Top Ten Things I Learned In Saudi Arabia

I've learned a lot of things in three years of living in Saudi Arabia, but here are my top ten.

1. Inshallah is such a magical word.
    This has to be my favorite Arabic word. It can mean so many things, and you can use it in a variety of situations.

Are you going to the meeting? Inshallah. Is my mother OK? Inshallah. Will my mother be OK? Inshallah. Please get me a copy of the medical report. Inshallah. TRANSFER THE PATIENT NOW! Inshallah. 

"Inshallah" actually means "God willing". But it can also mean "yes", "no" or "maybe". It all depends on the situation. So, how can you be sure what the person actually means? You can never.

The Geek of Anything [sticky post]

Hey there! This is Mariel, and some people know me as the random "mayey" of Multiply and the crazy, always flailing, perverted Arashi fangirl "mayey87" of Livejournal. I used to keep a food blog more than a year ago, too, but I abandoned it.

So what's with the new blog? Aside from being a nurse one month into unemployment, and being bored to hell, I just miss blogging so much. Much has also been happening in my life lately, that I just have to write (or rant or brag) about the experiences. Besides, I miss that girl mayey from Multiply who used to talk about a lot of things from the most trivial to the most far out. I remember her talking about her charger being eaten by a rat. LOL. She used to be really bitchy and funny and totally random at best, and I want her be sort of resurrected from the dead. She kept a blog about absolutely the most random things in her personal life for years, until Multiply turned into an online shopping site. She got sick of it, and died. That girl was me. And still is, only with a new screen name, and a new home. So, get ready for a few more years of randomosity!

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The Geek Territory. Sounds cool (at least for me) and, well, geeky! The alternate username was GeekOfAnything. But why? I consider myself a geek in some levels. Like I can be too interested in technology (and can roll like the FBI in social sites), read and write CSS, type 45 words per minute, or that my favorite TV show is The Big Bang Theory. I laugh at smart jokes, and read a lot of books, including sci-fi. I squeal at the thought of another Johnny Depp-Tim Burton tandem, and find Helena Bonham Carter hella hot. I google my own name, and see the first few pages with links to my other online accounts. Try it for yourself. Type "Mariel Antonette Juarez", and you'll see. Haha. The reasons why I'm a geek goes on.

Some people find the word "geek" derogatory, but I don't. I find it cool. Geeks know a lot of things "normal" people don't. Like, how many people type HTML codes when writing a blog, instead of clicking buttons like normal people do? And yeah, geeks have a life, too. I AM GEEK AND PROUD. LOL

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I will update this blog as much as I can, and mostly I'll talk about travel, food, movies and books. I'll keep you posted! :D

Hong Kong - Macau Rough Guide

I recently went to Macau and Hong Kong with my family, and a lot of my friends have been asking me about it. How much was my ticket, where we stayed, what was the itinerary, did we have a guide, among so many others. To answer those questions, I decided to revisit my old blog, and get to writing again, even though my writing is pretty rusty; I can't seem to get my ideas together like I used to. Anyway, through this, I don't have to answer the same questions again and again, and help other people plan for that dream vacation, as well.

I am an obsessive planner when it comes to trips. I watch promo fares like a hawk, do more research about a certain destination more than I would do for a homework in school, read a lot of travel blogs, and make plenty of lists. I am also a fan of DIY travel, meaning I don't really prefer tour guides, and package tours. Most people who do not know me usually get surprised when I tell them that my friends and I just make our own itineraries for our trips abroad. Anyway, for our recent trip to Macau and Hong Kong in September 2015, I did my planning a year in advance. Yes, that's right. I booked my ticket in October of last year. 

So here, my friends, is a rough guide to Macau and Hong Kong.

Airfare

I got three roundtrip tickets to Macau from Manila for only P13,427.25 from Cebu Pacific. That's only roughly P4,475.75 per person. Notice that the base fare is only P6.00. That's just P1 per way per person!

Cebu Pacific has promos every week, and if there's any holiday or long weekend coming up. The catch is the travel periods may take a few months or up to a year from the date of purchase. If you're like me who gets to have scheduled vacations, this is the best way to save on your airline tickets if you're planning to go somewhere on your vacation. If I'm planning to go on a trip, I check Cebu Pacific's website every day for any promo fares for my preferred date. Just remember that promo fares are often, if not always, non-reroutable, non-rebookable, non-refundable. So you should either be very sure of your travel dates, or you should be willing to risk losing a few thousands. The Poor Traveler has great tips on how to grab that promo ticket that you should check out.

