and bacteria to have a feast right there. Hahaha! As for the kitchen, the cabinets and drawers were ok and the appliances were just 2-3 years old so that was mighty fine with us. The storage room was very big too. Johnny even ribbed the building manager that he can put an extra bed inside. However, my husband didn’t like the narrow hallway.

Among our choices, it was the third apartment that had the smallest rooms. Like Unit B, it only had one bathroom. But this was the most spacious bathroom among the three. Unit C merited the most praises from us because everything was immaculately clean. Although Unit A’s bedroom and living room walls were newly-painted, its other rooms were not renovated. But here in Unit C, everything was repainted. The manager said that she’s very strict with the maintenance that is why their units were never tagged as “leaky condos.” The carpet was exactly the same as the carpet we have in our room now in my sister’s house. Storage areas were big enough for us too. Then my eyes lit up when I saw the kitchen because the appliances and cabinets were new. I was excited right there and then. But of course, the downside was the unit’s size compared to Units A & B. It was several square feet smaller than the first two I described. Ugh, can’t we just have it all in one unit? (wishful thinking….)

All the apartments had balconies which Johnny and I weren’t so keen about. Honestly, we could do without it. But my brother-in-law said that it would be good to have barbeque there once in a while.

The parking was another thing we’re considering because of possible car thefts. Units A & C both had covered parking spaces which would be good for summer and winter. But Unit A would require additional $15/month to avail of that space. So far, the three locations offered the privacy, security and simple beauty we are looking for. But we both decided to still extend our canvassing.

We are now on our third week of hunting for the right apartment. A place that we hope can meet our needs best. With the rising prices of gas and other utilities, Johnny and I know that our choice to move into a new place all by ourselves will not be a cinch for the pockets. Feelings of apprehension are but normal, but we know that this is part and parcel of our journey as a newly-married couple. But when we do find the place that best suits us, we shall fortify our dreams and work hard in order to give our future family a great life. Besides, it will not just be a house for us, it will be our home.

Jamie, Nora...and the School Dinners

Having gone through different love teams from Romnick-Sheryl, Dingdong-Antoinette, Jerry-Barbie, to Bi-Song Hye Kyo, Lee Byung Hun-Choi Ji Woo, Kwon Sang Woo-CJW and So Ji Sub-Im Soo Jung, I am used to putting one and one together, finding chemistry between two people I see.  In just 4 Saturdays, two people on television endeared themselves to me.  I am now starting to miss this tandem. No, they are not a love team. Theirs is a working partnership…a meeting of the minds, bound by a significant mission. I am missing Jamie and Nora. =(

For those who are not familiar with Food Network’s Jamie’s School Dinners, the 4-part series featured Jamie Oliver, one of the aforementioned network’s celebrity chefs.  Jamie, being from England, had previously launched a successful project in 2003 in London which he called, Jamie’s Kitchen.  In that 9-month project, he trained 15 unemployed youth to be the chefs in his new restaurant which he was going to name as “Fifteen”…in honor of the 15 underprivileged youngsters who would be under his tutelage.  Such documentary proved very inspiring to many as the viewers stuck glued to their televisions watching the youngsters develop confidence, team spirit, and a great passion for cooking as they all underwent the rigors of training. This year, Jamie, once again came up with a note-worthy project (filmed last year but shown this year) with a campaign slogan, “Feed Me Better.” 

He targeted the meals served in British schools.  Working initially in Kidsgrove School, one of the 20,000 education institutions located in a London borough, Jamie met Nora Sands, the school kitchen’s unit manager or in simpler terms, the head dinner lady. Wanting to change processed foods served to students into nutritious and flavorful dishes, Jamie and Nora worked together to make the campaign of feeding the kids with better food a success.

The two had clashes at first.  Jamie was adamant about his plans; Nora was overwhelmed with the extra work.  However, the battle from the kitchen soon dissipated but moved towards the cafeteria.  Kids, who were so used to being served burgers and chips for lunch day in and day out, just couldn’t take the idea of eating cannelloni, baked chicken, or beef stew in replacement for their reconstituted favorites.  Months passed before the children started to appreciate the revamping of the cafeteria food.  Small demonstrations staged by some teen students soon stopped.  Nora’s motherly prodding convinced them into trying the nutritious yet delicious foods.

Nora was definitely not a silent worker. ;p She spoke her mind.  After she and Jamie met with the school principal, she even chased him at the corridor in order to berate him.  But it wasn’t long before Jamie and Nora got in the same groove.  Together, they convinced not only the students and school officials at Kidsgrove School but also the other schools in the borough about the importance of caring for their health.  As was shown in the documentary, Jamie and Nora even met the education minister of England so that more funding can be given to schools for the changes in school dinners to be possible.   March 18 of this year, even Prime Minister Tony Blair gave positive comments about Jamie’s drive promoting good health for the young.

The fourth and final episode of Jamie’s School Dinners was shown here last Saturday.  I’m sort of feeling a Jamie-Nora withdrawal now. I’ve always looked forward to their funny banters. With the dvd copies of the series out now in the market, perhaps I can get a copy and witness once more their successful partnership as well as the “miracle” they created in the schools.

Jamie and Nora --- definite sources of inspiration…successful agents of change. 

Falling and Rising

"Remember, Bruce, why do we fall? So we can learn to lift ourselves up." This was uttered by Bruce Wayne's dad when he (Bruce) fell accidentally on the cave's cavity. With that reminder, the boy grew up with a sense of how life's drama unfolds...the fall and the rise of humans.

