Davao City Trip 2021

Travel Date: November 24-30, 2021

The best highlight of my year 2021 was that week.

I was able to travel for work. And I'm grateful for that.

 

We're still on the pandemic but the alert level was lowered that time

so we were able to travel on a loosened protocol.

Quarantine and Swab tests were not required. 

 

We roamed around Davao City but unfortunately

some of the tourist spots were still closed.

 

The places we've visited were the following:

Davao Seagull White Beach Resort

Samal Island

Kaputian White Beach

Hagimit Falls

Sabang Cliff

Overlooking milk tea shop

Samal Municipal Building 

Tiny Hauz Beach Resort

Pasalubong buying at Magsaysay 

 

Most of our time, we just stayed in the city because

our work and hotel were there. 

 

And there's this one time that we tried to walk in the streets at 2am

to know if it's truly safe living there.

We looked for a food stall and we ate a midnight snack.

We're safe and we're grateful. It was proven that it's really safe

to walk in the streets of Davao City.

Thank God. :)

All in all, my Davao Trip was a memorable one for me.

This was my first trip to Davao and to any provinces in Mindanao.

And I'm really glad to have visited this very wonderful province

and I will also be glad to go back. 

 

And now, the goal when I go back here is to hike Mount Apo

and stay longer in Samal Island. 

Welcome To My Plantita Life and Journey

 Date Written: July 31, 2021

What do you do during your free time aside from being a couch potato and scrolling on your Social Media feed?

What makes you get up early in the morning?

Let me share with you my away-from-the-Social-Media journey that I have just started in April of this year. 

It all started with 10 pieces of water spinach that we bought in the market. Instead of throwing the lower part  of the stems which we don't  include when we make dishes out of this vegetable, I then decided to just plant it. My husband also picked some cuttings of Kamote Tops near our street.

 

I soaked it in water and let the roots grow from it. One week later, the branches  started to bear another tiny branch with leaves.

Before I planted these stems, I already watched some tutorial videos on YouTube and I learned  how to make self -watering plant containers out of pet bottles. 

I applied what I have learned.

And since we are living in an apartment and we are on the third floor, my greatest challenge was space and soil to use.  Also the plots to use were a problem.

But as they say, if there's a will, there will always be ways; so I asked my neighbors for empty pet bottles and soil.  

And yey! My plantita life finally started. 

I just realized recently what my dreams really are, my retirement plan and one of it is to have my own farmland. I believe that  in farming, we'll have a sustainable life. If everyone knows how to plant, we will never get hungry. 

Also, all the products in the market are getting high due to inflation or different economic situations, and it won't affect us if we have food planted or produced around us.

It was also my dream to harvest my own fruit and vegetables straight from my own farm.

And I strongly believe that this dream has been the trigger for my planting journey.

Currently, the balcony of our apartment already has several plants. I still have my water spinach, then alugbati, bell pepper, tomatoes, rosemary, spring onion, aloe vera, chili,pechay, calamansi, oregano and I also have a pot of snake plant inside our room. It was just so addictive that I kept on adding plants to my collection. 

Planting also keeps me busy during my free time. 

My plants also motivate me to wake up early, get up from my bed and go see them.

Planting time or watering the plants goes first before my cup of freshly brewed coffee. And I'm okay. 

Also, there were times that I was working from home and when I got stressed, I just went to the balcony and looked into my plants. My cloudy mind and emotions became lighter again. 

I also made my own composts as fertilizers for my plants. 

I also bought loam soils and every time I make new plant pots, I mix the soils and compost that I have. Composting also lessens our kitchen wastes. By just properly composting - which I've learned online, there'll be no foul smells of your composts.

By looking at my plants, I felt excited as if I  am one step closer to my dreams. 

I am learning everyday. 

It is also a bonus joy during harvest time!

I don't believe in green thumb. 

I don't even believe that I have that. 

I'm just trying hard every day, I learn from my mistakes, and apply what I have learned.

Experiences will really take us somewhere. 

I was once a starter and I just thought that I'll just give it a try to make something productive out  of boredom. I didn't know that I would enjoy it this much. I have killed plants from the past (until now actually) and then believing that I don't have a green thumb. But because of my future plans that I am strongly pushing to get done, I won't give up planting and never will quit.

For those who want to start planting or just recently into planting, I personally guarantee that you will love the fruits of your labor.

Just don't stop learning, don't give up, and always give time to have peace of mind.

Yes, planting relaxes my mind. 