Accommodation

Another common question that my friends ask me is where to stay, and how to book a hotel. I have mentioned before, that one thing traveling has taught me is that you don't have to spend a lot to enjoy, and that includes having great accommodation. I have stayed in hostels, budget hotels, pension houses, and rooms/condo unit rented out through Airbnb. My friends and I have used websites like agoda.com, booking.com, airbnb.com, and hostelworld.com.

For Macau and Hong Kong I used booking.com. They also an app that you can download for your iPhone or Android phone, that's very convenient to use.

We stayed in Best Western Hotel Sun Sun at Praca Ponte E Horta Macau for HKD1010.98 or around P5054.9. It was the cheapest I could find for 3 people for 1 night. I didn't realize I had booked an executive suite which was regularly priced at HKD3078/night, so it was already a good deal. One good thing about booking online is that you get great deals like this. It's just a matter of finding the right one.

In Hong Kong, we stayed in two hotels. For the first 4 nights in Hong Kong we chose to stay in Las Vegas Guest House at Chungking Mansion, in Tsim Sha Tsui. I booked the room for a total of only HKD1,836 or around P9180 for 4 nights. The room was only about 12 sqm., and was a bit cramped, but it had all the essentials: one double bed, one single bed, a bathroom, fresh towels everyday, aircon, mini refrigerator, free wifi, hair dryer, and unlimited supply of drinking water. The guest house is secured with a keycard, so you don't have to worry about security. The reception is at the 9th floor of Chungking Mansion, and our booking says we're supposed to be at the 15th floor, but turned out our room is on the 13th floor. Confusing? I know.

One thing you need to know about Chungking Mansion, though, is that it is situated in the backpacker's area of Hong Kong, so it is a bit chaotic, and intimidating for the first time traveler to Hong Kong. The ground floor is filled with money changers, and stalls selling all sorts of stuff, from Indian delicacies, to cellphone accessories, to luggages. It is similar to a condominium divided into Blocks A, B and C. Each block consists of 15 floors with the flats converted into guest houses. It is not your typical hotel. You could be checked in at Las Vegas Guest House in Flat C4, and flat C5 is Osaka Guest House, while another flat several floors below also belongs to Las Vegas Guest House. It's a bit confusing, but you'll kind of get the hang of it. 

For our last day in Hong Kong, we decided to have a 5-star hotel experience, so I booked a Grand Plus double room at Royal Plaza Hotel in Mong Kok. One night cost HKD2450 or around P12,250, and it was the cheapest five star hotel I could find that was not very far away from the sights and attractions. We got a free upgrade to a suite room, because the room I had booked was not yet available when we checked in. It had a mini bar, a large receiving area, two queen sized beds, a bathroom with bath tub, complete toiletries, and TV, two LED TVs, and an iPod dock. It was only walking distance from the Ladies' Market, and is connected to Moko Mall, and the Mong Kok East Station. It's also two stations away from Tsim Sha Tsui Station, and it's also fairly easy to go to and from Central station. 

Our room at Royal Plaza Hotel

Transportation

A lot of people wonder how I manage not to get lost in a new, unfamiliar country. The answer is I do a lot of research, download maps, download train apps, and when all else fails, ask the locals. I have the Hong Kong MTR system app on my phone, and all I have to do is click my origin station, and end point. The app will tell me how many stops, how much time, and where to change stations to get to my destination. Hong Kong's public transportation is also very efficient, and tourist friendly. Each exit in every station is marked with the attractions that are within that specific area, so you will not get lost. 

Another wise thing to do while in Hong Kong is to purchase an Octopus card, similar to the EZ Link card in Singapore, or the new Beep card in Manila, which you can use on most public transports. You can also use it to pay for your purchases at 7-Eleven. Octopus cards can be bought in all MTR stations, at the airport, light rail stations, etc. for HKD150, which comes with an initial value of HKD100, and a deposit of HKD50 refundable when you return your card within 90 days. It is very convenient to use, and very easy to top up once your card value is not enough. You can also keep the card as a souvenir, or you can keep it for your next trip to Hong Kong. As I have learned, it is valid for 3 years from the date of purchase. We all chose to keep our Octopus cards as souvenirs. 

The MTR System Map app for iPhone

Getting around Macau, on the other hand, is fairly easy too, and you don't have to spend a lot. You can just walk around the city center to get to the famous Senado Square, and Ruins of St. Paul. There are free shuttles that will bring you from the city center to the casinos in Taipa, as well. 

