Epic 2011

My first post of the year! Woot! I hope to finish this post in one sitting but boy this is gonna be quite tedious. Imagine compressing your one epic year in one post. I see too much mediocrity here. Listing all the fun and inspiring experiences and encounters that I so wanted to write about but was too lazy or too distracted or too busy. Excuses, excuses I know. But then again, allow me to run you down of the many (and I feel major) things/happenings in my 2011 that made me sum it up to one word: EPIC! This is just a rundown. Not only am I planning but wants to execute it, and write more about the adventures that have the asterisk after them below. And with more photos. But for now, allow me to share with you a glimpse of my 2011.

JANUARY

• We get to spend our December 2010 Christmas and January 2011 New Year in Punta Cruz, Maribojoc, Bohol with Nanay and the rest of the Balatayos.
• Attended Liveloud Concert, a worship concert organized by Youth for Christ.  Because I missed long praise fests with full band and my YFC Kuyas and Ates, I decided to come over. 'Twas fun! 

YFC Liveloud Concert. Photos by Jeremiah Toledo.

Christmas and New Year with the relatives and extended families in Bohol. 

FEBRUARY

• SFC Icon in Camarines Sur

MARCH

• GK Kalinga sa Bayan in Calauan, Laguna. My tweets below of the experience. Thanks to twitter I am able to document my GK adventures when I'm too lazy to blog. Hihi Which I know shouldn't been the case because it defeats the purpose of my reason to blog: to be able to share and inspire readers of the different human and love stories I get to encounter in my every GK adventure.
• Today was moving and inspiring and we met one cool priest who's into guns, pets, motorcycles and seriously helping the poor.
• "Hindi ko nga alam kung paano kami papatahanin bukas sa pag-iyak" - Tito Ompong on their last day of their 2-mo everyday feeding program 
• Kung pwede lang isa-isahin yung mga kuwento nila at ibahagi sa buong mundo. Kung may walking dictionary, sila ang walking Bible. *saludo* 

APRIL

• GK Bayani Challenge 2011* in Bantayan Island, Cebu with family and friends! Fun, inspiring, and definitely filled with love! 

Mission trip and a vacation (for a day) with the whole family!

Let the GK Bayani Challenge 2011 begin!

• Holy Week with the Oquinenas
• Talaba,tahong,kinilaw na isda,sinugba na isda,shrimps,leche flan,mais con yelo.Thank you for the sumptuous lunch,titos & titas of GK Cavite! 
• Trying out Banapple. Banoffee cake. Oreo brownie cake. Coffee toffee cake. Yum!

MAY

• GK Leaders Conference in University of Makati and Batangas. My second mission trip with everyone from Team GK Marketing! One of the craziest time of my 2011. 
• This was also the time of the year that GK1world's traffic shot up. Thanks to Manny Pacquiao, Charice Pempengco, Jasmine Villegas and Taboo of Black Eyed Peas. All of the news were released all in one day and with Tito Tony accepting the Nikkei Award in Japan, that was one great and blessed day which (turned into a week) in the life of GK. See tweets below. 
• It's good news Thurs Pacman signs up 2 b GK champion, Charice & Jasmine sing "One Voice" for GK, TM wins Nikkei Asia Prize!!
• TabBep: My song is a Latino / Filipino world anthem to show our unity within brown pea-ple and it's gonna be the anthem for #Gawad Kalinga
• We were absolutely thrilled when we saw the GK flag being waved in Manny's fight! See that?

JUNE: My birth month!

• Was able to book a PISO flight so I was able to spend 5 days back in Cebu with family and friends. A gift that I absolutely love. And thank you for the midnight surprise roommies! My personal wish for myself tweeted by me during my birthday below. I don't think I wasn't able to do all. Haha
• My 23rd year's resolution: must organize. must systematize. read, listen, learn, absorb, write, do. love more. travel more. laugh more.

It's a triple birthday celebration! Happy Birthday to me, Matt and Mark! :)

• Sagip Conference with Team GK Cebu
• Started my Digital Mentoring class and I was really excited and looking forward to it. It's been more than a year that I realized that I wanted to learn website and social media marketing and those related to digital marketing to be able to become the best for my job in GK and to share my knowledge and experiences along the way. I am grateful for all the opportunities of growing in that aspect that God has blessed me with. Hopefully more learning and sharing opportunities will come my way this 2012.

JULY

• Our fellow GK workers decided to take us around old Manila: Binondo-Quiapo-Intramuros. I enjoyed every moment of it. I don't mind the walking at all. I would've wanted to visit that place again so I can elaborate my experience. History never fails to interest me!

What we saw when we went around Binondo and Quiapo. I want another tour because I can't remember even one place that we've dropped stopped by because I didn't take down any notes and blogged about it right away. Or maybe because they're in Chinese names. Hihi

Intramuros. Been here twice. I love its old, Spanish feel with the preserved, cobbled streets. But I still want to take the Intramuros tour with Carlos Celdran.

• Andrew Lloyd Webber Concert. Thanks to the cast who got in touch with us for a GK Tour, we got free tickets! Woot!
• GK mission trip in Mindoro with Ate Bai's ACT.
• GK Dupax mission trip for the SIGA Barkadahan Camp. I miss youth camps! I miss serving the young! What makes this trip more inspiring is we were with the SIGA coordinators from Las Pinas who were once SIGAs in their respective GK communities. It's inspiring to see them all empowered and sharing their stories and having fun with the youth in our GK communities in Dupax del Norte. 

