May '09 Holidays

I had a great 3-week holiday in the Philippines. I and my family went from places to places, buying needed things for family and things that I have to bring in PNG. It has been more than 6 months since I left my country and found a lot of things that have changed. My focus then is for me and my family to have fun and enjoy the time we are together.<>

Unfortunately, my kids went to summer classes that hindered us to go far from home. My kids insisted that I send and fetch them. We just maximized time after school. I am glad to hear and see the improvement in them. I brought them to places that I know they would enjoy. I know that the place doesn’t have to be very special, but knowing my kids, I know exactly what they want. Of course, taking pictures is part of my itinerary. Below are some of the places we’ve been.

Below is a huge ground where I brought the 2 kids so they can run around. It appeared too big for them but they got what they wanted - running, running and more running. This is in University of the Philippines. We wanted to come here for 2 reasons, Gio and Jahn to Play and taking pictures of the scenery.

The city where I live in, San Pablo City is also known for its 7 Lakes. The one that is more famous is this - Sampaloc lake (Sampaloc means tamarind in English). I wanted to come here because I see the view to be relaxing. I took a lot of good pictures from here and this one is my favorite.
This may be a small resort, but I am hapy to see my kids swimming. The 2 kids are afraid of the water and with the aid of their classmates, they also had fun on the water.
Have been to this floating huts when I was still a bachelor. I find this place nice, the kids liked the placed and my wife - the food.
Going out is fun especially for the kids as they are both can already appreciate the things they see. Bonding with family is good problem I had – parting time.

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Relief

We went out of Lae last Easter and it gave me a different sense of easiness. Looking at the scenery on our way to Goroka, even with the long drive ahead of us, gave me calmness not same as the relaxed feeling I have while making decisions and solving problem.<> Not thinking of and away from work even for a day helped me relieve whatever is in me that I have carried for a while.

Even though I stay calm at work, hearing and seeing adverse events still produces these little things called stress. Stress is something that will come to us inevitably and for me, relieving and handling it is what matters. Instead of letting it build up, best to let it off before it produces problems. I may usually be relaxed but in case pressure builds up on me, I would always have outlets and going some place new to me will be one of them.

I would like to have rests like the Goroka trip we had, maximize time and go somewhere whenever I can. Carefree, I was like a kid then playing with the offspring of my friends, taking pictures and being amazed by the views. I felt like a different person coming back to Lae after the trip. I am very close to my 3-week leave and I would also want my family to experience the same – to just have fun and enjoy wherever we will plan to go.

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Number 2

I thought of making a post out of my stay here in PNG and I got very excited as I already imagined what contents I will be putting in it. I had lot of things on my mind and told myself to write them down before I forget them. I have pictures also to back them up so it made me more enthusiastic in starting it.

When I am encoding my words, I got carried away and continued writing until it became more like a novel. I already saw that compressing them would not be good that I decided to make a new site out of it. I already spent one and a half years in PNG and already have lots of things to share already. It may start boring but it can also be like a guide or primer just in case anybody will be going to PNG especially in Lae, Morobe.

Yes, it was supposed to be just mu Life here in PNG, but before I released the blog, we had a chance to go to Australia. Though just for a short period, we had taken lots of pictures, had lots of funny memories and of coursed learned new things. I also have been in other different places so I decided to share all of them thru this new blog.

The title is “Life - Places/ Faces/ Things”. Click here to view my other blog. Happy New Year!!!

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Smile

I tried to make a blog out of smile long time ago but cannot find the words. I am a happy man but I cannot express thoughts from it. I went to Australia and found something that made me smile a lot. I smiled more as I already saw how I will make the blog that I thought long time ago, a month to be more specific.<>

On 27th of December, I bought a Sony Camera. The model is Cyber-shot DSC-W150. I chose it because, first, I like Sony when it comes to electronics. Second, it is the most that my budget can buy. I also like black colored gadget (I have a slim and black PSP.)