From Macau to Hong Kong, you can take the ferry from Macau Ferry Terminal, which I believe is nearer to the city center or the Taipa Ferry Terminal which is nearer to the casinos. We purchased our roundtrip tickets from a travel agency outside our hotel in Macau, and got them for HKD300 each. You must remember that there are two kinds of tickets. One that has a fixed date and time, and another that you can use any time, and date up to the expiration date. We chose the latter, and according to the Filipina in the travel agency, it is only valid for travel from Taipa Ferry Terminal, which was an advantage for us, because our last stop was the Venetian Hotel Macau. There are free shuttle buses from Venetian Macau to Taipa Ferry Terminal as well. 

It takes 45 minutes from Macau to Hong Kong. There are different ferry terminals in Hong Kong, but we chose the Sheung Wan terminal. Even though it would have been nearer to our hotel if we chose the Tsim Sha Tsui one, the trip was more than an hour later. 

Itinerary

Now here's what more people are interested in. I was with my mom on the trip, and she couldn't really stand long walks, and a hectic itinerary, so I tried to make the itinerary as easy as I could. Here goes our rough itinerary.

Day 0: 

Travel from Manila to Macau (delayed flight; was supposed to be 7:30PM)

Check in at hotel

Day 1: Macau Day Tour (Senado Square, Ruins of St. Paul, Venetian Hotel); Travel to Hong Kong

Family picture at the Ruins of St. Paul

Day 2: Breakfast at Tim Ho Wan; IFC Mall, Victoria Peak, Madam Tussauds, Avenue of the Stars, Symphony of Lights, Dinner at Temple Street

Day 3: Ocean Park; Soho

Day 4: Disneyland

Day 5: Check in at Royal Plaza Hotel; Ladies Market; Harbour City

Day 6: Travel back to Macau for the late night flight back to Manila

Day 7: Arrival in Manila

Budget

Here's a rough breakdown of our major expenses for the 6-day trip, which included me, my mom, and my brother. I will use an exchange rate of P5=1HKD for simplicity. This does not include food expenses, shopping, and other miscellaneous expenses.* This is also not a budget travel guide. 

Travel Tax (1,650 each)                                                        Php   4,950.00
Terminal Fee** (550 each)                                                             1,650.00
Airline tickets (Mla-Macau-Mla)                                                 13,427.25

Accommodation                                                                                               

       Macau:                                                                                     5,054.90

       Hong Kong:                                                                             9,180.00

                                                                                                       12,250.00

Transportation

      Ferry tickets                                                                               4,500.00

      Octopus Card (initial purchase)                                                 2,250.00

      Octopus Card top up (estimate)                                                 1,000.00

      Taxi fare (estimate)                                                                    2,000.00

Attractions

      Peak Tram + Madam Tussauds + Sky Terrace                          3,900.00       

      Ocean Park                                                                                 5,175.00

      Disneyland                                                                                 7,485.00

TOTAL:                                                                                       P 72,822.15 or 

                                                                                                     P 24,274.05/person

*Food and water are a little expensive in Hong Kong, much more if you buy inside theme parks. I think most of our money were spent on food, and shopping.                                               

**All tickets purchased starting February 2015 will already include the terminal fee of P550.

So there you have it. A rough guide to Hong Kong and Macau. Feel free to ask me questions. I just might know the answer. 

Safe travels!

21 Things That Prove You Went to the IS

21 Things That Prove You Went to the IS
By Mariel Juarez

1. You know where "The Devil's Island" is.
2. You make the "peace" gesture when you want to go to the comfort room.
3. You know that "scarred people are beautiful".
4. You've taken IQ tests every year.
5. You know who Ms. Polly is.
6. You write in "Palmer's Script".
7. You used to look forward to "free design days" and "free days".
8. Blood, sweat and tears are shed when cheering season comes.
9. You remember that Wednesday was Barney day, Puzzle Place Day or The Magic School Bus day, depends what grade level you're in.
10. You know what "A", "SL" and "GL" means.
11. If you're running for GL, it's better to be absent than be late for the third time this quarter.
12. You've let a classmate forge your parent's signature at least once because you forgot to have your parent's approval form signed.
13. If you're an IS student from the 90's you know how important the YELLOW CRAYON is.
14. You've got the life of St. John Baptist de La Salle memorized (he received his tonsure at age 11).
15. You know what a paddle is and why we're all scared of it.
16. You hate to admit but you've used the Senior's Retreat as an excuse to tell someone what you really feel.
17. There's no such thing as a "JS Prom".
18. At the end of every year, whether you liked it or not, you had to dance in the coliseum with the whole school watching.
19. You spent 11 years in grade school and high school instead of the usual 10 years, then you've had to explain to your first year college classmates why you're a year older than most of them.
20. Everytime the name of St. John Baptist de La Salle comes up in a speech or a lecture, you have the tendency to say "pray for us".
21. You've spent a few minutes in detention for not speaking in English.

