Well, I have moved from New Haven back to my hometown in Baltimore. I miss my CT folks, but it's nice to be close to family again. Also nice to reconnect with my Baltimore friends. I'll still make it up to CT once in a while.
I just spent the last 10 days in the Philippines. It was a great vacation, I had a good time. How was the weather? Well, let's see... it was warm & sunny, a nice break from the cold (although it's been mild) Connecticut winter. I ate fish fresh caught right out of the water, and mangos, papayas and coconuts fresh picked from the trees. Everyone was friendly and, thank God, no one tried to kidnap me. (For those of you who don't know, kidnapping Americans is big business for some in the Philippines these days.)
I went with my mother, and we met up with my aunt and uncle in Manila. From there, we flew out to the provinces and went to Aklan. The local architecture there is bamboo and coconut tree lumber huts with nepa leaf roofs; it's not as developed as Manila. We stayed with friends in Kalibo.
My mother coordinates a non-profit charity in Baltimore, called ANCOP. They collect donations to build villages for the poor in the Philippines. The home-building group, called Gawad Kalinga (meaning "giving care"), builds is creating sustainable living for thousands of impoverished communities. We visited a future building site in Aklan.
Then we visited an island where people were developing an ecological and educational center, with mangroves of bakawan hardwood trees and marine wildlife research.
After that, we did the tourist thing and went to the Ati-atihan Festival, a parade with indigenous costumes, drums & dancing. It was a lot of fun. Then we went to the famous island of Boracay Island, which is like the tourist beach. I didn't get to go snorkeling or scuba diving, but I did go swimming at the beach. The water was warm and clear; I could see the sea floor and the fish swimming around my legs. The white sand beach was beautiful.
Then it was back to Manila. We visited a Gawad Kalinga village that is up & running. The surrounding area is still slums and squatters but the GK village is clean and safe. I saw pictures of the site before the village was built, and it is amazing to see the change.
Then we went to Laguna for a relaxing dip in volcanic hot springs. The water at the springs was hot and clean. It felt so good to swim in that warm water. I was in heaven.
From there we visited one of my cousins, who grew up with and is about the same age as my mom and her sisters (my family tree is all convoluted). For those who don't know, I'm half filipino and half jewish.
And we went shopping at the largest mall in Asia, which happens to be in Manila. What made shopping so interesting is that the exchange rate is currently 48 pisos to 1 US dollar.
I need to briefly comment on traffic. Let me just say that the traffic in the Philippines is insane. I can't even describe it. There are traffic laws, but they mean very little. I watched people swerve into oncoming traffic to pass a slow vehicle, and I mean INTO oncoming traffic, bumper to bumper at relatively high speeds, swerve, pass, cut in, stop sign, stop light, none of it mattered. It was INSANE! They have a lot of motorbikes and bicyclists, as well as these "tricycles", which are like bikes with sidecars. People crowd into the side cars, up to 6 or 8 at a time, crazy. And they have these "Jeepneys". When the US had a military base there, the soldiers drove Jeeps, and a local entrepreneur designed a mass transit vehicle , using the Jeep's basic design. It looks like a stretch-Jeep, with a classic Jeep front and a passenger section that is stretched out to hold like 16 or 18 people. Mix it all up with pedestrians, cars, buses, trucks, and anarchy on the road, it makes New York City traffic look like a sunday drive in the country.
That was it in a nutshell. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Oh, did I mention all the young, pretty, filipina girls? Oh my god, everywhere I went I was surrounded by gorgeous asian girls. Amazing. I guess they don't see many people that look like me. If I wasn't traveling with family... But I didn't know where I was going, in a foreign country I've never been to before. Oh well, I'll just keep adding to my ever-growing list of missed opportunities lol. Yep, good times, good times.
I went with my mother, and we met up with my aunt and uncle in Manila. From there, we flew out to the provinces and went to Aklan. The local architecture there is bamboo and coconut tree lumber huts with nepa leaf roofs; it's not as developed as Manila. We stayed with friends in Kalibo.
My mother coordinates a non-profit charity in Baltimore, called ANCOP. They collect donations to build villages for the poor in the Philippines. The home-building group, called Gawad Kalinga (meaning "giving care"), builds is creating sustainable living for thousands of impoverished communities. We visited a future building site in Aklan.
