A new home

I've been here for a mere two months but it feels like I've been here forever. When I first stepped into London's Gatwick Airport, I felt a kind of rush. The blast of cold air gave me a high. I felt a compulsive urge to shake myself off from the dream. After years of planning, failing, planning, and finally succeeding, I am finally here!


In the course of 2 months, andami kong natutunan. Mula sa pag grocery hanggang sa pag abang ng tamang train sa tube. I also gained 5 new cards - one from the bank, oyster, laundry, key card, and my Uni's ID card. Nakakabaliw! It was scary at first pero the thrill of the adventure gave me a different high. Minsan parang gusto kong maiyak. It's a whole different spectrum of emotion - overwhelming happiness, sadness, fear, and thrill all at the same time. 


But of course I soon crashed back to reality. Grabe yung una kong lecture. In my first class, the professor was British. Parang may feeling of de ja vu. I spent more time staring rather than listening during the first day. Hahaha!


Pag tinitignan ko yung mga bahay dito, wow parang gusto ko na dito tumira. Very victorian, old fashioned, the kind of houses that I like. So many things to explore, so many things to do. I am drinking it all in.


If I am dreaming, please don't wake me up.

Context

Dapat nagbabasa ako ngayon para sa isang malaking essay na kailangan kong isulat. Pero dahil committed ako sa world peace, isusulat ko na lang ito. Para ito sa lahat ng may celphone, email ng email, may facebook at twitter accounts. Para ito sa mga taong nabubuhay sa mundong paunti ng paunti ang oras sa face to face na pag uusap. Ito ay tungkol sa context.

Maraming mga kaibigan ko ang nag break sa mga boyfriend/girlfriend nila dahil sa mga mensaheng natanggap sa celphone, o comment sa fb, etc. Sa aking palagay ito ay dulot ng di pagkakaunawa sa context. Ito ay mahalaga sa isang bansang tulad ng Pilipinas na tinaguriang texting capital of the world. By the way, isusulat ko pala to dapat sa Ingles kaya lang mawawala ang punchline at baka isipin niyo na naman na nagmumula na naman ako sa ibang dimensyon. So sariling wika na lang.

Ang context ay ang mga bagay-bagay na nakakaapekto sa pagtingin o sa aksyon ng isang tao. Ang case study natin ay mga mensahe na natatanggap natin mula sa text, facebook at email. Halimbawa: nag text sayo ang ka relasyon mo: Papunta na ako jan. Hintay ka lang.

Kung hindi mo titingnan ang context, maari mong isipin na :

A: Aba, nagpapahintay, loko to ah, break na.

B: Ano ngayon kung papunta ka na? Bakit kasi di umalis ng maaga-aga. Break na.

C: Ano ba yan walang sense of urgency to. Break na.

At kung anu ano pang masasamang pangitain. Dahil lang yan sa agarang pagbabasa, at hindi pagtingin sa context. Tingnan natin siya habang binibigyan diin ang pagtingin sa context.

Una, isipin mo muna kung anong oras niya nga ba sinned yun. Baka tanghali. Mainit ba? Pag mainit umiinit din ulo niya. Nagmamadali so wala siyang time mag type ng mahaba-haba.

Masipag ba siya magtype? Baka hindi so nabubuhay siya sa panahon ng telegrama, paiiklian ang labanan.

Panganay ba siya? O bosing sa opisina? Kaya siguro mejo bossy ang pag text. Maaring di niya sinasadya yun na maging bossy pero nananalaytay na sa kanya yun. Ang hirap kaya mag change ng roles. Hindi naman siya si Darna o si Superman.

Gutom na ba siya?

Maganda ba bahay niya? Malawak? Serious to kasi may mga pag aaral na nagbabago ang mood natin depende sa kung nasaan tayo. So isipin ninyo kung nasaan ang kausap ninyo kasi may impluwensiya ang nakapalibot sa kanya.

