KITCHEN LOVE STORY NI INDAY
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Posted:Nov 26, 2009 7:47 am
Last Updated:Nov 30, 2009 5:11 pm 15840 Views
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I always make fun of asking my husband this question.
"Why you gladly put a wedding ring on my finger?"
His answer:
"It is because you always take time to cook no matter how busy you are."
ARRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!
My husband sees me as a cook and a hard working INDAY inside the house. My husband is inlove with INDAY not with Jense.
Of course, my hubby will always deny it. This is our common joke inside the house.
However, there might be some realities behind this joke. Because no matter how busy and how tiring my days are, cooking our meal is always the top priority of my routine. Personally, I still bring my lunch box to work daily. My lunch box is always filled with the typical Filipino lunch of rice, main dish and some desserts. My co-workers hd stopped asking when I prepared them considering that I go to work really early. It seems that having a fully loaded lunch box daily is a miracle. For me, there is nothing extraordinary. It is a must part of task that I have to accomplish everyday. Meaning, it is a part of life that needs to be completed.
Where I got this mentality?
Its my mom's fault. I grew up with homemade foods and packing lunchboxes must be a part of morning responsibility. I was brainwashed that food must be healthy and the only way to be sure is to prepare it from our kitchen and veggies must be taken straight from our backyard garden.
Another reason; my husband got lots of prohibited food in his strict diet brought by faltering health and aging. Again health reasons. I dont want to be within another heallth mess so as long as I can help preventing it.Anyway, health is wealth. If I take care of our kitchen we can avoid some trips to the hospital and it is a big help in our financial savings.
I have to admit. I am a natural born INDAY despite of my towering professional ambitions. It is fun and I guess it balances the fulcrum. Sometimes, I am a bit convinced that my hubby loves INDAY not Jense. I dunno know..hahahaha.
Lastly,
I have to get back to the kitchen to finish the turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
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Sad and Angry for the Maguindanao Massacre in Mindanao
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Posted:Nov 25, 2009 5:18 am
Last Updated:Dec 2, 2009 5:20 am 18955 Views
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I was perplexed when I received a message about the Maguindanao massacre from my bestfriend who is working in NBI. Borned and hailed 30 minutes away from Sharif Aguak, Maguindanao, I knew that this feud between two Muslim families will escalate into a bigger war which will for sure kill many including Christian civilians.
My bestfriend was indignant because her own father was also murdered by this same group who are now into this killing spree. After few messages, I just told her my wishes for justice and peace. For me, it is just one of the common scenes which I have been accustomed too and part of my life as one of the locals from the nearby place. I thought I will be once again one of those listeners over the radio through the internet who monitors the situation from the far away land.
I was mistaken. Just as I was preparing myself to work, I received a call from my mom all the way from home. I knew that its an emergency. The news was; my grandfather and my aunt who serve as the lawyers of the Mangudadatu family were among the victims of the massacre. They were shot and buried in the area while they accompanied the group on their way to the Office of Comission on Election to file the certificate of candidacy. I confirmed the news when I saw the list of victims posted on the online copy of Philippine Daily Inquirer.
My God and Why were the questions I uttered. I felt the pang and surge of anger. I talked to my bestfriend and we shared the same feelings. She lost her dad who headed the Narcotics Division in Maguindanao 3 years ago and now I lost my grandfather and my aunt. We both knew that these deaths will just turn in vain and justice will just become a far away dream because the main cause of feud is the dirty game of politics.
JUstice is defined differently along the ARMM areas in Mindanao and for sure the Arroyo government will not compromise their political interest within this place. It is sad that both Muslims and Christian along this area define justice according to how they perceive it.
In the end, just like any other families who experienced a painful lost of their loveones in the highways of Magundanao and Sultan Kudarat, I have nothing to do but to pray that my grandfather and aunt will find peace in their final resting place and advise my mom not to serve in the up coming elections.
