Tuesday, September 26, 2006
come on over!
hello batchmates and sanos, am inviting you to visit my blog at www.gibbscadiz.blogspot.com for stories and pics of my russia trip. dun ko na lang i-post para isahan na lang. hirap pala mag-maintain ng blog, haay. :) me link pala ako dun ng batch87 site.
On Homesickness and Loneliness( a tribute to lonely Totep)
( Totep’s e-mail inspired me to write these crumbs of thoughts on loneliness and homesickness)
Loneliness and homesickness are two demons that I know very well. Or to put it correctly, the two demons that know me very well. They have been patiently lurking in my soul, crippling the sharpness of my mind, hounding and pounding every vein of my heart. They have been with me and they will always be.
Trained and formed to be lonely-proof missionary, well-armed with theological thoughts, enflamed by youthful idealism and, strengthened by the mystical blessings of prayers, I went to foreign mission with much pride…for nothing could stop me, nobody could humble me. But I was wrong.
I fought fiercely with these demons for sometime. I used all I got to defeat them, but to no avail. They can be weakened but not killed; they can be resisted but not forever. Time came when loneliness crumbled the proud fortress of my emotion, homesickness burned down the high façade of my thoughts…leaving my soul naked.
But God indeed is the God of many surprises. The moment of my surrender was also a moment of my victory. It was when I accepted that I am lonely that loneliness befriended me; it was when I showed my weakness that homesickness led me back home.
Now I learned the lesson well: loneliness and homesickness are not demons after all. They are good friends if we befriend them; they are however great enemies if we fight against them.
Fortunately, I did not learn the lesson through a hard way.
Loneliness and homesickness are two demons that I know very well. Or to put it correctly, the two demons that know me very well. They have been patiently lurking in my soul, crippling the sharpness of my mind, hounding and pounding every vein of my heart. They have been with me and they will always be.
Trained and formed to be lonely-proof missionary, well-armed with theological thoughts, enflamed by youthful idealism and, strengthened by the mystical blessings of prayers, I went to foreign mission with much pride…for nothing could stop me, nobody could humble me. But I was wrong.
I fought fiercely with these demons for sometime. I used all I got to defeat them, but to no avail. They can be weakened but not killed; they can be resisted but not forever. Time came when loneliness crumbled the proud fortress of my emotion, homesickness burned down the high façade of my thoughts…leaving my soul naked.
But God indeed is the God of many surprises. The moment of my surrender was also a moment of my victory. It was when I accepted that I am lonely that loneliness befriended me; it was when I showed my weakness that homesickness led me back home.
Now I learned the lesson well: loneliness and homesickness are not demons after all. They are good friends if we befriend them; they are however great enemies if we fight against them.
Fortunately, I did not learn the lesson through a hard way.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
9/11 EXTENDED CELEB IN MANILA/FAREWELL FOR GIBBS
erwin e. and dandy at oyster boy
tato, gibbs, erwin e. and dandy
drinking some coffee at starbucks-gateway
tato and gibbsLast Sept. 14, the manila-based batch87 gathered for 9/11 extended celebration and farewell party for gibbs who then will be leaving for moscow, russia for an offcial trip.
9/11 CELEBRATION
batch 87 celebrated the 9/11 incident at dandy's house...fr. ernie mendina came...joey lasala and his girlfriend attended too. thanks bros. for coming!Wednesday, September 20, 2006
PAGBALIK-TANAW, PAGBALIK-PUGAY PART 2
the study hall- witness of so many bloopers...take a look at the stage, that's where the other library was located
the study table
...remember this? where some of us knelt, where all of us mapped.
thank fr. henry for the tour!Friday, September 15, 2006
PAGBALIK-TANAW AT PAGBALIK-PUGAY
the basketball court: where some of us have shown their power
the future place of vicboy and henry(home for the old priests)
the bell: eternally tolling
the chapel: a place of so many memories, where the boys meet girls on sunday...now so lonely. Why? Just look at the picture...its set-up.
the water-tank: still stand strong TOTEP'S DESPEDIDA AT CASA DOMINGA
batch87 with fr. bart
problemado si totep sa bayad1
ngiting demonyo si totep...madyo barato daw ang bill!MORE BAPTISM PIX
totep last pix with the group before leaving sorsogon for australia...a great sigh for everybody!
a proud father!
the Marcial FamilyJM's BAPTISM
the godfathers of JM...mga parak lahat!
posing with the two priests of batch 87
making a sign of cross...praying that JM will grow like his father.