Anything else you want to add to the list? Feel free to write in the comments! :)

Kuala Lumpur in One Day

My friends and I had a dream back when we were younger that we would reach a certain point in our lives that we could just go on a trip abroad anytime we want simply to have coffee. I guess we made it come true. Well, sort of. 

It was my first out of the country trip, and I couldn't be more excited. It was a kind of spur of the moment thing when we booked our tickets to Kuala Lumpur. Thanks to Cebu Pacific's promo fares. Our roundtrip tickets only cost a little more than Php 4000. 

A little too excited 

We arrived in Malaysia at around past midnight of September 17, 2013. We landed in their Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT), and it cost us around 30 minutes more to get through immigration, and wait for Michael's luggage. We did not have any baggage allowance, but because there was a problem with the tube at NAIA when we left, they offered to check in his luggage for free. 

We exchanged a few Pesos to Ringgits in the airport, despite the low exchange rate, for obvious reasons, then we headed straight to the exit. Towards the exit doors, there are counters from where you can get bus tickets from LCCT to Kuala Lumpur Sentral. There were only two counters open at the time. The lady in the counter of Aerobus was shouting in a panicky voice for us to get the tickets because the last bus was leaving. Without second thoughts, we bought two roundtrip tickets for MYR 14 each, and ran outside to look for the bus. True enough, it was the last one, and we were only seated a few minutes when the bus started to leave. 

The bus was comfortable, with wide leg room. The air conditioning was also very cold, but I'm not complaining. I wanted to sleep during the journey, but I wanted to savor the first time I laid eyes on a new country. And also the morbid thought that we could be driven to our deaths in a death camp for all we knew. It took around an hour or more from LCCT to KL Sentral. Based on what I've read before, we were supposed to be dropped off at KL Sentral station, and from there we can take the train to Medan Tuanku where our hotel was. For some reason, the bus stopped somewhere I didn't exactly know, but all the passengers alighted. We did too. From there, I was about to insist to Mykel that we find the train station, but seeing that it was almost 3 in the morning, we agreed to take a cab. The driver asked for MYR 30 to drive us to Prescott Hotel, where our friend Jude, who had flown in from Singapore the day before, was waiting for us. Michael haggled, and they agreed to MYR25. I don't know if that was reasonable or not, but we couldn't care less, because we were exhausted, and there were not enough choices anyway.  While in the cab, the driver asked us where we were from, how many days we were staying in KL, and he also offered to be our private tour guide while in KL. We politely declined.

After 15 minutes, we arrived at the hotel, and asked the receptionist for our room. We told him our friend had already checked in, and was waiting for us. He said he had the instruction to let us in when we arrived, and gave us the room number. The thing that bothered me was, he didn't even ask for our ID's. What if we were serial killers pretending to know that person who was checked in at that hotel? Then again, I was too exhausted to overthink.

Our room had two queen beds, a cable TV, a bathroom, a table and chair, and most importantly a hair dryer. It had a huge window with the view of the KL Tower. We had a few minutes of catching up with Jude, before dozing off to prepare for the long day ahead. 

Day 1: Batu Caves, Little India, Central Market, Chinatown/Petaling St., Suria Mall, KLCC, Petronas Towers

The plan was to leave the hotel at 8 AM to go to Batu Caves, but we succumb to the exhaustion from the night before, that at around 8 in the morning, we were still having free breakfast at the restaurant downstairs. Breakfast was bread with choices of kaya jam, butter, cheese, and sausages to go along with coffee, tea or juice. We also had the option to have two eggs each cooked to our liking. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give us our fill before heading our way.

After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel, and left our big bags for safekeeping at the reception. Free of charge. We walked a few meters towards Medan Tuanku station. We caught the KL monorail to Titiwangsa interchange, and then walked some more to Putra station where we will take the KTM Komuter. The last stop of the KTM Komuter was Batu Caves station. 

