Finding My Way Back to Blogging

Lately, life has been a little overwhelming. I've been dealing with a lot of stress and problems, and there are times when I honestly don't know who I can talk to. There are plenty of people around me, but I've realized that being surrounded by people doesn't necessarily mean you have someone who truly understands what you're going through.

Some people will listen, but they may not really understand. Others may care, but sometimes they don't notice when you're struggling quietly. And somehow, in the middle of all of this, I found myself writing again. I came back to the one place where I've always been able to say whatever is on my mind without worrying about being judged—my blog.

Funny how life works. Sometimes, it brings you back to something you thought you had already left behind.

Going Back Through My Old Blog Posts

My domain is set to expire soon, so I've been going through my old blog posts again. I thought I was simply checking old content, but I ended up taking a little trip down memory lane. Reading those posts feels like opening an old box of photographs.

One post reminds me of a place I visited. Another brings back a particular meal I cooked. Some make me remember things I bought, people I met, trips I took, or even the most ordinary days of my life.

Back then, I never thought those little posts were important. I was just writing. I was sharing what was happening in my life. I never imagined that years later, those random blog posts would become little pieces of my history.

Life Seemed So Simple Back Then

Looking at my old posts made me realize how simple my life seemed at that time. I wrote about food, travel, shopping, Korea, everyday life, little adventures, and random thoughts.

Nothing extraordinary. Just life. But now, those ordinary moments feel special because they're gone. It's strange how we don't always appreciate a particular chapter while we're living it. We only realize how meaningful it was when we look back years later.

Some of the things I complained about back then would probably seem so small compared with the things I'm dealing with now.

And I can't help but smile at the person I was.

Then I Discovered Something Was Missing

While searching through my old files, I came across something I wasn't expecting.

The backup of my old travel blog was gone.

Completely gone.

I searched through my files and folders, hoping I'd find a copy somewhere. I tried to remember where I might have saved it, but I couldn't find anything. It was almost as if the blog had never existed.

At first, I thought I would be devastated.

That blog contained years of travel stories and photographs. It was a record of places I'd been and experiences I'd had.

But strangely enough, I wasn't as sad as I thought I would be.

Because then I remembered who I was traveling with.

Some Memories Are Better Left in the Past

That old travel blog contained many memories of the years when I traveled with my ex-husband.

We went to places together.

We explored together.

We took photographs and documented our trips, probably thinking those moments would always be part of our future.

Back then, I wrote those travel posts with excitement. I didn't know that years later, I would look at those memories from a completely different perspective.

The trips happened.

The places were real.

The memories were real.

But the life attached to them no longer exists.

And maybe that's why losing the backup didn't hurt as much as I expected.

Perhaps some things are simply meant to disappear.

Maybe I don't need to recover every photograph, every story, and every piece of the past.

Maybe I don't need to keep every chapter just because it once mattered to me.

Some chapters can be appreciated for what they were and then left where they belong.

In the past.

Maybe I'm Finding My Way Back to Writing

And yet, here I am.

Writing again.

After all these years, I still find comfort in putting my thoughts into words.

Maybe that's what I have always loved about blogging.

It's not just about getting visitors, publishing posts, or trying to rank on Google.

Sometimes, blogging is simply a place where you can be honest.

A place where you can write when you don't know how to explain what you're feeling.

When your mind is full, you can write.

When you have no one to talk to, you can write.

When you're remembering something, you can write.

When you're hurting, you can write.

And sometimes, when life feels too heavy, writing gives you a quiet little space to breathe.

I Don't Know What Happens Next

I honestly don't know what will happen to this blog.

My domain is about to expire, and I don't know if I'll continue blogging regularly. Maybe I'll renew it. Maybe I won't. Maybe I'll write every day for a while, or maybe I'll disappear again when life gets busy.

I don't know.

But for now, I'm here.

Going through my old posts.

Remembering the woman I used to be.

Smiling at some memories.

Laughing at others.

And quietly skipping the ones that still hurt.

Maybe that's okay.

Because I've learned that moving forward doesn't mean forgetting the past.

It simply means knowing which memories you want to carry with you and which ones you're finally ready to put down.

I don't need to recover every lost post.

I don't need to find every missing photograph.

I don't need to recreate the life I once had.

Some memories can remain exactly where they are.

And perhaps this blog can become something different now.

