The Ocean of My Being

So much has happened the past days, but I haven't had the time to sit down and write about everything, not even in my journal. Oh, but I will try to update just as soon I get all the things I need to finish done. For now, I just would like to wish everyone a very happy, peaceful and prosperous 2005! May God bless us all! :)

Wow! This same day exactly a year ago, I wrote and "published" my very first blog entry . I still can't believe it's been a year already. How fast time flies really. :) I remember I was pretty excited about starting my blog. I wanted my blog to be sort of a venue for me to let my inner feelings/thoughts out and to be my primary outlet. I guess, after a year, I have shared quite a number of things and thoughts. I'm very happy at how my blog is and how it has become, in one way or another, an outlet for me. I really thank everyone who take some time to take a dip into this OCEAN . And, to all my friends (both in the cyberworld and in real life) who never fail to take a dip and leave 'footprints', doumo arigatou gozaimmasu ! May we all continue to sail smoothly in this OCEAN of life. :)  Mwah! :)

Mommy and me... ********** Belated greetings of a very happy birthday, Mom! All the words in the world are not enough to express how much I love you and how thankful I am that you are my mom. You are the best!!! :) I miss you sooo much! Mwah! Mwah! Mwah! ********** It was my mom's birthday on the 12th. :)

I have always believed in people's innate goodness. No matter how bad or "evil" people may appear to be, there's still that goodness within. No matter how cruel the world or life may become, people still manage to survive because of other people's manifestation of that very goodness. This belief has proven itself true more than once in my life. I've always believed that this goodness in people is a great proof of God's love. People's genuine kindness never fail to inspire me. It's one of the things that keep me on the right path. I know that sometimes it feels like it's just so difficult to be good and nice at a time and world like ours, but a little goodness here and there truly goes a long way. A simple gesture of goodness and kindness may and can change a life. We've heard and read stories that prove this. Just recently, I have seen and experienced such life-changing goodness. To that person who showed me such goodness of heart

The PPYEP 2004 Family... ********** SSEAYP 2000 Mini Reunion at Kawasaki... ********** View from my Kansai Int'l Center room... ********** I love this bridge! ********** At the Yokohama Port... ********** Giant Ferris Wheel... ********** The Osaka Castle... ********** Shrine in Sakai, Osaka... ********** The Goddess... ********** Banzai Nippon!!!

Wow, it has been a long time since I last blogged! I've been pretty busy the past weeks with the Eid-ul Fitr (End of Ramadhan Feast), enrollment and school, transferring from SRH to another dorm, my Japanese batchmates' coming and our batchmates' wedding, and working for Bok . It's fun to be busy, though, because I seldom feel bored. And, everything has transformed me into a "normal person" (as Lanee would say) because now, I sleep at night and am awake the whole day. :) ********** Eid-ul Fitr ... The Eid fell on the 12th of November. The date changes every year, you see, because the Islamic Hijrah Calendar is a few days shorter than the Gregorian Calendar . Every Eid , we would have a special prayer (one of the most important optional/special prayers in Islam ). This would take place early in the morning, about 7 or 8 o'clock. Chanting of the Takbeer Mursal (God-praising) would start at about 5 or 5:30 in the morning and then the two rak&#

Sahro Ramadhan Al-Mubaarak (the Blessed Month of Ramadhan ) is, as everyone knows, the most important month in the Islamic calendar. It is my favorite time of the year. It is when I am at my best. Yes, my best because during this month, I would always have such a nice and happy disposition. The Ramadhan spirit would always make me feel like nothing in the world could really bother or irritate me. Sure, I still lose my temper at times, but it's never as bad as I usually do at other times of the year. Not a single good deed and beautiful thing go without my being thankful for them even if these deeds are not directed to me and these things not for me. I just can't expalin it, but Ramadhan gives me peace of mind and makes me feel like I am at peace with everything and everyone in the world. It feels great. During this very special month, Muslims fast, i.e. abstain from taking in any kind of (solid) food, liquid whatsoever the whole time the sun is up- roughly from 4:30

At home in Mihara... I will never forget a single moment of my whole stay in Mihara town. It was such a nice, little town with, as I mentioned in the earlier entry, the loveliest people. They're all so warm and friendly. My foster family, the Shibaikes , really treated me like a real daughter. The whole time I was with them, I never felt like an outsider or whatever. Never mind that Otoosan (Father) and Ikuko (my 17-year-old foster sister) didn't speak English. I was able to communicate with them in my halting Japanese and by asking them to " yukkuri shabete kudasai " (please speak slowly). Okaasan (Mother) and Takanori (my 22-year-old foster brother) knew English, but later on, Okaasan started talking to me in slow Japanese as well. I had no problem with that, I even liked the idea because I was able to really practice my Nihongo and got my ears a little bit used to native Nihongo speakers. While I was there, they introduced me to Alicia-san (a Filipi