Fun SIGA Barkadahan Camp. I want to serve more camps with these young(er-than-me) people! 

AUGUST

• Princess Diaries with SFC CC1B chaptermates. :)
• I love the talks, sharings and the revelations. :) I love the cooking session and the yoga-like exercise. Thanks Ate @teacher_tintin ! :) 
• Had an inspiring weekend. We are daughters of a great King. We are captivating. We are princesses. We are His beloved. 
• Tagaytay with the roommates for the long weekend. 
• Tagaytay. Highlights: short trekking in Picnic Grove, waking up to a breathtaking view, ukay-ukay. 

Tagaytay for the long weekend and looks like someone's got the rock and roll sign...rock and rollin'. Cutie RB! 

SEPTEMBER

• The Igsuons decided to splurge on a budget trip to Puerto Princesa, Palawan that most definitely deserve a separate post. Two thumbs up!
• We'll go firefly and dolphin watching, cave spelunking, wildlife trekking, diving, swimming and see the Underground River when I bring my family the next time around. 
• I was in awe the whole time. God's majesty and magnificence and awesomeness truly reflects His creations. Breathtaking as always.

• GK Headquarters moved to a new location. Thank you Tito Gerry Choa of Profriends.
• Showtime experience with Joyce and Kervin! They are as fun live as they are fun on TV. Total riot!
• Our last SFC household fellowship. Both of my household heads are moving to another chapter in their lives, one for marriage, the other for career. Sigh. I hate goodbyes. But that was definitely one awesome night.

OCTOBER

• GK Expo
• GK Hope Ball
• Isabela bound with Tito Bien to check the GK villages in Kuya Dan's area and bring relief goods to our GK families affected by Typhoon Pedring.
• GK Global Summit in Sydney, Australia. Wasn't able to actually attend the event but I feel like it. Been following updates all weekend through.
• Taboo visited a GK village in Taguig after their BEP concert and he's coming back!
• GK TGIF

NOVEMBER

• HOME for All Soul's Day and All Saint's Day and to spend family time.
• Explored Lilim with the Igsuons, the del Rosarios and new found friends. Thanks Ate Cha and Tito Oscar for sharing your paradise with us!

Can't wait for the Part 2 of this Lilim Adventure. I wanna take photos!!!

• My first Human Heart Nature Summit held in GK Enchanted Farm.

DECEMBER

• GK Planner 2012 is here! You want one? We still have them! :)
• Dinner with Saihai MMV. Three consecutive days with them drove me nuts. Aaaarrrgghhhh. Hahaha
• Social Media Conference with a social media nonprofit blogger that I really look up to, Heather Mansfield. 
• GK Operation Walang Iwanan in Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete and Iligan. It was a devastating tragedy that cost the lives of hundreds of Filipinos but it again brought us together as one nation. And Team GK was there as always, on call. Everyone was busy in the relief centers, in ground zero despite the holidays. They all made me proud to be part of Team GK! A thought: I should learn and discipline to write my GK stories right there and then as to not let the inspiration "escape" me. I can do better than this.
• And...Cebu and Bohol for the holidays with the family. :)

There you have it, my EPIC 2011. It was a year of more self-discovery, more travel, more mission, more quality time with the family and friends, of goodbyes, of learning more, particularly for my work as GK's online marketing person, of meeting new people, of more inspiration and growing in faith, hope and love.

I would want to blog more this 2012 so I can give justice to the inspirations that I get to encounter in every mission, every adventure, every story of hope, faith and love that inspires me in one way or another. All I know is I continue to pray that God will use me powerfully and send me the right people and inspiration to bring me to a place where I am able to fully utilize my potential for His greater glory, to reflect His glory. Because that's the very reason of why I decided to tread this path in the first place. :)

Blast from the Past: CamSur Adventures

CamSur. Camarines Sur. Home to bicol express, laing, pili nuts, the famous adventure water park, CamSur Watersports Complex, and home to majestic and old churches that will definitely bring history alive. I am always excited when I am off to travel to a familiar place which holds a lot of happy memories. CamSur reminds me very much of Bohol. I've been there thrice already. First was during the Lakas ng Rebolusyon YFC ILC Conference after our 2-week inspiring stay in Sorsogon for the GK Bayani Challenge 2007. Second was last Sept 2010, during the 1st CamSur Marathon, where GK was a beneficiary. Third was last February 2011 for this year's I Stand SFC ICON. Photo dump of my CamSur Adventures below:

CamSur last April 2007 for the YFC ILC Lakas ng Rebolusyon. Yes, we have been over burnt because of our 2 week inspiring adventure in Sorsogon for the GK Bayani Challenge 2007. But it surely fired up the passion of service and loving in us!