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Wanna Say Goodbye but Dunno How
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Posted:Nov 23, 2009 5:51 am
Last Updated:Nov 25, 2009 4:43 am 13305 Views
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December is coming. However, I am not certain about any plans for this season. My husband is asking me what I want to do for the two weeks break. I am jokingly telling him; I wanna go home to the Phil. He has no objections but I have a lot of things in my hands now that I can not go for a long time. Definitely, I can not travel overseas this time.
Secondly, he is reminding me to fix some of my things so that we can move them ahead of time to his home in Prescott. WE have an agreement that this is my last year here in Nogales. After this year, I have to move somewhere away from the border.
I feel sick everytime I realize that days are fleeting. Everytime I hear the longings of my middle schoolers to share with me their dreams next years, I want to cry. The border has been showing me lots of learnings and it teaches me daily the essence of real teaching. I have frustrations with my students because II am expecting them beyond they can do. However, when I stepped out of my comfort zone and reaches to them I have seen how hard the situations they are struggling with and how complicated the structure of the environment they call FAMILY. My students taugt me the meaning of real compassion. In return, by setting myself as an example, I have infected them the value of education and how education can help in improving their own conditions.
I had experienced being lambasted by a custom officer while we were crossing the border but its nothing compared to the new learning that my students had experienced. Whew!!! I guess, I have been drawing much from myself that I have shared a remarkable part of me to these boys and girls.
Two years is almost over. I am grateful, I never have problems in my work and with my class. I established a very good rapport with everybody including the parents. I enjoy the warmth of welcome from these mexican families despite of our language barrier.
Sometimes this December, my director will also come to discuss with me our next year plans and programs. I will be working to prepare them but I have my husband who is waiting for me to load some boxes to our trailer on our way to winter break as well. Tough!!! Maybe this is the price being married while working with my career. Now I have to choose and making a choice is not always FUN.
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ACCOMMODATION IN MARRIAGE
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Posted:Nov 7, 2009 6:32 am
Last Updated:Nov 9, 2009 5:36 pm 13527 Views
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The transition of my life from a carefree and strike anywhere single to a budding working housewife and student posted some troubles that sometimes require me to slow down and remind myself of my status. There are things (infact a lot of them) that I can not still digest and I am still trying to digest in order to integrate them in my whole system. Often, critical thinking does and doesnt apply at all. In most cases, I end up using item analysis in order to dissect each issue. The process is mindblowing but working so far.
My process of crossexamination and dissection of things is not that really complicated. I consider the basic information that makes my husband and I define our identity in both our personal and professional fields. I go through our data and apply comparison and contrast for better comprehension. Here are some tangible data that I always look into..
My husband is almost twice my age with almost 4 decades of experience in his expertise. Have been travelling around the world who had started his career from the lowest and descended to the top position. Beenn married once, was divorced when he was my age, raised his only , sent him to a medical school and remain as his 's bestfriend until now. Educationally, he got his shouting Ph.D at the end of his name.Lastly, he negotiates before doing things.
What about me? (hehehehe). I am not young anymore and compared to him my expertise is just his apprenticeship. Educationally, I am still killing myself in order to pass all the examinations required by the state and the university where I am in now. I work closely with students and have travelled a quarter (at least) of the places my husband had been into. Never been married (except now) but had sent my bros and sisters to various universities in order to complete their education as well. I am still working for that Ph.D (craziness!!)in an extremely different field. Lastly, I do things the way I want them to be.