The 2004 Pan Pacific Youth Exchange Program (PPYEP) officially ended on the 12th of October. The 12-day program was really much, much more fun, more interesting, and greater than I expected it to be. It was like a continuation or an extension of SSEAYP . The difference was that there wasn't a Nippon Maru and there was an Australian contingent (very white people among brown ones). And, there were only 32 of us, all in all, from the seven countries and then, of course, the Japanese counterparts. As a result, we were all really bonded and very close. That's very nice, but that also made the parting very, very sad and difficult for most of us. Hay! Anyway, since I've started talking about the experience in a day-to-day basis, I'd like to continue doing so. " It's really funny to look back after all these years... " So, the song goes and I really hope to look back on these days for years and years with that funny, dreamy smile on my face. ******

I've been here in Osaka for five nights (and four days) now. It has been a very, very interesting and enjoyable time for everyone in the program. After all the activities that we've done so far, we're all quite exhausted, but it's just so much fun that we don't mind at all. We still have eight days more to go before the program ends. Tomorrow, we leave for Kyoto to experience Japanese style hotel. I'm really excited about that. Here in Osaka, we're housed at the Kansai International Center (a dormitory-like hostel). Aside from the fact that everything is free here, what I like most about this place is my room. As expected of a Japanese facility, our rooms are fully furnished (TV, heater, refrigerator, VCR player, CD/cassette player, and comfort/shower room). Doing laundry is very convenient, too, because there are 24-hour laundry rooms on every floor. There's a music lounge (with musical instruments and karaoke) for the bored. There's a

After almost four years of dreaming about it and projecting it, I am finally going to visit Japan again! Come October 1st, with four other people, I will be flying to Osaka for the Pan Pacific Youth Exchange Program . I really can't thank God enough for giving me this chance, this opportunity to see Japan again. After my first visit to Japan in 2000, I promised myself that I will, one day, go back there. I have thought and thought about this many a day. I have dreamt about this many a night! Since 2001, I have been seriously thinking and planning to apply for this year's PanPac . I chose 2004 because I was thinking, then, that it might be my last year here in Manila unless I decide to work here (which isn't my plan right now). And, no, I am not finishing this year yet, but I knew I just had to take my chance at the program. And, luckily I was chosen as one of five Philippine delegates! I am sure this is going to be another unforgettable and enriching experienc

Back when I was still in MSU , after my college graduation and just after SSEAYP , my mom and I would sit down and discuss my plans for further studies. What I love most about my parents is that they always make us decide for ourselves. They suggest things or some alterntive plans, but in the end, it's really up to us (the children) to decide what we really want. They allow us to commit mistakes and, eventually, learn from them. My dad, wise and weird that he is, would term this " the freedom even to go to hell and back ". Sadly, not all Meranao parents are like that. This is why I couldn't be more thankful for being part of my family. Back in college, it was my decision to stay and study in MSU rather than in any other school. Staying in MSU would mean studying close to my loved-ones, friends and it would mean never having to leave home. I've lived in MSU all my life (our house is inside the university!) and I wasn't just about to give the comfor

Our ship, Nippon Maru , sailing the blue ocean... The 31st Ship for SouthEast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP) was in the country from September 14th to 17th . As usual, every single activity brought me (us) to a journey back in time - to the time when we were the PY s. The annual coming of SSEAYP never fails to do so. Usually, at this time of year, almost all SSEAYP alumni are just so emotionally charged. Much as I would want to explain how SSEAYP makes me feel, words are lost to me right now. They always say that only a fellow alumnus/a would really understand another. Drew from Bidlisiw 2003 , a very good friend of mine, couldn't stop his tears from falling as he talked about how SSEAYP changed his life. Indeed, SSEAYP is a life-changing experience, aside from its being absolutely THE BEST experience in the whole world! Being part of SSEAYP really taught me a lot. Daddy Nel of the Philippine Homestay Association , an educator, once said that SSEAYP was the best classroom h

