Looking backward, looking forward

I am writing this note while on a plane flying me and some other hundred passengers back to Manila, whose every mile travelled adds to my intolerable boredom. I closed my eyes whenever I attempted to fight the irritable person in me, wishing I could doze off and never notice how two hours more would pass-- but failed to even block out my mind for a minute. Nevertheless, I never stopped praying we would have a safe flight home.

I know almost everyone will be talking about Christmas- where and how are they going to spend it, how much people have shopped for gifts, attending parties, vacationing in hometowns, etc etc. Yet, for me, Christmas is the last window showing how my year had been-- where I could also take a peek on what's going to happen next-- the one best last time to regret and decide on changing things, and/or start from something fresh to fix things or simply make things more right. Christmas is the first of many better instances where you can begin to draw your future the way you want it to be.

My 2009 has been both painful and blessed. I had misunderstood and later learned on situations which gave me the strength and wisdom to be a better woman. I met new people and later realized they're no longer around to even smile at me or call my name-- friends whom, I'm afraid, might never be visible for the rest of my life. And yet, I found old friends I thought I have long forgotten. Inevitably, I also lost people who were very close to my heart-- people whom I am certain would watch over me from the skies and relay my heart's wishes to the Most High.

I have travelled to places I had never been, to see how big the world really is and how small my dreams are compared to what it can offer me. I will never stop, as long as I can, to step on every foreign land the world will make available for me. It is a never-ending adventure itself- to just reach new places and marking your life with discoveries worth treasuring. In the process, my life is enriched slowly with knowing different cultures of many races-- wishing that at the end of it all, I can still be proud to be who I really am and where I came from.

I believe many other people have had better experiences in this ending year of global trials and mysteries. Whether we can enumerate all or just some, we should acknowledge that how we are now owes to each of it. To whatever effect this year has brought to our lives, a glimpse to a more challenging world with all our dreams and wishes and plans is a good way to savor Christmas with all the material things attached to it. It, also, never fails to be the greatest first move to welcome the approaching new year.

From the time I can remember until the moment I will start to forget how my life was lived, there is only one thing I am certain-- I try to offer my life to my daughters and continuously let the Most Powerful take charge of it all.

Have a blessed Christmas and New Year to one and all!

Flying Home for Christmas

Sitting on my bed in my room with dysfunctional aircon made me feel more agitated to go home. The numberless thoughts of needing to buy "pasalubong" for my family and friends ended me up to having nothing on hand at all. I hated to imagine how malls would be full of shoppers from all corners of the country and the rest might have flown in to Singapore from some parts of the universe just to check out countrywide promos. Sale is everywhere. It's odd to feel happy and a little irritated at the same time. Yet, it's Christmas. What more can anyone expect?

My room is jam-packed with things I have shopped since the time I arrived in the country-- most of which are very small things I bought for my kids, Yumi and Shami. I have no plans of checking out gifts for my godchildren as I am used to giving "ampao" as "aguinaldo" on New Year's Day. Out of less than ten godchildren I have (whom I barely know), only one or two of them would bother to visit me and claim their "aguinaldo". Cash was always safer to give, I realized. There was a time I attempted to buy new clothes or toys for them-- most of which ended up wrapped forever inside my mom's closet, and some just caused some kids disappointment.

My mother would always remind me to buy chocolates. I think chocolates are cheaper here but I don't think I am ready to find myself in endless queues at mall cash counters. I can buy them at the airport, as I always did in most of my trips. In addition, having excess chocolates with you ensures that you'll have a generic gift for people who would pay unexpected visits. Chocolates, thus, are a sure "must-have"!

I will also try to buy some kikay gifts for my friends from high school, who will meet up with me before I fly back to Singapore. Still haven't decided yet what to give them exactly. Most wished to receive something with the "Singapore" word in it. And yet again, key chains are a big NO... hahaha!

Haaaayyy. All of these crossed my mind while watching a Pinoy show online a few hours after midnight. I could not even remember what specific show it was. All I am preoccupied with is how I am going to spend my short vacation with everyone who will make me feel I am home again this Christmas.

I wish it was the 24th!!!