CamSur last Sept 2010 for the First CamSur Marathon. 'Twas a fun-filled 4 days with GK Marketing. We went all the way to CamSur, an 8-hr bus ride from Manila, to sell shirts...and to represent and cheer for those running for Team GK! Woot! And yes, we ended up joining the 3-km marathon...but not officially. Just because all the roads back to the finish line were blocked and we have to be there to take photos so we didn't really have much choice but to join the crowd. Haha

Celebrity spotting during the CamSur marathon. Yes, I am an ultimate fanatic...and stalker, at times. When I see one, the "probinsiyana" in me never fails to surface. Haha. Ms. Iza Calzado was so nice during the press conference. She readily posed for the camera with a giddy smile raising her GK running jersey...and posed with the rest of Team GK before the run. Aga Muhlach was really "gwapo"! And so is Marc Nelson...and little Matthew Castillejo. Side story: I was too excited to take a photo of me with Matthew and Marc when there was no one interested (yet) to have their photos taken with them and so I was approaching them. But suddenly, a group of more "fanatic" girls started to surround the 2 guys so I suddenly became hesitant, but my ever-supportive photographer, Ate My, was insistent. I was starting to step back and turn away but Marc Nelson already saw me (and I think he saw me already and sensed that I was lining up for a photo when Ate My was almost shoving me near them before the swarm of girls arrived. Feeler! Haha) so he called me up and told the girls that I came first. I was so "kiliiiig"! And with Matthew pa. Sigh. Haha. And that photo appeared in the official CamSur marathon website which kinda embarassed me...just because. Kunwari pa. Haha Donita Rose, Diane Castillejo, Tessa Prieto-Valdez, and Studio 23's Bettina (which our GK boys totally adore!) were also there.

And what is CamSur without its super spicy and tasty laing and bicol express, a favorite! We were in the lookout (for more than a day) for laing and bicol express served in large portions. We ordered in restos and they serve them as side dishes...only as side dishes...in small portions. Imagine our dismay?! Our disappointment! But the GK Bicol boys, particularly our magiting na GK Area Coordinator, is always in the rescue. He bought laing and bicol express (in large portions! Imagine our happiness!), but I forgot where he bought those from, and cooked bicol express for us to bring back to Manila to share to the rest of our GK family. Thank you Kuya Eric! We too are grateful to Tita Brenda, who included CamSur in her list of towns to visit during her Luzon trip, for treating us to a sumptuous and delicious dinner in Red Platter, Naga City. And yes, we love all that was served before us and their chocolate cookies are to die for. She also treated us the night after to a resto that serves great pasta (I totally forgot what its name was...I just remembered that they allowed their guests to write on their walls and I spotted Donna Cruz-Larrazabal and his hubby's signature and short message there.) We were also treated to a Filipino resto on our last night in Bicol by Tito Jonny and the rest of Team GK CamSur were there too to send us off. We have Tito Hayee and Tita Weeny Azana to thank for for providing a home for us, in their huuuge place, for the whole duration of our stay there, and yes, they absolutely filled our tummy to our heart's content every morning for breakfast. I especially love Tita Weeny's Brazo de Mercedes!

My recent CamSur adventure was, last Ferbruary 2011, for this year's SFC International Conference I Stand in CamSur Watersports Complex. I had fun, fun, fun! Starting from the road trip with my YFC Kuyas and Ate from Cebu to CamSur, worships and praisefests, inspiring talks, seeing my YFC mentors and friends from Cebu, seeing GK friends, being with my SFC household and SFC chapter, touring around Naga City, church hopping, and food tripping! No wonder I've gained so much weight ever since my stay here in Luzon.

Sunset in CamSur. Sunsets never fail to capture me and remind me of God's majesty and glory! And yes, I am definitely coming back to CamSur! I have yet to try CWC's water boarding and aqua obstacle. I can't believe that I allowed my fear (of falling in the water in front of so many people that I don't even know or haven't even met) to overpower me and stopped me from trying out water boarding. I let my laziness of changing from wet clothes even stopped me from jumping to the water (and to think I love everything that is blue and water! Psh) and just allow the child in me to enjoy the slides and trampoline and canoe-ing. And it was all for free! Yes, for free! Thanks to Governor Lray Villafuere. Lesson learned, I have to push myself at times or maybe even all the time, just so I would be able to try anything and everything that I know later on that I will forever cherish. 

Yes, I am coming back for many reasons. First, I wanted so much to visit GK Libmanan and GK Iriga ,which are our bed-and-breakfast model GK communities. Second, I just have to try the water boarding, even just once, and the aqua obstacle course, a hundred times. Haha. Third, I have to pass through CamSur to get to Albay since I also want to see the Mayon Volcano, Cagsawa ruins and try out pottery. So many things to do and I definitely am listing them down. Time to save, save, save so I can travel, travel, travel, and serve, serve, serve. Exciting days ahead! Woot!

LIFE OF A NATION-BUILDER: Adventures and Misadventures

Published last September 2010.

It's been 5 months and 3 days now that I left the comforts of home, of family and friends, of Cebu!!  These past 5 months have been filled with daily doses of new learnings, new sense of freedom, new inspirations, new friends, new adventures, so many "firsts", self- discovery, and small to big time surprises. God can never be outdone. And it was just yesterday that I again decided to push myself and try to set aside the laziness so I am able to write about my new GK adventures and finding a family and a home away from home. Woot! So this blog's gonna be numbered for now because I am going to compress the 5 months in one looooooong post.

1. First LRT ride. Memorable!!! On our way to Irwin Theater, Ateneo for the 2nd GK Ateneo Heroes  Academy (AHA). Commuting from one place to another is an adventure especially when it's your first time taking that route but I always make sure that I can call or text someone anytime and have enough money to take a detour, well, if ever I get lost for maybe more than an hour, then ride a cab! But so far, haven't taken a detour yet.

Speedy LRT.

2. GK Ateneo Heroes Academy. Inspiring to see the young especially those in our GK communities to be part of that musicale after a week of creative training with the best from Ateneo. Kudos to the Ateneo community who has been supportive and working with GK, all the way.