Ikaw pano mo ba binasa text? Nakangiti ka o nakasimangot? Subukan mong basahin ng nakangiti. May nabago ba?

Madumi ba celphone mo? Baka kaya ka naiinis kasi di ka na makapagtype ng mabilis dahil dumudikit daliri mo sa keypad sa lagkit ng celphone mo.

Baka kinakailangan mo magpalit ng default font face sa celphone/computer mo? Serious ulit to. Dahil ang font face ay nakakaapekto sa pagtingin natin ng mga mensahe. Subukan ninyong bumati ng HAPPY BIRTHDAY habang gamit ninyo ay yung font na madalas na ginagamit sa Halloween kung hindi ka masaktan ng binati mo. Nakakatulong din ang pagpalit ng font sa mata. Kahit same family pa siya, nakakarefresh. Ginagawa yan ng gmail kung di niyo napapansin. Nagpapalit palit sila ng mga font na magkakapamilya lang (sans serif). Actually pag di niyo napansin na super obvious pero parang may naramadaman kayo na nagbago, ibig sabhin nun matagumpay sila. Kasi di dapat abrupt ang transition.

Sa mga mag jowa na long distance, isipin niyo din kung ano na season sa lugar ng jowa mo. Baka winter dun e di talaga madalas magtetext/facebook/ etc. Lalo na pag walang heater. Parang centralized na freezer yun. Nakakarelate siya tiyak sa nararamdaman ng mga gulay sa ref niyo.

Marami pa tong kasama. Ang sinasabi ko lang, subukan ninyong mag isip muna bago bumira. Tingin tingin ka muna sa kisame o maglinis ka muna ng bahay kung naiinis ka na gusto mong magpalipad ng kutsara sa galit. Dahil kapag nagtype ka na inis ka. Yun, pinapaypayan ninyo ang apoy na nag uumpisa pa lang sumiga.

Ayan, magbabasa na ako. Hangad ko ay isang mundo na kung saan ang mga tao ay nagngingitian. Ngiti kayo. :D



Anti corruption seminar

Hi guys! I am pleased to share with you the anti-corruption seminar we had in UQ. Please click on the links below.

Anti-corruption seminar 1

Anti-corruption seminar 2

Anti-corruption seminar 3

Anti-corruption seminar 4

Anti-corruption seminar 5

Anti-corruption seminar 6

Anti-corruption seminar 7

Isang masayang araw sa kung saan-saan

Pumunta kami kahapon ng mga kaibigan ko sa Gold Coast, isa siyang sikat at sosyal na lugar dito sa Queensland para manood ng Philippine Festival. Yun, we enjoyed it. Sarap ng food nakakita na ulit ako ng siopao, kare-kare, menudo at kung anu-ano pang lutong bahay. Maraming mga pinoy ang hindi na din sanay mag Tagalog. Hahaha! Like nung bumibili ako ng halu-halo.

Jaime: Kuya, tatlo.

Tindero: How many?

Jaime: Tatlo po

Tindero: (Bibigay ang halu-halo) Have you paid?

Jaime: Already. (Hahaha! Lupet)

Yung sa Brisbane naman, ganito din yung taga tinda ng halu-halo. Sabi niya sa amin: how many halow halow? Hahhaha!

Back to Gold Coast.

Ang galing nung mga performers sa concert. They sang the best of OPM hits like “Manila”, “Bongga ka day”, “Awitin mo at isasayaw ko”. Tapos kinanta nung isa yung Big Brother theme na Pinoy Ako. Wala masyado nakakaalam. So nilakasan namin ang kanta ng kasama ko. Pagkakataon na to. Hahahha!

After the concert, nag ikot ikot kami sa perimeter nung area. Andun daw yung Versace Hotel papektyur kami sa may entrance. Lupet nga e. Tapos pasok kami. Ang lakas ng loob namin dahil si Ate Jo ay naka BMW tapos sa parking napagitnaan kami ng Jaguar tapos yung isa pa na sikat din daw yun na sasakyan. Sabi ni ate Jo, ingat lang sa pagbukas ha at baka makasagi tayo. Hahaha!