Today is the first after several weekends that I can free my mind up of stuff about work. I fell asleep last night earlier than usual due to intolerable exhaustion (earlier for me is 12:30AM). But in spite of my ultimate desire to chat with my kids I knew I could not 'coz I really was so drained. Since I am used to getting a 4-hour sleep every working day, I hatefully woke up at 4am then craving for my favorite mama-cooked buttered shrimps. I suddenly wished it was the 24th already-- it is my schedule to fly home. Trying to tire myself to hopefully fix the dream I just had (hehehe, yeah I had one of my most sensible yet undesirable dreams tonight), I watched a movie which I had seen a million times in the last 6 months-- and this didn't seem to work.

Anyway, I sent my mother a text message a couple of weeks ago to ask her to prepare the food I wish to taste again during my short vacation in Manila. I wish I could still see some of "ka-tropa" from high school so we could get together like we always did in the last few years-- as well as see other people who requested me to visit them to, at the very least, show them I am still alive. Hahaha! Can't wait to go home. Can't wait to embrace and smell my daughters who have all grown up like they're not my babies anymore. Can't wait to enjoy my time with the people I truly care about. Can't wait to feel home gain.

I will try to take a long nap after writing this one-- need to prepare for a possible long night out to watch "Cirque du Soleil" with my good friend, Mich.

The Girl Who Loved Herself Too Much

It has been so long since I wrote something about someone, or some place, or some experience. I must have been too busy to even think of blogging again. I have a long holiday this weekend— I could not let this chance to write just pass.

Yeah, I had many new experiences in the past few months—and I have met new faces along the way. Yet, the desire that I have now is to write about someone who has been constantly making my solitude pre-occupied recently with doubts and hesitation.

I met this girl a few months ago. I would like to think I knew her well enough to write about her- but certainly not that “well” to talk much about her past. Neither can I tell you about what she liked and hated. I knew her from her friends and from the things she wrote about. I knew her from the most little and unwelcome opportunity to talk with her. Most significantly, I knew her from someone so close to her whom she thought would be her best friend for life.

I am writing this not to judge her—instead, I want to try to understand her. Or perhaps, understand myself why I think of her the way I think about her. I wish to know if she was right at most times as she claimed to be, or if she was just constantly believing she never had been wrong. I will try to write things that will not damage her person. I will try.

She was never anyone special, except based on her belief that she was very much loved by her friends who thought knew the life she lived. Her family was ever so supportive of whatever she had chosen to be. She was lucky to have lived her life through her own choices, notwithstanding what others would say of her. She called it “taking risks”. I find it puzzling, though. But on the other hand, I somehow see her reasons.

She fell in love madly when she was too young—so madly that she chose to get married at a very early age. I admire her boldness to face things which could lead to uncertainty and failure. And even if this decision she had made would probably hurt people who genuinely cared for her, she took great risks. They lived together for a long time—some strong evidence that they loved each other in some way. But, like many relationships which was started by two immature people, their marriage ended. There may have been painful experiences attached to it—things I am surely not capable of sharing in detail ever.

This girl wandered—from places to places. As she always said, she did this to be herself again. She tried to enjoy her life which she realized was never lived to the fullest when she decided to marry young. She tried to fall in love again. Maybe, not just once. And whenever she did and failed, she never failed to express how a fool she was for being tricked by life all over again. She would always cry when she would get hurt, willingly sharing with people how emotionally damaged she had been. She never stopped until she met a man she thought would live with her in her wonderland.

Again, she took risks. She loved this man—that’s what she always said. She loved him so much that she decided to spend the rest of her life with him. She loved him, continuously believing he loved her as much. She tried to be part of this man’s life, but never succeeded. She appeared to be never appreciated by most people in her man’s world, and she was greatly misunderstood.

Though she tried to be a great wife to this man, she knew in her heart that it was never enough for her to believe that she was truly happy. But this girl never gave up in telling others how contented she was with her life—with her man. People who did not see believed in her, and with her. Yes, she was happy, but only people with no eyes, only ears, could tell.

