Street scene in my beloved country is quite different from any other countries. Philippines, despite of its image that was being perceive by many foreigners, Philippines is a safe and friendly country to give an example is the street scene that I took from a village in the south of Muntinlupa. Saturday evenings is consider as the GIMIK day for everyone here in Manila and Young and Old have their way of celebrating the weekend. Children's still play the old time favorite "tagu taguan" or hide and seek...These kids are just three to 7 years of age so theres no question of safety in the Philippine streets especially in side streets like this. Elders like my cousin also watch these children play just to ensure their utmost safety.

One of the events during weekends are Birthday Parties. Birthday party in the Philippines especially that is done with the family members is an event with a Karaoke thats a must for the celebration. In the far reach provinces where they can't afford to have a Karaoke with them, they used the old fashioned way of playing guitar and singing with the tunes coming from it. While singing alcoholic drinks can be serve, making the scene more lively and merrier. Filipinos really love drinking beer, because of its warm weather, the ICE Cold beer can wipe the perspiration dripping down one's body.

Stay tune to my next blogs to see other festivities in the PHILIPPINES!!!

TEN MONTHS it was really long for someone who loves the dishes in his own land! I was really craving to taste once again the FOOD from my homeland Philippines and there are few dishes I had after arriving from Russia. Brinna a friend from the US was one of the few people who keep on teasing me with the foods that we missed so much during our stay one of that was the SWEET CORN on the cob with butter...and luckily after a day of my arrival I had one sweetest corn ever.

Few of the people know the the Philippines produce the sweetest mangoes in the world and I would die for our mangoes because the taste simply tells you that this is the best in the whole wide world.
Mangoes from the Philippines are widely grown in CEBU, BATAAN and few provinces that are known to have been growing fruits like Bukidnon and Tagaytay. Dried mangoes are also a famous feast in the Philippines, and is produce in Cebu. My Nanay will not have any second thoughts of buying me a ripe mango...and so I had one small mango but it was so sweet.


BICOL EXPRESS is a delicacy from Bicol Region it is made with pork and pepper. The ratio of Pepper to Pork is half kilo of pepper to one kilo of pork. You have to be prepared when having this dish it is so hot you need coconut milk on your side to take off the taste from your tongue.

italki around

I was hoping not to forget how to speak Russian and I found a new website that allows its members to talk to one another. ITALKI the website is a like friendster that is dedicated to meet friends and teach each others language. cool right? This allows people to interact with one another from every part of the globe as long as they are interested in learning a new language.

if you're interested please click my profile and add me as a friend or leave a message so that we can be friends and teacher at the same time.okay!

http://www.italki.com/public/profile.htm

Fragments of Last Year

Realizing that there were several things I missed when I went to Russia and now the fragments of every piece are now coming back after me. Coming back from a year that was a struggle for every student who pursued their AFS School year it was time for me to go back to my past and it was a different feeling now. I decided to go back home in Morong Rizal, a small town in the east of Manila. This town is where I grew up and I left my family there to pursue a bigger dream and be a part of a bigger picture.

After two months when I left the Philippines my brother John had his first child from his marriage with Rochelle. It was a big disappointment for everyone, believing that he'll be fulfilling his dream before making his own family but destiny has been challenging him and my family. Everyone said she has my resemblance, but i keep on denying the fact that she has it, It can't be as easy as like that knowing that the consequence of having a child is harder when parents are not prepared for anything of that kind.
My brother is now experiencing it.

Cheska is sweet and quiet for a baby eight month old but she's coping and making every day as a learning day with her father. Our family is always doing their part in providing for the three of them.




Kapamilya Comeback...

Ahhh unlike every ABS-CBN Stars who shines the lime light, my shine was not so bright to get their attention when I visit my second home ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City. I walked around the compound like a stranger to it, I was a very very weird feeling coming back to a company I worked for three years. The feeling was overwhelming while I was walking towards ELJ Communication Center. I remember my first ABS-CBN Week in 2004, I was walking through the hallways and not even thinking that I'll be working for my dream company. One of the best days of my life would have been our training in Cebu City. In A month and a half we stayed in Cebu and trained in International Academy for Film And Television IAFT (http://www.filmschool.ph/).

A year passed and changes were fast to keep me disoriented with the security passes in ABS-CBN and with the new facilities they had added in. Passing the Loop, i went to Big Brother House, where my colleagues are working at. There were a lot of people whom I shared some of the most unbelievable experiences. Miss Peng was in the front garden of the BB house smoking then Tophey went out to meet me and bring me inside. It gives me creeps that authenticates that Im here in Manila!! that Im in the Philippines!

I stayed for almost four hours in ABS-CBN just going around talking to lost friends. Four Hours Imagine! I lost a year then I have to keep them in track for only four limited hours. I know I have to make updates with everyone of them.

PILIPINAS:Nice to be Back!

32 degrees centigrade and the humidity rises, I know I'm back...I was about to kiss the Philippine soil after coming back from my Exchange Student Program in Russia. It was exhilarating to be back home. Then I saw Guen standing in the front line of NAIA Centennial Terminal 2, I run to give her a hug. Every hormones was just pumping to every part of my body! I was really happy to be back home. When I left Russia, the weather was still cold. I don't know but my host mom said this is Russia and Russian Summer is Cold. I left Airport Domodedovo with a feeling of mixed sadness and happiness, I know that after a 20 hour flight back to Manila, I will be back in the world I grew up in.




Due to my excitement of coming home there were several incident happened. After taking a visit in the Men's comfort room, I accidentally left my pouch where I put my passport in. How stupid right? I know. But there was this man who was patiently waiting near the CR so when I came back to look for it, he was there and handed me the pouch, I was very thankful that he's so kind and considerate in waiting for me.