Central Park, New York

Every time I post something here, I feel like I'm starting anew. I think about all the unfinished posts and updates I should have finished but life and work always gets in the way.

A quick rundown of what had happened since January 2006.

Our noses first newsletter got finished.
I received news that I got this grant I was hoping to get.
I have started the necessary preparations for this new venture I'm putting up with or without the grant.
My proposal got accepted to Round 1 of BiD Challenge.
My proposal did not get accepted to Round 2 of BiD Challenge, but I'm revising it hoping it will be chosen as a wild card.
I went to KL for 5 (I think. I forget now how many days exactly) grueling days of workshop.
I found out I got the Fellowship.
I prepared for our website launching.
The website was finished in time, but now we're revising its format according to feedback.
I have been in New York since April attending classes at Columbia and enjoying may stay at this institution housing me.
Ludo's is great! You should all go there when you're in downtown Manhattan.
Went to Stanford and it was great...

I think I ought to tell more about what has been happening, but I just don't have the time to go over each and everyday here.

Some thing I learned, though:

1. People have been calling me a New Yorker just because I work in the same pace or maybe more than the ones in new York do.

2. Never mix a red shirt with your whites, yellows, beige.

3. Never wash your dark colored clothes in warm water.

4. Washing clothes in warm water can turn your good cotton-lycra t-shirt into a wide-cannot-be-used cotton-lycra t-shirt.

5. Plants need water as well as sunshine.

6. If you want to live in New York, be ready to walk miles and miles and miles.

7. Cleaning your own apartment is a lot of hard work so better not create trash or else you've more stuff to clean.

8. You DO meet all sorts of weird people traveling by bus so if you're not up for it, take the Amtrak or fly.

9. Most people are not friendly, but you just need to be to give them the opportunity to warm up.

See yah next time!

Proposals, proposals... proposals

...not the kind you think.

This was what I was writing as I went around the city will alba looking for wireless internet connection and eventually landing in Manila Pen. We had better get that grant.

From the day after Christmas, I have been doing nothing but thinking about our organization everything related to it. Because we don't have money, I've been trying to look for ways and emans to get grants for our organization ergo proposals . Thus, proposals have to be passed and hopefully we get some grants this year.

The only problem is, I am the only one making them which means that I have to insert it in my days outside normal working hours - not that I'm complaining. After all I can't expect other people to have as much vision for the organization as I have. Sometimes I think I'm the only one who believes that THIS CAN and WILL work. We just need a bunch of dedicated people.

Unlike others in the same position, I don't believe in abandoning my work just because no one else believes in it. I know that this will gain ground and eventually people will be looking for those who were pioneers at the sort of work we do. I mean, the world doesn't have any other choice, now, do they?

What's with Thursday Nights?
Saving the world in Starbucks on Thursday nights...

It's Thursday night again. I found myself with the same people in Starbucks - Albs and Denise. For some reason, this has been the second week in a row when we've talked about how we'll help the country's development by working with the youth.

There's something about the smell of coffee, tea and Starbucks atmosphere that makes our mind work more in a more relaxed manner. I don't think we've accomplished much in terms of talking about specific stuff, but I saw albs plan out the weeks for her project. I can almost see Denise's mind work in order to present this other project that will help high school students this time.

My work here is NOT yet done, but it's solely getting accomplished.

And it feels sooooo good to finally have people see the potential of the organization without me dragging everyone to work for it.

Tunis, Pre-WSIS

I love Middle Eastern Airlines!!!

First, I'm quite sure that no one would decide to hijack the plane - or else the whole middle east would prosecute that particular Muslim and send him to a den full of wolves... err tigers perhaps. LOL. That is, if he's still alive. Hmmm... maybe they have something to prosecute families too?! just kidding!

Anyway, second, the leg ROOM. It's simply amazing how PAL seem to not realize than not all Filipinos are that small so we need more leg room. I think they may have patterned the PAL airlines to that of the jeepney. So, I can't help but marvel at the leg room available in the middle eastern airlines.

well, I do have a lot of things to say about the backrest. It would kill you if you ever have to sit on it for more than five hours. It's so curved at the wrong place that people with back problems will experience torture. And it doesn't help that your next flight is 7 hours away in an airport so small that you can literally see the people overcrowding the dutyfree shop below. Boy am I glad the airport was crowded on our way back so we had to stay for nearly an hour inside the plane so I didn't have to spend 3 hours in the stop over wihtout any chairs to sit on.


Enough about the airlines: Tunis.

As I said, Tunis is simply amazing. It's very European and you can see French Architecture everywhere. It has a great railway for going around the city plus a better train route to other cities. Transportation is cheap and if you have the WSIS ID, then you can even go for free! :)

It has Tunis has one Cathedral, which is also the only Church in the city. In nearby Carthage, there's another Cathedral, but I wasn't able to attend mass there so I don't know if it's being used.