With all the pretentions and lies she unshakably lived with, no one noticed how she was slowly ruining the happiness she boasted to the world. She wanted to convince herself that she was satisfied with her life—but her actions spoke the other way. She, again, started to have fun and to enjoy her life—finding usual instances in anyone and anything as her reasons to be carefree. She found herself in more situations where she could not easily give certain things up. And then slowly, she learned to lie even to the one person she isolated from the world whom she said was the man she would spend the rest of her life with. And everything she formed was, then again, gradually shattered—into pieces that would never again be whole.

Alone—that’s what she is again. Not to anyone’s surprise, she again tries to do this all “make believe” pronouncements that her misfortune is everything’s fault except hers. Expectedly, people who do not know the story believe her, and for the millionth time told her she should be strong to face a new stage of her life again. But if only those whom she had hurt in separate stages of her life would come together to tell the whole story, maybe the world around her would understand—to tell her to change her ways than fight… to fix her mess than blame… to care for others than love herself too much.

Her strength in life, she said, comes from the pains she has had in the past—from people who took her for granted, and did not see her value and her capacity to love. This may be true, for her life goes on like she felt no heartaches. She tried to keep her friends through her endless pretentiousness, and I don’t think she finds anything wrong with that either. This, probably, is her undesirable magic.

I still hope I could be one of many who sympathize with her—that I could see her value as someone that deserves to be loved forever. Believe me, I am willing to feel that way. But right now, why am I not so sure?

BBQ somewhere in Tanah Merah

Sinusulat ko ito while waiting for a friend, si Marj, here at the Tanah Merah train station. We are heading to another lunchmate's place, he invited all of us para mag-dinner sa kanila and it's nice if we could bring something to share with everyone, too. Jon lives in a condo near the station, yet we have to walk under these heavy rains which recently appear to be visiting Singapore more often than years back.

It's my first time to be around this area. Actually, di naman talaga ako lumalabas ng bahay unless I need to go to Orchard to send money to PH. Kakalungkot nga kasi nakakadagag pa sa pagka-homesick ko ang pagiging "loner". In China, It's kinda odd that I felt sick whenever may mga yayaan na ganito. Perhaps, that's what I wanted to change- just to make working abroad a great experience.

Haaay, wala pa rin si Marj...

Anyway, I want to enjoy this night with them. They're not just plain lunchmates after all. They're good and mature friends that I would like to keep. It's good to have found their kind here in Singapore.

Lost in the City

I have flown to Singapore three times to tour and just recently to finally work. Even if it is just a small dot on the face of this planet, for me it seems to be a big part of the world. I get lost most of the time, and still haven't recovered from some sort of culture shock. Everyday, I see different people from all sorts of race, hear different languages I never dare to learn, and watch how this big city live up to being one of the bests on Earth.

The culture shock I now suffer is a bit different from the one I had when I started to work in Shaaxi in China. Recovering from the latter means you have to "learn some things", while recovering from Singapore culture shock needs you to be "used to things". In any case, I need some sort of change in the way I normally do things. Hahahaha!


Directions
I take bus everyday to get to and fro work. In the Philippines, taking buses would be my last preference (I'm scared of accidents and I could not stand the traffic). Out of the 14 times I took Bus #27 (7 days), I got lost thrice!!! I find the environment around Compassvale confusing because the streets and HDBs look the same. Gosh! And I hate walking on my high-heeled shoes!

I also got so irritated the other day when I took the train (MRT) from Clark Quay after my appointment with the Ministry of Manpower to register for an E-Pass. Based on the map I googled from the PCs available at the MOM office, to get to Tampines I had to take the train from CQ to Chinatown and transfer to the "blue line" --only to find out there is no interchange point in Chinatown and there was never a "blue line" and that I had to take the "green line" from the next station! Aside from that, on the way to Tampines via the "green line" I took off two stations earlier because I thought I was 3 stations past Tampines. I had to rush back into the train after learning that Tampines is still two stations ahead. I hate that map!!!


Traffic lights
I hate the green lights (go signal) for pedestrians! Why are they programmed like that? I have to cross the wide streets of the city in 15 seconds or less. For narrow roads, you have to run to save yourself from being run over by inconsiderate drivers! Shettt!!! I really need to buy flat shoes --should have listened to my mother.