We almost got lost having boarded the wrong train, thanks to the person we asked at the station. But all was well, as a helpful Filipino on the train gave us the correct instruction. Turned out, we were just weren't paying attention to the signs when we boarded the first train. 

Me with the majestic Golden statue guarding the Batu Caves

It was an awesome sight at Batu Caves. Giant Hindu deities will greet you as you enter the gates. There was also a Hindu temple where you have to remove your slippers as you climb its steps. But the main attraction was the cave on top of a hill, accessible by climbing the 270 or so steps guarded by the golden Hindu god. Be careful with the monkeys on the steps who will try to steal your food! To be honest, the monkeys kinda freaked me out.

Inside the Batu Caves

Enjoying with the doves 

After Batu Caves, we took the same train to KL Sentral (not to be mistaken with Kuala Lumpur Station), the main transportation hub of Kuala Lumpur. All the trains interchange at KL Sentral, and all major buses, including those plying the Thailand-Malaysia or Malaysia-Singapore route, leave from KL Sentral. 

A few minutes walk from KL Sentral are Little India, China Town/Petaling Street, and the Central Market. Had we not been lost, we could have done a walking tour from Central Market to Little India, but we walked this way, instead of that, and that way instead of this. You get the picture. 

But you can actually start a walking tour from Central Market, where you can find all sorts of souvenirs from keychains, to scarves, to shirts, and accessories. Then walk towards Chinatown, and buy some more souvenirs. You can get pashmina scarves for MYR 15, and you can even haggle some more if you will buy a lot. You can also find fake luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, etc. Souvenir shirts range MYR10 to MYR20 depending on the quality and the quantity you will buy. Not far from China Town are two beautiful temples (that we only realized was there on our last day at KL when we decided to do a bit of last minute souvenir shopping). One was the Guan Di Temple, one of the oldest temples completed in 1888, and dedicated to the God of literature and war of the Taoists. The other was Sri Mahamariamman Temple for the Hindus. A little farther down, you will find Little India. I wanted to try authentic Indian food, but my fellow travelers were not in the mood to try something adventurous, we opted to have lunch at the first familiar fastfood we could find--KFC. But they served the chicken meal with coleslaw that had lots of chopped onions for some reason, and mashed potato. So much for adventurous.

I actually forgot which route we took to go to KLCC or Kuala Lumpur City Center, but I am sure you can take the Kelana Jaya Line from KL Sentral and alight at KLCC Station. There are two exits at KLCC. One will bring you directly to Suria Mall, while the other one will bring you to the other side of the road from Suria Mall, the fancy shopping mall near the Petronas Towers. Alas! Following the herd of people from the train, and our guts, we took the wrong exit, and had to cross the road to get to the mall. 

We went around the mall, without buying anything, because we were saving all our money for Singapore. I couldn't resist going inside Kinokuniya, though, one of the biggest bookstores in KL. The assortment of books was amazing! At around 5PM, we went outside for a photo op with the  Petronas Towers as the background. One simply can't go to Malaysia, and not have a photo with the famous twin towers. We had initially planned to go up the bridge connecting the two towers, but for MYR80 we decided it wasn't worth it. Instead, we enjoyed the view outside, which in my opinion was how you should enjoy the Petronas Towers. 

Michael and me pretending to be Bea and John Lloyd (LOL)

At around 6PM, we went back to Prescott Hotel to get our bags, because we would be heading for Singapore at 11PM. We took the KL Monorail from Bukit Nanas Station to Medan Tuanku station. After taking a short rest, and light snacks, we left Prescott Hotel. The weird thing about the Medan Tuanku Station was that there was no foot bridge to cross to the other side if you want to take the train back to KL Sentral. So with our luggage in hand, we literally ran across the 8-lane highway, with approaching cars, to get to the other side of the road. I'm happy to still be alive at this point. 

We bought our dinner at (wait for it!) Mcdonalds, and waited for our train to Singapore. We were taking the KTM Intercity Train, and had booked our tickets in advance via www.ktmb.com.my. A one-way 2nd class sleeper ticket cost MYR40 for the upper berth, and MYR46 for the lower berth. It was a fairly comfortable 7-hour journey albeit a very cold one. We slept through the entire journey, and woke up at the other side of the border, content and happy, because we had saved one night on accommodation.

In the next blog: Welcome to Singapore!

