Mixed Activities :D

We again had a training for the upcoming " Convo Fest". Finalizing the group of each who will attend, I was grouped to those who will do the Demo a.k.a "Taerobics", a mixed steps of aerobics and taekwondo.




We started the training at around 9pm since most of the guys had an exam for the break. This is our last chance to practice for the week since some of them will go back to their hometown tomorrow. The President informed us to prepare for the final practice set on the following weekends.

__

I'm also bit excited. 2 days from now will be my most awaited day. I ask my friend Michelle to ask their friend to pick up my gear for the marathon... really I'm so happy and tense. This will be my first so I'm trying my very best to set my mind to one goal.. Finish the run.. It doesn't matter if I get a medals intended for the first 350 finisher or not... But I will be much happier if I got one :D.

TNT Update :D

I got my special letter from the Company early this afternoon but I'm not yet confident to wander around just having the letter as a supporting document of my being an Expat here.

I remember before that special pass given to us when our visas are being renewed was issued by the Immigration and not from the Company. But the HR assure me that this is enough basis for the Immigration police not to detained me in case I crossed their ways :D... quite convincing.. hahaha

Alone

Can't escape on my cage... hahaha

But in a brighter side, I can do what ever I want. Most of my housemates are out since morning so I done my chores freely. Another reward?, half of day facebook-ing. Nice right?

I'm a certified T-N-T now. The HR snob my request for a special pass letter so I can't go far out away in my place... whew!

Oh Btw, I was able to register on the marathon for next week. I got my registration card.. yipee! The addidas staff told me I almost missed the last minute registration last night, why? coz their receipt is almost finished... again, haha!

Working Document

Really I am lost today. I forgot to ask the HR who is now working on my visa renewal to provide me a copy of a special pass. My visa is date to expired today.. :( and my passport is still at the Immigration.

Normally, visa renewal will take atleast 1 week or 2 weeks the most. Depends on how good your employer explanation on the urgency of its issuance. In my case, every thing is on rush since they just collected my passport 3 days before the last issued visa ends (note that my adopted country issued me a 1 year visa last year since my old passport will expire this August).

I just emailed our HR if they can still provide this special letter pass for me to be able to go out this weekends, else I don't have any choice but to be a couch potato again and lock my self on my place. whew.

Im dead.. really dead.

Fourth Year

I almost forgot. It's been four years since I decided to leave my country and seek for an imported bread and butter from other land. Never I thought that I can survived living alone in a foreign land with minimum knowledge about the people norms and its culture. Leaving behind my family who raised and always there beside me for more than 20 years... Is it worth it?

I have to admit, before I thought that it will just as easy as solving 1 plus 1. I thought leaving is the answer to some problem for middle class family like us.. financially or not. I have a great respect to all OFW. My tatay is once an OFW in Middle East.

But I proved that its not easy... mentally and emotionally. You will gain many enemies in the form of loneliness, culture clash, competition, mga pasaway mong kababayan (countrymen) and even your self.

There are lots of question running in my mind now. Did I achieved my objective why I'm here? Did I provide good lives for my love ones? Did I became the person I dreamed before? and many many more. Surely, some of my plans are achieved but there are things that was left behind....

Page Name

Just updated my page name from "Je Suis" (I am) to "C'est Moi" (This is Me).

I just thought that the first name is inappropriate to represent a nonsense person like me :D.

Anyway, kanya kanya lang ng trip yan :D

BFF's

Had a long conversation with one of my long lost friend this morning through YM! She's been staying with her mother in Austria for more than 10 years now. We hadn't had contact since we graduated in High School not until last month when she added me on friendster.

We tried to set a comfortable time for us to chat since we have different time zone (obviously) before. But didn't materialized due to some conflicts. She stay awake to catch me today. Nice.