Tapos yun pasok kami sa Versace Hotel para magkape. Pagpasok pa lang ambango na parang oregano na hindi. Sabi ko ki ate aileen,”Te, anong scent to te? Interesado lang po ako para kasingbango na ito ng room ko. Sabi ni ate aileen, “Ano, linis lang to”. Hahaha!

Siya ikot ikot kami sa may lobby at nagpapektyur ulit kami sa may pool. At may naliligo pa sa lamig na to ha. May naliligo pa dun. Tapos punta na kami para magkape, nakita namin mura lang naman coffee kaya lang pag sa labas kami kumain may pagkain na aside from coffee. So labas kami ang bagsak namin sa McDonald’s. Hahaha! Yun kumain na kami. Masarap naman. Hey by the way harap nung Versace hotel ay Sheraton naman. Sabi ko, “te grabe dapat sa gitna tayo ng dalawa, tapos ang caption sa gitna ng dalawang bonggang hotel ay may mga dukha”. Hahaha!

Pagkatapos naming kumain sa McDo, pumunta kami sa Pacific Fair, mall siya. Yun ang galing nung dalawa kong kasama alam na alam ang mga bonggang stores dun. Like yung “Hermes” na kalahating milyon daw ang isang bag. Ako naman, “bag lang? Isang plant breeding study na yan sa PhilRice! O mahigit 3,000 na kopya na ng tekno bulletin yan. Tapos pag nilabhan yan mamantsahan lang!” Hahaha! Tapos sabi pa ni ate Aileen, bubutasin lang siya ng mga mandurukot sa Pinas. Hahaha! Hindi ko talaga maintindihan yung mga bag na yun. Pumunta din kami sa tindahan ng mga Prada, D&G basta sushal sushalan. Tapos nagpapektur kami sa loob. Nung next shot na namin, lumabas yung parang isa pang staff, tanong kami, pwede magpicture pa? Sabi niya, “Not really.” Suplada. So labas na kami.

The last time magkasama kami ni ate Aileen sa City tumingin kami ng mga relo yung Tagheuer. Lupet kalahating milyon din. Aanhin ko yan! Andaming wall clock sa bahay. Kahit saan ka pumanig may relo na. Pare-pareho naman ng oras. Grabe may diamond daw kasi yun. Naalala ko bigla yung teacher ko sa Chem nung High school, pag inis ka daw sa may mga diamond itapon mo lang daw sa apoy at magiging carbon ulit siya. Tsk, tsk tsk. Basta, inisip ko pag bumili ako ng relo na yun, ilang taong return service ko yun sa PhilRice katapat nun. Hahaha!

In all farirness ang saya ng lakad namin. Kung saan-saan kami nakarating. Ang dami kong nakitang kumikinang pero lahat sila hindi nakakasilaw.

Techno what?

I would never go to the City alone until when I was a month old here in Australia. I was very afraid to get lost. Buses just have numbers and places which were so alien to me. A short travel seemed like thousands of miles away. I got goosebumps whenever I started to see trees and lots of trees. Where am I? How do I travel back to my place? Not once did I enter no through road (unaware of the sign), asked strangers to direct me where to go. No wonder why it took me more than a week before I could find a permanent accommodation. I was just so afraid to navigate. I was too afraid to walk far from St. Leo’s College, where I was housed temporarily. I am just so lucky to have wonderful housemates who toured me around the place. We took public transportation to go to the places that I would need often: grocery, Church, and some places where I could buy the cheapest goods like the Chinatown.

