| Beyond Birthdays | 9/22/2012 09:20:00 AM |
Murphy's Law: "If anything can go wrong, it will..."
This year's birthday turned out to be a comedy of errors and mishaps, beginning with people thinking my birth anniversary was the day before and ending with a three day last song syndrome from the only song in the world I dislike which can induce an extended LSS for me.
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| My Half-Eaten Birthday Cake ;-) |
And yet, there is more to this world than having the prefect birthday:
It's to be surrounded by people who love you just because you are you.
It's staying at a wonderfully conducive place for rest (which is a change of occupation from what you are usually up to the rest of the year).
It's to be able to sleep well and eat well.
It's to have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered specially for you and your intentions.
It's coincidentally attending a First Friday Benediction, when you had just intended to go on a pilgrimage to a church dedicated to Our Lady.
The list just gives me the reasons why my birthday was the best!
And now that my two week hiatus with a birthday is done, I can get back to all the work that awaits me, refreshed and with a more optimistic outlook.
| Homecoming | 6/28/2012 10:28:00 AM |
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My only (and younger) brother (a.k.a. Kuya Monster, a.k.a "Gifted Child") will be arriving dawn tomorrow from his 2 years in Europe to earn a master's degree in Vision and Robotics via the Erasmus Mundus Programme. The lucky guy has been studying in 3 different university campuses is three different European countries (Edinburg in UK, Girona in Spain and Burgundy in France). He did the semester of research in Barcelona, Spain. He has spent his semestral breaks and free time road-tripping in Spain, watching a football game, visiting Paris Disneyland, and resting for a while in Italy on the invitation of a classmate. He even saw the Pope pass by in the Popemobile while he was in Edinburg.
The wonder of modern day communication is that, by just using Skype, it sort of felt like he was never away. I personally do not even feel like I missed him (although I'm sure our mother does). The female members of the family can just badger him regarding the length of his yet uncut hair, ask him if he has found a European girlfriend already or inquire about any asthma attacks. He was usually just a private message away on YM when you wanted to schedule the video chats. Emails were exchanged back and forth when his passport was lost to a pickpocket and we had to settle his documents at our end and send it back to where he was. His pictures of the myriad of places he visited (albeit without any captions - he's always been a man of a few words...) are well within our reach via his Facebook account. There was even one or two times when we "met" one of his fellow scholars who was around while we talked over video chat.
This was a far cry from the time we only had long distance telephone calls or snail mail to count on with regards a loved-one who was at a distance for a time or permanently.
Welcome home, Kuya!
I wonder what other things you are planning with your life, from hereon now...
| PDA | 6/03/2010 06:44:00 PM |
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Note: An old poem, a cautionary tale, with a true-to-life basis, no other details to be provided.
Pero Dili Angay
Hala!
Tu-ara didto
Nagtapad si Dodong ug Inday
Pa-sweetums nasad
Sa may ngit-ngit na dapit
Alas otso na ba?
Uy, mangatulog na sila
Naglatag ug banig
Nanghigda nga nagtupad
Nag-gaksanay man and duha
Nagbukot na sa habul
Maayo unta kung sila ra
Pero daghang mata man ang nagatan-aw
Si Manang, wa katingog
Bahin sa iyang nasaksi
Unsa-on man, pulos nga naghagok
Wala na gyud siya’y mahimo
Kalu-oy ni Tiyo
Nangadlawon na lang, wala pay katu’g
Gibantayan pag-ayo ang duha
Haron walay da-utang mahitabo
Maayo nga day-off sa demonyo
Walay dautang nahitabo
Siguro gitawag na ni Tiyo ang tanang santos
Haron maluwas ang duha ka espiritu
Sus, pagkabuntag, nangamata
Mura’g wala lang sa duha
Wa’ intawon kamatnon sa “gamay’ng gubot”
Nga sila ma-oy hinungdan
Wala na lang gi-badlong ang duha
Ma-uwawan man lang gud sila
Sa atubangan sa uban pang ta’o
Busa nagpatuyang gihapon sa ilang gibati
Apan, dili g’yud angay
Ang gibuhat sa duha
Dili g’yud maayong makit-an
Ang ining-atong pagkahimutang
Siguro, maayo nga wala nay lain pang
Nasulti tungod adtong butanga
Kung naa pay gisulti si Tiyo kanila
Ay, mausab na ang akong isturya
- ju-ju -
| Rural Service Project- Last Summer's Memories | 4/15/2008 05:08:00 AM |
I'm re-posting here my blog originally titled "Doctor In the Kitchen" for TBR 5 since it's exactly what I was up to last summer!