I know I mentioned in my last entry that the last two Sundays were really great ones, but I only got to write about the first Sunday. So, this entry will be on how the second Sunday ( September 12 ) went. It was my brother's birthday , and Dominattyrix 's too. It was also the day of the Cheer Dance Competition of the UAAP . It was really exciting for me because it was my first time to actually catch the event AT the very venue. I used to only watch it on TV. Some dorm friends and I went with the same group MaCho and I went with during my first UAAP game . So, we sat, of course, at the Ateneo side and we wore ONLY blue and/or white shirts/tops. Even my Japanese friend played along with us. We cheered for Ateneo (4th place) and, of course, UP (2nd place)! The experience was another unforgettable one for me. The energy was just so high the whole time, it was impossible not to be carried away by the cheering crowd. It was just so much fun. It's really weird tha

The last two Sundays were great ones. These days afforded me experiences that I'd like to forever keep in a section called "fondest memories" in my brain. I imagine my brain to be composed of different sections and I assign names to these sections. I don't know, but doing this, rather than imagining left and right hemisphere and all those things, makes me feel more human and, well, more in control. Hehehe:) Okay, so first stop is Sunday of last week, i.e. September 5. Kuya Frankie texted me Saturday night to invite me to go with the Osaka Association Youth Development Exchange Program participants and some other SSEAYP alumni for a trip to Pampanga . Since it was to be my first time to visit the place, I was naturally very excited. The next morning, I was up by 6 o'clock to prepare for the trip. I slept for only two hours that night. So, anyway, I went to the meeting place and met the participants and saw good friends from the SSEAYP alumni. We left for Pa

18.75 % My weblog owns 18.75 % of me. Does your weblog own you? -- Good, my blog doesn't own me! :) ********** 25% There's a 25% chance that I'll win a Bloggie™. What's Your Chance to Win a Bloggie™? -- 25%, huh? That's not bad... Hehehe:) *********************** BabyPink's different names... (stolen from Anj ) YOUR PORN STAR NAME: (name of your first pet + street you live in) Bantay Ford (MSU house) or Bantay A. Roces (UP dorm) -- wow, those are both weird! with a name like that, i sure won't have a shot at being famous... at all! YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME: (name of your favorite snack food + grandfather's first name) Cheetos Pangandaman (maternal grandpa) or Cheetos Benasing (paternal grandpa) -- i'm so not cut to be a movie star! YOUR FASHION DESIGNER NAME: (first word you see on your left + favorite restaurant) Polaris Chocolate Kiss -- yikes! EXOTIC FOREIGNER ALIAS: (favorite spice + last vacation

I got this from Friendster's Bulletin Board. I liked it, so I posted it back so that my "friendsters" (especially the non-Muslim ones) would also get to read it and find out a little bit more about Islam and Muslims. A good friend of mine, Kuya Mike , commented that it would have been better if I had explained or expounded on some things because that way it would be easier to see things clearly. So, in this entry, I will try to expound on things and explain each item in the best way I could. The explanations I will give are based on the knowledge that I have gained from reading, from listening to wasi'at (sermons) and from the Madrasah (Islamic school). I would just like to emphasize that I am not THAT knowledgeable. God knows best. :) The Top Ten Misconceptions about Muslims: 1. Muslims are violent, terrorists and/or extremists. -- Muslims are peace-loving people. The term Islam came the Arabic letters S-L-M , where the word " salaam " (peace) is

Another one of my closest (best) friends, Ate Khair , got married last August 20th. It's actually so funny when we think about everything because we never really thought she'd end up with the guy she married. He was my very first major crush ever! I had this really huge crush on him for about two years. Days after she found out and confirmed that the guy was the one her parents and family chose for her, she called to tell me the news and asked me if I was mad or something. Yes, it was such a big surprise, but mad?! Of course, not! I couldn't be happier for them. And now, the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that they're really perfect for each other. What made me sad and still makes me sad, though, is the fact that I wasn't present during one of the most important days in Ate Khair 's life. Not being in Leyh's (the first one in our barkada to get married) wedding doesn't help at all! Even if my mom was there calling me ever

Grunge! You're all about the music and would even turn your back on fame just to stay true to your roots... You reached your high in the early '90s, but you're still making some good stuff! Keep rocking! What genre of rock are you? brought to you by Quizilla -- Well, there was a time in my life I totally loved Grunge. I grew up with two older brothers who worshipped Kurt "I-Hate-Myself-and-I-Want-to-Die" Cobain. They had Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder pictures plastered all over the walls of their rooms! I still like Grunge, but not as much as I did back then. :) ********** Morpheus ?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ?? brought to you by Quizilla -- " ...and often lost in thought. " That's funny. It's like a better and nicer way of saying "you are often absent-minded." Hehehe:)

