Isang taon na kami sa Kiwiland

Agosto 2009

Isang taon na pala ang nakararaan nang lumipat kami sa Kiwiland. At ano naman kaya ang nagbago? Kahapon lang sabi ko sa isa sa mga pinakamalapit kong kaibigan, nag-iba na ang pananaw ko sa kahulugan ng pag-asenso. Dati kasi, katumbas ng pera, pag-angat at pagkilala sa trabaho ang pag-asenso ko. Pero ngayon, alam kong mas umasenso na ako kasi alam ko na paano maging kuntento.

Mas may oras na ako para alagaan ang pamilya ko. Sa loob ng isang taon, natuto akong magluto at maging "hands-on" sa lahat ng bagay -- ngayon nakikipaglaro na ako ng soccer kay Marius, kahit hindi ako marunong. Naglalakad ako sa tabing-dagat at sinasabi ko sa sarili ko, "salamat sa malinis na hangin na nalalanghap ko." May bahay kaming natutuluyan, kumakain buong araw at nagliliwaliw paminsan-minsan. May oras na kami para maging pamilya.

Alam ko parang napaka-simple pakinggan, pero ito ang nagpapasaya sa akin ngayon. Masaya maging kuntento sa buhay na meron ka. Yung trabaho na gusto ko? Makapaghihintay yun. Sa ngayon, pamilya lang muna ang aasikasuhin ko. Kasi may paparating na anghel ulit sa buhay namin -- ito na marahil ang pinakamalaking "blessing" sa amin. Salamat ulit kasi todo-todong pag-asenso na ito. :)

Of IDs, San Miguel beer and Public Holidays :)

Tomorrow, April 25, is Anzac Day -- a public holiday in New Zealand and Australia. It commemorates members of the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I.

But that's not what this blog is all about.

Thinking that all shops will be closed tomorrow, I went to the supermarket to do my shopping. Earlier, Ariel had asked me to buy him beer and as luck would have it, I saw a familiar brown bottle...San Miguel Pale Pilsen! The 6 bottles costs $12+ (around Php300) but what the heck, it's SMB in NZ. At the checkout, the lady asked me for my ID before scanning the beer. So I gave her my driver's license, but it took her a while to figure out where my date of birth was so I pointed it out to her. This is the second time it happened to me -- the first when I was shopping with Marius, looking so much like a mommy...unless I look like a teenage mom? Ha!

I've heard some people complain about producing an ID to verify their age -- well, not ME! I mean, it's good that supermarket staff are doing what they should. But more that that, it makes me feel so UN-MANANG :) Just what I need as I turn another year older. 

So...ID kung ID!

Not a Kiwi!

Scenario: Ariel and Kala are watching a news piece about Kiwi soldiers leaving for Afghanistan. Marius sees the patch on the sleeves of the soldiers -- a Kiwi bird patch. 

The following conversation takes place:

Marius: Look...a Kiwi!

Ariel: You're like that too, you're a Kiwi.

Kala: No, you're a Filipino.

Marius: I'm not a Kiwi...I'm a human being!

Ayos!

31 Goals until April 15, 2010

Got this idea from my dear friend, Naidz, who is also struggling with her 30+ goals from last year. Let's see how far I'll go with mine :) These, I think, are realistic goals, desires, wishes, and all the things that I want to accomplish before I turn 32. 

1. Have a baby girl.

2. Buy our first house.

3. Find part time work.

4. Study photography. Or learn by myself, if I can't afford the 2-year diploma course.

5. Learn to sew and make girl's dresses.

6. Get NZ license (w/o any retest).

7. Lose weight - it might take a miracle (or liposuction) to go back to size 8, so for now I'll pin it down to losing 10 lbs.