I wasn't officially part of the recent Rural Service Project in Sitio Ibo, Brgy. Pondol, Balamban , Cebu until the penultimate minute.... When I was asked to make room in my schedule to be part of the Rurals, my first reaction was "Ok......" When I was asked to take care of the kitchen, my reaction was "Hey wait a minute!..." Then I was also asked to take charge of the finances so I said "This is the job I really hate!!!!" Yet, I still went to the rurals....Now what was I thinking? My first rural service project was in the summer of '98 in Kibawe, Bukidnon. I enjoyed the experienced immensely, never mind the inconveniences. It's not only work but there was also a lot of "laag" galore! Friendships were formed too! Since then, I have been helping out in the rurals as my schedule would permit. April 2007 in Balamban also marked my first as a licensed physician....and my first as being totally in-charge of the kitchen...Incidentally, this also happened to have the most number of shall we say...."incidences"... The van got bumped into, the faucet had to be replaced, allergy attacks, toad invasion of the sleeping quarters, visits from the "tuko"(gecko) ..... ....And here's generalized view of my kitchen woes: perennially changed schedules, stored smelly garbage, dogs on the prowl, lack of time management, spoiled meat, leaking water dispenser, no refrigerator!, late food deliveries, "delivery multicab" a no show, "delivery tricycle" going around in circles, surpluses and unexpected expenditures, undercooked rice, overpriced fruits..... ...But nothing, absolutely nothing can top the fire from the leaking rubber hose connecting the gas tank to the stove.... and getting 1st degree flash burns while I was supervising 3 high schoolers! Will I ever volunteer to take part of the rurals again? Of course! My catering service is BOOMING!!!! These are my realizations:
Guardian angels exist! The damage to property and person from the fire could have been worse... We would have made headlines burning down the whole school!
My profession is still much needed in so many out of the way places.
The work of the home is something imbued with dignity...and inspite of all the difficulties that came my way during this rural service project, I have fallen in love with this work.... and perhaps in the not so far off future, i can dedicate my time and effort to it.
"Omnia in bonum" -> "All for the good", as St. Josemaria would say. This eventful 6 days of work and fun, difficulties and successes surely proves this point!
| Cherrylyn Revisited | 11/06/2007 11:42:00 AM |
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Here are some more pics of Cherrylyn, that little girl born blind from Sitio Ibo with the volunteers.
| RSP Oct'07 | 11/01/2007 04:30:00 AM |
I just came back from the year's second Rural Service Project to Sition Ibo, Barangay Pondol, Balamban, Cebu, (October 26-31) organized by Banilad Study Center. It was a whole lot of work and a whole lot of fun, too!
I was again assigned to oversee the administration (read: kitchen and house upkeep!), as expected. I got lots of help though from the other people assigned there as well. We had it easy this time thanks to the lovely resthouse we were staying in, with all the equipment we needed to run things smoothly.
Despite the rain (and getting wet, of course!), we were able to finish the septic tank for Sitio Ibo's public toilet, play games, read stories and teach the kids catechism (even had a party the last day!), hold livelihood classes for the mothers, have a one-day-only medical and dental clinic, go on an excursion to Binghay Marine Park, and explore the nearby river and go spelunking (just to the mouth of a nearby cave--people dindn't have flashlights!), and relax with our nightly get-togethers. We would also pray the rosary every afternoon at the chapel (kapilya) we had helped to construct last April. It became sort of our headquarters and where most of the activities were held as well due to the rains.
This will probably be the last rural service project for me, at least for the next four years, so I cherished the whole time I was there to work and relax. I think I have stored enough great memories though to last me the rest of my life! 
| Return to Waterfalls (Kawasan Falls, Matutinao, Badian, Cebu; September 4, 1999) | 8/10/2007 06:00:00 PM |
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The roar of your might
As you crash down
To the depths below
Has brought me before you again
And as before, I am in awe
Even before the break of dawn
I am drawn towards
Your strength, your courage
As you continue your course
Unmindful of hindrances
Unaware of the seeming inevitability
Of your coming demise
And I am drawn to you even more
I will always have a special place
Imprinted in my heart
For the scenery of majesty
The coolness of the pools
The intensity of the rush
And this feeling of awe
Yes, I shall forever be captive
To you that I deem
A culmination of creation
And at the height of enchantment
I can give you nothing but praise
Though this may prove to be
The final moment left for me
To imagine the ancient rituals
Long gone by
That held part of your history
Worry not
That you may be forgotten by me
For wherever I may go
And whatever heights or depths
May I be allowed to reach
I shall be in your spell
As long as the memories I keep
Shall remain intact in my mind
I will return to you
Within this plane
Or the dimension of my dreams
This is my promise
-jara-
| Rural Service Project Oct 2005 | 8/05/2007 05:52:00 PM |
A short account of the Rural Service Project I joined back in 2005.