Where is now our point of reconciliation? I am free willing he is negotiating so we end up with accommodating. We accommodate each others caprices, wants and beliefs. We discuss instead of argue and respect each others individuality. I continue to chase the sparkling stars of my career while he enjoys his retirement with his fishing partners. I read my books and papers while he enjoys his walk with our two dogs. I am up early during the day while he is still preparing to start his sleep. I snore at night while he enjoys his syfy and pleasure reading. He refuses to get into the car if I drive while I love sleeping confidently if he is on the wheel.We are a couple made up of remarkable diversity but we enjoy most of our times. We have ups and downs and our life in not made from heaven existence.There are aspects that my husband can not function anymore but it never been our problem.We consume our marriage based on what are the available resources that we can provide to the best of our capacities. The spirit of accommdation works very good with each other. I am happy that I have my husband as my critic, mentor, bestfriend, partner and guide. I might not have a perfect marriage ( thats impossible)but I am contented and satisfied with what I have. I always respect the sanctity and sacredness of the decision and commitment I made when I signed my marriage contract.
Anyway....the only thing I can not accommodate in our marriage is claning the mess of our dogs and cats....my answer is always: NO WAY!!! Everytime, I see the discontented face of my hubby while holding the broom and the dustpan...I smile and tell myself that I am still the BOSS...hahahahahaha
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ADVENTURER AND HAPPILY MARRIED
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Posted:Nov 6, 2009 6:26 am
Last Updated:Nov 8, 2009 4:18 pm 13317 Views
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Its my second day in the ESL convention. I am going to show my new found Filipina friend around Tempe this afternoon. She asked me last night how long I have been here in AZ. I said, 1 year and 43 days to be exact. I asked why she asked. She told me that I move like one of the locals in shuttling myself in public trnsport or wherelse. Good compliment.I felt having another laurel on my head....
The truth is, I had already completed the full exploration of Arizona state. I had been to all the cities, indian reservations and counties of AZ. I love everything I saw and experienced.I also passed my Az constitution exams.
Finally, I love AZ and it is truly where my heart belongs.
Simply because my other half- yeah my HUSBAND is here.
AZ made me complete my whole self AND THIS MY HOME.
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PROUD FILIPINA...
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Posted:Nov 5, 2009 7:39 pm
Last Updated:Nov 8, 2009 8:57 am 13202 Views
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I am attending the three-day International convention of ESL writers and teachers here in Arizona State University in Tempe. Researches from various parts of the world are flooding in the symposium. There is a huge number of participants coming from China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia but none from Phil. Since I am working with AZ Education my nametag says USA (urrggghhh). I am glad there is one DLSU professor in attendance and so happy to meet her.
There are work which are truly impressive, but there are some out of nowhere researches as well. Having some backgrounds in ESL from Phil, my La Sallean companion and I can not stop ourselves in questioning the valididity of some work which brought rising eyebrows specifically, when we challenged one presenter from Purdue... Kind of weird but since we started to stir the intrigues we were forced to continue the quest which ended in almost heated discussion. Tough!! but after the event and after participated in a discourse community composed of various representative from asian countries, I understood totally why Filipino teachers can make it to the English instructions of students here in US. Linguistically, Filipinos are truly proficient in English communication compared to Asian contemporaries (purely my opinion but there is truth in it). I am always proud of the education I got from Phil. I could say that the education I got from my native country exceeds far or goes within if I compare to some of my contemporaries in any part of the world.
I may have USA in nametag but I always emphasize that I am a 100% Phil trained ESL teacher.
The term Philippines truly makes a difference.
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SMART GUY MARRIES FILIPINA...
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Posted:Nov 4, 2009 4:43 am
Last Updated:Nov 5, 2009 7:26 pm 11998 Views
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I happened to read this from a foreign man's shirt.
Sounds great...infact a bit flattering.
However.....I can not stop myself to....become a bit skeptic too.
For the sake of skepticism.... Bakit kaya?
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MY NEW HOUSEMATE
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Posted:Jul 16, 2009 9:40 pm
Last Updated:Aug 8, 2009 12:12 pm 11646 Views
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I am blessed to have a very sweet housemate. Sleeping in my room, tagging beside me and walking with me every morning are the joyous moments of my housemate. Several people got scared with us when they met us along the way. We also attract many people and they can not stop themselves to adore my companion. Border patrol and police officers had stopped in order to ask about the identity of my partner.