8. If #7 fails, donate all size 8 clothes to the salvation army.

9. Do all the other Wellington Walks (also to support #7).

10. Encourage Marius all the time.

11. Go bungee jumping.

12. Read the newspaper (or even online) every day. Seriously.

13. Understand Kiwi slang.

14. When I have spare money, buy a Louie Vuitton bag or an IMac (I think the gadget lust is stronger than my fashion lust. But first, how do I get that extra $$$?)

15. Edit long-overdue home videos.

16. Write more blogs. 

17. Keep in touch with family and friends.

18. Wear gloves every time I wash the dishes.

19. Be more creative in making beaded jewelry. Join summer festivals.

20. Go back to swimming. Improve endurance.

21. Finish reading Stanley Karnow's "In Our Image: America's Empire in the Philippines" - it's been in the bookshelf for 3 or so years. 

22. Learn more dishes to cook. Ugh! 

23. Water my apple and lemon trees consistently :) 

24. Sleep early and wake up early.

25. Do something good, all the time

26. Not get a credit card in NZ. Manageable. But keep the supplementary card for "emergency use" from my Super Nanay.

27. Drive less, walk more. 

28. Teach Marius to speak Filipino.

29. Borrow more books from the library. Buying books are on-hold, unless absolutely necessary.

30. Do more word puzzles to improve my ailing memory.

31. Do everything from 1-30 :) Ha!

Funny Marius

Kala: Tomorrow I'll be older.

Marius: How old?

(Kala holds up 3 fingers in right hand, 1 in left)

Marius: 4 years old? Like me!

Kala: No anak, it means I'll be 31 tomorrow.

Ang cute mo anak!

Earth Hour according to Marius

"It's time to turn off the light and save electricity!"

This is what my 4-year old son, Marius, has been bugging everyone in the house about. We're taking part in this year's Earth Hour and I'm glad that my son is aware about this. It's true what others say, start them young and they'll keep it with them 'till they're old. I hope Marius will :) 

Lights out now!

"O" Day In History

Today I woke up early to watch Barack Obama's inauguration on CNN. Though I'm not a big fan of the US, I must admit that the American people made the world proud by electing their first black president. Martin Luther King Jr. must be listless in his grave, hoping to join in today's historic celebration. Perfect timing too, because last Monday was a national holiday in memory of the civil rights leader. Who would have thought that after four decades, his "I Have A Dream" speech would become a reality...

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

He was Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1963 and a Nobel Peace Prize recipient. Wow.

Even his son, Martin Luther King III, was hopeful about the 44th US president. He said in an interview yesterday that all the suffering paid off and that for his daughter's generation (and generations to come), having a black president would be a norm, nothing out of the ordinary. I can't imagine how it was decades ago, when black people can't eat in the same restaurant as the whites, or pee in the same toilet. After all the unrest and countless deaths, things are finally looking up for the African American community. But that's not to say that Obama got into office because he's black -- from what I've read and heard, he's a smart guy with high morals. I mean, after Bush, what else could you ask for? We're done with Bushisms.

Reports say an estimated 2 million people gathered at the National Mall to watch the inauguration. They cheered, they clapped, they cried. It's a feeling that I've never felt for any president back home, which is sad. I wish one day I'd say "oh that's our president and I'm very proud of him/her." I was too young to appreciate neither Marcos, Aquino or Ramos; old enough to know that Erap was not cut out to be a leader; and mature enough to know that honesty and integrity is not part of Arroyo's vocabulary. One day, our time will come when we'll be ecstatic to see a leader who will take the Philippines out of the dumps. America showed us that it's possible. One day.

Today is O Day. Did you see the way the first couple walked and waved at the crowd? They did it like ordinary citizens, with Mrs. O even giving the thumbs-up sign. Not at all like the poised royalties who sit on their bottoms and wave like robots. And the best part is, Obama got into office because the people put him there, not by "royal" bloodline. 

Together with the whole world, I'll be watching and waiting for President Obama's next move, especially his first 100 days. Today signifies a new change and hopefully, for the better.

Anything is possible now.