Before 2018 ends, it is time for my year-end essay! I will compensate for my inability to update the last few months with this mega post.
Compared to the holidays of the previous years, this year is quite laid back. It was not as frantic as before.
Ayala Malls Circuit’s Christmas decoration
One of the things I am proudest of this 2018 is that I was able to make better choices for my health. This includes a change in my diet, and a better drive to exercise regularly.
Last day of the month and February literally passed by with only twenty eight days. I was on half-day leave because I attended a conference/workshop regarding aging and migration in UP, with guest speakers from different countries, especially in Asia.
The venue was at the University Hotel and it was then that I realized that I have never entered that area of UP before. Finishing both my undergrad and graduate degree, I still haven’t visited a lot of places inside the campus and the University Hotel was no exception. I thought I arrived late, but good thing that the event did not start until 1:30 PM. I overlooked the schedule of activities, wherein 1:00 PM was just the registration proper.
The theme of the workshop centers on aging and migration in 21st century Asia. The primary organizer, Prof. Yoneno-Reyes, sent an invitation/announcement to everybody last Sunday. She was also my professor in aging and migration three years ago, and I still find the topic interesting and compelling. The moderator of the event, Prof. Sevilla, was also my professor in a West Asia course. For the whole afternoon, three speakers from Japan, China and South Korea presented their papers. Two of them were from Kyoto University, while the other one was from SungKongHoe University.
One by one, the three guests presented their topics: from the concepts of intimate work, ‘housewifization’, to ‘a new woman’; as well as marriage migration chains in East Asia to South Korea’s changing policy on multiculturalism and migration. But if I were to be frank with my observations, it was quite frustrating having to follow and grapple with the discussion. Aside from the looming presence of the language barrier between the speakers and their audience, the faulty sound system made matters worse. I felt really embarrassed for the guests, especially when another discussion from the next-door’s conference got transmitted and broadcasted in our room in the middle of the speaker’s discussion, due to mixing up of wireless microphones’ signal. I wanted to hide under the table.
I looked at the list of guests and saw that Gabriele Vogt was present. I was really eager to see her because she wrote one of our required readings in class before. I even cited her in one of my essays for comprehensive exams.
If there is one thing I have learned about myself from the event, it was my tendency not to socialize with people I do not know. There were only two people in the room who I knew, and they were my previous professors who were busy with the workshop. I just sat at the end of room, next to the refreshments (coffee within an arm’s reach, yay!) beside two formidable-looking ladies. I did not start a conversation with them, until I decided against the awkwardness of the situation. I was stunned to know that I was seated next to the dean of the College of Nursing of UP Manila. O_O Good thing she was very approachable and even started asking questions about me. There will be another session tomorrow, but I’m not too sure if I would be able to attend. I really need to seriously start reviewing for another exam two Sundays from now.
P.S.
Just as the day turned 28, I found out that our grandmother (my father’s auntie) passed away due to stroke. She was in a nursing home in Alberta, Canada and I haven’t seen her since the late 90s. She died at the age of 88. May you rest in peace, Lola Soling and we love you so much.
Today is Mon and I’s 4th year and 5th month together and a few minutes after the clock had struck 12, he gave me a piece of paper with a note and a drawing of the Eiffel Tower and some French macarons from Max’s. =D
First of all, I did not even know that these are called as such, and I initially thought that there was a mistake with the spelling (i.e. macaroons). The irony of a French major not knowing French food.
We had a plan to meet up with Ikle today because he is going back to China tomorrow until the semester ends in July. As it is still winter there, I decided to just give him one of the trench coats I bought last November online.
My friend, Ikle, finally arrived last Monday morning and he was already complaining over how hot the weather was. LOL Coming from wintery China, it was of course too warm for him. We have already agreed that we will be meeting on Wednesday and I was so happy and excited to see him after a year and a half!
We had a lot of fun hearing stories about his experience of solitary living in China, having to live without initially speaking Mandarin and dealing with the rigors of graduate school.
Given that it was just a weekday and we have already talked about a lot of things, we still have so much more to catch up with. He gave us these boxes of sweets from China, which I initially thought as Oreo (LOL It was really Oreo) and Pepero (Pocky turned out to be a Japanese brand).
I will be meeting up with him on Friday when we go to visit UP, as well as on Sunday because my mother will be cooking for him as a welcome-back present. He has been very vocal about how much he liked my mother’s cooking.
His schedule, however, was jam-packed. Up until his last day, he has a lot of commitments and appointments with friends. But next week, we’ll have more time together because we will be visiting Baguio City. I wonder how cold the place will be, given the overall drop of temperature in the Philippines lately. But as he had rightly put, it can’t definirely be colder than what we have respectively experienced in South Korea and China. =D
It has been weeks already since we brought out our Christmas tree, but we only had the time this weekend to finally put ornaments on it (and some more)! My nephew and niece were, of course, very eager to help. After all, Christmas is more fun when you have kids screaming and running around the house. LOL
However, I had been sneezing for hours already because the ornaments and decorations were kept in their boxes for months and all the dust and what-nots irritated my nose. Not to mention, I had been helping Mama to hang all of the lights and those little, paratrooper Santas around the house. By the end of the day, I was already sweaty and grimy that I had scrubbed my body hard to remove the dirt when I took a bath.
On another note, I just found out that my good friend miles away from me has been brought to the hospital. =( I’m extremely worried now and I hope that medication for his kidney stones will suffice because surgery will definitely be next option.. Take care Ikle!
Last September, I applied for WordAds, which is the exclusive advertising option for WordPress-based blogs and I was happy that I was approved. Two months on since the ads started running, I was able to earn the amount indicated above, equivalent for about a total of 29,000 impressions. I understand that the payoff will not be very high, considering that I’m located in the Philippines where impressions do not cost that high (per advertisers’ point-of-view) but I’m on the fence about it.
Sure I’m not really here to make money but just blog whatever comes to mind/the things that happen in my life, especially for my friend to see (he has ways to view my blog in spit of the Great Firewall of China!), but as I have no idea on what to expect, then I’m as good as fine with it. LOL But at this rate, I won’t be able to get any money until next year if I needed to reach $ 100 before they make any payment. Whatever happens happens. =)
When I opened my browser, I saw Google’s homepage showcasing the Philippine flag, as we are now celebrating our 114th independence from the colonial grip of Spain.
But whether we are truly free is another story.
I will not be delving more into the socioeconomic and political aspects of our country’s current situation. There are various theories explaining that third world, or okay, developing countries like us are politically independent but economically dependent; therefore undermining the concept of freedom.
But the question of freedom is also quite personal to most people, and I also always ask myself am I really free?