Not just a record of the life I once lived, but a place where I can document the life I'm still creating.

Maybe this isn't really me going back.

Maybe I'm simply finding my way forward—one post at a time. ❤️

Learning to Let Go of One-Sided Friendships

I used to chase friendships. I used to be the one who reached out, checked in, made an effort, and tried to keep people close. But when I realized that I was the only one who truly cared, I stopped chasing.

People can do things for others that they can’t seem to do for me, and I’ve learned not to take that personally anymore. I simply choose to let people go.

I no longer force connections, beg for attention, or question my worth just because someone doesn’t value me the same way I value them. If the friendship is meant to be, it will never feel like I’m the only one fighting to keep it alive.

Sometimes, letting people go isn’t giving up. it’s choosing peace, self-respect, and knowing when to stop pouring from an empty cup.

I still care, but I’ve learned that caring doesn’t mean I have to keep chasing. Some people are meant to stay, while others are simply meant to be a lesson. And I’m finally okay with that. ❤️

The Price of Being Good at Your Job: A Story of Workplace Betrayal, Resilience, and the Truth

A workplace is more than just a place where people earn a living. It should be an environment where people collaborate, grow professionally, and work together toward shared goals. Whether in a government office, a private company, or a small business, the quality of the workplace has a profound impact on employee performance, job satisfaction, and overall organizational success. At the heart of every healthy workplace is respect.

Respect among colleagues creates an atmosphere where everyone feels valued, regardless of their position, experience, or background. When people treat one another with fairness and professionalism, trust grows, teamwork becomes stronger, and conflicts are resolved constructively.

After spending years working from home, I eventually found myself in an office environment, working eight hours a day and earning just $16.53 a day. It was a difficult transition. The workload was demanding, and the stress eventually became so overwhelming that I resigned because my body could no longer keep up. Two months later, however, I returned to the same office. This time, I held a different position under a different immediate supervisor. At first, everything seemed promising.

Gradually, things became more complicated. To this day, I still don't know exactly how it all began. Sometimes I wonder if my work ethic unintentionally created resentment. I was dependable, eager to help, and often handled the workload of several people. Instead of being appreciated, some of my senior colleagues seemed to grow increasingly hostile toward me for reasons no one could clearly explain. Even my immediate supervisor questioned why they disliked me so intensely.

Eventually, they accused me of having a bad attitude and claimed that everyone in the office was complaining about me. Concerned, my supervisor personally asked other employees about these allegations. The result was surprising: no one else shared those complaints. In fact, many employees expressed more concerns about the behavior of my senior colleagues than about mine. The accusations against me were not supported by the people they claimed were complaining.

When an opportunity to apply for a permanent position became available, I applied for the highest position I was qualified for. At the same time, I was persuaded to submit an application for the lowest position as well. I was told there were not enough applicants for that position and that the hiring process could not proceed unless someone applied. Trusting that explanation, I agreed.

During my interview, one of the senior officials unexpectedly asked me, "How are things going in the office?" I answered honestly that everything was professional and that we were getting along well. The question puzzled me because, from my perspective, I had no personal conflicts with my senior colleagues. If there were problems, they existed on their side, not mine, and I never understood why.

Before taking my oath of office, I was called into the office of the head of our organization. There, I was informed that many applicants had actually competed for the positions - information that directly contradicted what I had previously been told. I was then informed that I had been selected for the lowest position because, according to management, I was not qualified for the higher one and there were more capable candidates.

I accepted the decision without argument. However, when I later learned who had been appointed to the higher position, I struggled to understand the reasoning. The individual selected had frequently relied on me for guidance and assistance in performing the work. It was difficult not to question the fairness of the decision.

The outcome shocked not only me but also many people in the office. I broke down in tears, and so did my immediate supervisor. As time passed, concerns emerged that I had been judged based on unverified claims rather than facts. Decisions appeared to have been influenced by accusations made by my senior colleagues without giving me or my supervisor an opportunity to explain our side or verify whether those allegations were true. No hearing was conducted, no investigation took place, and no one sought our perspective before conclusions were reached.

Almost a year after I had finally secured a permanent appointment, another unexpected setback occurred. The Civil Service Commission invalidated my appointment because of procedural errors committed during the previous human resources process. The mistake was entirely beyond my control, yet I was the one who had to bear its consequences.

