Friday, August 28, 2009

Sikat

Nakapapagod.

Kaway rito, kaway roon... Kailangan ding gumanti ng kahit na isang ngiti sapagkat napakaraming bumabati.

Kapag ako'y namamalengke o 'di kaya'y mamasyal sa bayan, ramdam ko ang galak ng mga kakilalang gulat na gulat sapagkat nakita nila akong pagala-gala rito sa amin. Kinakamayan, hinahalikan, at iniinterbyo: "Kailan ka dumating dito? Kumusta ang trabaho? Kailan ka babalik sa Au? Kailan ang kasal mo?" Huh! Talo ko pa si John Lloyd, pati si Piolo. Opo... Dito sa amin hindi ako isang magmamanok, ako'y isang 'celebrity', at ganito ako sa nakalipas na labing-isang araw.

Hindi naman ganito ang turing nila sa akin noon. Nakakapanibago. Hindi ako sanay sa ganito.






Taus-puso po akong nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng mga sumuporta at nagtiwala sa aking official entry para sa 2009 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards!

Mabuhay ang PEBA!




Ako'y napadaan lang... Malapit na po akong bumalik dito sa blogosperyo. Kitakits! o",)




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Saturday, August 15, 2009

Panlunas


Bukas, August 16, 2009, uuwi ako sa Pilipinas. Confirmed na ang aking flight mula Adelaide patungong Singapore, subalit nasa waiting list pa rin ako sa nag-iisang flight mula Singapore papuntang Davao sa August 17. Pagdating ko bukas ng mga 5:40 ng hapon sa Singapore, magpapalista nalang ulit ako at maghihintay ng bakanteng upuan sa apat na mga flights patungong Manila kinabukasan. Adventure ito, sigurado.

Sa August 21 pa naman talaga sana ang aking original flight booking. Pagkalipas ng halos apat na buwang pagtatrabaho, napagpasyahan kong magbakasyon ulit sa aking minamahal na bansang Pilipinas upang ipagdiwang ang aking kaarawan, at para dumalo sa dalawang seremonya ng pag-iisang-dibdib - ng aking pinsan at ng aking kapatid.

Pero dahil sa aking dinaramdam simula pa noong nakaraang linggo, at matapos magpakunsulta sa isang manggagamot, iminungkahi sa aking kinakailangan kong magpahinga ng walong araw habang nakikipag-appointment sa isang physiotherapist. Nakatapos na ako ng isang session sa PT sa halagang Au$66.50, at kinakailangan ko pang bumalik ng dalawang beses bago tuluyang matapos ang pag-aayos ng aking batok at likod na siyang naging sanhi ng pagsakit ng aking ulo nitong mga nakaraang araw.


Canola fields...
Balaklava, South Australia



Naaprubahan naman ang aking sick leave, kaya napag-isip-isip kong doon ko nalang sa Davao ipagpapatuloy ang pagpapahilot, siguradong mas mura. Isang napakagandang pagkakataon din ito para sa mga mucus membranes sa loob ng aking ilong para humilom sapagkat ang mga ito'y kasalukuyang namamaga dahil sa allergy. Unofficially, nagsisimula na kasi ang spring season dito sa southern hemisphere kaya napakarami nang mga pollens (mula sa mga namumukadkad na canola at trigo; pati na rin ang mga pinong hibla at alikabok ng mga dayaming ginagamit namin sa loob ng manukan) ang tinatangay ng hangin. Dahil sa allegric rhinitis nagkaroon din ako ng eustachian tube dysfunction na siya palang naging dahilan ng pananakit ng aking magkabilang tenga.

Sa kabila nitong aking pinapangarap, natuklasan ko ngayong sa panahon ng mga mahahalagang okasyon, at ng mga kaganapang pampamilya, hindi-hindi ko pa rin maipagkakailang ang bansang Pilipinas ang siyang aking tunay at nag-iisang tahanan. At sa kabila nitong aking mga pisikal na karamdaman, napakabisang lunas pa rin ang pag-uwi sa sariling bayan.





Taus-puso po akong nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng mga sumuporta at nagtiwala sa aking official entry para sa 2009 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards!

Mabuhay ang PEBA!




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Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Sick

Anim na araw nang napakabigat at medyo sumasakit-sakit ang aking ulo. Nararamdaman ko ring punung-puno at medyo sumasakit-sakit ang aking magkabilang tenga. Hindi ako makakatingin ng matagal sa iisang bagay o anggulo dahil nagiging malabo ang aking paningin o 'di kaya'y inaantok at napapapikit ako. Hindi ko maintindihan ang nararamdaman kong ito.

Ang sarap pisil-pisilin o 'di kaya'y masahe-in ang aking batok at balikat, sabay pahid ng mainit-init na liniment habang ginagalaw-galaw ng aking ulo pakaliwa at pakanan... Paulit-ulit... Ahhh!


Napakabigat ng aking buong katawan! Wala sana ako sa mood pumasok sa trabaho, pero kinakaya ko pa rin kasi alam kong kailangan ako sa manukan lalo ngayong chick arrival at placement dito sa farm.

Madalas akong uminom ng mainit na tsa for the past 2 weeks; palagi rin akong kumakain ng spicy bagoong guisado ng Ba_r_o Fi_st_ at ng bagoong Monamon at Balayan noong mga nakaraang araw. Ngayon, promise, hinto na muna.