Then we visited an island where people were developing an ecological and educational center, with mangroves of bakawan hardwood trees and marine wildlife research.
After that, we did the tourist thing and went to the Ati-atihan Festival, a parade with indigenous costumes, drums & dancing. It was a lot of fun. Then we went to the famous island of Boracay Island, which is like the tourist beach. I didn't get to go snorkeling or scuba diving, but I did go swimming at the beach. The water was warm and clear; I could see the sea floor and the fish swimming around my legs. The white sand beach was beautiful.
Then it was back to Manila. We visited a Gawad Kalinga village that is up & running. The surrounding area is still slums and squatters but the GK village is clean and safe. I saw pictures of the site before the village was built, and it is amazing to see the change.
Then we went to Laguna for a relaxing dip in volcanic hot springs. The water at the springs was hot and clean. It felt so good to swim in that warm water. I was in heaven.
From there we visited one of my cousins, who grew up with and is about the same age as my mom and her sisters (my family tree is all convoluted). For those who don't know, I'm half filipino and half jewish.
And we went shopping at the largest mall in Asia, which happens to be in Manila. What made shopping so interesting is that the exchange rate is currently 48 pisos to 1 US dollar.
I need to briefly comment on traffic. Let me just say that the traffic in the Philippines is insane. I can't even describe it. There are traffic laws, but they mean very little. I watched people swerve into oncoming traffic to pass a slow vehicle, and I mean INTO oncoming traffic, bumper to bumper at relatively high speeds, swerve, pass, cut in, stop sign, stop light, none of it mattered. It was INSANE! They have a lot of motorbikes and bicyclists, as well as these "tricycles", which are like bikes with sidecars. People crowd into the side cars, up to 6 or 8 at a time, crazy. And they have these "Jeepneys". When the US had a military base there, the soldiers drove Jeeps, and a local entrepreneur designed a mass transit vehicle , using the Jeep's basic design. It looks like a stretch-Jeep, with a classic Jeep front and a passenger section that is stretched out to hold like 16 or 18 people. Mix it all up with pedestrians, cars, buses, trucks, and anarchy on the road, it makes New York City traffic look like a sunday drive in the country.
That was it in a nutshell. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Oh, did I mention all the young, pretty, filipina girls? Oh my god, everywhere I went I was surrounded by gorgeous asian girls. Amazing. I guess they don't see many people that look like me. If I wasn't traveling with family... But I didn't know where I was going, in a foreign country I've never been to before. Oh well, I'll just keep adding to my ever-growing list of missed opportunities lol. Yep, good times, good times.
I went to the Mermaid Parade last saturday. It was a blast, although I didn't get to see the actual parade itself, due to confusion on the NYC subway. I met some cool folks, and saw some cool folks I haven't seen in a while. Coney Island is always a good time. 
Well, I finally finished nursing school. (Took me long enough.) Now my brain is kinda fried, but I can't relax until I pass the state licensing exam. I decided to start working full time as a nurse right away. Connecticut lets new grads start after graduation and before they take the state boards. Today was my first day and it was okay. I am staying on the same floor that I have been working on for the past two and a half years, so the transition should be relatively smooth. I miss my friends in the SGCT crew, but I know that is largely my own fault for being a reclusive hermit. My apologies. Anyway, that's the big news in my sick little world these days. I'll share some more substantial stuff later on, I can't even think straight right now.
Peace, Love, & OTK Behavior Modification
Peace, Love, & OTK Behavior Modification
Ok, so, donating a foot of hair to kids on chemotherapy was definitely worth it. Now my hair only reaches to my butt. That's the first time I cut it in, what, like 10 years?? It's growing back, and hopefully it will be long enough for another donation soon.
Oh yeah, school is driving me crazy and I'm flat broke until I graduate.
Oh yeah, school is driving me crazy and I'm flat broke until I graduate.
2006 New Year's Resolution: Pay all my bills on time with no late fees.
There! That was simple, attainable, realistic and beneficial.
... ... ...umm... I gotta go do some paperwork...
There! That was simple, attainable, realistic and beneficial.
... ... ...umm... I gotta go do some paperwork...
JANUARY 2010
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DECEMBER 2009
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