Journeys and Joys of a Young Diplomat
(It's International Cat Day so I'm sharing a write-up I wrote in December 2011 about our pet cats.) We have three pet kittens—one is gray with black stripes, another is white with a splotch of golden brown, and the third one is like an abstract painting with splashes of white, black and gold. We named... Continue Reading →
In my February 3 entry, I wrote about the first Philippine food festival in Paris where I mentioned the only Filipino restaurant in the city--BoBi, located at 17 rue Oberkampf. Many things happened since then (COVID-19 cases, lockdown in France, etc.) but finally, I was able to visit the place recently. I liked it--the ambiance,... Continue Reading →
I visited Belgium on the 1st day of June in 2019. Arriving in Ghent from Paris by bus around 5AM, and leaving Brussels around 6PM, it was my shortest trip to a new country. It was my first time to join these cross-country bus tours from Paris, which I can say, both has good points... Continue Reading →
2020 started as a promising year. New decade. New plans. New dreams. But COVID-19 came bringing with it an ever-present health threat. Not only that--it also brought with it death, economic losses for countries, a decline in countries' tourism, an increasing percentage of unemployment, uncertainty for the future, and a challenge to people's well-being. The... Continue Reading →
This short narrative that I posted four years ago, about an event that happened the day before, popped up in my social media account recently. I felt I wanted to share it again now because I feel that it is a wonderful part of my (and my batch mates') Foreign Service Officer (FSO) journey. 2... Continue Reading →
Dahil sa sitwasyong kinakaharap ng buong mundo ngayon, sa banta sa kalusugan na dulot ng COVID-19, may mga ipinapatupad na mga bagong pamantayan ang mga Pasuguan at Konsulado ng Pilipinas sa iba't-ibang panig ng mundo. Kasama na rito ang pagpapatupad ng istriktong appointment system para sa mga aplikante na nangangailangan ng serbisyong konsular, pati na... Continue Reading →
It's another weekend again. Aside from resting, catching up on my recent fave Netflix series Anne with an E, getting in touch with my family and friends, and preparing sumptuous home-cooked meals, I had in mind to write about Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the Philippine national hero, whose 159th birthday Filipinos are commemorating on 19... Continue Reading →
On June 12, 2020, we celebrated the 122nd year of Philippine Independence at the Embassy, led by the Philippine Ambassador to France and Monaco. It was different from the previous years' celebrations for several reasons. Last year's Philippine Independence Day celebration and Diplomatic Reception was held at the historic Mona Bismarck hotel in Paris. We... Continue Reading →
It's the sixth month of the year. It's hard to believe that in the same span of time, we'd be ushering a new year again. It seems that 2020 is both the shortest yet the longest year ever. This year altered some common perceptions of work. Now, we know that a lot of work can... Continue Reading →
With the lifting of the lockdown in France on May 11, the new normal became more obvious. Although this term had been commonly mentioned for weeks since the lockdown started, emerging from the safety of one's home made it tangible. Some "abnormal" events happened in many countries in the world, giving analysts materials to ponder,... Continue Reading →