She: long time no hear
Me: oo nga eh
Me: sus kailan pa kaya yun.. highschool pa ata kita huling nakita susme
Me): tapos bigla bigla nawala ka nalang
She: uu nga
Me: sabagay panggabi kasi ako dati nung college.. paglabas tambay na dun sa quezon city circle para magkapera
She: ano oras na dyan
Me: joke
Me: 841 am
She: gago ka tlaga
Me: hahaha.. extra income din yun
Me: kaso mahina bentahan. mali pala lugar ko dapat pala sa pasay
Me: hahaha
She: bruha may pumatol nmn ba?
She: =))
Me: hahaha. wla eh bargain na nga wla paring kumuha
Me: sabi ko nga.. pang samalamig man lang
She: hahahahhaah
Me: wla parin hahaha
She: luka

Like what usual conversation by two people who don't have news to each other for long time, we first ask how each personal life's going. She's living a simple life being married and having 3 kids there. I always insert my willingness to visit them and travel on the country to personally see the sceneries found in the movie "The Sound of Music" hehehe. Shes willing to adopt me for a couple of days in case the plan is set.

We talked about some childhood memories. Games we play, childhood friends, classmates, teachers etc. In some moment we thought we are kids conversing about everything we just experienced. Its very relaxing.

The chat last for 3 hours. She said she will take some rest since she need to bring her boy at school. We plan to catch up again soon.

Kicking Fun

Had a great time last night. Laughing out loud, smiling all the time and talking about anything under the sun with my kicking friends. It's one of the great times I had with them. Now I really regret that I haven't had the chance to join them at the binding camp. I'm thinking, if We are this lively and happy in a simple gathering, how much more in a plan gate-a-way? Wahhh...

Oh anyway, this happen while eating at the Hostel Canteen in the University after our Tae kwon do training. Actually I already took my dinner at the terminal after I finished my work so I'm not that hungry. I just ordered beef burger for a snack.

Btw, the group already appointed a few people who will stand as the team officers for this year. From President down to Treasurer. If my counting is right there are atleast eight (8) people who will help the group on its goal and objectives. I still haven't memorized all the names of the members since my memory is really bad in remembering it (sign of old age.. hehehe). The few that I know are: Eddy Beh, Derek, Jie Jun(JJ), Nazim and Rizman. The other might take me some time to remember.. hahaha

We also formed groups for the Sparring and Demo team, I joined both. We started the training for Demo last night after the training in preparation for the upcoming "Martial Arts Fest" on 10th of August. Though I will not be available to join the team that time, I still register myself to prepare for future Demo activities. Two sets of extra training was been set within the week, we need to insert extra effort since the date is near. Monday and Wednesday night are the chosen days for this extra training. Another training is set later at 8pm.

We go back almost midnight. I took a quick hot shower to wash my stink before sleeping.

When Doing Nothing

There was no great things happen to me this past few days. Except from being healthy and home dummy, there are no interesting activities that came to my way.

I missed to attend the mass last Sunday since I woke up late... and yeah its a bad doing not to be present on this once a week gathering. So it also means that I wasn't able to join our choir practice, wasn't able to register (again) for the marathon and wasn't able to avail the McDonald's Lunch half price promo.

I wasted my day lying on my bed while watching "Card Captor Sakura", a complete DVD collection that I borrowed from a friend, Cindy. Finished it finally. I'm planning to buy "The Prince Of Tennis" and "Slumdunk" soon.

I also satiate myself to different kind of cuisine. From Chinese to Malay and Indonesian to Indian food. I now love "Roti Telur" an Indian bread cooked from rice flour with egg. I actually didn't like the taste of the food before since this was served with "Dal" (I'm not sure about the spelling), a dressing made from green bean or squash or eggplant with curry. I'm not fascinated with curry the reason why I avoided this food before. Not now since I enjoying it very much. Yummy!

Come and Go

Life is really too short,

I'm sad.. one of my aunt just passed this morning.

I'll take a break first on writing an entry today.

Jogging, Bonding, Planning

We had a jogging session with my kicking team last night at MMU oval track. This is where I practice my stamina in preparation for the coming marathon that I mention on my previous entry.