The handbook is in the CD and I did not bring a laptop then. I have to read all instructions from the gadget itself so I am not able to know all the features that day. I just took the pictures and changed all parameters that I understand. It is not my first Sony camera.

Going back to PNG, in the plane, I checked the other features such as editing. Looking at it, I saw a Happy Faces feature where I can modify people’s face to appear smiling. I tested it in one of my own picture and smiled after seeing the result. I shared it with the person beside me, and told him about the feature and he also smiled after viewing the original and the edited picture.

After a while, Genes invited me to sit at the back (not much passengers then) so we can check the features of our cameras. He bought an Olympus camera. It has more features that mine, but we are both happy with what we have. Looking closer, we saw this Smile shutter feature and checked what it does. It says Automatic shooting for capturing smiles. I really did not mind what it says until I pressed the shutter and it automatically captured a picture. We experimented and saw what smile shutter meant. For people who don’t know it yet, it means that it automatically takes pictures when it detects someone smiling. We were happy taking pictures while having our smile to click the shutter. The pictures below are taken while we are moving the camera on a smile shutter mode. Smile!

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Visa

My friends told me the news that they are going to Australia. They knew that I really want to go for many reasons. They wanted also wanted me to come so they added my name in the list of people to go to Australia in the itinerary which is needed for processing visa. I am in doubt at first but I just thought that I may not have another chance after this so I told them I am willing to come.<>

Genes and Roberto sent their passports one week after mine was sent. Alice, who is our friend, has been in Australia twice already. Mine was sent together with her passport. Two weeks after sending their passports, the two guys already have their passport. They are of course very happy. Mind you, in Philippines, getting visa to many points in the world is not easy. I should be receiving mine after 2 weeks since I sent it.

Two weeks came and passport is not yet delivered and we should be leaving in two weeks time. Whenever people ask me about leaving, I would tell them that I am not yet sure as I don’t have my visa yet. When Roberto and Genes talk to other about the trip, I would just stay quiet and when asked, I would say that I am not joining Australia trip conversation until I have my visa in my hand. I did not worry even a bit. I already accepted that in case I will not get my visa, it will be fine with me.

Another week passed and Alice said that the visa is ready for pick up. It is odd because we sent a return envelope thru courier. It was late that week and we are leaving on the next one. She just asked someone to pick it up and we will just get it on the 25th – the day of our flight. With that, I became confident on going to Australia and joined conversations regarding it.

Christmas day came and we went to Port Moresby where the plane going to Brisbane will be. We had our visa, thanks to Alice’s friend, and every body was surprised as I have a multiple entry visa. I and Alice are the one with multiple entries within the group of seven that is going. I am very happy and it was a great present.

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i go, you go

Jahn, 4 years old, is just more than a year younger than Gio. Whenever we are together, he would usually be at my side. Coming back to PNG last November 15, 2008, my wife and my two kids accompanied me to the airport. Jahn insisted for us to stay home as he knows where we are heading to and he doesn’t want me to leave. I had no problem with Gio as we have great plans when I come back – buying his favorite toys.<> Jahn was left with no choice when he saw that all of us are already in the car. As he can do nothing for me to go, what he did is just tell us that he wants to come with me all the way to PNG. I and Joecy tried to make excuses so that Jahn would let me go willingly and one of them is telling him that he cannot go because his passport is at home. We thought that he would surrender with that but Jahn told us that we should go back (while at the expressway) to get his passport. Jahn has a cute voice which makes the scene funnier. More excuses from us again. After half an hour or so, he got tired of his excuses and settled down for a while. When Jahn recovered, the struggle continued until I hit the right button. I mentioned that I don’t want to go anymore and he can go by himself. Surprised of what I said, he said “Bakit ako? Bata pa ko! Ikaw na lang!” (Why me? I’m still very young! go by yourself!) I then looked at Joecy, with eyes that says “gotcha!”. After that we just repeated to Jahn that I really really don’t want to go anymore, and he should go. He then made all the excuses he can generate for him not to go to PNG alone until they dropped me at the departure area.

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