Showing strenght and gentleness makes my companion a bit of a celebrity in our little city. Friendliness is one of the virtues that can not be missed with this extremely beautiful and attractive companion of mine.
She is my 130 lbs Tundra Wolf named "Maya". A beautiful gift from my foster dad here in US. She welcomed me in Tucson airport when I arrived last Tuesday. Every morning we walk and people call me as the Lady with a Wolf.
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MY WONDERFUL VACATION
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Posted:Jul 16, 2009 9:29 pm
Last Updated:Jul 26, 2009 8:22 am 11413 Views
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Finally, I am backed from my 15-day holiday or much of an adventure in LA, Stockton and San Francisco. My trip was very rewarding. I had gotten a chance to pay an unexpected visit to my former colleagues in LA and they were amazed to see me at their doorstep. The Stockton and San Francisco trips were not included in my list but I decided to give it a try when I visited my boyfriend in LAX terminal and I found out that there was no way that I can "oldnapped" him from his very busy work schedule.
I did not intent also to burden him with my presence so decided to fly to San Francisco for 3 days and came on the day of his off. Things went well and I enjoyed discovering the cities and shuttling myself to buses and trains.
I had this adventure while taking my online courses to complete the requirements of Arizona Department of Education for my full certification. It was also during this holiday that I received the passing result of the last of the 4 tests that the state had required me to take. Very rewarding and fulfilling.
I had found the renewed strength and confidence in myself after I made my way to all the destinations that I planned to visit. I'm pretty sure that I had found again my old adventurous self. While checking myself in the Southwest counter I was smiling and the TSA personnel asked me why I got the sweetest smile. I remembered how "scaredy cat" I was when I arrived in LAX last year. Now I am blending very well with the commuters and pushing my way into the crowd as if I am one of the locals.Plus, I got one big bonus, I got 1 LAX personnel in my hook...hehehe
It was amazing. However, I felt sad when I was given a chance to mingle with some Filipino caregivers who are in tourist visas who are trying their best to fill their balikbayan boxes and are working hard to send enough support to their families left in the Philippines.From this working class, I heard stories that I used to see in films like "Milan and Caregiver". It saddened me and I silently thank God for giving me a very good blessing of making my way here without experiencing those difficulties that I heard from many Filipinos during my vacation.
I am also grateful that my wedding plans are not founded on the intentions of going into it because I need a valid way to get a legal status here in US or else I need to save a very good amount of money to pay my "husband" and the divorce proceedings that will come next. Most of all, I met my fiance when I felt that I am matured enough to pursue the new stage of my life. The only issue that we are going to settle now is, where are we going to stay? In LA or in AZ? I have to admit that I am already well adjusted in the ways of life here in AZ and at this time, there is no way that I can leave this state because I am bounded with my 4-year working contract. Therefore, the best way we can ever do is to enrol in the rewards program of Southwest Airlines because we both knew that we will be doing a lot of flying in the next 3 years if we decided to keep our own careers in their current locations.
Whew!!! Tough but what else I can do? Smile and look longinly to the horizon as I wait for the next mystery of my daily life to unfold...
Anyway, my plants had already died when I came back....15 days without water under the 110 temp....they were properly and crisply grilled when I found them again....
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QUESTIONS I AM SCARED TO ANSWER
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Posted:Jun 22, 2009 8:24 pm
Last Updated:Jul 17, 2009 12:51 pm 12349 Views
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Why...
...the game of life that I play with time seems to be unfair?
.... I can not just let go to follow my heart and abandon the responsibility I embraced?
... I can not break my word to somebody I owed my dreams and embrace the man I love most?
... the man I dearly love knock on the doors of my heart when I can not simply say yes to the invitation?
... I choose to suffer for sake of commitment rather be happy under the grace of love?
... I have a heart filled with compassion rather than a heart filled with reason?
I wanted to leave the loads I carry but I simply CAN'T.
WHY?
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