The session started at 1830h and I came late. I thought they aren't arrived yet and wait for a couple of minutes to check when they passed in front of me running.. hehehe.. shy shy shy... I tailed them and keep my pace near them for about 4 rounds. I walk around the oval after my first four lapse and done another 3 lapses before we stop.

Eddy gathered us around to say a few words about the binding camp. He discuss some of the activity that they plan to do there. He also brought the "Demo Team" plan for the coming Martial arts fest at the University and the IIUM Invitational Taekwondo tournament. The tournament will be held at Gombak, Selangor this coming August 7, 8 and 9. Two disciplines are open one for 16 to 18 year old jins and the intervarsity which is open to all (no age limit). I want to joint here since I don't have duty on that saturday. I just forgot to ask him if its okay to join for two days only since I cant take a leave on the first day of the tournament (Friday).

Keep my fingers cross...

Kicking Update

I wore my yellow belt for the first time last night :D.

I'm really happy that I reached this far.. not that far, yes... but far enough to keep me going and aim for more.

It wasn't like our usual training sessions... It so exhausting.. its an extreme training... and I love it!

I think we jog for about 20 to 30 minutes.. running around on our training area... then respiratory and power exercise like push up, jumping, some sort of pilates etc. I sweat a lot... I can even squeeze some ounce of sweat on my uniform :). Then kick training. Repititive front and side kicking and full force punching. We also do some strategic kicking (okay I just put name on that one).

If you love tae kwon do, I'm pretty sure you will love what we done last night.

After the training we had some few words with the President, Eddy Beh. He discussed about the upcoming "Binding Camp" this coming weekends at Negeri Semibilan. This is perfect activity to know each other, to form a strong friendship within us, new members. Unfortunately, like the last dinner of the group, I can't join them again. I have to work this coming Saturday and switching a schedule with other colleague is impossible :(. Geez, I really love to know those kids better and be one of their close friends. Anyway, I hope to join them next time.

And then after the training, I head to my friends place to celebrate her birthday :D

Happy Birthday :D

Not me but my two friends... hahahaha.

One, celebrating her birthday here in my adopted country. And the other, on my motherland at her home taking some rest.

Both of them are special to me... seriously. They just like my mother and sister outside my home. The other shows me the truth of life, dealing with different kind of people and the other showing me the meaning of life, buy showing the good side of everyone. Not that they lectured it to me... I learned it by observing them.

They have the opposite personality... the good and bad, the negative and the positive, the pessimist and the optimist...

Oh well, It's nice to have surrounded by different kind of person with different kind of personalities and have different views towards life.


And before I forgot the reason why I blog about them... I am here wishing :

Happy Birthday to both of them!

Weekend Gate-away

So I been to Genting Highlands last Saturday with two of my friends. One, who visit the country due to training for a couple of days which he extend for pleasure.

As I mention on my previous post, this is my nth time visit at the place. Its an amusement park which you can compare to "Star City" and or "Enchanted Kingdom" (Okay, I haven't been to Enchanted Kingdom even once - not a big deal :D ). The only difference is that Genting Amusement park is situated on the top of a mountain. It's like you are in Baguio City!... but much colder.

Okay, I'm enthusiastic the morning I woke up that day since, finally, for the 3rd times of planning to bring my friend, I can now show him the place. The only motive on my mind is to have him experienced the 25 minutes ride on the longest sky cable in South-east Asia. Yep, 25 minutes ride on a hanging carrier above the stiff mountain. But he didn't look so troubled when we're there... deep sigh.

Anyway, We wasn't able to try the rides since the fog is soo damn heavy. All you can see are the clouds covering everything. We just decided to hang around at the "Indoor Park" and take some pictures. We take some below the replica of "Statue of Liberty" of U.S, the famous "Eiffel Tower" of Paris, France, and Malaysian pride "Twin Tower".

Well, he told me that he enjoy the trip :D hehehe.

Hope we could experience more in the place on his next visit.

Sunday

Its second Sunday of the Month... another schedule for Pinoy Mass.