It's a bit messy but beautiful in the end. 

Even though we have limited space and resources, just start with one and look how far you'll go with your plant life journey.

So there!

This is me and this is my plantita journey. 

I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoy my life now with my plants!

#ThisGirlCan

Date Written: March 20, 2021

In celebration of National Women's Month.

We can do this! 

To tell you honestly,

if you were going to ask me

how I am doing,

I will definitely say

that I am not okay.

I have struggles right now.

I do have problems

that I can't resolve immediately. 

And maybe just like you

who are having a hard time also

because of a broken heart

or being a lost soul,

you are not alone.

There are also other girls out there

who are currently lacking

in self confidence,

being too emotional,

having so many self issues, 

family concerns,

financial difficulties,

career challenges,

lost job,

health problems

and a lot more hard situations

that caused them so much pain right now.

Again, you are not alone.

We are all in this together. 

The number one rule

to overcome whatever hardships

we are facing right now

is to never blame yourself. 

Remember that there is no such thing

as failures but only lessons. 

In times of trouble,

we can also depend on others

and it's never a sign of weakness. 

Turn to your loved ones and friends.

Share your grief with them.

We can also even talk to strangers

to lighten the burden that we have. 

It's okay to ask help from professionals as well. 

I personally write down

all my worries and doubts in my journal.

In this way,

I am replacing all those thoughts

with positive ones.

Affirm positivism. 

Claim that all your problems will pass eventually. 

What we think is what we attract. Remember that. 

It's not easy to clear our thoughts

but consistent practice will make it easier.

Prayers and meditation

can also help us clear our mind.

We can re-focus on our goals.

Let's do something

about that childhood dream.

Take action

on the plans towards our goals. 

As girls, yes we can!

Let's take the challenge of doing something new

or even trying again

after the lessons we have currently learned.

Our plans may change but never the goal.

We can reroute but our destination stays the same.

After all,

it's the journey that really counts.

We can because we can!

Jack Ma

Date Written: February 20, 2021 

By listening and watching to Jack Ma's speeches, I got goosebumps.

His humble beginnings were totally relatable and worth the amazement.

I was also amazed by how he started his business with the goal of helping his poor community. 

Before, most of the people lived in rural areas who had far to no access to the modern world.

He believed from the past that the internet will be accessible for all people including the poor, not just for the big companies.

He believed that everyone can take advantage of modernity. 

He's also proud of his country. They may have experienced poverty before but they know how to save for the future.

Americans used to have loans where they use money's future and Chinese may be poor now but they save money for tomorrow's because they know that they will really use it in times of trouble or during challenging days. 

China was mocked for being poor but as days went by, they even topped the US. 

He also believes in the voices of the youth. 

He's excited what the future will bring.

I'm starting to see the value of how Chinese think of money.

Short and Fast

Realizing that time swiftly passes.

And that life is short.

So make it happen now.

What dreams and goals we want to achieve, let's do something about it because we only have a limited time to make it come true.

When I was a kid, I was scared to get old and die. Especially my loved ones. I even prayed to God before that we should never get old.

I imagined being an immortal with my loved ones because it scares me leaving this world.

Love and feeling alone made me feel this way. 

Also the fear of the unknown. I don't know what would really happen next. 

I dreamt of my father and Tita who already passed away last night. I don't know why. I'm not sure what my sub consciousness is telling me. Maybe life is short so don't waste it?

I'm thankful each day for every morning that I've still got to witness. It's already a big blessing that we usually take for granted.

Gratefulness and Mindfulness. Two things we should always consider doing every day. 

Maximize the short time we have by nourishing our mind, improving ourselves, expressing to our loved ones how much we value them, helping others, being kind and fulfilling our goals.

Easier said than done, right?

But as a human, we have the special power to 

do it. We have this brain on top of our head and we have the heart as the center of our body. 

Let's use them both wisely.  

Hara

 March 7, 2021

 

I have this sweet little god daughter whom I truly cherish and love. Her name is Empress Johara or Hara for short. I usually call her as Ate Hara because she’s now a big and kind sister to her younger sibling, Akira.

Hara is celebrating her 7^th birthday today. I was not able to attend her birthday party but we had a video call with her along with her other ninongs and ninangs.

Hara’s mom is one of my best friends since college. Hara’s mom has been one of my confidant and closest person to run to whenever I have problems and rants about life and love. Sleepovers, out of town trips, coffee shops, resto and bar hopping, her mom is my greatest company. We shared each other’s dreams and heartaches, even passion in writing and books. We had wasted nights, crying nights, and wondering nights together.