Shoes
I have to find flat soft business shoes for everyday use! I do not need to explain on this.


Silverlake
I am now working on Silverlake IBS --very much different from Equation by Misys which I have been familiar for almost 8 years. It is too early to tell which is which about these two systems. Both have bad and good sides. I am not yet in the position to compare. Got lots of things to learn and my job gets more and more exciting everyday.

Food
I am choosy when it comes to what I eat. As expected, I eat the same kind of food wherever I go --Usually, I buy food from the same restaurant if I very much love how they cook my food. Since food here is a little expensive, I better have control over treating myself with seafoods and meals with big servings.


Where I live
It is my first time to rent a room. When I was in college, I never had to go to a dormitory because my family moved to Manila after the tragic eruption of Mt Pinatubo. In China, I was also alone in my studio-type apartment. This time, I am living with one of my good friends from the university. Though the experience is quite new to me, my friend never made me feel uncomfortable in any way. (Thanks, Allen!)


These are just a few of many things I face these days that I need to get used to. Anyway, in spite of the adjustments I have to go through, I feel blessed that I have this chance to be here. Singapore is Singapore. What I say is just a tiny part of it being a great place on Earth.

My first day of work in Singapore

My alarm went off at 6:30 this morning. I know I hadn't slept enough last night to welcome my first day at work but I immediately jumped out of bed for a warm morning bath.

Allen and I went out of his rented flat exactly at 8 to go to work separately. Thanks to him, I already knew what bus would take me to the office. The trip from our place to Tampines Avenue 4 took 30 minutes --for which I stood in the bus on my feet for 25 minutes with my legs fighting the pull of inertia (hehehehehe). I got off the bus one stop earlier so I had to walk another 10 minutes to reach Tampines Centre 2 where the HR Department of OCBC Technology Division is located.

There were four of us who commenced employment today (I only remembered Alison from Vietnam and Vijay from India, who both recently graduated in Singapore and employed under some sort of graduate programme by OCBC). The other one is a local of Singapore who was recently working for J.P. Morgan. At last, I met Angela Wong, the HR officer who took care of all the stuff related to my employment (and she is so pretty). She gave us a quick intro on company standards and policies, most of which she said we have to learn in detail on our own thru the intranet. Each of us was handed a big red-white OCBC folder that contains a pair of Phillips earphones, official comapany ID, IT proximity card, company docs to read, and additional forms we need to fill out.

We were all, later, accompanied by Angela to Tampines Centre 1, where the Technology Division of OCBC is housed. I was introduced to Ket Yeow -our project manager (by then was in a meeting), who was the one who did the phone interview with me and approved my employment. As of writing, I haven't talked to him yet about the set of tasks I will be assigned to work on and his expectations of me.

The environment was like that of Misys Manila --cubicles shared by 4, individual direct lines and set of supplies, selective internet access, etc etc etc--except that here they issue LCD monitors (not CRT still used in Misys Manila up to now) and facebook/yahoo sites are blocked! I am seated in front of Nimfa the first Filipino I met after Dawn (IT Division secretary who looks like the Filipino famous comedienne Debraliz) sent me to my temporary workplace. Nimfa resembles to Pam, one of my dear colleagues in PVB (peace, Pam! Nimfa is a charming girl, anyways).

I was oriented by Mei Yee, whom I think is the Team Leader of the Deposit group under Core Banking team of Ket Yeow. I asked her to explain to me the setup of environments and give me an overview of the processes which, according to her, were always strictly observed. The process workflow is similar to that of Security Bank --where all things are documented and always turned over to a different team for next action for security purposes. Developers have limited access, if not none, to user and production environments. Only two test units exist in the development machine, each of which serves a different purpose. Loading of any object to Production is subject to approval and there is a specific day in the week where installation to production is discussed and approved, and another day to take into effect new objects approved for production's official use.

I will now be supporting SILVERLAKE and honestly, I am both a bit scared and so excited to learn this new system and the processes implemented within our team.

Oh, but first, let me finish reading these manuals... I thought I could escape from these stuff...

Ciao!

Note: A task was assigned to me after writing this note and I had to work overtime to finish it... Gosh!!!