First Time in Mindanao: Stopover at Dumaguete

It was a 7-hour long bus ride, and I couldn't seem to feel my butt anymore. Finally, we were in Dumaguete--our first stopover before going to Dipolog. 

Dumaguete is the capital of the province of Negros Oriental, and is situated on the southeaster coast of Negros island. It is also a gateway to some other places in Visayas and Mindanao, like Bohol, Leyte and Dapitan. Because of its geography, it has been a favorite among local and foreign divers. 

Since we only had three hours before our boat leaves for Dapitan, we did not have much time to go around the city, but we saw some key places like the the Silliman University and the Boulevard. We had lunch at Atong Kamalig, on the famous Boulevard, because that was where the tricycle driver took us after we told him to take us to a good place with good food near the port. 

Atong Kamalig serves good Filipino food, and it seems to be popular among the locals based from the many customers who were already there when we arrived around 1 PM. The tricycle driver was right. The place was perfect for lunch. We ordered Sinigang na Isda (I can't remember the name of the fish), chicken inasal, grilled squid, and pork barbecue, sotanghon guisado, and paid around P800-P1000 for a party of four adults and 1 kid. 

Just a few meters away from the restaurant is Silliman University, the oldest and the first American university in the Philippines . It was founded in 1901, and is one of the top performing schools in the country. We opted not to go inside the campus because we did not have much time, and we were so tired from the long journey, so we decided to just get our tickets and spend the remaining time at the port. 

Silliman University. Founded 1901.

The port was less than a 5-minute walk from the Boulevard. There were three shipping lines to choose from, but we picked Aleson, because that was the only available trip left for the day. The trip was set for 3:30 PM, but we boarded the vessel around 4 PM, and it was not until around 5PM that the boat sailed for Dapitan. 

It was a comfortable journey. The boat was airconditioned, and there were sleeping bunks. There was also a lounge area with a TV set. After about 4 hours, we arrived at Dapitan around 9 in the evening. It took another 45 minutes to get to Dipolog City, where we were accommodated by my aunt's cousin-in-law.  

My mom looked too happy. 

Outhinking, Outdoing.

 ひさしぶり！Long time! I know I haven't updated "The Nomad's Journal" for some months now, but I've already written the drafts for the remaining chapters. However, I'm still contemplating on whether to publish them already or not. I don't think I'm strong enough to expose some of the "characters" and events in my life that have changed my life in more ways than one. Postponing the posting of the next chapters is actually more for these people's benefit than mine. Anyway, let me update you with my current situation...only if you care enough to know. 

Looking back 2 years ago, after rejecting the call center job opportunity, I made a promise to myself not to apply in any call center ever again.  All I really ever wanted after that day 2 years ago was to be a nurse, and after a year of working for the Department of Health, I felt that my calling was really to be a nurse---that it's the only profession that can give me fulfillment. I never thought I would be forced to swallow my own words two years after. That's right. By some twist of fate, I am now a call center agent at, you guessed it right, Convergys. Life really surprises us!

What made me decide to put my Nursing career on hold? For almost seven months, I've been trying to put myself where I really want to be, but it seemed like no matter how much I try, I just couldn't. For two months I stayed in Manila, getting lost and trying my luck in applying to several hospitals and polyclinics abroad, but none of it materialized. I came back to Bacolod, with the hope of being able to work as a volunteer nurse in one of the hospitals here, but I have never received any call from them. Even after being endorsed by the provincial governor for a position in a government hospital, I was still not accepted. For months, it almost became my obsession, until it became so frustrating! I mean, I think I have all the qualifications that I need for this job, but why couldn't I have it? What's even more frustrating is the fact that I did not know if I was only being tested, or if God was already telling me to stop, and move on to another thing. I asked God for a sign, and He gave it to me, so that is why I am putting my Nursing career/my dream on hold.

Other than the fact that I couldn't seem to find a job in the hospital, I really need some cash. I felt like at 24 I really need to start earning for myself. It beats up my self esteem, knowing that I still could not support myself, and still have to depend on my parents for allowance. 

Whether we like it or not, there will really come a time when we have to wake up from our dreams, and face reality. It doesn't mean, however, that we should give up on our dreams. I'm not giving up on my Nursing career. I'm only taking a break, and gather all that's necessary to fulfill that dream someday. For now, it will have to wait. 

A Poet's Notebook: The Curse

The Curse

I was born

Not with a silver spoon in my mouth

Nor with golden rings around my fingers.