I woke up early this morning to prepare for the day. I urged my friend to woke up though I felt he is still sleepy (sorry pal). He is also scheduled to depart going back to Philippines at 1200h. I told him last night that I need to attend the Filipino Mass and join the Choir. "It wasn't a problem" he told me and we were agreed to leave my place at 8:00am. Our service is schedule at 09:15 So I still have time to reach the church If I will take the 08:45 fast train from Putrajaya.

We are still tired because of the last day activity. We went to Genting and took a swim in the Clubhouse pool in our area when we got back.

Buses in our place are departing per schedule. Unlike weekdays, which has 30 minutes interval, weekends has one hour. You are lucky if they follow their schedule and catch the bus which will arrived our place after 15 to 20 minutes of their schedule. Unfortunately, we missed it so we just took a cab to the station. We arrived at 08:40 and bought tickets, one for me, going to City Central, and another for him, going to International Airport. Our schedule is the same and we separate after our trains arrived.

I reached the City at 09:05 and head for another train station going to the church. Luckly, I arrived on time. My friends are still setting up the place.

The whole mass goes well, we sang our heart out at the choir stand.. two of the songs are well sung.. one for the offertory, "Take and Received", and the other for the communion, "Panunumpa". The rest are... (you know what it means :D )

I love both songs, and was so grateful that the other didn't force to sang it. They used to shout every songs on our previous masses together with the other who mis-sang the songs due to unfamiliarity... they are the ones who didn't show on every practice.. sigh

I will tell ate Rizza soon if she can restrict the people who didn't practice to join us in the choir stand. It's a waste of our efforts to make the songs pleasant to listen because of them.

After the mass, we gathered up to the Old Parish Hall to celebrate 'Kuya" Jess son's Birthday. He is celebrating his first birthday here.. yipee. The foods are awesome. I stuffed my self with different "lutong bahay" foods that I missed.. yay

After resting for a few minutes, I go straight to Midvalley Mall to try my luck if I can get a movie ticket to watch "Transformers". Luckily, with my other two friends, we got tickets!

New Term For Kicking

I again join the training for Taekwondo last night. There are lots of new faces at the training site. Either they are new who just join or old who decided to return is not clear to me not until the end of the training session. Wow! Most of them, or I would say all of them are new guys who just transferred in the University!

There are many new guys who are already black belters and a few who are white, yellow like me and some blue and red belters. And yes, finally, I got my new belt from Ms. Maggie.. Yahoo!

It's not a common training day since We, lower belters was ask to watch our Seniors doing their 1-8 tier forms. It become some sort of orientation for new members actually. I know no one except from Eddy, the club president and Melvin who is always there in every sessions and our instructor Mr. Moi and his wife ofcourse... bah!

I haven't seen Irene since the new term of session began. It wasn't clear to me what she told me before about the training and her On-The-Job training which is one of her requirements in her University. Anyway, I'm still hoping to see the old guys to join this first term of the year again.

Captain Who?

I finished reading "Kapitan Sino" by Bob Ong last night... whe!

I broke my promise not to read my new books not until I finished the "The Good Guy" by Dean Koontz that I'm currently reading. I just received the book yesterday morning actually and start reading it. I can't stop my self to open and read it after it touches my hand.. hahaha


Like his other recent book "M-A-C-A-R-T-H-U-R", "Kapitan Sino" is a metaphor of the Philippine Society. Though the story is predictable, it still saddens to read the truth about what We, Pinoys are now. Yes, W-E, including Me.

Its true that changes cant be possible in the hand of only one person. Not by a good President and definitely not by the current President that we have in country now. The people has the power to change things in the Country. Two People Power proved that. Changes was achieved by everyone. Not because of one nor 10 but because every single person act.

I still have faith that my country will not be known only as a "Third World Country" by others. For me its only an understatement to a beautiful country rich with natural resources... and gifted with lovable, friendly and honest people.

Let's Run

I slept late last night. My adrenalin is still fully awake due to two hours of jog and walking. I'm doing this in preparation of the coming marathon that me and my friends are planning to be part of.

I'm not yet registered unlike my other friends who requested one of their officemates/friends to register for them. I'll try to visit Adidas booth at "The Gardens" near MidValley Megamall to register this weekend.

