(A tribute to Studio Ghibli) It would be thrilling to drive like Lisa, Up and down the mountain trail; It would be nice to be like Ponyo, Finding love at five, and shedding her fish tail; Live in a pretty house atop a cliff, To give light to sailors and ships, so they won’t drift….
Author: Emi_F
A diplomat, former educator, student of life, lover of nature, literature, art and music, believer of shared humanity
One Month under Lockdown in France
Today marks the start of the second month of the lockdown here in France. It is almost impossible to believe that such a long time has passed! Who would have thought that the modern times, with its advancement in different fields (including the medical field and the health sector) and the great strides towards modernization…
Conversations with Diplomats
During the ASEAN Regional Forum in April 2016, I had the chance to meet and have conversations with diplomats from Russia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, and the United States. I’d like to share with you some (of the many) fascinating things I learned: 1. I asked the diplomat from Russia (who had been staying in the…
A Pocketful of Countries’ Memories
Having been to several countries because of my work, and some personal trips, I realized that, oftentimes, it’s not the grand things that you remember. It’s not the lavish meals, the important meetings, the sense of accomplishment after finishing outputs, and the sense of pride in meeting notable personalities. Rather, it’s those little things that…
Colorful Tapestry of Fabric, People, and Places
I love shawls and scarves. They bring warmth on a cold day. They’re versatile. You can fold them so that they only take a small space in your bag (or sometimes tie them to the bag handle), and bring them out when the temperature drops or when the cold wind blows. They also add a…
Lav Diaz, a great Filipino artist
Paris, January 2020: I had the most wonderful opportunity to meet Mr. Lavrente Indico Diaz, or more popularly known as Lav Diaz. The “ideological father of the new Filipino cinema,” his films were featured in the exhibition in Paris in January 2020, when he participated in the 15th edition of the Hors Piste Festival at the…
Missing my Paris walks
I miss walking around my neighborhood. When the French government imposed a lockdown starting on the 17th of March requiring every resident to limit their movements outside their homes, following it up with even stricter restrictions on the the 24th, to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country, I had to stay at home,…
Barcelona of My Dreams
November 2019. It was our dream to go to Spain, so weeks prior to our flight, my friends Allen and Tricia, and I exchanged ideas on the best place and dates for our visit. We considered Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and others, but finally chose Barcelona and the first three (3) days of November 2019 to…
You Are Woman
Happy International Women’s Day! ❤ Sharing with you a poem I penned three years ago today. The softness of the moonlight, The warmth of the early morning sun, The cheery colors of the rainbow, The gurgle of water in the stream, The refreshing coolness of the sea breeze, The welcoming shade of the verdant trees….
When Breath Becomes Air (Paul Kalanithi, 2016)
When I saw the pale blue book with the image of a surgeon’s back as the cover, on one of the shelves in Morawa Bookstore in Vienna, during my visit last weekend, I didn’t pay it special attention. Even after I briefly read the title and the synopsis at the back cover, it didn’t impress…
Beyond Routes 