As a result, I was reverted to a job order position. Strangely, despite the uncertainty, I felt an unexpected sense of relief. The permanent position I had fought so hard to obtain had become emotionally exhausting. Although the new administration had every right to appoint someone else, the new head of the office chose to retain me in the same role. In many ways, it felt like a fresh start.

The validation of my new appointment took much longer than expected. For three months, I received no salary. It was an incredibly difficult period financially and emotionally. I reached out for help, but the people I thought I could depend on remained silent. During those months, I often felt hopeless.

Throughout everything, my immediate supervisor remained one of the few people who continued to encourage me. She once told me that although the reasons behind everything might not make sense at the time, the truth would eventually reveal itself.

This year, it finally did.

I discovered that much of the hostility I had experienced stemmed from the person I trusted the most, the one I considered a close friend and believed to be my ally. She was the very person who had been harboring resentment toward me and manipulating situations for her own benefit. She shared different stories with different people, creating misunderstandings, fueling conflicts, and turning colleagues against one another. The division within the office that had caused me so much pain had been carefully nurtured behind the scenes by someone I never suspected.

The truth eventually came to light, but by then, it felt too late. The damage had already been done. I was emotionally exhausted, and my mental health had deteriorated significantly. Going to work each day filled me with anxiety, yet I had no choice but to continue because my family depended on my income.

When my father passed away, the responsibility of supporting our family became mine. There was no opportunity to stop or walk away. I had to keep working, even on the days when I felt completely broken inside.

Looking back, I have come to realize that a toxic workplace does not always begin with heavy workloads or impossible deadlines. Sometimes, it begins with gossip, jealousy, favoritism, and the willingness to believe accusations without seeking the truth. Leadership carries the responsibility to listen fairly, verify facts, and ensure that every employee is treated with dignity and due process. When that responsibility is neglected, the consequences extend far beyond office politics - they affect careers, mental health, and lives.

What Struggle Taught Me About People

With the invalidation of our appointments, and while our papers were still being processed, everything was put on hold like our salaries and even our benefits. I was reverted to my old position as a job order employee. 

It became a huge struggle. Our wages had already been delayed for more than a month because of internal problems within the LGU, and then we were told that there might be no salary for the next three to six months. Hearing that felt crushing. 

It was difficult, especially because I had no other source of income. Bills kept piling up, along with daily expenses and responsibilities. There were moments when I felt trapped, overwhelmed by uncertainty, and constantly worried about how I would get through each day. 

As someone who is not used to asking for help, swallowing my pride was one of the hardest things I had to do. But I reached a point where I had no choice. I asked for help from people I believed I could trust, people I thought would understand my situation. 

Yet amid all the struggles, life also showed me something beautiful. I was amazed by the kindness of people I barely knew. They offered help without hesitation, without judgment, and without expecting anything in return. It humbled me and reminded me that compassion can come from the most unexpected places. 

This experience taught me many painful but valuable lessons. It showed me who truly cared, who genuinely valued me, and who only stayed around when things were easy. It also taught me that hardship reveals people’s true colors. 

Sometimes life strips everything away, not to destroy us, but to reveal what truly matters. And through all the pain, uncertainty, and disappointments, I am learning to keep moving forward with faith, resilience, and hope for better days ahead.

A Chapter of Tears, Lessons, and Strength

Things have not been easy for me lately. My appointment was invalidated by the CSC, along with those of other newly hired employees, because of a simple mistake caused by the negligence of our former HR. It was incredibly difficult to accept. The weight of everything felt overwhelming, as if problems kept coming one after another without giving me time to breathe.

Yet somehow, I also saw it differently, it felt like this situation freed me from a burden, from bad luck, or from a heavy aura that had been surrounding me for a long time.

My appointment, or my hiring under the previous administration, was never smooth from the beginning. It came with struggles, tears, and heartache. It also came with insults from someone I choose not to name, words and actions that deeply hurt me but that I endured in silence.

What made things even more painful was dealing with two workmates who seemed to hate me intensely for no clear reason. No matter how much we tried to understand or make sense of it, we could not find any reason why they resented me so deeply.

It was only recently that the truth started to unfold. I discovered that someone I once called a friend had been the one holding the sword behind my back. This person told different stories to them - saying one thing to me and another to others, creating misunderstandings, feeding negativity, and silently causing division.