My "indirect" flight to Manila

I did not almost got this chance to see my eldest daughter's 7th birthday. From booking the tickets with my "skype only" travel agent to my actual arrival experienct at the NAIA in Manila, the experience had almost blown my top.

I bought a roundtrip ticket to Manila from Xi'an sometime last month to attend Yumi's birthday party. I promised her I would throw a party for her friends from St Scho. She said she wanted to have something like what Aliyah (her bestfriend, I am not sure if I spelled her name correctly) had on her birthday -a kiddie party in Aristocrat. Even if it meant not having our relatives to witness her birthday, I granted her this wish.

My travel agent, Linda, suggested that I could take the Xi'an-Shenzhen plus Hong Kong-Manila route to save from fare. Flying direct to HK means I had to take two international flights, i.e. Xi'an-HK then HK-Manila. It actually saved me around RMB1,000. My schedule would be flying first to Shenzhen from Xi'an on the night of May 14 (Thursday), taking a coach/limo or ferry to HK from Shenzhen airport --then staying at the HK International Airport overnight to wait for my early morning flight to Manila. For my return, I would have to take It would be a new experience, so I confirmed the proposed itinerary. The four flights only cost around RMB3,300, much much less than how much I paid for my past sets of flights -which is around RMB4,500-5,300.

I left the office early last Thursday to keep me from missing my flight to Shenzhen (which already happened to my Beijing-Xi'an flight last August, hahaha). I left the office at 5:30pm to get my luggage (full of winter clothes) and my big laptop backpack which housed my 8.9-inch NB100 Toshiba laptop, cosmetic stuff, mobile phones, travel docs and wallet. I hailed for a taxi immediately after grabbing my stuff, and fortunately Thursday nights were not "hard-to-get-taxi" nights. The driver very much agreed to take me to the airport at RMB100 (normally, meter would just reach RMB70+++ plus some minimal toll gate fee). The trip to the airport took 20 minutes and I was around an hour away from my actual departure. In 10 minutes after I checked-in my 20.7kg luggage, I had to head to the boarding gate to wait for my first flight.

When I reached the skies of Shenzhen at around 10:45pm, I thought it would look more like a view of Singapore from above. It was not. I didn't feel I was outside China. The structures looked very much like those I saw from the clouds of Xi'an. There were not so many sophisticated buildings, though much of country's commercial head centers were located in that area of China. The airport, too, did not "whoa!" me a bit because it was just a little bit more welcoming than Xi'an's airport. Though a lot of foreigners pass by Shenzhen everyday, I didn't feel the airport was equipped with stuff that could impress tourists. The unfinished constructions in the city were a public eyesore that again reminded me that China had a lot to take before it could become the superpower it always dreamt of.

The rest of my experience before I got to the Hong Kong international airport was bushing! From Shenzhen, I learned that the ferry that could take me straight to HK airport was closed at 10:30pm. My only options were to take a limo service or a bus. I went for the bus that will take me to Kowloon because the lady from the booth said there was bus that could directly send me to HK airport. The ticket was worth RMB90. I waited there for around 10 minutes with some other 5 passengers. After taking out fries from McDonald's (located inside the airport), I was lead to the coach. Take note, I was the only passenger carrying a big luggage.

When I reached the border of Shenzhen, we were told to transfer to the second bus that will take us to Kowloon. We were also required to fill out a "Health Declaration form" as part of the on-going quarantine for all passengers entering HK. (Oh by the way, I was wearing mask all the time. My age was the target of this Swine flu virus. Huhuhuhuhu)

As I was about to hop in the second bus to Kowloon, I was told by the terminal official that it was not wise for me to go to Kowloon if I intended to go to the airport. He advised me to take the red taxi just outside the terminal. I stayed outside for half an hour just waiting for a taxi that would offer me a favourable deal. I forgot to change my Renminbi's to HK dollars, so it was hard to negotiate. At around 1:15am, I found one who agreed to take me to HK airport at RMB250.

