10th Day

There is still a reason to smile.

On this tenth day of trouble at home, I can see the hope of the people of my hometown to rebuild and to get past the atrocities that had been committed. Our mayor has pledged that all who were responsible must be made answerable to their crimes and this war will never again happen in our city. We will rebuild, we are stronger.

The last few days has shown the resilience of every Zamboangueno: from the hostages who risked all to escape, who stayed strong to live, and come back to tell their stories, to the evacuees who did not lose hope that there is help coming their way, to the volunteers who stayed awake to serve their fellows, and to the countless people who looked for ways to help even in their small, little ways.

We have shown the world what we can do. We will rebuild and we will be a stronger city.

Arriba, Zamboanga!

brownies

It finally sunk in, what they have been talking about for the longest time -- the secret to good brownies is the best chocolate.

Thank you, Ghirardelli Brownie Mix pack! :D

7th Day

Today is turning out to be a very chaotic day for me.

I woke up early with only one thing on my mind: how is our city? I right away checked on our class' 24-hr chat room vigil for news, only to find out that nothing has changed. Everything is still going crazy. I felt helpless so I decided to go to Church earlier than my usual time. I just hope that God would forgive me because even when I was there, I couldn't help but think of what's happening back home. My prayers were just full of plea for the safety of my family and the ceasing of war. Yeah, the story of the merciful father and his prodigal son; the lost coin and the lost sheep. It just reminds me that each one of us is precious in the eyes of the Lord but I hope that whoever brought trouble to my hometown and its people will pay for their crimes.

Later in the day, my couch was picked up to be fixed, my tablet open on RMN's coverage of the war in Zamboanga, me following the conversation and updates of my high school friends on Facebook, and the TV turned on for the UAAP Cheer Dance Competition.

I am confused but I need to be on top of these things.

Watching the competition took my mind off the horrible things that has been happening to us this past few days. It would have been better though had UP won but NU really had a great performance so a big congratulations to them. They deserve it. Yeah, one reason to smile today.

*****

How sad to see in the reports that because of the fighting, only a few had gone to Church early this morning. Most were afraid to go out, especially in the early hour of the morning. The Cathedral had looked so bare. I have not seen it like that before.

Thank You Brownies

I tried baking the Ghinardelli Brownie Mix that I bought from S&R last Thursday. I have promised not to bake anything before my thesis defense but I couldn't help it. I wanted to do something for my friends who helped me raised funds for the needy in our city right now, so I am baking them some brownies.

The one pack of brownie mix requires only a third of water, vegetable oil (which I substituted with butter), and water, and one egg. The mix came together very well and I baked it for about thirty, thirty-five minutes under a 325C pre-heated oven.

I made two batches: one with walnut on top and the other, plain. It turned out to be chewy, perfectly done brownies. How I love it! I hope my office friends will like them.

Day 6

My high school classmates are still working hard to provide help to those affected by this war. For those of us who are away from home are busy looking for funds. We want to feed the hungry evacuees and our soldiers. We want to provide them with basic necessities through hygiene kits. Little by little, we are helping each other so we can help them. It started with just our class but now, our whole batch is pitching in.

Some good things this war has brought us: our class became more close, we realize that we feel passionately about our civic duty and lastly for me, I realize that I more patriotic than I originally thought I am.

And today, I am hoping that we will wake up to a new tomorrow, a new beginning.

Day 5: Feeding the hungry

Doing our part in helping feed the hungry: evacuees, soldiers and policemen. We may be a small group but we are united and we love our hometown. We started small but help always come in (thank you, officemates!) and now, our fellow batchmates are pitching in. Guys, I'm so proud of you. To those delivering the goods, please be careful when you go out. May God listen to our prayers so that this will be over soon.

Day 4

Finally took up the gumption and went around the office to raise funds to feed the hungry of my hometown. My officemates' outpouring generosity and concern for our families, friends, fellow Zamboangueños, and the troops who protect them is overwhelming. Thank you. May this nightmare be over soon so we can live in the peace that we deserve.

1st Day

I did not go to work today.

My foot hurt and I could not walk so I decided to take a sick leave and put my feet up. I then fell asleep. After a few hours, I finally, really woke up. My foot was not getting any better so I stayed put. I checked my mails, I checked my FB.

I was surprised.

What is happening? My newsfeed had been running with stories about my hometown being attacked by rebels who wanted to raise their own flag in our city hall, our seat of governance, to show everyone of their independence from the country. Are they crazy? Who in their right mind would do that? We are all Filipinos and we live under one flag, one country. But there are those who are not satisfied. They want their own but when given the chance years back, wasn't able to bring prosperity to their land. Instead, the wealth that should have lifted their constituents was squandered. Now, they are raising havoc in my hometown. My hometown which has never become a member of their autonomy.

Am I just dreaming?

I am getting worried.

I called my parents. I cried like a baby.

I am so happy that they are well and continue to be well. They have not heard the gunshots that were reported earlier and where we live was still calm. I am appeased. Everything is just well.

Thank God.

But I can't help about the hostages they took to become human shields. My mind cannot grasp the idea that our city is now under siege.

*****

A funny comment I read on Facebook:

Quiere lang gale sila plakfole (flagpole), dona kita plakfole!

You see, the change of f to p and g to k is unique to chavacano speakers in my hometown. Wherever I am, the distinct sound of Chavacano can be heard even when they speak another language or dialect. It is a beautiful sound. It is the sound of home.

travel journal

looking back at my travel journal from 2011... :)

crossing the bridge

i finally got my wish!

K asked me the other day if i have ever been up the towers and when i said no and asked if i can (since i have no time to line up in the mornings like the tourists do), she told me to ask Sal if they can accommodate me. the following day, i asked sal and she told me that she can take me up there (and my boss, too!). wahoo! so today, i got this big, small treat. i felt like i was catherine zeta-jones on that petronas towers bridge...

thanks so much to my sweet, thoughtful friends. also happy to receive the food i've been looking for since i've arrived in kl - serunding. yummy! i kept looking for it but asking the wrong name. the first time i tasted this food, it was brought by my indonesian classmate's wife to stavanger last year. i thought they would have the same name here in kl but i was wrong. here, they call it serunding and now, K has just brought me some! yummy :)

 view of one of the towers from the viewing dome on the bridge connecting the two towers