The talented SIGAs do what they do best: sing, dance, act and inspire which almost brought me to tears. Trying my best to control it though. :)

3. GK CYD Olympics. It was a rainy Saturday morning but the rain didn't stop the kids from getting all excited and ready for the day's event filled with lots of sports, games, prizes and lots of cheering. Woohoo! And there's free Chuckie and Selecta ice cream too!

These kids are just talented and amazing. The audience were just holding their breathe and watching their every stunt and praying that no one would get hurt with all the liftings that they're doing. Good job, kids!

4. GK Builder's Night. 5 Builder's Night in all. And it gets better everytime. Inspiring and mind-blowing. Hearing the respective stories of every GK champion, volunteer and resident never fails to to make me excited over and over again of what God has planned for GK and the many lives that it has touched and will continue to touch. 

5. I turned 22. Yay! Celebrate, celebrate! Special thanks to the Llabans. They wouldn't allow us to go home after the Builder's Night because it was my special day and a special day has to be celebrated. And so this wonderful couple treated us to a late night dinner at UCC Cafe. Then, honoring came after.

With the most gwapo Llaban in the world, SEV! Thanks for sharing the cake with me Sevy!

6. Spending time with my relatives in Laguna on free weekends. I love it there! I can take whatever I want from their fridge and I get to practice my Ilonggo. And spending time with them means reconnecting with my mama's Ilonggo roots which I know will mean a lot to her since we haven't been going home to Iloilo as a family for a long time now.

With my two pretty and "kulit" cousins. Their laughter and stories never fail to cheer me up!

7. Visiting GK villages, which I would like to do more often. The transformation is just captivating and truly is a work of God.

with GK volunteers from France. Even if they aren't really that fluent in English, we had fun talking and exchanging stories with them. (I was the photographer, in case you were looking for me. :)

Ate May's first turn-over ceremony here in Luzon. and we decided to join her for moral support! all the way to Pangil, Laguna. yey!

8. Trekking after the turn-over ceremony and the sumptuous lunch! Yay!

So we were trekking on water...huh? haha. Btaw, it was more of like a 600 metres trek then ride a raft then trek again, then  ride a raft, we repeated that exercise around 3 or 4 times and the end of it was the pot of gold! The short but powerful waterfalls.

9. Nonoy's Inauguration. But we weren't there. We spent that holiday in the office to keep Ate Melai company since she had office stuff to finish.

with the Green Kalusugan team since they had a meeting that day too. watching Noynoy speak, livestreaming, and everyone listening intently and clapping and cheering at the right moment.

10. Decided to tag along with the CYD team for the whole day, shooting at Bulacan then in Bagong Silang for a GK video featuring the CYD program. Inspiring stories of letting go of old ways and living a new life because of Gawad Kalinga. And the fruit that GK has bore especially hearing the stories of the kids who were in Sibol or in Sagip when GK started and are now actively part of the SIGA program at present is just moving.

Tita Tess and Tito Dale Lugue. One of the teams who started GK in Bagong SIlang with Tito Tony Meloto. I have goosebumps whenever I hear how GK started years ago. Thank you CYD team and ate Jill for allowing me to tag along that day.

talented SAGIPs who came from SIBOL.

11. PBA Live. My first. It was my first time in Araneta too. Soooo excited! Thank you GK PMG for adopting us and for the free tickets.

watching PBA live at Araneta Coliseum with the GK PG people. Thank you Rain or Shine for the free tickets! and to ate Pinky too. :)

12. Divisoria is love and the place to be for people who enjoy buying cheap stuff like me and my roommates!!

13. Paraisong Pambata. Ascott sponsored and will be sponsoring Paraisong Pambatas in around 10 GK sites. So we came to help out in the second one. Fun, fun, fun! I miss serving and spending time in a jungle of kids, their smiles, their laughters, never fails to remind me that this is one of the reasons why I will never stop working and praying for GK's grand vision of GK2024.

JOLLIBEE!!! The smiles and the excitement on their faces are priceless! Way to go, Ascott!

 14. Goodbye Gutom Day. This event was held in 4 different places simultaneous and me and my roommates went to GK Amalia Village Tarlac. A first for me to visit a GK Bayan-Anihan Farm. Another item crushed out from my GK Bucket List. Wootwoot!

GK Globe Farm.

15. SBMA training at Subic. We all got body pains after the two day training but it was really inspiring to meet another breed of heroes who dedicate their life to save other people's lives.

Proud to be able to meet another breed of heroes and proud to be part of the GK Team! Whoah! (correct spelling of the chant, according to Kuya Dan)

That's it for now. Just want to document everything I've been up to while away from the family cause I promised my younger siblings that I'll update them from time to time. And I wanted to finish this so I can start really writing about my GK adventures without compressing them this time. I'm going to CamSur tomorrow with four other GK co-workers to help prepare for the CamSur marathon. Yay! Excited!

GK EXPO 2010 is fast approaching too! Exciting days coming up!

Praise God for GK.