Watching Batman Begins reminded me that from time to time, we do experience low moments in our lives. In those instances, our frustrations, our apprehensions, seem to double as we look at them through our myopic vision. Yet, in all of these, there is always that opportunity to bounce back…a silver lining, as we may call it, or a case of a phoenix rising from the ashes, to wax poetic.

Right now, my homeland, the Philippines is in crisis once more. “When has it ever been out of crisis?” one may sardonically ask. But I believe that as a country, we will still rise from our quagmire. Yes, it is easy to say it but a hundred times difficult to do. However, as I’ve heard many a time from our patriotic elders, “if we don’t believe in our own country, then who will?” Good changes may not happen in my lifetime, but the promise of a new tomorrow for every Pinoy will always be a fervent hope.

My fellow Filipinos have gone through a lot of hardships, as attested in history, yet the smile never faded from our faces. Others find it weird that we can still manage to laugh off the seemingly sinking economic and political woes we are in but I see the humor as the Filipinos’ way of coping with what we have left. The common man has no money but remains standing with dignity. The “smile,” representative of the optimistic spirit living within himself…dreaming of that day when he can finally tell his family that everything is fine.

The zeal, the idealism, the love for country…these feelings must reside not only in the youth but also in the senior ones. Hand in hand we must learn to rise above our problems and build a good present for everyone and a better future for our children and the generations thereafter.

My faith in the Philippines remains steadfast…my love, unwavering.

Coincidences?

Yesterday and today, I thought of doing some things but before I could put them into action, I discovered that people I know have just done what I wanted to do, almost the same time that these were just in my thoughts.

First coincidence...I was at the mall when I thought of making my next entry here be about my embarrassing moments (yeah, we must find humor in our lives and learn to laugh at ourselves from time to time). However, before I began typing, I decided to check out first the blog site of a former student of mine, whose site I wanted to see.  It was my first time to read her entries and she impressed me with her style of writing.  So funny, so witty, so Bernadette (that's her name).  But guess what her last entry was about? It was regarding her embarrassing moments too. Hehe. I guess we were both thinking of how funny life can be sometimes when we're put in blush-inducing situations.

Second coincidence...the face of a former co-teacher/friend of mine crossed my mind earlier today.  Maybe I just missed the non-stop chatter we used to have at the faculty during break time. Now just before lunch today, I was chatting with a former student of mine when she suddenly mentioned the name of my co-teacher whom I was thinking about this morning. My student said that she saw this teacher very recently.  When she was near her, my student smiled at the teacher but the latter didn't smile back. As surmised by my student, the teacher didn't recognize her anymore. I wish I was able to see that friend of mine before I left the Philippines. I bet her daughter is now a big girl.

Third on my list of coincidences is finding out that the recipe I was looking for in the net is the same thing that my friend was looking for today. I dropped by Ana's blog site (www.buhaykorea.com) and read about her search for a potato soup recipe.  That's exactly what I wanted too because I caught another episode of the Iron Chef last night where Chef Michiba and his challenger used potatoes for their recipe. Since I've tried making potato salads before, I wanted to try other recipes using this ingredient that would make a grumbling tummy complain no more.

Too many coincidences for me in just two days.  I better come up with very good thoughts. They may just happen. Who knows, I could be a princess someday. (Ok, let me go to sleep now so I can AT LEAST dream about it) ;p

Kababayang Pilipino

Last Saturday marked not only the anniversary of Philippine Independence. Here in British Columbia, it was also the 12th anniversary of Kababayang Pilipino. KP is the name of a group of dancers comprised of young Filipino-Canadians. It was my second time to see their dance concert; the first was in 2003. Most of the members were either born or raised here in Canada, but at a young age were exposed to the beauty of the Filipino dances.

It was heartwarming to see these young Pinoys in their late teens and early 20's to be involved actively in promoting the indigenous Filipino dances. They may not be professionals but so evident was their passion for dancing that their show came out well. Their repertoire consisted of six suites: Pagsilang (Si Malakas at Si Maganda), Lumad (Dances of the Indigenous Communities of Mindanao), Cordillera (Dances of the Luzon Highlanders), Pista sa Barrio (Pastimes of the Rural Countryside), Nuevo España (the meeting of east and west influences), and Pangalay (Muslim Philippines).

Aside from the colorful costumes that drew “ooohs” and “aaaahs” from the audience, KP’s talented ensemble of musicians produced beautiful music with the use of the gangsa, kulintang, gandingan, agong, banduria, octavina and other instruments native to the Philippines. Their sound was truly a highlight of the show.

Two of the much-awaited numbers in the show were the dances of the kids who will most likely carry the torch of KP when they grow up. Right now, they are still part of the KP Children’s Workshop, of which my niece and nephews are members. Their numbers were called Ilocana a Nasudi (Ilocos Norte), which was about the chaste Ilocana women and Maglangka (Mindanao), which was originally a dance by the slave women of the Sultan. The audience just loved the children’s dances! Loud applause was proof of that.

After the show, we met the performers at the theater lobby. Like the feeling that their dances of Itik-Itik, Tinikling and Maglalatik brought about, the air evoked a jovial mood among one and all outside the theater hall. Parents and relatives beamed with pride as their sons and daughters who performed joined them at the lobby. I hugged my niece when I saw her and blew out kisses to my two nephews. They certainly did a good job in their dance.

For the Kababayang Pilipino group, I wish to thank them for keeping alive the Filipino pride in them even if they are miles away from the Philippines. Likewise, I salute their parents for inculcating in them the value of love for our rich culture through traditional dances, music and artistry.

Mabuhay ang Sining-Pinoy!