Journeys and Joys of a Young Diplomat
Let me tell you about Tasyon and Conching. Tasyon and Conching were well-known in my hometown in Albay, Philippines. They were alike yet different--Tasyon, with her waist-length black hair and simple dresses, and Conching with her neatly-combed short hair, nice dresses with a belt accentuating her petite frame, and a dainty hand bag. Tasyon was... Continue Reading →
In my previous post, I talked about people who have chosen the "less-trodden path." The scene that struck me the most in the featured article was the reason why the mother who decided to bring her family off the grid. She said that the "final straw for city living" was "her dismay at going to... Continue Reading →
A few days ago, I came across an article about people who went off the grid. According to the author, this movement where people decide to get away from the shackles and burdens of modern life and just live simply with nature's resources is slowly getting traction in Europe and North America. In fact, there... Continue Reading →
Magandang araw sainyong lahat. (Good day to all of you.) Bago matapos ang Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa, nais kong ibahagi ang ilang mga salawikain na sumasalamin sa mga pilosopiya at nagpapakita ng mga asal na mahalaga para sa mga Pilipino. Masasabi rin na ang mga salawikain ay nagdadagdag ng kulay sa wikang Pambansa sa pagpapahayag... Continue Reading →
Tuwing Agosto, ipinagdiriwang ang Buwan ng Wika sa Pilipinas. (Every August, the Month of Language is celebrated in the Philippines.) Nais kong makiisa sa pagdiriwang na ito sa pamamagitan ng pagbahagi ng mga maiikling tula sa wikang Filipino, kasama ang mga larawan dito sa Paris na kinuha ngayong buwan. (I would like to take part... Continue Reading →
The soft rain pitter-pattering on the window ledge woke me up on Sunday morning and a peaceful feeling washed over me. I had the urge to pen a few lines of poetry on the writing pad that was on top of my bedside table. How peaceful the morning seemsWith the soft rain tapping on my... Continue Reading →
(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 →