The security was sooo tight that everyday, we had to take the 07:30 buses to Le Kram or else we won't have any other transportation to the WSIS venue. The hotels were packed with metal detectors and security service like you wouldn't believe. It wasn't until I got to speak with a Tunisian that this was tight not just because of the officials attending the WSIS, but because of the Jordan incident and due to a whole lot of other political economic reasons that I finally understood why the security was such. I mean, you see security forces on the streets carrying assault rifles - who wouldn't be scared?!

I got addicted to mint tea. They make the best ones in Tunis - so far.

I've never drank so much red wine in my entire life! IFunny thing is, it has only managed to keep me warm and give me some of those allergic effect people get when they're not used to taking in so much alcohol. I can honestly say I didn't feel any effects of it aside from the red spots probably due to the weather. I even set my foot and bought a new coat since I couldn't stand the temperature anymore! And sometimes even when there's some sun, it's still not enough to keep you warm without a coat.

I've met some great people. Darn! I wish I could show you photos. It doesn't seem to be working nowadays.

Will give you more info during WSIS and post-WSIS.

Tunis

Tunis is such a great place! The influence of the French when they took over Tunisia can be seen in the infrastructure though the outskirts of the town proper does show some of the middle eastern dwellings. The people are not friendly, though which makes the whole thing really terrible.

I seriously feel like I'm leaving in the Marcos era. I see guards all around the city carrying rifles your wouldn't see the police nor military in Manila carrying. I think if you so much as walk up the barrier around Le Kram you'll be stabbed to death or they would surely kill you.

You see pictures of the President everywhere and the flag everywhere. Then they get to shut the whole conference place for half a day just because their president was going to cut the ribbon!

Whatever. I hope the picture gets uploaded this time.

Rewards

I believe in God. That's just something I can never shed off.

God provides.

I don't know how else to say it. I mean, after all these things that's been going on, I knew I needed a break form it all.

First good news: Albs passed UP's MA in Literature. wow! I knew she coudl do it!
Second good news: I was able to think of a way to make helping young people putting up their businesses be profitable for those who help them. woohoo!
Third good news: I won an award from an international organization because of what I have been doing in the NGO.

And that's not all. I get to go to Tunis, 15mins away from Carthage (oh how I love ancient history!). All expense paid - roundtrip tickets, hotel accommodation, allowances for incidentals... and a cash prize to go with the award!

When He decides to shower you with blessings, it's simply over and beyond what you ever imagined it to be!

Open Forum

Everything that needs to be said has been said.

Someone actually told me that all she's tired of being "plastic" the way that she has been with me. She seems to have a lot of things buried in that head of hers about me. This, from the same person who said that I know a lot more than she does and that she could never reach where I am now.

I'm like, huh?! I've never been plastic with anyone - civil, yes. Polite, yes, but not plastic.

Figure it out.

Oh and one other thing: another person said that she was only talking behind my back because I did not respect her.

Hmmm... I just can't believe how people would mast being tattletale with the petty excuse such as, that's because you did not respect me. Excuse me?! What did I ever do to you? I have never ever looked down at anyone in my entire life. Some people may get offended by my authoritative tone and a strong personality. But I have never, consciously and viciously, created a web of lies about anyone or stare at them in the face and then talk to someone else about it.

As far as having that "authoritative tone", which I really can't seem to take off of me since I was a kid (and believe me, I've tried) still working on and and I may well continue to work on it till the day I die. As far as making others feel inadequate or that they can't live up to my "level" - I don't have a level. Beats me. Maybe I should talk to albs about it and to my best friend to see just what my "level" is supposed to be. Pourth Ploor anyone?! LOL

Someone asked me if what happened was effective. I have to say that I think it was. But then again that's because I went there with an open conscience and an open mind. After everything that's happened, these are the things I can say:

Very few people grasp the idea that when you say you don't bother with what's going on in their heads or you'll grow crazy, you don't really mean that you don't think about what they would feel. What you're only saying is, you're not paranoid. They may think badly about you or other people, but so long as your conscience is clear that you're not doing anything against them then that's it.

What you feel about yourself reflects on what you do. If you feel your some Neanderthal that no one should bother themselves with, then that will show in your appearance, the way you carry yourself, etc. If you are at peace with yourself that will show in how you carry yourself. If you're insecure, that will show too. If you're bitter about the world, about people and generally about life, then you'll continue to create a web of bitterness all around you.

I'm not one to want to always be sad or bitter about life. I want to be happy. The only one I have control over is myself - probably my authoritative tone nor my competitive spirit - but what I do with my life - if I want to live a happy and fulfilled life or not.

I have made that decision years ago. I'm grateful for my life. I know that everything has a purpose and as much as I continue to rebel against it, my will will not always be done. The only thing I can do is to decide to be happy, try not to think of evil thoughts, help others and do something good each day.

If others don't want to be happy, it's their choice.