As a result, relationships were damaged, trust was broken, and I found myself carrying pain I did not deserve. What hurts the most is not just the betrayal itself, but the fact that it came from someone I trusted and considered a friend.

Still, through all of this, I am learning. I am learning that not everyone who smiles at you truly wishes you well. I am learning to protect my peace, to value honesty, and to be more careful about who I let into my life.

Painful as this experience has been, I believe it is teaching me something important. Sometimes endings, even painful ones, are not losses but redirections. Perhaps this chapter is closing to make space for something better, something healthier, lighter, and meant for me.

And despite everything, I choose to move forward, not with bitterness, but with wisdom, strength, and faith that better days are ahead.

The Weight of Maybe, A Love I Almost Had

 

I was walking down the street like it was my own ramp, every click of my heels echoing in my ears. Then suddenly, someone called out to me. I turned my head and there he was. A handsome guy with an angelic face, the kind of gaze that smiled before his lips even did. 

But my smile faltered the moment I recognized him. My eyes drifted to his arms, where his son slept peacefully against his chest. I turned away and continued walking, much like I did years ago, when he stood before me with sincere intentions, and I chose not to let him in

That’s when it hit me. I’ve been searching for love for so long... craving someone who would choose me, even when I felt undeserving. I’ve dreamed of a love story that lasts a lifetime. And maybe… maybe it was offered to me once. Maybe it was him. But I was too young then, too full of dreams. I wanted to help my family, to experience life, to chase everything I thought I needed. 

And I did. 

But somewhere along the way, I ended up alone. 

Maybe if I had chosen him, if I said yes when he courted me, I would have had that happy family I always imagined. Maybe my life would be different. Maybe… so many maybes. 

But as the wind brushed against my face, I realized something: if that story was truly meant for me, I wouldn’t be standing here now - alone, yes… but also wiser, stronger, and still becoming the woman I’m meant to be. 

And perhaps one day, I’ll understand why certain roads had to lead me here first… so that when the right person finally arrives, I’ll be ready to hold on and never let go. 

Learning to Stand Alone After my Father Passing

 When my father died, we lost not just a loved one—we lost a pillar of our home. There were many changes in our way of living. We had to learn to do things on our own, tasks that had always been his responsibility. Looking back, I realize why he often told us to be independent—perhaps he knew he wouldn’t be with us for long. 

When my father was alive, we cooked using firewood because he always brought it home from the valley. But now, we rely on charcoal, gas, and, when we’re lucky, whatever wood we can find. The gas that used to last three months now seems to run out much faster. Adjusting to these changes has been difficult, but we manage. The other day, we were assigned to help clean the town in preparation for the upcoming Provincial Athletic Meet. My group worked along the beach, where we found plenty of driftwood. I thought about collecting some after our cleanup, knowing how valuable it would be for cooking. But by the time I returned to the coast after work, most of the wood was already gone. Only small sacks remained. I gathered what I could and took them home. At least, for the next four days, we are assured of firewood to cook our meals. Losing my father meant losing many things, but it also taught us resilience. We are learning to stand on our own, just as he wanted us to.

Is Blogging Still Worth It? My Struggle as a Blogger and Digital Creator

Life has been so busy these past few days that I almost forgot I still have blogs to manage.

I even came close to losing my hosting about a month ago, and honestly, I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep it this month either. Life hasn't been going particularly well these past few months, and sometimes just keeping up with everything feels exhausting.

There are moments when you simply have too many things happening at the same time.

Learning to Ask for Help

Asking for help has never really been my thing.

Even at work, my coworkers sometimes have to remind me that I'm not alone and that I don't have to do everything myself.

I'm the type of person who usually tries to figure things out on my own. I'll struggle with something, try different solutions, and keep going until I finally manage to fix it.

So when I actually ask someone for help, they know I really need it.

It's not easy for me to admit that I can't handle everything by myself.

Trying to Become a Digital Creator

While trying to keep up with my blogs, I've also been working on establishing myself as a digital creator on Facebook.

It's still a long way to go.

At the time I wrote this, I needed to reach 60,000 minutes of views to qualify for the stream ads requirement I was working toward. I've been creating Reels and doing some live streams to increase my watch time, but I wasn't even halfway there yet.

Still, I kept going.