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Set in Barangay Tingo on Olanggo Island, 11 souls braved the constant threat of possible bird flu contamination considering the start of bird migration season. As expected, and to our dismay, the bird sanctuary was off limits to us for any excursion purposes.
And so we set out doing home visits, teaching catechism to primary grades and intermediate grades, giving a leadership seminar at the local high school, cleaning up the chapel and keeping house (doing all the chores!) in a place called home for one week which had only one bathroom. And all that with time to spare for prayers and get-togethers!
I left them yesterday in their beach excursion and pondered the coming events of today: the medical-dental mission and the health and nutrition seminars.
The memories of those memorable days spent with unforgettable people: Mirzi, Bea, Grace V., Angelie, Lucille, EJ, Celeste, Bulai, Ivi, and Narsheen will forever be etched in my mind. And now I look forward to my next Rural Service Project, whenever it may be.
| Kibawe, Bukidnon (April 8-15, 2000) | 7/18/2007 09:38:00 AM |
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Kind acts of any sort are
Indeed rewarded by more kind acts in turn.
Be a giver of joy to others
And you shall receive joy in return.
We seem to be all connected in some way...
Everyone is part of the full circle.
Be able to
Understand the different
Kinds of
Individuals around you for in
Doing this, you shall
Not be lacking the understanding
Of others too.
Never be afraid to be of service to others.
---<--<@>-->----<--<@>-->---
This was the first rural service project I volunteered in, way back in the summer vacation before my senior year in college. Aside from the poem, I also found a longer article I wrote about my experiences. Unfortunately though, I only have a few pictures of that memorable week (alll in print form).
| Greener Pastures | 6/09/2007 07:53:00 AM |
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These past few days (5 days to be exact!) found me covering for another physician at a medical diagnostic center. Work consisted mostly of routine physical examination of applicants for jobs here or overseas, and occasionally diagnosing and treating diseases or referring patients to specialists.
Most of them were seamen, but there were a few women bound for work as teachers in the US or domestic helpers in Hong Kong. Coincidentally, one of the teachers happened to be my former biochemistry teacher in my finally semester of undergraduate studies in biology.
I chatted with Mrs. R. for sometime (she is quite loquacious!). She was now working at another university as chairperson of the department of chemistry, but was set to fly to the US to work as a high school biology or general science teacher. After 20 years teaching college students, she had to take a practicum subject to qualify for the position. She definitely did not want to retire in the Philippines.
Reflecting on this train of thought, I realize that it is the aspiration of so many people in our country, including a lot of my classmates in medical school who are again studying for the USMLE in order to train in the US and stay there permanently. I also know a lot of doctors who trained as nurses to work in the US.
Maybe, I'm the crazy, nationalistic, odd one out... I do have the possibility of going to the US to train and work, yet I have decided to stay here for training, with no immediate plans of working abroad in the near future.
I guess I'm not yet willing to be part of the brain drain this country is suffering from...
| The Road to Sitio Ibo | 6/07/2007 03:41:00 PM |
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Here is just a teeny glimpse of the road we traveled going to Sitio Ibo. Part of the way, we had to walk since the hired tricycles we were riding could not make it up or sown the narrow path. Sometimes, we even had to push the tricycles! The project site is about a 30 minute walk or 15 minute ride away from where we were staying at that time: the public elementary school in Barangay Pondol (Cornelio Elementary School).
| The Kids of Sitio Ibo, Reading | 6/06/2007 10:27:00 PM |
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I have just learned how to upload videos onto my blog!
Starting today,I'll be uploading some video clips of last April's Rural Service Project in Sitio Ibo, Barangay Pondol, Balamban, Cebu, Philippines. Soon, I'll upload the movie clip one of the volunteers is working on. These will be glimpses of what we are doing as well as a promotion for the upcoming Rurals this semestral break in October.
For starters, here's a glimpse of two kids who received a storybook we gave away to them on the last day of the Rurals.
| Casaroro (28th of October, 2001) | 5/27/2007 08:49:00 AM |
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Cascading straight down,
Almost to the speed of sound.
Surrounded by moss-covered boulders,
A haven for the weary heart,
Rest for the unspoken tribulations.
Over the passage of time,
Rivulets will flow forth
On to the valleys beneath the mist.
-jara-
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Rummaging through my scrapbook, I found this poem, also written in a style like a poem in my name in a previous post.
I was on a rural service project in Dumaguete City that semestral break from medical school. We decided to go to this almost out-of-the way waterfalls in Valencia town. The trek was pretty steep but the beauty of the Casaroro Falls was worth the effort.
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