Hindi na yata tumatalab ang 75mg Cinnarizine capsule once a day. Bukas, liliban muna ako sa trabaho at magpapakonsulta sa isang manggagamot sa bayan. Alam kong hindi na magandang ginagamot ko ang sarili ko.

Leave din muna ako rito sa The Chook-minder’s Quill. Pasens'ya na kung hindi na muna ako makakadalaw sa inyong mga blogs.







Kasalukuyang 9:15 n.g. rito sa South Australia; at sa poll ng PEBA, nakakuha na ng 194 votes ang The Keynote... ng The Chook-minder’s Quill. Sa lahat ng mga sumuporta at nagtiwala sa aking official entry para sa 2009 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards, maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat!




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Wednesday, August 5, 2009

My Lessons for Today


Since yesterday, at work and at home, I’ve been wearing my yellow shirt... just like many other Filipinos across the globe, I have also been expressing my gratitude and giving honour to the late Pres. Corazon Cojuangco Aquino—the global icon of democracy.

Thanks to the modern technology, even if I’m thousands of miles away, oceans apart, from the Philippines, I was able to watch the live coverage of the memorial services in honour of the first woman Philippine president who, I believe, served and loved the Filipinos selflessly. The coverage, updates and news during her late husband’s cortege 26 years ago, they say, were not as intricate as how it is now. With this, I say, thanks to democracy and to the freedom of the press!



Honestly, I never expected to see the outpouring of love from a very big crowd—rain or shine; daytime or night-time—who wore or had yellow ornaments with them, tirelessly lining along the streets while repetitively chanting the heroine’s name, throwing yellow confetti, releasing balloons and freeing doves when the remains of the late Philippine president were passing in front of them. I have never expected because in the past months or even years, it seemed that the essence of liberty in the country—which Tito Ninoy, and Tita Cory together with the thousands of unsung heroes and heroines of EDSA I have fought for—has already been set aside; and was once considered irrelevant and immaterial.

For me, Pres. Aquino’s passing does not only mean that her meaningful life and her battle against her painful illness have ended. Her death has also reinvigorated the spirit of People Power back to life. ...it has reminded both the older and the younger generations that Philippine democracy should be cherished and upheld at all times.

Her sickness and death have, obviously, regenerated faith, peace and unity to the Filipino people, as well. The series of novena prayers and healing masses held all over the Philippines and in other parts of the world, the rapid spreading and posting of the images of that meaningful yellow ribbon in the web and on the prints, as well as the yellow ribbons tied, the gold-coloured banners, flowers and balloons swarming along the streets in every Filipino community have reminded me that Filipinos can always unite and work as one for a brighter and progressive Philippines.

In my very humble views, the personal appearance of the Marcoses, and Arroyo with her cabinet members in the wake of the former Pres. Aquino to express their sympathy to the bereaved family was an indication that even ‘after life’, the 'power' of Tita Cory is still working in a very mysterious way! Mysterious as it may seem, but as a Filipino, I am very happy to see that the ‘pillars’ of my nation—who have different political beliefs and separated by undeniable animosity—could possibly reconcile and eventually lead as one towards the common good of my beloved country. Perhaps, Tita Cory—having that very strong religious devotion while she was still alive, reminds her children, as well as every Filipino whom she also considered her child or grandchild that loving an enemy is still one of the greatest virtues in life.

The speeches said during the necrological service have summarized and revealed the kindness and humility of Corazon Aquino as a friend, a leader, a sister and a mother. But the funeral rite, especially the words of Mrs. Aquino’s youngest daughter, had not just highlighted Mrs. Aquino as a loving and caring mother but it has also reminded me of the value of loving and honouring my own mother while both of us are still together in this world.

To exist during the time of Ninoy and Cory, for me, is the same as being alive during the days of Andres and Pepe; and I consider myself lucky because of this!

As the remains of Pres. Aquino were laid beside her husband’s tomb, tears had flooded not only in Manila Memorial Park but also inside the caravan in number 22 Pareora Rd. in the township of Port Wakefield, South Australia. ...but I believe that her stories of nobility have never been buried with her inside that mausoleum, but instead engraved in the heart and embedded in the mind of every Filipino who loves her so much! I wish that the Aquino couple’s very meaningful life and death, as well as their heroism will continue to live within me so I can proudly share its important lessons to the coming generations.

The late Pres. Aquino’s gift to us—our country’s freedom from the decades of corruption and dictatorship is the living and the most precious legacy she has ever given to me and to every Filipino. Today, August 5, 2009... I have been feeling homesick again! How I wish I’m in the Philippines to be physically present along the streets of Metro Manila as the new chapter of the Philippine history unfolds! Today, I am glad and very proud of being a Filipino!



***photos from the The Filipino Channel





I would like to thank all my friends in the blogosphere who voted for my article ‘The Keynote...’- an official entry to the 2009 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards.

Mabuhay ang
PEBA!


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Sunday, August 2, 2009

'..turned yellow'


A woman who has disproved that 'yellow' is for cowardice, instead for bravery!

A woman who had overthrown dictatorship... and restored democracy.

A woman who has showed that authority is synonymous to humility.

A woman who, up to her sickbed and down to her grave, has brought faith and unity!


A mother, a president, a heroine with religious piety...

Maria Corazon "Cory" Cojuangco Aquino

(January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009)




CCAquino's photo from http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/sb/sb005812.htm



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My post about Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino Jr. here...


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