Thankfully, some of my friends and coworkers have been incredibly supportive. Some of them even offered to sponsor small prizes for the games I play during my live streams.

They told me they enjoy listening to me because I do most of the talking.

Well... that's certainly one thing I'm good at! 😂

Give me a live stream and I'll probably find something to talk about.

Blogging vs. Vlogging

But all of this made me think about something I've been asking myself for quite some time:

Is blogging still worth it?

There was a time when blogging was everywhere. People wrote about their daily lives, travels, food, experiences, opinions, and almost anything else they wanted to share.

Then social media changed everything.

Facebook became huge. Then came YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Reels, and livestreaming. Vlogging and short-form video became the new trend, and suddenly writing a blog didn't seem as exciting anymore.

Sometimes I wonder if blogging has already become a thing of the past.

I've spent years writing.

I've written about my experiences, places I've visited, things I've bought, food I've tried, people I've met, and all the little moments that happened throughout my life.

So should I just move on?

Should I abandon my blogs and throw away all those years of writing because video is now more popular?

Maybe Blogging Isn't Dead After All

The truth is, I don't think I'm ready to give it up.

Yes, blogging has changed.

Yes, social media and video have taken much of the attention.

But there are still people who search Google for answers, read personal experiences, look for recipes, research products, plan trips, and want detailed information that a short video can't always provide.

And maybe that's where blogging still has a place.

Perhaps I don't need to choose between blogging and vlogging.

Maybe I can do both.

I can write a blog post and turn parts of it into a Reel. I can share an old story on Facebook. I can make a short video about something I've written about. One piece of content can live in different places.

Instead of throwing away years of writing, maybe I just need to find a new way to use it.

After all, those years weren't wasted.

They're my stories.

They're my memories.

And they're still mine to tell.

So, no...

I don't think I'm ready to give up blogging just yet.

Maybe blogging didn't die when vlogging became popular.

Maybe it simply changed.

LGU Team Building at Blue Pebbles Beach Resort, Alcantara, Romblon

To improve productivity and ensure better camaraderie in the office, our LGU planned and simultaneously conducted a team building. Our office together with the Rural Health Unit, OTRU, and a few OCC employees constituted Group II, we are grouped into four groups because most event places can't accommodate a larger crowd.

Our group consists of 117 participants, before the event we conducted a site inspection of the possible venue of our team building, and after deliberation and carefully considering the best options, our team building was held at Blue Pebbles located at Alcantara, Romblon.

We agreed to meet up at 9:30 in the morning to prepare for departure at ten o'clock in the morning to Alcantara, I went to work earlier than that and waited for my workmates, we had a group picture in front of the municipal hall before departing, several vans were hired to accommodate employees who don't have their own car or motorcycle.

We arrived at the venue after an hour, and since I was the one assigned to billeting, I have to assign rooms to every department, and with that, I wasn't able to help a friend, who had motion sickness. We rested a bit and lunch was served, unlike our previous team-building food this year's team-building was catered.

The team-building activities started at one o'clock in the afternoon, and as host of the event I have no choice, but to be at the front and do most of the talking.  The usual preliminaries during a program were done, followed up by short messages from the present SB Members, and in between were the intermission numbers from each department.

After which, were short learning, discussion, and games with our GAD Focal person, who teaches us about the difference between Gender and Sex, as well as the do's and don'ts in the workplace, the things we should avoid doing, because without knowing we may be violating someone's privacy and someone's being.

We all enjoyed the activity, we are grouped into four and had a mind teaser game, as well as creating and performing our own group chant/yell.  Our municipal Mayor arrives just right after we divulge into our snack, I let her rest a bit after acknowledging her arrival. Although I know that our Mayor is always prepared and ready to speak, it was epic that I  asked her if she is ok or ready to give a speech at the exact moment because I felt like it will be unpleasant if I called her right away without asking her, hahaha.

Anyway, before our municipal mayor shared an inspirational message I asked some participants to dance for entertainment, which made everyone burst into laughter because of the notable dance move of the participants and how they run and their body stretches when our Mayor's aide and some councilors throw in some cash for them to enjoy and to dance more.

Our mayor shared an empowering and inspirational message, she also reminded everyone to serve the public with a happy heart and to love each other, but not to the extent to develop a love relationship with a workmate, our municipal vice mayor also shared an inspirational message right after whom he talked about honesty doing our work well even there was nobody looking at us, and with his permission, the bar was opened, what I mean the boys were now allowed to group and drink. You know, boys will be boys, they will not enjoy a party without something to drink, so they found their own corner in the resort.