And when Hara was brought into this world, I was one of the few people who first knew about it. I’m thankful for the trust and reliance her mom gave to me.

I witnessed her growth and also her mom’s struggles and pains while bringing her up.

I’m happy to be her somehow second mother. From her baptism up to her previous birthdays, I usually make time to be with her and run errands with her mother.

Only this time that I didn’t make it to her birthday due to some personal reasons. Nevertheless, I still had time to have a video call with her and greet her on her special day. Also, I’ve got to see her a week ago when we did her birthday photoshoot.

Also, together with her parents, we always have a reunion at least once or twice a year. And that usually happens every Christmas. I always get to see her grow taller and prettier!

I’m thankful that I’ve got to stay connected with her and with her mom as well because I still get the chance to see her grow into a kinder and more loving girl. Currently, she has a lot of stories to tell and I pray that she will never stop being close with me and to her parents as well. May she never run out of wonderful stories to share with us.

I pray that she will be the best woman she could ever be. I also pray that she will remain kind, God-fearing, family oriented and she’ll be full of dreams that she will do her best to reach all of it. I will always believe in her and guide her with the best that I can. I also love being her personal photographer until she grows up.

I am also looking forward to a strong woman just like her mom that she will become. I do hope that she’ll be a true friend because her mom is just like that to me.

Happy 7^th birthday, Hara! Ninang always loves you!

Knowing your parents very well, you’ll be just fine and for sure, you will grow up being the best that you can be.

Love,

Ninang

A Glimpse of Eastwood

March 7, 2021

A sleepless city with full of bars and restaurants, call office centers or BPOs, high rise buildings, condominiums, malls and parks, coffee shops, churches, murals, and a lot more. I would personally relate these words to Eastwood City. This humble yet classy 18.5 hectares business center is very close to my heart as I’ve lived here since 2012. Located in Quezon City and was established by the Megaworld Corporation last 1997. It’s a literally work-play-dine-shop all in one kind of an urban place.

I’ve got the chance to capture its beauty through my lens one fine Saturday right after we had a church visit. We walked around Eastwood and capture everything that I can. I’ve never been yet to New York but I somehow picture it in my mind that Eastwood is a miniature version of my dream place.

Whenever I have time to roam around, I usually walk along Eastwood, appreciate every restaurant’s beauty, sit in the park and just watch people. It felt peaceful. There were also times before that I’ve spent nights on different coffee shops just to write. I usually get home by 2 a.m. It is safe to walk around here even if it’s already too late like that. Don’t worry guys because it was safe to walk around anytime of the day plus the fact that it was literally a kind of city that never sleeps – pre-pandemic days. 

Speaking of pandemic, when the Enhanced Community Quarantine aka lockdown started last March 16, 2020 – of course we know that the whole world has changed. Everyone was anxious, in doubts and in fear, worried and uncertain of tomorrow. Eastwood City became a quiet one. From a jam-packed party place, Eastwood has turned to an almost ghost town for several months. Many has lost their jobs.

And due to the pandemic, many restaurants and shops close their business. Every time we go to the grocery, we could see closing establishments then be replaced by another one while some remain vacant up to now. 

It’s almost a year since the lockdown and everyone including me hope that the “old normal” will be back. 

And just like every business and establishments now, Eastwood is slowly recovering. And trying its best to bring back its former glory. I just hope that it will be so soon. 

Eastwood is part of Barangay Bagumbayan in Quezon City. This simple and ordinary barangay is where I currently live. This is just adjacent to the kingdom of Eastwood City. It felt like I am living in the woods or in the community of commoners and Eastwood City is the castle that I can go inside just to roam around and appreciate its royal beauty. 

During the ECQ period, this rich community aka Eastwood City and my simple and ordinary community Barangay Bagumbayan has joined force to fight against Covid-19. 

We supported every small business that started to blossom due to the pandemic through the Facebook Community Pages. We also informed everyone about Covid updates and make sure that everyone is following protocols. We didn’t judge nor discriminate those who were infected and just showed empathy as if we are part of a one big family. It still felt safe living here during this challenging time.

Just like the sunrise I always got to witnessed on our balcony, there’s still hope and new beginnings waiting for us. To better days ahead! 

Thank you, Eastwood for giving me a home away from home. The soonest, everything will get back to normal.