I'm so excited since this will be my first time to join such activity. I tried to timed my self using my cellphone timer and check how many minutes it would take for me to reach the end of the nearest Park in our Place. It feels great and its a good motivation that you are doing this kind of thing because of a certain goal.

Oh and I received a call from a friend from Philippines who is here now in "The City of Lights" asking for direction on how to reach his hotel while were on the midst of our cardio-training. He is still not familiar in the country though he's been here for a couple of times.

We also discovered a track and field inside MMU. Its a best place to practice and timed our speed. I think the oval is about 400 meters long so it will take us 27 to 28 rounds to complete the 11Km mark that were planned to join in. I tried to run to check my time and finish the whole oval for a minute and 40 seconds. If my calculation is right, I could finish 11km in roughly 40 minutes! Inside the qualifying time of 50minutes.. that is if I can maintain the same speed from the start to finish.. yay!

For those people around the City and who wants to be part of this activity please check below link for more info: Shah Alam King of the Road

Happy Running :D

Me & My Stupid Self

I have this mixed emotion or mixed feeling or what ever the right word to express it today. Hmmm, I am happy that after a week of wait, I finally have the recent book from one of my favorite Filipino author brought by a colleague. So happy just to be upset to learn that I already read and bought one of the two books.

I felt so stupid to missed the title of it. Now I know the reason why I felt so familiar in the story that my friend is telling me about the book. It was a year or so since I read the book and maybe the reason why its not clear to me if I already had it or not. I surely check my shelf first before I ask my friend to bought it.

The book is missing on my shelf thats for sure.. and then a colleague told me that I had the same book! Now I remember that he borrowed it from me... it was almost a year now since he borrowed that book!

To hide my stupidity, I just told them that I will give the other book to a friend as a gift.

Sigh!

Kicking At St. John

I joined the taekwondo training again at St. Johns school at Bukit Nanas yesterday. Actually I was fifteen or twenty minutes late from the training because I forgot to watch the time while on choir practice. Anyway, I'm still happy that I can still manage to follow my listed schedule for the day.

The team are in the midst of stretching when I arrived. I haven't seen Melvin, who came later after my five minutes in the formation(gladly there are people who came later than me... hehehe).

I forgot the name of the senior leader who ask us to line up to practice some tier steps. I'm still wearing my white belt since Ms. Maggie didn't show up on last Tuesday training. SL(Senior Leader) told us first to practice our basic kicking and punching. Start with the single to double and end to triple punches, lower to counter blocking and front to side kicking.

It is one heck of a training and I really really really enjoyed it. My whole body is sweating... and it really feels great.

Ang Puso Ko'y... Sa Hapag...

So we had another practice... an informal choir practice yesterday in the old parish hall at St. John Cathedral for the next Filipino/Pinoy Mass. Its a sudden decision to have an early practice which started at 930am since some of the members have a basketball and volleyball game scheduled at lunchtime which will hit the original practice schedule at 1pm.

I wasn't able to join them on last week practice due to lack of time. I went to Midvalley mall to bought some personal stuffs. I was just surprised that they still don't have the list of songs for the next service. Ate Rizza is torn between the list of old and new songs and can't decide which one to put on the list. We then decide to use some songs we practice a month ago but again got a little problem choosing the best Entrance song for the Mass.

I suggested to use "Ang Puso Ko'y Nagpupuri" since it is best suited as an entrance song. Most of the members are familiar with the piece too so choosing it will not be a huge problem. I wish we could sing the "Sa Hapag ng Panginoon" song too, but practicing a new song will postpone our "Mass run-through" practice.

Anyway here is a clip from Hangad which I downloaded from Youtube. "Ang Puso Ko'y Nagpupuri" is one of the tracks on their Album "Magnificat". The song was well sung and well performed by the group.. hope we could do the same too...

Enjoy!

(got some problem on adding the video.. will update soon)

Gray day

I'm very excited last night just to be disappointed after more than 4 hours of watching the final match of Wimbledon. My mind is still denying the sour lost of one of my favorites and finalist on this year tournament in All-England Club.