I was born with a curse.

A curse that annihilates men,

That causes one to take a detour,

That either mends or breaks things.

To utter a word is to prepare for trouble.

To scribble a letter is to get ready for war.

Wasting saliva gets me nowhere.

An inkblot does nothing better.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: i was born with a curse that can kill more men than the atomic bomb. Written in 2007. Like some of my poems, this one made so much sense back then, too. Right now it still does, but it does make me cringe, too.

A Poet's Notebook: Pendulum

PENDULUM

Left, right, left, right
Swing, swing
Stop not.

Tick-tock, tick-tock
To and fro
Do stop.

Hush, hush
Swing, swing.
To and fro.
Back and forth.
Here and there.
Left and Right.
Center.

STOP.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wrote this in 2007. Doesn't make much sense now, but it did when I wrote it. :D 

A Poet's Notebook: Cinderella

Courtesy of blog.nationmultimedia.com

Cinderella

She dances with him

in her ephemeral beauty

seems like forever

but midnight strikes

and it's over.

Author's Note: Written in 2006, and published in the Crossroads literary issue.

A Poet's Notebook: The News Writer in A Biology Class

The News Writer In A Biology Class

The lead:

46 chromosomes were set

To produce one human

After an egg met a sperm.

The said chromosomes contained

Genes that the baby human would inherit

From the mother human

And the father human.

Nine months later,

What used to be microscopic

Became a curly-haired miniature human,

Much to the mother's ecstasy

and the father's fury.

None of the parents have curly hair.

It is, therefore, alleged

That the woman was unfaithful;

That her egg met another man's sperm.

But the man failed to see

The other angle of the story.

Recessive traits were the culprit,

Not the baby's mommy.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: this is the kind of humor only I can laugh about. haha. Being a news writer for a student publication gives me headache and pressure. so does being a nursing student. Since I'm a follower of the 'like cures like' principle (lol) I wrote this poem back in 2007.

The Nomad's Journal Part 3 (The Interim Period)

Part 1 I Part 2 I Part 2.5

Part 3: The Interim Period

If my life was sex, after all the excitement in the previous months, this should have been the plateau phase. Only, I probably would have never orgasmed, even if it was. 

Snakes and Ladders

It was around September, a few days after our Baguio trip, when I finally decided it was time to go back to Negros. By this time, I have already passed the board exam, and I had to go to Iloilo to process my license, anyway. I thought maybe my life was in Negros, after all. Maybe I was searching for what I really wanted in all the wrong places. It was time to say goodbye to the fun, carefree life, and start pondering on the more realistic stuff.

"It was like a game of snakes and ladders -- I got to the tallest ladder, climb up, moved on a few squares only to land on a snake's mouth taking me back where I started."

A Poet's Notebook: Untitled

Buzzes and murmurs

amidsts lessons

in quartiles and deciles--

fractiles or quantiles.

Memories floating;

Imaginations trying

To swallow reality

And realizations.

Broken poetry escapes

The writer's lips.

A wounded heart

Healed by the writer's sword.

The poet has lived

In a surreal world,

In make-believe places,

In a phantasmagoric city.

He despises love

Although he believes

That love is surreal;

Love is make-believe.

He lives in irony.

His life is a paradox.

He escapes reality,

Yet shuns away fantasy.

Author's Note: 2008. I remember writing this poem in the middle of my Statistics class back in college.

A Poet's Notebook: When All Else Fail

When All Else Fail

When the column breaks

And the metal be devoured by rust,

When the termites finish off

the last piece of furniture

And the glass all shattered into fragments,

You remain with that tiny flicker.

Author's Note: Written in 2006 for my mom, and inspired by a tragedy in the family. It was published in the Crossroads, our literary publication in high school, of which I was a news writer.

How To Plan A Trip Overnight

By thegeekgoddess

Planning a trip even weeks before schedule can sometimes be a painful task, especially if you have no local guide nor idea about the place you are going to visit. However, if you know the ABC's of traveling and can google, planning a trip overnight can be a breeze. The key is to research, research, research.

Ivan and me taking a break from our 3-hour climb to Agogolo 

Aspiring backpackers that we are, my best friends and I have a knack for going on local trips at short notice without getting lost in an unknown place. Here's how we plan it overnight.

1. Look up general facts about the place.

With search engines like Google, and a number of travel blogs on the internet, this should be fairly easy to do, unless you are going to some very remote place. Look up your destination's climate, culture, language/dialect, accommodations, and tourist spots.  