Things have changed. I am now good at the basics. I can now top up my go card (it’s the card for taking public transport just like in MRT) using the machines in the train stations, the vending machines now communicate with me, and most of all I have stopped asking what bus to take and how to get to my destination. I have gotten accustomed to using Translink—the public transportation website that gives you a comprehensive direction including how many metres you need to walk once you get off a train or a bus! That frees me from interpreting the difficult Aussie accent (although I’m also getting good at it now). I have accepted the fact that people here want to communicate with you online. Yup, at times you would ask: where are the human beings? I have gotten accustomed to living in an e-mail society. People are very quick and more efficient in responding to e-mails. I am now used to filling in my username and password not less than 10 times daily. And yes, I am now good at shopping books online! E-commerce! I’m good at it. I find it amazing that I could get out of our house and go back with lots of groceries without a centavo with me! I am now an excellent card ‘swiper’! Forgive me if I am so amazed by all these things. I should tell you that I am a technophobe.

As you have just known that I am a technophobe (sorry for repeating I am really good at incriminating myself), let me tell you that I am also now getting good at communicating with gadgets. Prior to the start of the first semester, I bought a printer. A printer! I remember back in the office, I would have second thoughts touching our printer when there’s a paper jam. I would just wait until someone smarter gets near and fix it. So there I was, not having a choice, I tried to understand the manual very well clapping every time I was able to move from one step to the next. Until voila! It worked! I was just so happy then, and noisy too! I made it work. Second is my new DSLR camera and third is my new camcorder. And I should also tell you that I made internet connection possible in our house by following all those ‘config blah blah,’. I get stressed every time I remember it. I find it amazing and sometimes amusing how I get intellectually challenged by all these technologies. I even have some eureka moments like when I discovered that my earphones for my ipod can be connected to my laptop. Because of that I can now hear my favourite songs even when I’m in the library. And hey, in some presentations that I had this semester I got good marks for effective use of visuals. And mind you, I no longer use powerpoint. I use Prezi. Hahaha!

Before I end this short piece, I should tell you that I am now getting good at giving directions to people. Like yesterday when we were on the train, two Aussies asked me: "Is Milton the next station?" (we were in Toowoong). I confidently said, “No, it’s Auchenflower. Next to that is Milton.” Ate Aileen, my coscholar here had the same experience. Unfortunately she didn’t know the location as well so she volunteered to google it using her blackberry phone. Now, that’s being techno savvy.

Good news

While there were a lot of dismal things that happened like people in the queue for more than three hours, allegations of possible hacking, failure of elections—voila, we did it! The Philippines had a President in less than 24 hours. Back in college while I was doing my undergraduate research, I tracked ICT for development initiatives. From the looks of it, our automated elections is one of the most successful in the world. A number of countries that used automated elections for the first time resulted in failure of elections. I am so glad to note that in less than 24 hours the country had a President although the proclamation came in much later because of some complaints of irregularities which is a classic in the history of national elections worldwide. I am so pleased that this year’s election is the most peaceful we have ever conducted. I could just recall many election officials including public school teachers lost their lives before while performing their duties. I could exactly recall how I started to lose faith in our democratic process when as the manual counting starts, there would be brownouts, presence of goons around the precincts. We have experienced all that. Gladly, we’re over them.

Reflecting on the process, I am so proud that our national media had been very vigilant in making sure that our election would be successful. I appreciated the fact that they made the public aware to the littlest details of what was going on. No wonder we have the freest media in the world. Sometimes OA, but they did a good job this time. I am just very glad as to how the process went. We have just proven the pessimists wrong. I trust that this success could translate to people having their faith back to our democratic process. I hope that the success of national elections could translate to something more—people realising their role in nation building, people becoming active participants in development. I will pray for that.

God bless the Philippines!

Ang pagbabalik

Kumusta na kayo? Grabe napatahimik ako ng UQ. I was intellectually harassed. Basta natagpuan ko na lang ang sarili kong madaling araw ng natutulog o gumigising ng maaga para magtype dahil baka lumihis ang idea na nasa isip ko. Wala ako kahit na isang exam ngayong sem. Meron lang akong sangkatutak na papers na sinulat. Parang writer pala ha,sige magsulat ka! Hahahaha! Sabi nga,kapoy kaayo!