2011 Resolutions

I decided to come up with one and will try my very best to accomplish it. Reading this blog inspired me to have a one-year goal and planning out what I have to do to achieve such goals. For 2 consecutive years, I've been making "100 things to do for 200_". And for last year, I was able to accomplish 50% of it which is not bad at all. But still, it'll make you ask, how come I wasn't able to accomplish the other 50? Well, for some reasons, it is because I tend to NOT push myself when needed and I have this crazy attitude of sleeping things off. Literally, at times. I am aware that I have become so lazy that I tend to set aside a lot of things needed in my work, doing errands and achieving goals I've long set for myself. Yes, I believe being a sloth can cause such big personal rift and it affects your personal growth, gets in your way of wanting to be excellent in the work that you love and slows you down in achieving your dreams for yourself, your family and the people who needs you the most. It's getting way out of control so I am doing this 30 day thing. I just stumbled upon this blog and it actually contains a lot of good stuff. I am hoping to be able to follow some of those in the list (which requires me to do it daily) in the next 21 days, which they say creates a habit.

So I listed down goals/things to work on/things to do for 2011 below:

• Be on time.
• Wake up early everyday.
• Stop procrastinating in everything.
• Lose weight. I weighed myself yesterday and I currently weigh 56 kg/120 lb.Have a regular form of exercise.
• Track down all my expenses.
• Spend time with family when in Cebu.
• Go on mission trip with the family.
• Keep in touch with old friends. Greet them in their birthdays (which I suddenly stopped doing even if you see it in Facebook. Dunno why. I'm weird like that.)
• Meet new people.
• Write more often.
• Read a lot of books.
• Travel more. (CamSur, Bantayan Is, Cebu, Bohol, Puerto Galera, Iloilo, Boracay, Australia)
• Increase traffic of GK1world. Hits will be 250,000 at the end of the year. Registrants will increase.
• Have a regular prayer time.
• Learn a lot about online marketing.
• Find other source of income online.
• Laugh, hug, smile more often.
• Be more grateful.
• Take lots of photos.
• Pay all debts.
• Increase sales of human heart nature.
• Crush out 10 things-to-do in my bucket list.
• Minimize drinking sodas.
• Be a more positive person.
• Be organized.
• Stop complaining.
• Deliver best performance at work ever.  I want to be excellent, for God and country, for our GK communities.
• Take up a class in dancing. I miss!
• Drink more water.
• Stay away from junk foods.
• Learn from every struggle and trial.
• Take time out to rest.
• Be open to surprises.
• Adjust to changes.
• Live and enjoy life to fullest! And love in wild abandon! :)

Major, Major 2010

2010 is the best year of my life. I wanted THAT to be the title of my first post for my year end review. But a very inspiring man thought and wrote about it earlier than I did so I make do with a lame one. See his exceptionally inspiring write-up here. But I promise you, THIS, will be a great post! Well, I'll try. So here it goes...

What makes YEAR 2010 the best one I've ever had in my 22 years of existence? What sets it apart? Well it had some highlights that beat the highlights of the rest of the 21. Know what I'm saying? Read on...(not in any particular order)

1. Turning 18. My sister turned 18 last year and so did the rest of her barkadas. Her highschool barkada had become one of mine since I've spent almost every other weekend with them since they all got involved in GK and YFC. I've seen them grow and bloom for more than 3 years now and I can't imagine my sister's life, and my family's too, without them. So I was present in every one of them, well except when I moved here in Manila for work last April. 

Lynlyn's bestfriend, Totot, turned 18 last January at Crown Regency.

My sister, Princess Lynlyn (in pink), turned 18 last February in VDR's Multipurpose Hall.

My sister's barkada in Deedee's 18th soiree in Waterfront, Lahug.

2. Finished college. And I finally did! Nightmares totally over! Woohoo! I hated that I have to wake up feeling uninspired and uneasy just because school days meant facing scary professors and difficult course subjects. But knowing that I need a diploma to pursue the path I want to take, I don't really have much choice but to keep on going. And having smart and witty thesis mates and batch mates makes school more bearable. It pushed me to fight the urge to just give up and skip classes more often. Teehee. I will never forget the feeling of hearing that I passed all my subjects and finished our incredibly cool thesis which is one of the major, major requirements to walk through that long aisle of our school gym for graduation. See our thesis story here.

With my thesis mates Mayang, Knyl, Me, Twinkle and Jorge  in our thesis defense get-up.

With my supportive parents during my graduation day.

 3. Working full time for GK. My life long dream. True story. When others dream of becoming an engineer, or a doctor or a celebrity, I dreamed of being able to touch and inspire people in a massive way, thus my choice and life long commitment. It was not really difficult for me and I thank God for supportive parents who never asked me for anything in exchange of the years that they took care of me, showered me with love and provided me with good education. I was blessed that I was given the free will to choose the path that I want to take. A path less traveled but I truly love and I know I would be able to give my best. Read about my adventures in the first few months of working for GK which brought me to Subic, Camarines Sur, Tarlac and Laguna.

Our Subic Adventure. Water and Rescue Training.

Our Laguna Adventure. Turning over of new GK homes and ended up that day trekking and riding rafts alternately.

Our CamSur Adventure. We ended up walking the 3 km run. Haha Long story.

 4. The Moving Out. This I have to do after I chose my GK path because I'll be assigned in the main office which is in Mandaluyong. It wasn't difficult than I thought it should be. I just have to keep reminding myself that I'll have long Christmas vacations to be reunited with the family again. The urgency of the work and the "biglaang" decision pulled me out from the comforts of family, friends and the familiar environment of Cebu which allowed me to grow as a person and as a Christian. I am grateful to my GK family for being always there to guide and watch over me as I dock on a new chapter of my life. And not to mention my roommates and my teammates/office mates. Thank you y'all!

My roomies, ate Melai, Joyce and Ate May.