The second part of the program started right after listening to inspirational messages, where it was all about group games. It was a lot of fun, the participants enjoyed it and even requested another game before eating our dinner.  We ate our dinner, and we rested a bit to prepare for the social night, where our vice mayor hired a band for everyone's enjoyment.

Anyway, Blue Pebbles Beach Resort is located in Poblacion of Alcantara, it is along the highway with a nice landscape and surroundings and with a great view of the sea. Its location combined with the tranquil and peaceful surroundings creates a very relaxing atmosphere for anyone looking for a restful time.

The beach resort has small and big cottages for rent, they also have rooms for visitors who want an overnight stay.  Their family room can be rented for ₱4,500.00 and cater to up to five people but can be maximized to upto seven or eight people, costing ₱350.00 for an extra person which is a bit costly for those who can't afford, they also have a room beside the pool which is designed for two people at ₱1,800 .oo, and ₱250.00 for an extra bedding or person.

The downside of the resort when we had our team building was having no water in the middle of the night, in short, we are not able to wash properly after dipping in the pool. Ha-ha

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. The above-written post was my own personal experience and might be different from yours.

Chasing Sunset at Hilltop ni SB Kap

My officemates have been asking me to go with them after office, to unwind and chase sunset or spend an overnight escapade somewhere, but I keep declining, I would love the idea, but the introverted me doesn't like it. I don't feel like being away from home and from the comfort of my comfort zone, but then one day I went with them to chase sunset at a hill top a few minutes away from the town center.

The hill top was owned by a relative who also happened to be one of the town councilor, I thought it will be going to be a long walk, but I was wrong, it was only a few minutes walk and I have not even sweated going up hill. The place wasn't fully develop yet, but there was already a trail to use, so it wasn't that hard to reach the top.

The moment we reached the peak, we became busy snapping pictures while the others immediately prepared and feasted on the food, the view was very mesmerizing, seeing the shore and a little bit of sunset.

Falling in Love With Someone's Soul

It was lunch break at work and we are watching a TV show where the contestant were plus size and  then out of nowhere one of my officemates asked "𝘼𝙣𝙤 𝙠𝙖𝙮𝙖 𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙣𝙞𝙡𝙖 𝙣𝙤, 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙯𝙚 𝙤𝙝?"

It is easy to fall in love on what we see; it was easy to like someone when everything is beautiful and perfect. It was easy to be attracted on someone’s physical appearance, to be attracted to someone’s smile and to admire someone’s talents, but when we truly love someone, we look directly into their soul and not into their physical appearance; we found them beautiful and attractive no matter what is their size and shape, no matter how they look like physically.

The thing is love is a feeling that we can't understand, nor can’t we explain why we felt it. We just felt it, deep down us. It was a feeling that no matter how we tried to stop, kill it and neglect it, it won't just die and it keeps growing as the day goes by.

When we love someone, we love the very essence of their soul; we love their imperfections and shortcomings, we love even the darkest part of their being. Yes, when we love someone it was deeper than the admiration we felt, we look deep down into the core of their soul, we love and adore them for who they are, we fall for their demons and even to their brokenness, we fall for the mystery they contain within their selves, we want to read their minds and dwell in the sound of their laugh, we felt their emotions, the pain, the sadness and even their excitement, we got connected into their soul.

Truly, we love someone not on how they look like, we love someone more than what we see.

Visiting the Sunflower Farm for the Second Time Around

As if visiting the Aspire Farm wasn't enough that I went to the sunflower farm again the next day with a coworker, the truth is this coworker friend wanted to visit the sunflower farm and since I wasn't able to look around and take more photos when we visited, I went with her. We borrowed a motorcycle from our coworker with a promise that we are going to put gas in it.

Visiting for the second time, I was able to take more photos and videos which I have used in my Facebook reels. The flowers were nearing to expire or to the end of their life, but nevertheless  they were still  beautiful and full of life and vibrant colors.

Since it was lunch time when we visited, there were only a few people around.  There are other two groups who are with us on the sunflower farm, and what is funny when my coworker and I started recording the first couple started speaking English too as if showing off that hey they can speak the language, lol. Meanwhile, we befriended the second couple who are seems dating, we helped each other taking photos and even sharing it to each other. They were friendly and sweet. We didn't stay longer, because we promised to return the motorcycle in time.

