Responsible Travel: The Bliss in Ignorance and the Pain in Information

March 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
beach

"Is that because of us?" was Nix's question after telling her how I ended up not scratching anything off my bucket list when I visited Chiang Mai, Thailand. Nix Nicolas is a co-founder of Save Philippine Seas (SPS). "Yes," I replied with an unblinking stare. The month before, I found myself reluctant to try some of the most popular tours and attractions in Chiang Mai because I just could not bear to ignore the guilt, knowing the background of the animals involved. Like many kids, the young me dreamed of riding an elephant and having a close encounter with a tiger. Chiang Mai presented … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Causes, Public Affairs, The World, Travel Tagged With: , , , ,

Traveling Without Labels

August 19, 2012 by 18 Comments
ngong ping 360 hong kong

Mario is a marketing consultant for a transportation company. He doesn't need to report to office; his boss calls him only when his expertise is needed. He receives a good amount of cash every month for his consultancy work.  Such convenient set-up allows Mario to travel across Southeast Asia for a long, long time. He's been on the road for a year. Luigi is a full-time architect. He lives with his 10-year old sister. He loves architecture so much that he can't see himself in another profession; it's been his dream since he was a kid. But he has another passion --- traveling! Every month, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Rants, The World, Travel Tagged With: , ,

The World According to Google Search Suggestions

August 14, 2012 by 7 Comments
google logo

"Filipinos are annoying. Malaysians are ugly. Indonesians are lazy. Singaporeans are rude. Americans are dumb." That's what Google suggested when I typed the nationality (+ are) into the search box the other night. I was doing an online research about Malaysia for my travel blog when I spotted a search suggestion that I thought was a little too sweeping. It said: Malaysians are ugly. While I am not Malaysian, it bothered me so much. Really? That's your suggestion?  I understand that the beliefs and preferences of those who work at Google, as well as the opinions of the general public, … [Read more...]

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Earning

April 9, 2012 by 17 Comments
durian vendors

The Man Under the Shade My mom's words had been ringing in my head since I walked away from the store. "Never give alms to beggars on the street." I was supposed to go straight home from school but I decided to buy egg pie from a bakery around the block. I still had P20 in my pocket and I was planning to grab two slices. My daily allowance was P50 but I had spent P30 for lunch. I was in High School. There was a man, whom I had never seen before, sitting on the ground, under the shade of the tree in front of the store. Wearing a worn-out sleeveless shirt and a pair of dirty shorts, he … [Read more...]

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The Paradox of the Freedom Islands

October 14, 2011 by 3 Comments
all drains lead to the ocean

A month ago, if a foreign traveler asked me where the nearest mangrove forest lies, I'd probably tell him to take the bus to Quezon or fly to Palawan. If one asked me to take him to a place where he could go bird-watching aside from UP Diliman, I'd probably drive him out of the city to Pampanga. If he asked me to take him to a place where he could see dolphins, I'd tell him to head over to Batangas. I just didn't know any place within Metro Manila where anyone could bond with nature. Recently, however, I learned about two islands stretching in Manila Bay. Freedom Island and Long Island, … [Read more...]

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And We Wonder Why We Don’t Move Forward

March 12, 2011 by 11 Comments
Photo by Vky Mendoza

Sometimes, we are THE problem. … [Read more...]

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5 Interesting Holidays to Celebrate in February

February 10, 2011 by 11 Comments
valentines day decorations

February is the shortest month with only 28 days in common years and 29 in leap years but it's surely not short of holidays. Each day of the month is a holiday celebrated in a part of the world. Some of these are familiar events that most countries observe while others are area-specific. Also known as the “love month,” February has a day for everyone. It is also considered: Black History Month Snack Food Month Children's Dental Health Month Responsible Pet Owner's Month American History Month But the most celebrated event in February has got to be Valentine's Day. In … [Read more...]

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How the 13th Zodiac Sign Rattled the World

January 15, 2011 by 38 Comments
zodiac signs

Yesterday morning, I logged in to my Facebook account only to find almost everyone in panic. Apparently, their zodiac signs have changed and they refuse their new sign. What's worse, there's a 13th sign --- Ophiuchus, the serpent-bearer, the culprit, the cause of the global disorder. Haha. Here are some zodiac-related status messages that I gathered yesterday (including mine): Winston: hindi ko alam pano mabuhay bilang Cancer. :( Andre: MY LIFE IS A LIE! MY LIFE IS A LIE! MY LIFE IS A LIE! Yoshke: Kebs na ako sa bagong zodiac. Basta ako, PISCES ako. Malansa ako eh. Yoshke: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Friends, Humor, Public Affairs, Science, Web Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Thanks, Philippine Blog Awards 2010!

December 13, 2010 by 62 Comments
yoshke at philippine blog awards 2010

I woke up this morning coughing my lungs out, wondering whether last night was real or not. A few moments later, my hubby greeted me good morning and congrats. I figured, it was real. I hurried to the kitchen to get a glass of water and I saw three trophies on the drawer. One of my other housemates, Dane, congratulated me. Alright, alright, it was real. So last night, I won in 3 categories at the Philippine Blog Awards 2010: Top (Written) Posts for 2010: Fireworks, Hormones and this Blog Post Top Post for 2010: Do They Read Blogs in Heaven? Best Personal/Diary Blog: … [Read more...]

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Judging By the Cover

December 7, 2010 by 38 Comments
image courtesy of www.drewsmarketingminute.com

Our office is just a stone's throw from where I live. In fact, all I have to do is cross EDSA and voila, hello office. But even within such a short distance, I get plenty of opportunities to step back, take a look at myself and think about the world I live in. What am I talking about, eh? Actually, I feel like every single day I feel judged based on how I look and the clothes I wear. You see, the best thing about the company I work for is that they allow employees to come to work in any get-up that the employee finds comfortable. With only a few restrictions --- no sandos, no … [Read more...]

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