I reached HK international airport at around 2:00AM of Friday. Almost all establishments were closed. So contrary to what I expected, I could not go around to shop. From the internet, I learned that there was a 24-hour lounge that could offer shower, massage, internet, etc for just HKD500 for 5 hours (there are other packages available to choose from.) but I hesitated to go because it was just 4 hours away from my check-in time. I decided to turn on my laptop and chat with friends from the Middle East and the US (who were all available because of their timezone, hehehe). There was free wi-fi connection and some power outlet at the airport lobby so it was very convenient to surf and chat. At around 5:00am, I felt sleepy and decided to rest my eyes. I woke up at 6 and saw that the check-in counters were preparing to open. I brushed my teeth in the nearest wash room and queued up at the Cathay Pacific counter.

I felt recharged from the one-hour rest I had and started exploring (again) the mall inside the HK international airport. Most of the shops were still closed at 7am. I decided to take a hot seafood noodle soup from a popular congee restaurant at the second floor (cost: HKD70). Actually, the soup and the mango juice were not that good and I felt I spent too much for my breakfast.

The temperature inside the Hong Kong International was cool. I had to take out one of my winter jackets to keep myself warm. As usual, the Cathay Pacific bound to Manila had around 300 passengers to house. The boarding time took around 25-30 minutes and it was unfortunately to have a seat at the front rows because it would mean getting on board last. Haaaaay...

I reached NAIA at around 11:30AM. I ran to queue up the Immigration -I made sure I have filled out the documents required to check out. I was one of the first few lining up around the baggage claim area only to learn that my luggage was the last to be delivered! I got my luggage at around 12:30pm. Yes, I waited nearly an hour for my bag. (Not to mention the arrival terminal was a hell hole and my urge to kill that old Customs officer who could not borrow me his pen!)

My Yumi and Shami took all those negative energy out of me the moment they shouted "Mama!" from inside Ava.

... and the rest of my 3-day vacation would be worth another blog.

Spring in Xi'an

Down na naman ang machine. So I'll take this time off to write a blog.

My past few months was a nightmare. Actually, hanggang ngayon, parang di pa ako nagigising from this bangungot. I have been asked to analyze a problem na wala akong technical background, so kapaan talaga... I took this task kasi I believed I would learn something new -that would make it exciting, sabi ko sa sarili ko. Actually, it's true. It's exciting when you learn something different -something you can teach others later. That is, kung hindi ka madamot, gaya ko...

I spent most of my nights thinking about this task. Siguro, that's the reason why I haven't felt na spring na pala. I just woke up a few days ago noticing the colorful flowers starting to bloom along the road facing my apartment. It was a wonderful feeling to see everything so fresh and green, aside from the pink and yellow flower-bearing trees I usually overlooked every morning.

Dito sa China, parang damo lang ang mga bulaklak. Near the Bell Tower where thousands of tourists go sight-seeing everyday, marami nang nakatanim na expensive flowers na akala mo fake sa unang tingin... Sometimes, I wanna take off the bus just to take pictures -or even just touch them to check if they're real. The roses here are not like the Holland long-stemmed roses they sell in Dangwa in the Philippines, pero they never fail to add beauty to every corner of the city. Parang damo na sumulpot lang, ganon lang...



Last weekend I invited some Chinese friends to take a walk to the international mall where I usually buy cosmetic products. I brought my SLR camera expecting I could take shots of every blooming flower along the way. Unfortunately, wala akong nagawa kundi titigan lang sila... They're not actually good subjects, kasi hindi masyadong magaganda yung flowers pag naka-focus ang lens. Pero, overall, Xi'an is like a big flower forest. Seeing diffent flowers of all all colors grow side by side was an amazing experience.



Aside from the beautiful view, the weather is warmer -hindi na sobrang lamig at hindi naman mainit... so I stopped wearing those thick-"pang-alis ng poise" winter jackets. Hahaha! Makikita mo na ngayon yung skin ng mga Chinese. Most of them, talagang magaganda ang kutis. Ako naman, I can wear the clothes which I brought with me from Manila again.

I love Spring... sobra.

"Kiss of the Dragon": Amazing what a needle can do!

I am not doing anything now, for all my cases are solved and there is no case on queue that needs any action. So I’ll just write something about the movie I watched last night.