2. Make a list. 

It is difficult to decide where to go next once you arrive at your destination. Do not think about the length of your trip or your budget at this point, yet. Just go ahead and list down all possible activities you can do, where to eat, and places that you can visit.

I Sometimes Forget I Was Once A Journalist

I used to be a campus journalist for our grade school and high school publications (The Green Beacon, and Crossroads, respectively). I was also, for a short time, a news writer for the USLS school publication, The Spectrum. When I look back to my campus journalist days, I see myself really enjoying every article I write, and dreaming of becoming a famous writer someday. From seventh to eleventh grade, all I ever wanted was to win in the writing conferences held every year.

I wrote several articles during my stint as a campus writer, but this editorial here is one of the most special. It was my entry for the Editorial Writing Category during the Division Schools Press Conference 2005. It won me my first ever FIRST PLACE in the DSPC. :)

Greater Than the Other?

Year 2005 will leave a great mark on the hearts of the Bacoleños. For one reason that the much-awaited SEA Games is set to be held in the Philippines with some of the events to be hosted by Bacolod.

With too much excitement, we have forgotten something very dear to our hearts as people of Bacolod. Have we realized that lesser preparations are being made for our Masskara Celebration this year? The attention of the people is more focused on the SEA Games, or so it seems.

Compared to previous years, fewer advertisements about the Masskara Celebration in October can be seen around Bacolod or even on our local television networks. Formerly, as September draws near, Bacolod already teems with posters and commercials about the Masskara. How come this year we do not see them yet?

Furthermore, the usual enthusiasm of the Bacoleños for our mardi gras is drowned by our ebullience for the SEA Games. A big number talk about volunteering for the SEA Games, but very few can be heard mentioning the Masskara at all.

To host the SEA Games, yes, is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our country, much more for our city, but it is not all that there is. It has affected our sense of patronizing what is really ours.

Lest we forget, the Masskara celebration proves to the whole world our flexibility as Bacoleños. It shows the rest of the nations how we can still smile amidst all the crises bombarded to us.

This is not the best time to forget our identity in exchange for even the greatest international event.

A Poet's Notebook: Jealousy

Jealousy

It pierces through.

Like a toxic needle
It annihilates me.

Anguish consumes
The organ of fire
Left in silent torture.

Grief confined in ventricles
Thriving to be pumped out
Only to fathom
the impossibility.

It pricks and it stings.
It kills before it heals.



Author's Note: I wrote this in 2006 when I was in love and jealousy almost took the best out of me.

A Poet's Notebook: Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice

Cold nights never seem to end

They don't die.

They don't leave.

They shall linger.

Cold winds seep through my skin

As Darkness fills all parts of the room

'Til it no longer finds space

and takes refuge in my heart.

The absence of light

Is the absence of hope.

The absence of hope

Shall numb my senses.

I shall not see.

I shall not feel.

I shall not taste nor smell.

And I shall not hear.

'Til someday, somewhere

I shall experience death in silence.

It shall be a fine evening to you.

Not to me.

No, not for me.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wrote this last May 29, 2007 at 8:05 PM. That's what it said in my Multiply blog. This poem was written at the height of my hopeless battle with unrequited love. It won me a poetry slam contest, though. 

A Poet's Notebook: Magnificent Wings

Photo by iardacil @ deviantart.com

Magnificent wings--

We take flight among the stars

And reach for our dreams.

Author's Note: There was a time when I really loved composing haiku. This is one of my favorites.

Say Cheese!

I was getting ready to write a review about the restaurants we ate at during our Bicol trip last weekend, when I was called for merienda. The menu: Mom's home baked carrot cake, provolone cheese and coffee. I was pleasantly surprised that the cheese actually went perfectly well with carrot cake! A sudden inspiration to write about cheese suddenly hit me. 

I grew up in a home where everyone loves cheese. I remember one time when my mom and I were grocery shopping, we decided to buy different kinds of cheese we haven't tried yet. My best friend's mom is also a big cheese fan, so I get to eat goat cheese, provolone cheese, and other kinds of cheese from time to time. You can say, my love affair with cheese is starting to get serious day by day, so why not express my love for cheese by dedicating a whole post to it? 

[disclaimer: I am not an expert on cheese, and everything I am going to write is based on personal observation, experience, and encounters with cheeses]

There are over 500 kinds of cheese, but I will only talk about the ones that I have tried. Let's start with.....