Andaming mga nakakatawang pangyayari nitong sem. Sa class discussions, ang hirap sumingit kung minsan. Nag eenglis naman tayo sa Pinas pero ewan ko ba, iba Ingles nila di ko maintindihan kung minsan. May mga times na gusto ko magtanong ng ano ulit??? Ha??? May mga times naman na ganado ako at salita ako ng salita. Parati kasi ako nakaslouch. Feeling ko yung mga classmates ko, alam na pag magsasalita na ako: pag uunat na ang likod ko. Ang trend: sit up straight, unat ang likod, then fire! Hahahaha! (He’s gonna talk again!). Grabe ang mga sulatin dito parang theme writing lang na mahaba. Hahaha! Nakakatuwa din naman.

I enjoyed group work. Ang productive ng mga discussions. At bihirang bihira or should I say never kaming nag start ng di sa oras. It’s a blessing that my groupmates were all smart and industrious. Walang nanlalamang. Skill din yung iba iba na kami ng opinion pero bati bati pa din. Naalala ko lang sa maraming pagkakataon sa office or sa maraming lugar sa Pinas pag sumalungat ka, minus one friend ka na. Or tatawagin ka ng pangit or smelly, anything but good words. Hahaha! I’m really happy na matatapos tong sem na to na friends ko lahat. Sana madala ko to sa Pinas para love nila ako lahat. Yihee!

And my housemates. Anlaking pasalamat ko na di nila ako nireklamo ang madalas kong pagkanta. When I get stressed, I sing!. Hahaha! There was one time sa kitchen kumakanta ako habang nagluluto sabi nung housemate ko: ‘You’re like an MP3 player!’ Hahaha! Tapos nung nakita niya ako nung same time nay un na nagbubukas ng de lata gamit kutsilyo kasi ala kami can opener, ‘You’re not just an MP3 player, you’re a can opener too!’ Hahaha! Ang lupet! Sabi nung isa kong friend dito na ADS next time daw na may magcomment na para akong MP3 player sabihin ko daw, di lang basta MP3 player, 3 GB pa. Hahaha! Naku, na realise ko pag na stress ka na, magagawa mo hindi mo mga inaakalang bagay.

Like dito sa house namin, napagbuntunan ko landlord namin. Nagkaleak kasi sa CR at nababasa na sahig. Di naming pinansin hanggang nakakainis na talaga at napagod na ako sa kamamop. Inemail ko landlord. ‘Could you please fix the leak in our toilet?..’. The next day punta siya naayos. Then nakakita ako ng daga sa room ko. Malaki.Muntik na akong mapasigaw. Email ulit ako: “I can assure you I cleam my room regularly... (hulihin ninyo ang daga). And please adjust my door. I noticed that it’s a bit elevated from the floor.’ (siguro sabi ng landlady ko: Ito na ang pinakamaarteng tenant ko!). Hahaha! Tapos naglagay ako ng mga libro sa may pinto para di na talaga makakapasok ang mga daga.

At siyempre pa dumating ang time na lalaban ako sa padumihan ng room. Para kasing pag inayos mo siya malilito na ako. Hahaha! Tapos pag mag uumpisa na ako magsulat, maglilinis naman muna ako. At mga isang oras na linisan yun. Di ako makapagumpisa pag feeling ko may alikabok pa (OA). Hahahaha! Basta dapat makintab na sahig ng room ko at ang table ko kulay puti na ulit, yung di na ulit pwedeng sulatan ng pangalan dahil sa alikabok. Ang saya din ng balik buhay estudyante. Ang target ko makasali sa Australia’s Got Talent pero tapos na ata. Na inspire ako ni Jal Joshua na taga Cebu na first-runner up last year. I believe kaya kong manalo dun. Hahaha! Yabangan na to kaya dito ko na tatapusin.