I was able to connect my small laptop to my plasma TV, and believe me it was far more exciting now to watch all the downloaded videos I got from the net. Considering my subscription does not include any international cable channel, my only hope was to be patient enough to download videos from torrent websites, even if it always took like forever before I could completely get hold of them.

OK, back to the movie I watched last night… I tried to look for something unfamiliar and decided to check out KISS OF THE DRAGON starring Jet Li. It was shot mainly in Paris and thank God it was in English! Even the Chinese characters in the movie didn't speak in Mandarin, so that really made it less exhausting to understand. Hahahahaha. I think it’s the only movie I had seen Jet Li acting so cute even if it’s action film, and even if I found THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM funnier because he was with Jacky Chan. I think it’s one of the old movies stored in my disk I dared not to touch yet because it was unpopular, I never expected I would love it. Actually, I loved and “liked” it at the same time…

The movie had no boring scene, could not blink for a second, just trying not to miss any of the fight scenes and Jet Li’s inexpressive face. His slight gesture really affected the mood of each scene because we wouldn’t really often see him doing drama in any of his many films. In the movie, his calm moves when fighting really stressed his character as a pro and the best among the league of reinforcers of his generation. What more could I say than “Two thumbs up!”.

I long waited for the scene that would explain to me why it was titled KISS OF THE DRAGON. Guess why? I think you should have a little knowledge on acupuncture to be able to guess it without seeing the entire movie.

At this point, I am looking forward to seeing another Jet Li movie. Just the English version please!!!

what dreams are made of...

I walked my way to the supermarket yesterday afternoon with my favorite buddy, Purple. I asked him to accompany me because I would buy rice and detergent powder which I might hardly carry by myself. He suggested that we walk because it was almost the first day of Spring here in Xi'an. The air was fresh and wet, and the environment was like the Philippines' early July.

I started to miss home. I missed staring out the window and watching the dark clouds and wet road. I missed guessing if it would rain more or not. I missed watching TV at home because I chose not to go to work so I could spend some time with my kids. I just wanted the feeling of them being around...

Purple noticed I was so silent while reminiscing. There's no point sharing, he wouldn't understand. So he opened up about how he felt about his work, his plans to move back to Sichuan and find a job in Chengdu. He doubted that he would not be able to fulfill his dream here in Xi'an. When I asked him how he would see his life 10 years from now, he said: "I want to be a big boss!"

I explained to him the positive and negative side of being a "boss". But it didn't move him at all. He said when someone gets out of the small village where he was born, he never returns. He thought his village was so poor, it could not offer him any future. He said he wanted to be successful and he would never find that success in his little hometown.

Then he started to ask me about my dreams...

I searched my heart while staring at the skies, and later realized I did not know what I really wanted in my life. I had short-term goals, but I had no idea what I would become a few years from now. Life had not been very simple for me in the past few years, and it's very difficult to foresee anything about how things would go for me and my family. I just wanted to work and enjoy whatever opportunity that would come my way. I wanted to be busy and forget the hatred that I long kept in my heart.

I hope I will be able to write about my dream sooner than later.... Thanks for sharing, Purple...

Dinner with DCFS Managers and Spring program organizers

Last night, I was invited by my colleague Maple (Wang Junjie) to join them in a dinner party to acknowledge those who helped out organize the spring program last month. I was honored to be part of it considering I was not really part of the committee who worked on it, I was just one of their many guest performers...

I realized that managers here in DCFS are different from those I knew in the Philippines. There is no politics. Nothing fake. They are so accommodating and friendly. Even if we were seated in groups, everyone made sure that he had the chance to visit guests from other tables. Though I did not understand their humor, just seeing their happy faces made me smile the whole time.

I am glad I have seen this side of China. It makes me feel closer to home.

Spring Vacation: Haaaayyy, sayang ang bakasyon...

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Relaxing in the Tang Paradise...

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Touring nearby Xi'an

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Jamming sa Hyatt

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DCFS Spring Festival Celebration

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Preparing for our Spring program song number

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May mga ibang Pinoy pa pala sa Xi'an!!!

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Back to Xi'an

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Christmas and New Year in the Philippines

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