Team GK Marketing (where I belong) and GK Partnerships Group.

5. Ultimate Family Time. I am super happy that in a span of one year, I was able to visit my Mama's hometown, which is in Iloilo, and Papa's, in Bohol, again. Haven't been able to visit Iloilo that much since we moved in Cebu 9 years ago. Our cancelled Palawan trip turned out to be a blessing in disguise (but at that time, I wanted to swim all the way to Puerto Princesa just to attend the Bayani Challenge). I miss living in my grandparents' farm and doing farm chores like feeding the chickens and ducks, sending the carabao and goats to their grazing area, climbing on our siniguelas, mango and santol trees to name a few. So ecstatic to see my Nanay Estelita in Iloilo after almost two years! We also just recently spent our Holidays in Bohol which made us spend time with the Balatayos, see my Nanay Odag whom I miss the most and reconnect with nature.

With Nanay Estelita, my mother's mom, who I haven't seen for 2 years already. It's great to be reunited with the rest of the Laridas.

With Nanay Odag, my father's mom, which we never fail to visit every year since Bohol is a P150.00 boat ride away from Cebu.

6. GK's 7th Anniversary! The culmination of the GK777 campaign last 10/10/10 which gathered about 60,000 people from across the globe. Happy 7th GK! I am very proud to be part of such inspiring movement!

7. Faith Journey. I am officially a member of SFC. Yes, I finally am. Thank you Kuya Fredney for the invitation and for SFC Makati for taking me in and allowing me to grow and deepen my faith slowly, but surely.

...those are the major, major reasons why 2010 will be majorly special and the best. But I wouldn't mind if 2011 could beat that! 2010 has allowed me to grow as I adapt and adjust in the many changes that happened and that will continue to happen. But I am grateful for everyday that I am able to say "thank you" to our Maker for sharing every waking and sleeping moment with me, for just abundantly blessing me. 2010 held lots of surprises, new learnings, many firsts, and a dozen adventures. A year of forgiveness and moving on. A year of taking a leap of faith, making sacrifices and making bold decisions. A year of conquering my fears and pursuing after a dream. A year of creating new and keeping the old relationships beating: meeting new people, having a new family away from home, being in touch with those who drifted apart, and keeping in touch with those who are miles away. Indeed, it was a year full of love, inspiration, hope and faith. And the greatest of all of these is...LOVE.

Filipino Bucket List

I was just finishing my bucket list (I edited the bucket list I've written years ago...) when I came across this Filipino Bucket List. I was doing some "bucket list hunting" online while doing the editing. I decided to google "Bucket List of a Filipino" and tadaaaa, I came across a blog that wrote more of a checklist for us Filipinos. And I wanted to do it too!! Thus, this blog. Haha.


Just place an X by all the things you’ve done and remove the X from the ones you have not.

(x) Walked in the flood --- I also did try swimming. No kidding. Back then, when I was a kid and germs and dirt are my friends.
(x) Ate balot (and penoy) --- This I totally looooove!
(x) Ate kambing (goat), ( ) aso (dog) or ( ) bayawak (giant lizard) – I would like to try dog and the bayawak. But just once please.
(x) Ate adidas (chicken feet), helmet (chicken head) or isaw (chicken intestine) --- This I totally loooove too and crave for!
(x) Rode a tricycle
(x) Rode a karitela
( ) Rode a trolley by the houses along the riles (railroad)
( ) Been to the Rice Terraces --- Excited to do this. Sagada!!
( ) Shot the Rapids at Pagsanjan
( ) Gone to the Lanzones Festival
(x) Ate with your fingers on banana leaves --- Boodle fight! A staple GK activity during GK builds.
(x) Ate Taho
( ) Ate aratiles --- What's aratiles again?
(x) Attended Simbang Gabi ( Midnight Mass ) – But never finished the whole set. Must include this in my bucket list.
(x) Played Patintero --- All these street games, I miss!!
(x) Played Tumbang Preso
(x) Played Piko
(x) Played Sungka --- I want to have my own sungka set!
(x) Played with Spiders (Gagamba derby)
( ) Climbed a coconut tree
(x) Danced the Tinikling
(x) Got on a jeepney where you had to stand
(x) Got on a jeepney
() Caught fish in the canal during a rainy day
( ) Participated in Ati-Atihan
(x) Eaten fish head
( ) Got drunk from lambanog (coconut wine)
(x) Attended a Prosesyon (Procession of the Stations of the Cross) during Holy Week
(x) visited an inmate at Bilibid prison
(x) Gone to Baguio – once
( ) Gone to the Sagada
( ) Gone to Palawan.
(x) Gone to the the Visayas --- Bisaya RULES!!!
(x ) Gone to Mindanao --- hoping to travel all throughout Mindanao!
(x) Lived in any other part of the Philippines – Luzon now
(x) Cut class – Guilty. If this means the same as going home just because you don't want to attend that certain class.
(x) Told manananggal, aswang stories during a brownout or rainy night
(x) Slept under a mosquito net
(x) Slept on a banig (mat)
(x) Polished the floor with coco husk (bunot)
(x) Tasted durian --- Tasted and that would be my first and late. Just can't stand the smell.
(x) Ate pandesal filled with condensed milk
(x) Dunked pandesal into hot coffee
(x) Rode a kalabaw --- our "sundo" in Iloilo. I miss my Tatay Diko. :(
(x) Took a bath under a “poso” or by the “ilog” --- BOTH!
(x) Used a pumice stone when taking a bath
(x) Tumulay sa kawayan
(x) Kept vigil at the Cemetery for Nov. 1st
( ) Had their first date in Luneta --- I am doing this!! haha
( ) Have gone inside Malacanang
(x) Gone shopping at Divisoria --- I love the energy of the place!
(x) Has serenaded or has been serenaded (harana) --- We do this in Bohol every time a neighbor celebrates his birthday. Fun!
( ) Gone to Camiguin Islands
( ) Gone shopping in Quiapo
(x) Eaten champorado with chokolate and tuyo
(x) Eaten dirty ice cream – sorbetero ice cream is LOVE!
(x) Greeted your grandparents or elders by kissing their hand or having them touch your forehead
(x) Seen Taal Volcano
( ) Watched the sunset by Manila Bay --- before the Luneta date, we must stopped by here first. Haha.