Anyway, if you would like to visit Sunflower farm always remember that visiting is best to do early of the season, the peak bloom time of Sunflowers is about two or three weeks, don't be like us who visited at the end of the season, haha.

 

A Very Short Visit at Aspire Agritech Sunflower Farm in Odiongan

When it comes to flowers, there are only two things I like the most, yellow rose and sunflowers,  I don't know, but yellow flowers attracted me the most.

The other day, we finally able to visit the sunflower haven at Aspire Farm in Mayha after so many excuses and postponements. My workmate friend actually doesn't want to go, she wanted to postponed it again until lunch time, but I am already decided to go, so she has no choice, but to follow me either she like it or not, because it was her last chance to see the sun flower farm with me. For our little adventure, I have borrowed my workmate's motorbike, and even asked another workmate to transport us to the farm, but while in the parking area, this workmate can't maneuver the bike and it was lucky of all lucky, another workmate came and I borrowed his bike and there we go.

Some of our workmates followed us, they've been asking where we going and I wasn't expecting that they will tag along. When we arrived at the farm, it wasn't that busy like the previous days, there are only few visitors maybe because it was still too early in the morning or because it wasn't the peak season anymore, an old workmate who's studying Agricultural Crops Production in the farm under TESDA saw me and even teased me, why I was there when the owner (sir R), who happened to be one of our bosses at work wasn't there.

We login and pay our entrance fee of P20.00 each, took a group photo and walked down to the farm. It wasn't my first time at the farm, been there during sir R’s birthday together with our bosses and workmates. The sunflower farm wasn't that huge like the sunflower farm in San Andres, but needless to say it is worth it to visit when you are looking for new travel adventure and you are on a tight budget.  We took a group photo in the middle of the sunflower farm and even before I can take many sunflower photos, my workmate friend was already hurrying to go, I let her walked ahead of me and take my sweet time taking a single photo, when suddenly I heard a familiar voice, asking if it was me she is seeing and when I looked back, it was sir R’s mother "auntie", so I immediately went to her and before I can reached her hand to ask for a blessing "mano po" she happily hugged me so I hugged backed.

We briefly talked as there wasn't a lot of time, I am caught between my workmate rushing and me wanting to stay, when suddenly some of workmates brought a watermelon, they found a lost watermelon in the field which is already almost cut on half and soaked in the rain, they asked permission to cut and eat it, and when they were permitted, they feasted.

Left with no choice, I have to bid good bye to "auntie” since my friend already left and before I walked away, I went back to the beautiful spot I have seen a while ago before walking towards her and me wanting my picture to be taken there, I run towards my other workmates who are waiting for me, and asked one workmate to take a photo of me, so they obliged.

When we reached the farm’s hall or the entrance my workmate friend already left without us to my disbelief, she was hurrying because we didn’t ask permission to go at the Aspire Sunflower Farm. Anyway, we also left after taking another group photo with a previous work mate, if you are going to ask me how long did we spend in the farm, it is around fifteen minutes, lol.

Well, it was a good thing we went early in the morning because it rained at noon time.

Odiongan Town Fiesta: Kanidugan Festival 2023

Well, as I have mentioned in my previous post, the Kanidugan Festival was moved to the 10th of April to give way or to respect the holy week. We are requested to join the town parade for a small compensation, the town parade started at eight o'clock in the morning it was epic actually because when we arrived the street was already closed, so we have no choice but to walk to the assembly area and it was just right on time that when I arrived at the elementary school, the parade was just about to start. I wasn't able to find my coworkers, so I joined with the LGU family whom I am friends with, and when we went out, I found my co-workers standing in the corner so I  left the line, and joined them.

Anyway, the parade was spearheaded by the municipal officials, followed by the municipal employees, it was actually kind of boring to just walk, so I created my own world and my own dance steps, haha. I asked my workmates to dance with me, but they are kind of shy to do it, so I have to do it alone, until I went up front and met the employees from MS who were I think also bored walking and they are dancing in their own way while complaining that the drum beats were too sad to follow.