with his beautiful godmothers(kuno!)...take note: mapa-extrahon n batch87 kids!Tuesday, September 12, 2006
kadi na kamo!
mga bro, pag may time kamo, check out man nindo my newly revamped blog site ha, www.gibbscadiz.blogspot.com -- (nasa links din sa baba). i write mostly about theater, travel, movies, music, books, personal stuff, and whatever other topics that come to mind. feel free to post a comment or leave a message sa chatterbox. didto na ako todo mapa-extra, hehe. see ya there! :)
gibbs
gibbs
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
The Saga, part 1
Mga kapatid,
At exactly 8:40pm (Manila Time) September 7 (Thursday), i'm bound for Bond University in Gold Coast Australia to commence my Master of Communication studies.
As expected, I experienced so many unfortunate events prior to my flight. (Pati nga pagkamatay ng Crocodile Hunter, sinisisi sa akin).
Umpisa muna tayo sa good news. Finally, may susundo sa akin sa airport courtesy of Bond. Muntik na akong di makakuha ng airport transfer request receipt kasi kelangang bayaran ko thru credit card. E, marginalized nga ako eh, meron akong credit pero walang card. Buti na lang naalala ko, my credit card si misis, ayun solve ang problema. (Kainis, ngayon ko lang naalala na may credit card pala si misis, e di sana di ako nagkaproblema sa housing accommodation....)
O di ba, segue na sa jinx experiences.... Ito ang matindi, wala pa akong housing accommodation! Panong nangyari yun? Nasarhan ako ng on - campus accommodation kasi late na nga ako nag - enroll. Kaya sa off - campus ako humirit. Sabi ng manager ng Accommodation People, ang accommodation agency ng Bond, kelangan daw magdeposit muna ako para ma - secure ang accommodation ko. Dun nagsimula ang paghihirap. Wala akong perang pangdeposit kasi a day before ng flight pa makukuha ko ang settling allowance at first monthly allowance kung saan dun kukunin ang deposit. Marami sana ang nag - offer sa kin, biglang umurong. May magkapatid na students din ng Bond ang unang naglakas loob na nag - offer sa akin ng accommodation. Nagtanong sila kung ilang months ko gustong tumira sa kanila. Tiningnan ko ang cost ng deposit, good for 1 month, so sagot ko... i intend to stay with you for at least a month but I assure you that for sure I will extend....
Di naman ako sinabihan ng manager ng Accommodation People na may rule or law na minimum of 3 months ang lease contract sa kanila. So ayun, tinaggihan ako ng magkapatid!
Sunod na naglakas loob ay isang pulis. Tinaggap ko kaagad kahit na takot ako sa mga may baril kesa sa tumira ako sa bulsa ng kangaroo. Kaso, biglang dumating ang dalawa niyang anak na titira sa kanya hanggang Christmas. Di pa man nakatuntong sa Bahay ni Kuya Pulis, evicted agad ako.
Nag - offer uli sa akin ang manager ng room sa Varsity Towers (sosyal ito na student residence, parang hotel), may mga reserve yata sila para sa mga medyo malas na parehas ko... Ang housing deposit?... umaatikabong $ 1,020.00 (i guess Australian Dollars, P39 ang conversion)!!! Mga kapatid, US$1,450.00 lang dala ko, paano ako kakain nito?! Hingi ako ng advise ni Mam Bambot, parehas kami ng iniisip, super sosyal ang housing ko pero gutom ang aabutin ng bulate ko... Walang choice, di ko kayang tanggapin ang offer, marginalized lang po ako...
Kaya mga kapatid, boung tapang akong susugod sa "Down Under" na walang masisilungan man lang.... I was instructed to proceed as scheduled, like a good soldier, I obeyed without questions....
Hindi pa po ito ang kumpletong horror story, trailer po pa lang ito. Pag may time, isusulat ko ang matitinding karanasan simula ng nang mag - apply ako sa Bond. Naalala ninyo yung kwento sa BIR ng isang free lance writer na naforward ko nga sa iba sa inyo? Panis, sisiw yun!
Munting kahilingan mga kapatid.... ipagdasal po ninyo ako. Ipagdasal din po ninyo ang Australia na sana'y hindi maapektuhan ng "special powers" ko... Pero magsaya na po kayo na maiiwan ko dahil.....UUNLAD NA ANG PILIPINAS, LUMAYAS NA ANG JINX!......
....Dasal ko din, sana swertihin na ako sa Australia....OOOOPPPPSSSS, WALANG KOKONTRA! ANG KUMONTRA, IPAPAMANA KO ANG SPECIAL POWERS KO !!!