There you go. That was fun! I need to do all of these! Hope to be able to share my (edited) bucket list here soon too. Paalam!

DAY 4: Journey

It's 10 PM and we're on our way to CamSur to prepare for the International Marathon. Just finished watching SALT. Makes me miss watching Jackie Chan movies with all the kicks, punches, and rollings and the fact that he does all the stunts excites me. Good thing the bus is "sosyal" so I don't have to bear watching those Japanese movies with morbid scenes that buses usually play on their TV. Rejoice! It's gonna be an 8-10 hour travel so that means I have time to blog and to pray and well, time to sleep. Woot!

I loooove and miss travelling and that's what makes me excited for this trip too! I think the love for travelling began way back then. Road trips, boat rides, those were my first forms of travel. Riding a plane cost a fortune back then. But we were so lucky that we have a number of relatives in the Air Force so we get to ride a couple of military planes more than I've ever ridden commercial planes as of the moment. But airports truly fascinates me and I can stay in one for long hours. I think. Haven't tried it though. I just love how airports are able to bring out different emotions in people. The heaviness in one's heart when a loved one has to depart and the anticipation and rejoicing that awaits the arrival of a loved one.

We were lucky to have an Ilonggo and Boholano descent so we get to travel a lot since we were young.My family just loooooove road trips, may it be just short or long hours spent on the road. We would tag along with Papa in his mission trips as this is his way of introducing us what he really is passionate about: God, country, family.

Travelling opened my mind and helped me learn a lot of new things and that's why I want to travel more. It has opened my heart to endless possibilities of being able to reach out and serve others. Travelling in groups gets me all giddy and I cherish those times that I get to travel alone. And I dream of travelling the world! Who doesn't? But I would very much like to be able to see and explore every island here in the Philippines too!

And as they always say, life is a journey. I too believe it is. To reach the final destination is the goal but it is important that we'd allow ourselves to enjoy the sights and scenes as we go through life. To overcome the bumpy and muddy rides, the traffic jam, the pitfalls, the scary waves, the raging wind and the storms. Make time for those that matters most which for me is my God, my family, my friends, the people who have been there for me, and those that need my love the most, the least. I am but a storyteller of these wonderful lives that I get to encounter from day to day. 

Take time to read a book, say a prayer, thank a stranger, thank a loved one, say sorry, write a letter, draw, dance, bathe in the rain, sing, walk, run, jump, stargaze, start a conversation, laugh, cry, breathe, and love. For when God welcomes you in your final destination, He will surely ask you if you were able to open your heart, if were you able to love. So as we continue to search and take our own journey, may we always be grateful and be reminded to love with all that we are, not counting the cost. For He first loved us.

Another Journey Begins.

our team with the rest of the teams from Visayas wasn't able to join the bayani challenge in Palawan. frustrated for a while but all along, that was a blessing in disguise.

why a blessing? first, been praying that i'll get to visit my mama's hometown in iloilo this year, right after i finish school, and tada, i did. spent a day and a half in iloilo with our team for the bayani challenge (supposedly). i realized i just miss the farm, and the carabaos, and the ducks and chickens and the "buhay- probinsiya" in a farm, but most especially my lola and my titos and their families. second, i get to spend the holy week with my family, especially with papa who travels a lot, going to church together, going easter egg- hunting and roadtrips. we just loooove roadtrips!. a blessing in disguise because a week after that i have to decide to pursue a dream that i've been praying and hoping for so long, work fulltime for GK. yey! supposedly, i have to leave on May pa. but then, calling calls! :) third, the funds my brother raised for me(aaaaawwwww) for Palawan was immediately transferred to my funds and allowance for the first few months of my fulltime work, of course with the permission of my sponsors. 

Embarking on another journey of my life, a new chapter in the story of my life which is actually not about me at all. Manila. New people. Old friends. MRT. LRT. Commuting on my own. Big and modern buildings. Colorful GK Houses. Campaign posters everywhere. Making a choice. Boarding house. Away from family. A family away from home. But  amidst all that is new and what is to come, I thank God for bringing me here and for sending the right people and the resources needed for this journey. As the light comes streaming in our room each morning, I constantly pray for strength, courage and inspiration necessitated for every challenge that comes my way. Excited to be working with inspiring people who are passionate on uplifting the lives of the poor and grounded in God's love. Allowing God to lead and drive me through the voyage that He has called me to travel. Blessed to be part of His army fighting this seemingly impossible battle against poverty. Yet, impossible is nothing when God is at work. Completely putting my trust in God' s promise that when you decide to live your life for Him, everything will fall into place.

