CORRESPONDENCE

We are authors, all of us, concerned with beginning,
With making, with sources and substance.

DIANE WAKOSKI

Eventually some of us got married and found it difficult to find a leisure time to go to our hometown (like me). But some of us who were in the Manila area made sure that we stayed connected. We dined out during birthdays, called each other once in a while, and periodically emailed each other through our yahoogroups account (lcc91@yahoogroups.com) which was initiated by Bong Abecina…
…(was translated in English)…

PET ESPANOL

Hi lcc91,

Let’s share our plans in the next 5 years or 10 years. Guys we're already 30 years old, as much as we hate it, we're not getting any younger. The reality of life is we have to plan ahead. We have to move on and we have to win the game. Let’s reflect on what we really wanted to achieve and plan how this will be done. Off course, all of us want a good life but that want will only come to reality if we plan and execute.

I don't wanna sound serious or corny, but I just wanna share a mindset....I have 4 kids. It’s no joke! I used to spend P800/ week only for their milk. My salary was not even enough. 3 of them were born thru caesarian section, very expensive! I had no savings. Though I was planning for 4 kids everything happened too soon. But I have no regrets because they are the ones giving me the strength and the inspiration to go on.

Maybe what I accomplished during my last 10 years after college was I established the foundation for my kids and for my work. I developed connections with the bosses, I always get reprimanded but I remained loyal because I had to stay on job for me to support my family. The receipts from the ceasarian bills were on display to always remind me that life is not easy. So in my last 10 years I spent 2 years with SGV, 1 year with Alsons Cement, 6 years with TDG, and I'm planning to stay around 5 years more with my present job to establish connection with travel industry.

In my next 5 years, my plan is to establish my own business, utilizing my experience in domino's and TDG, not necessarily in the pizza business. At least, the business would hopefully be stable before I resign at 35. We should not always be employees. Let’s use what we learned from our employment. Lets synergize!

SHIRLEY PANOL

…I also don’t plan to stay an employee (executive or not) for life but I have no definite plans yet as of now. This is the very reason why I accepted my present post here in Cambodia. Good idea! Let’s use our creative thinking in productive exchanges.

FYI, the primary mode of transportation here in Cambodia is single motor vehicles, which they call motodop. These motodops can carry big baskets of fruits. At night, we rent trucks to bring the workers home. People here prefer open vehicles like pick-up trucks with benches. Buses are used for out of town drive like traveling to Vietnam or Bangkok. Markets here are like Divisoria, most things for sale were stolen merchandise.

Anyways, glad to know that we all are proud of who we are.

JOJO VERGARA

…Nice exchage, huh. Sorry guys I’ve been inactive here for quite sometime, but I’ve been reading all your mails when I can. I’ve been really busy lately with my practice and my new business. I’m opening a new water refilling station in Daet next month. Its name is WATERCLEAR Purified Drinking Water. It will be located at the ground floor of Karilagan Hotel near BPI Daet. I hope you guys get water from me, it’s affordable, and I’ll make sure the water is OK.

VERONICA LATUMBO

…Buhay Bangkok is hindi rin easy. Kailangan masipag ka dito to earn more. Right now madami na rin Filipinos dito especially teachers. Thailand is not an English speaking country and pruod talaga ako kasi kitang-kita ang kaibahan natin sa kanila lalo na pagdating sa EDucation system.Napakalayo nila sa atin. Dito Hindi teacher pwede ka tanggapin sa school to teach espeacially the native speakers or those americans and british basta nakakapagsalita ka ng English. Even high school graduate from the U.S. or England tinatanggap kasi iba rin mentality nila dito. Akala nila pag white skin e magiging super galing din kids nila in English. May discrimination din pagdating sa salary iba offer pag asian ka pero kita mo talaga difference pagdating sa diskarte in the classroom. Dito marami may kaya sa buhay and masisipag din sila sa pagtatrabaho kaya nga no time na ang parents na i-assist kids nila sa preparation of homework. Dito sa school ginagawa ang homework pero sa Pinas kailangan mong gawin sa bahay or library. Dito nagtatanong sila bakit ang pinoy magaling sa English? Sagot ko naman Iba ang exposure natin in English and system of education in the Philippines. Lumaki na tayo surrounded by English words and ang media exposure natin sobra. Dito pag wala kang UBC or parang cable magtyaga kang manood ng thai movies and news. Dito instead na tricycle TUKTUK naman. Siguro naman pamilyar kayo sa advertisement ni Pierce Brosnan sa VISA CARD ...yung sinakyan nya dun yun ang tuktuk..I'm sure alam nila tetet and ate shie yan.

Ang kagandahan dito mas magaan buhay since medyo mababa ang cost of living. Affordable ang halos lahat ng bagay. Walang holdaper and nakawan. Di ka matatakot to go out at night kasi safe talaga dito unlike sa atin and well lighted ang daan.mURA DIN pamasahe. pERo syempre miss ko pagkaing pinoy iba dito eh halos spicy foods kinakain nila.