Andy Roddick change his game(thats for sure) and really deserve to win, but Roger Federer stop him. Wahh.. Roger fans are surely still celebrating the wins of their bet. sigh.. sigh... sigh!

In the good side, Andy reaches the final of a Grand Slam after years of trying. He still the winner for me.. hehehe.. (bitter)

Talking about tennis, it's been weeks since my last game with my Indonesian friend in Cyberia. He keeps on complaining about his right hand and still on rest in order to play again. I'm also waiting for my Filipino friend to recover on his illness... he still had this stone on his kidney and still under medication for almost 4 months. He was been my tennis buddy for a year now.

I have again received an invitation from a Church friend for a tennis game this coming Saturday in National Tennis Center, this could be a chance for me to check my improvements on my new loved game. Sadly, I can't make for this week since I already commit my weekend to accompany a friend from Philippines in Genting Highlands. This is his 3rd time in the country and 3rd to planed to visit the place. Our first two plans was been canceled due to tickets and bus schedule unavailability. Hope we can make it this time.. yay! In the brighter side, My tastebuds will again enjoy the tasty hotdog made from my Motherland!

Bibo.. bibo.. bibo..!

8 Things

I received and was been tagged by Mye... this is my first one hahaha :D

Let me give a try...

8 Things I'm looking Forward To:

- New course structure on the training center to start a new course - yay! :D
- Friends Birthday celebrations
- A kilo of "Bibo" hotdogs from a friend from Philippines
- 11 km marathon next month
- My Favorite to win Wimbledon
- An out-of-town on weekend alone
- A gift from someone special... I'm waiting :)
- Public Holiday :D

8 Things I Did Yesterday:

- Help a friend to transfer her things to their new unit
- Day dreaming
- Eat alone in the Chinese Restaurant (sad life I have huh bwehehehe)
- Watch Wimbledon game
- Reading a few chapters of a book
- Yoga for 30 minutes
- Write a few plans on my diary
- Talking to God before sleep

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:

- Watch a live Pro Tennis Game
- Become a President and revised some of my Country's dumb laws(whoa)
- Slapped and punched all people in the Government who joined the Kho-Halili craze
- Meet the Pope
- Have a Charity group and reached out
- Be a role model to some (harharhar)
- Flying a Plane before sky diving

8 TV Shows I Watch:

- Discovery
- Hallmark (Oprah: Foods)
- Asian Food Channel (Naked Chef)
- Animal Planet
- Star Sports (Wimbledon)
- AXN
- HBO
- KBS (Korean Broadcasting Station)

People I Tagged:

To follow.. hahaha. I dont have any one.. I sure Milet done this already

Back from Hiatus

Its been over a month when I decided to stop posting for my blog for the meantime. I let my bird brain to rest for a couple of weeks to regain my will and hunger to think hehehe.

Now, here I am again, trying to make a new start on my online past-time.

So, for those days I am away on blogger, I wasted my time on Facebook. Its an online community networking like Friendster, Flicker and Multiply. A friend and colleague introduced me on this site and urge me to join on her group at "Mafia Wars". I actually heard and received a lots of invite from my friends to join this site before but I haven't tried to check it due to my inborn laziness. I wasn't fascinated on online games and I always told them that I can't manage to keep another social network. I don't even had a chance to check and update my Friendster account, so why join another one?

Anyway, I been tired on telling excuses and give the site a try. And whoa.. I was hooked on most of the games and quizzes on the site. I finally joined them at "Mafia Wars" and well, can't stop playing it. I'm already reaches "level 58"!

Aside from "Facebook-ing", I return back on reading books. I'm currently reading and trying to finish the "Good Guy" by Dean Koontz which I borrow from my friend (shai). I also bought another 2 books from MPH a week ago which I will read after I finish with the first one. I also ask my colleague who took a leave for The Philippines to buy two new books of my favorite local writer. I need lots of new books to read since I keep on re-reading my old ones.

Trial

Trial