...and i get to crush out two things from my bucket list: getting a degree and working in GK. yaaaay!

.

ways to go GREEN.

not a campaign blog. cause im not even green. :)

would like to believe that someone out there is actually reading my blog. haha. so that's why im kinda y know. basta, haha.

"i think that i shall never see, a poem as lovely as a tree." and that's the only line that i can recall from that poem.:)

a few months ago, together with my family, we decided to go and follow the green lifestyle. my papa, a fulltime worker for Gawad Kalinga, was then newly assigned to become a coordinator for Green Kalinga, the environment program of GK. so that was the start of our GREEN story. papa never fails to share and impart with us the importance of doing our part in saving mother earth. i remember the last time we had our christmas vacation in Bohol, he gathered us, me and siblings, and we had this short adventure to the forest parts of our place with short talks about the environment. our place in Bohol is really cool and nature-y. we have the beach and a rocky seaside a few meters in front of our white house and the mountains at the back. so that's where my love for everything green, the trees, mountains, and blue, the sky, the beach, around me started. 

the beach few meters away from our house.

some visitors having fun on the mini-pier located on the beach.

so would like to share with you some simple and do-able ways that my family are doing to go green. some may be on your list already.

• Turning and switching off unused lights and appliances. Best to unplug appliances when not in use. cause even if you turn them off and still NOT unplug them such as unused cellular phone chargers, TVs, radios, etc.,  you'll still be using a little of those energy. 
• Change your fluorescent lightbulbs to CFLs. converting your lights to these environment- friendly, twirling bulbs will not only conserve energy but lessen your electricity bill as well. trust me. these CFLs eats up waaaaay low power than those power- hungry fluorescents and they emit lesser heat too.
• Use glass in brushing water and minimize the use of shower in baths. self-explanatory.:)
• Minimize the use or disposing of plastics. if possible, bring your own plastic bags when purchasing in markets but haven't tried using those environment bags in purchasing from grocery stores. when eating in restaurants and using glass for drinking, plastic or not, is available, don't use straws anymore. small thing, but will surely have a big impact.
• Using second-hand stuffs. clothes, school supplies, household stuffs, and many others. don't buy things that you don't really need. we follow this strictly and mostly because we also don't have the luxury to buy a lot of stuffs. haha. we will only add to the trash that will be dumped if we keep buying, then use them, then throw after we don't need or want stuffs anymore. not only that, more buying means more production, more acquiring of raw materials from nature and the use of energy of producing these stuffs. get the bigger picture? learned this just a few weeks ago when papa showed us a video about the simple how-to's on conserving energy and power.
• Waste Segregation. some thinks it is a hassle to do this, but it's really simple. and you'll earn from your basura. we had this waste segregation inspiration 3 years ago. we have this yearly christmas party with the kids in our street in our subdivision. to pay for our prizes and goodies to be given away, the kids must do caroling days before the party, then we thought why not segregate our trash too and sell the cans, plastic bottles, metals/ steels and newspapers and earn money and add it to our christmas party's cash. and we added a culmination activity for our rosary month too so we have to earn and gather more. the kids are starting to be consciously aware of the need to preserve and save what is left of our mother earth and that no matter how young they are, they already are part of the solution of our environmental crisis. 

the signage.

the kids doing their part. segregating.

• Vermicomposting. if you are into gardening or planting, you may have heard of this. it's a process where you have these vermi worms eat up your biodegradable trash, banana peelings, paper, kitchen trash, etc., and their poop becomes the organic fertilizer that we put into our plants. really cool. too bad i don't have photos to show you. our plants are very, very healthy. it is a must for every household member of our house to know this as not to throw any necessary vermi food. and it's a challenge to find a way to lessen your trash that you need to dispose to the garbage truck. you have to see to it that they are not wet and if they are, sawdust and piles of paper are to be layered. the vermi worms die if there's too much moisture if it's too dry. we have a small space at home so my resourceful papa had this blue containers for this stuff. they smell cause it's garbage but we had this solvent from banana by PLANTEX that eliminates the bad odor instantly. to know and learn more, feel free to contact me. your dad, lolo or uncle might be interested and we are giving out free worms for now with free training. so avail while this service lasts.

the blue containers. inside those are hundreds of worms and their poop.

our healthy plants. that huge plant is an aloe vera. we have aloe vera juice for our daily supplements, aloe vera gel shaked and mixed with honey. the wonders of aloe vera are all over the net. very healthy.

• Go organic. we have switched to organic and it was not a difficult decision for us especially when we have found affordable and world-class organic products in the market and you get to help the poor communities that they are helping. Human Heart Nature and Plantex. totally addicting! two thumbs up. from our shampoos to hair gel, toothpaste to laundry powder, facial wash to lipbalm, all natural and super safe. separate blog for product reviews. bath time is never the same, leaving the bathroom scented with lemongrass and mandarin. can't imagine going back to those commercialized and chemical-full beauty and household products.  

our human heart nature stash. with the old packaging.

the new packaging. love, love it!

plantex stash. love how it easily eliminates bad odors.

• EARTH HOUR 2010: Switch off your lights. Be one with the rest of the world, as we turn off our lights on March 27, 2010, Saturday, 8:30 PM to show support for the movement of saving our environment. spread the word to your friends, families and neighbors. repost on your facebook and twitter.

that's all folks. hope you did get to learn a thing or two. share your green ways too. :)