CRISTINA AQUINO-BELCHEZ

....abt buhay dito sa london, masayang mahirap, kung me datung ka masaya kse panay ang half sale esp kapag mag end ang winter and summer season hehehe. Masyado mataas cost of living ...kaya kelangan kayod ka kahit gabi. Maraming pinoy dito...esp mga nurses and care giver, me mabait me mayayabang...lalo na yung mga nakabingwit ng british ...alam mo yun! feeling nila super taas nila...and kala mo alila nila mga ibang pinoy dito...ano pa nga bang bago kahit san naman iba talaga ang pinoy he-he.
...marami rin me winter blue dito, mga iba't ibang klase ng depression kumbaga, mahilig kse mag clubbing mga people dito esp friday night.
Transpo namin ...by train, kaya oks lang less traffic. Dami rin filipino market dito kaya medyo updated pa rin sa lutong pinoy.
Basta masasabi ko lang iba pa rin life sa pinas..at sa pagtanda ko Pinas pa rin ako uuwi, kse ayoko bumagsak sa NURSING HOME ng mga olds dito.

REYNANTE ABABA

…Does a person really become playful after getting married? Here’s a piece of advise friends: slow down with S%X, it's melting your brain...hahaha.

Don’t believe everything that you here about me; I am still the same Reynante Ababa that you’ve known in Daet, still “barriotic”.

Regards to all. Hope to see you friends, someday soon.

LUIGI QUERUBIN

…I’m still working at the provincial government! My eldest is already Grade 4 and my youngest is turning 2 years old this August.

HAROLD SENDON

…Hello! How are you guys? What’s new with me? Well, I have 2 kids now. My second child was born last December 21; his name is Kyle Sean. Still the same at work. Sail for one contract, more or less 6 months then back to land based jobRight now I’m waiting for my next schedule, maybe next month I’ll get a job in Makati near Dian. Cheers!

MARISOL CRIBE-ANGALA

…You know, Pet, you're right; we have to reflect and look back on what we have accomplished throughout our 30 years of existence. While I was reading that piece that Tetet sent "The PHILIPPINES is..." I thought whoever wrote that piece doesn't have a bigger picture of the world.

When I got here in the US, it dawned to me that our country’s problem with corruption and poverty are just a piece of cake. The same problem here in America, our poverty is “nothing” compared to Ethiopia. When I got here I realized we are still respected race. Here in America, the Filipinos are in the Professional jobs (teachers, nurses, IT), some are babysitters but there are more Filipinos who are in the Professional level. Contrary to what we hear, they don’t look down on our race as Domestic Helpers, they admire us.

TETET MATEO-GAMBOA

…Thought it is corny for other people to say things or to be proud that “I am a Filipino”. Others find it corny though. Indeed when I first saw what other people look like - their culture and environment, our individual differences, I was surprised! We are wasting a lot of good stuff!

Just got here in Seoul from LAX and again, the flight was delayed. I was next in line in the x-ray security area just before reaching the gate when they all halted the screening and stuff. Maybe the airport security officers found out something, like an unidentified object and there were police and dogs moving around the area, even passengers were asked to disembark from the plane. Chaos. You know, bomb threats and stuff. It was horrible! That was my first time to experience this.

For your info, Inchon Int'l airport here in Seoul has been receiving bomb threats this month. It just started when they beheaded the Korean hostage and yet Korea are still sending troops to Iraq. Scary! When I was still single, I didn’t care about things like that. I get scared but not as scared as I am today. Hello, I don’t want to die early and leave my kids behind. They need me. I want to grow old with them. As in I’m so scared to fly. But no choice, this is my job. What I hear from the news everyday freak me out.

I really am proud to be a Filipino, I swear.

I wish I could go back to Daet again. I really miss my hometown. BF Homes in Las Pinas is what now I call home. Daet is now for me a place to spend our vacation.

My youngest sister when she was in grade school, she would always ask my mom if I would still go home, my Mom would say "Your sister doesn’t live here anymore, she’ll probably come back for a short vacation”. I felt sad and I cried. I miss hanging out with them. I miss our good old days.

Don’t you miss our high school life? Or the life that we used to have before.? Tricycle, La Consolacion, walking from home to downtown, St. Joseph Parish…ahhh! Memories…

MELANIE-BARRAMEDA-LEVISTE

…I also remember the jeepney bound for Bagasbas, which are always full of passengers and baggage. It was so jam packed and tight inside and yet you see the people still smiling. We had such simple life then.
I love Daet. It's the place where I consider as my 2nd hometown. It's the place where I met my best friends and enjoyed teenage life. I enjoyed it to the fullest though we had to go on separate ways to pursue college. I had wonderful memories of Daet that I would be happy to share it w/ my daughter and other children (if ever).
Guess what, I just met with Edsel T. last week at my office. Edsel, we welcome you again to our e-group.

EDSEL TIONGSON
…Hi everyone!!! Who’s coming this weekend?