Vavuskah!
Toteperez
Hari Ng Sablay
At exactly 8:40pm (Manila Time) September 7 (Thursday), i'm bound for Bond University in Gold Coast Australia to commence my Master of Communication studies.
As expected, I experienced so many unfortunate events prior to my flight. (Pati nga pagkamatay ng Crocodile Hunter, sinisisi sa akin).
Umpisa muna tayo sa good news. Finally, may susundo sa akin sa airport courtesy of Bond. Muntik na akong di makakuha ng airport transfer request receipt kasi kelangang bayaran ko thru credit card. E, marginalized nga ako eh, meron akong credit pero walang card. Buti na lang naalala ko, my credit card si misis, ayun solve ang problema. (Kainis, ngayon ko lang naalala na may credit card pala si misis, e di sana di ako nagkaproblema sa housing accommodation....)
O di ba, segue na sa jinx experiences.... Ito ang matindi, wala pa akong housing accommodation! Panong nangyari yun? Nasarhan ako ng on - campus accommodation kasi late na nga ako nag - enroll. Kaya sa off - campus ako humirit. Sabi ng manager ng Accommodation People, ang accommodation agency ng Bond, kelangan daw magdeposit muna ako para ma - secure ang accommodation ko. Dun nagsimula ang paghihirap. Wala akong perang pangdeposit kasi a day before ng flight pa makukuha ko ang settling allowance at first monthly allowance kung saan dun kukunin ang deposit. Marami sana ang nag - offer sa kin, biglang umurong. May magkapatid na students din ng Bond ang unang naglakas loob na nag - offer sa akin ng accommodation. Nagtanong sila kung ilang months ko gustong tumira sa kanila. Tiningnan ko ang cost ng deposit, good for 1 month, so sagot ko... i intend to stay with you for at least a month but I assure you that for sure I will extend....
Di naman ako sinabihan ng manager ng Accommodation People na may rule or law na minimum of 3 months ang lease contract sa kanila. So ayun, tinaggihan ako ng magkapatid!
Sunod na naglakas loob ay isang pulis. Tinaggap ko kaagad kahit na takot ako sa mga may baril kesa sa tumira ako sa bulsa ng kangaroo. Kaso, biglang dumating ang dalawa niyang anak na titira sa kanya hanggang Christmas. Di pa man nakatuntong sa Bahay ni Kuya Pulis, evicted agad ako.
Nag - offer uli sa akin ang manager ng room sa Varsity Towers (sosyal ito na student residence, parang hotel), may mga reserve yata sila para sa mga medyo malas na parehas ko... Ang housing deposit?... umaatikabong $ 1,020.00 (i guess Australian Dollars, P39 ang conversion)!!! Mga kapatid, US$1,450.00 lang dala ko, paano ako kakain nito?! Hingi ako ng advise ni Mam Bambot, parehas kami ng iniisip, super sosyal ang housing ko pero gutom ang aabutin ng bulate ko... Walang choice, di ko kayang tanggapin ang offer, marginalized lang po ako...
Kaya mga kapatid, boung tapang akong susugod sa "Down Under" na walang masisilungan man lang.... I was instructed to proceed as scheduled, like a good soldier, I obeyed without questions....
Hindi pa po ito ang kumpletong horror story, trailer po pa lang ito. Pag may time, isusulat ko ang matitinding karanasan simula ng nang mag - apply ako sa Bond. Naalala ninyo yung kwento sa BIR ng isang free lance writer na naforward ko nga sa iba sa inyo? Panis, sisiw yun!
Munting kahilingan mga kapatid.... ipagdasal po ninyo ako. Ipagdasal din po ninyo ang Australia na sana'y hindi maapektuhan ng "special powers" ko... Pero magsaya na po kayo na maiiwan ko dahil.....UUNLAD NA ANG PILIPINAS, LUMAYAS NA ANG JINX!......
....Dasal ko din, sana swertihin na ako sa Australia....OOOOPPPPSSSS, WALANG KOKONTRA! ANG KUMONTRA, IPAPAMANA KO ANG SPECIAL POWERS KO !!!
Vavuskah!
Toteperez
Hari Ng Sablay
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
The sign is true!
In behalf of the Batch 87 members, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the bereaved family of Steve Irwin, the enthusiastic Australian "Crocodile Hunter" who enthralled audiences around the world with his wildlife adventures...guess what?, i hope this has nothing to do with Totep's coming to Australia!...Totep, bro goodluck to you...
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