Thanks to my very good friend, Bok , I was able to go to my very first UAAP Basketball Game last Sunday (August 22) . :) It was a great experience, something I will never, ever forget especially since it's likely going to be my last UAAP basketball game because Bok won't ever bring me to another game. Not after I got sick because of the excitement and all! " Hinding-hindi ka na tutuntong sa Araneta sa UAAP! " (You're never going to set foot at Araneta for UAAP!) Sure, she was kidding but I, myself, wouldn't like to take any chance and get sick again. Besides, those two games are enough to last me a lifetime. The first game was between UP and Adamson . Despite coming from UP , we sat at the Adamson side so we would surely be at the Ateneo side in the next game. There were some cheering here and there. There were many unoccupied seats. I could barely hear the UP students' cheers save for the UP drums. We were seated right at the back of t

My brother, his wife and their four-year-old son, Goby , are in Manila for a few days. I've posted pictures of LoveLove (my petname for Goby) in a previous entry . He's the most adorable kid in the whole world. I have other nephews and nieces, but our Goby is the only one who really grew up with us (i mean, in our house). I was practically his " yaya " during his infancy, before I left for SSEAYP and when I came back. This is why Goby will always have a special place in my heart. He's like my eldest son. :) Last Thursday, I spent three wonderful hours with them (my brother and his family). We met at SM Megamall , with me almost unable to stay still during the ride to the place. Goby has grown taller and lost some weight, which his mom is excited about because she doesn't want him to gain too much weight. He's as active as ever. When we went to buy him shoes, he talked and talked non-stop to the saleslady and it was obvious that the tired but

I, finally, have my HaloScan comment board (my original one) up again for easier commenting... well, for some, at least. No more signing in or whatever. And, what's great is that I still have some of my old comments saved. Hehehe:) I don't know how that happened. I like the HaloScan Comment board, but I won't take the Blogger Comment board down because there are comments saved there, too. Duh, it's not like this would make me get more comments or anything. Oh, but still, I'm happy! :) I'm so happy I think I'll get myself and some friends ice cream. :) Well, one of my friends has a love problem right now and I think some ice cream would make her feel a little better. And, I go on to announce to all beautiful people who read this blog, please use whichever comment board you like. Oceanic Views is Blogger; Pink Thoughts is HaloScan. Okey dokey, then! I'm outta here! :)

You speak eloquently and have seemingly read every book ever published. You are a fountain of endless (sometimes useless) knowledge, and never fail to impress at a party. What people love: You can answer almost any question people ask, and have thus been nicknamed Jeeves. What people hate: You constantly correct their grammar and insult their paperbacks. What Kind of Elitist Are You? brought to you by Quizilla -- Hmm, a "Book and Language Snob"? I like this kind of snob. :) But, I think I know myself enough to be not THAT snobby. ;-) ********** What Classic Movie Are You? personality tests by similarminds.com -- I'm a "Schindler's List". Great movie, I'm great! Hehehe:) ********** What Famous Leader Are You? personality tests by similarminds.com -- Wow, Mother Theresa... I'd totally like/want to be like her. :) ********** B Bold A Ambitious B Brilliant Y Yucky P Perverse I Inspirational N New K Kind Name / U

Last night, while in bed, my thoughts wandered from one place to another and delved from one thing to another. I was mentally making a list of things that make me lucky to be alive. This is one of my favorite habits because thinking of all the things I should be thankful for would always make me really happy and want to do good and be/remain good. There are, of course, countless things to be thankful for. I never get to finish the “list”. I don’t think I ever will. Allahu akbar! (God is great!) One of the things that never fails to put a smile on my face, no matter what situation I’m in, is my family. Every single time my family comes to mind, I’d always feel immense happiness and thankfulness for being a part of it. Studying in UP has kept me away from my family (for three years now), but they are the ones that keep me going. My dad visits me once a month and every time he has a case here in Metro Manila. Being away from my family proves to me their love and confidence/trus

August is a month that brings lots of memories to me, both good and bad. It’s during this month that I would always introspect and reflect about things that have happened in my life and be thankful for everything despite and inspite of some bad things. August 2000: The Birth of Tanglaw I was fresh from college graduation when I found out that I was part of the Philippine delegation to the 27th Ship for SouthEast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP) . It was August 2000. The National Youth Commission informed me through mail that after the interview (a few moths before), the essay writing and screening my credentials, I was chosen as one of the finalists. The letter of confirmation came on the 5th day of the month. It said that I had to be in Manila for the Orientation and the Medical, Physical and Psychological Examinations by the 16th of the month. It also said that to be submitted on the 16th (the Orientation Day) were my passport, police and barangay clearances, and birth certific