 

It was fun being included in the parade, but it was quite boring because you can't see and enjoy the Kanidugan Festival, especially the street dancing. I decided to go on Facebook live, showing what is happening around me, and talking to my workmates and even to my viewers, and with that, I wasn't able to take a lot of pictures.

The town parade took longer than expected, because of the street dancing, we have to stop many times to wait for them, When we are almost near the starting point, I walked back to find my batchmates, who are at the end of the parade, it was a bad decision because they are that quite far and it would be a better decision if I waited until we reached the endpoint.

Well, when I arrived at my batchmate's location they were already planning to leave the parade because it is almost ten o'clock in the morning and our reunion program will soon start, so when we reach a certain point, we exited.

Kanidugan Festival 2023: Batch Night

The town fiesta celebration or the Kanidugan Festival this year was moved on April 10, to make way of the holy week, but the celebration started already on April 1 through the opening of the Agri Trade Fair and Agency night in the evening, followed by the Barangay Night and the finals of Odiongan Got a Talent on April 2.

[Photo grabbed @ Odiongan Public Information Office]

On April 3, there was a Paraw Regatta and Asi Poem and Song Contest in the coast of Tabing-Dagat, but unfortunately I am not able to see it, because we have worked and we've been busy preparing the Odiongan Plaza for the Batch Night.  VM was the organizer, so the Legislative was in-charge for everything, it took us one whole day to prepare and arranged the tables and chairs, because of many changes.  It was almost six in the evening when I decided to go home and prepare for the evening, we were requested to attend and help and I was designated to be one of the usherette of the event.

I wasn't able to eat dinner anymore, because when I went home I immediately did the household chores, feed my cats and took a bath. When, I checked my phone a co-worker is already looking for us, usherettes, because people are already arriving, so I immediately asked my sister to transport me to town.

[Photo grabbed @ Odiongan Public Information Office]

The event was jumped packed, it was full of people. It was actually tiring ushering people to their table and friends, especially some visitors doesn't want to do the shortcut because they were shy to passed by other batch or tables, with this I have to walk longer distance so I could bring them to their table, and whenever I have a chance I visited the table of my own batchmates, sit there for few minutes, took pictures and move back to the gate to guide new people.

The main attraction of the event was  the performance of four different bands,  it was a night full of fun and laughter, seeing each other bring back old memories, and me feeling busy and happy seeing old classmates, I forgot to take pictures of the said event, haha.

Losing and Grieving the Death of a Friend

Friendship is important because it helps us build connections with people who share our values or interests. I have this one friend (M) from high school, we are closed to the extent she took the same course with me at college. We both have the same scholarship, you can't see us apart, we ate lunch together, we study together and  we took the same route home and sometimes when we are a little short with our allowance we walked home, even if we are both wearing heels.

She had already maybe my best friend, I can tell her my problems at home, my crushes back then and everything that is disturbing me. We are closed since we are together since high school, but not too close, because we do still have other friends in the group. We grow apart, right after college graduation, she got married and have one child, she withdraw herself in the society and so did I. We lost contact and don't communicate often, there's Facebook, but internet in the Philippines wasn't that good that time. Maybe because we have both been busy with our own life that we forget our friendship existed.

For me, my friends are for lifetime, but I am kind of person that if you don't initiate to contact or to talk with me, I will not either. Chatting was too burdensome for me, unless I enjoyed what we are talking or I like talking to you. Some of my friends can attest to that, because it comes to a point they have to tag me, so I will be notified and participate in the conversation.  A work friend actually complained once, that I respond so late, because she will chat in the morning, I replied at night time already, LOL.

Anyway, four months ago a high school classmate, messaged me about a letter circulating in their barangay, apparently a friend's aunt is doing a fund raising for my friend (M), the content of the letter shocked me and I was in disbelief and I immediately messaged my friend M, if it is true.  She said yes, they were fundraising, but she didn't elaborate the results and she even almost denied having a grave illness, she just told us, she is sick and in medication, she said she is doing better, the medicines she is taking is effective. As a friend, I shared her situation with some of my other friends and to our classmates, we helped her in our own little way and then life became so busy, four months had passed the biggest shocked of my life came, when her husband changed his profile picture and condolences and sympathy flooded in his wall. I panicked and was in disbelief, I immediately contacted her husband, what happened and how's my friend doing, and the biggest heartbreak this year almost made me weak.

My friend (M) died, she succumbed to her illness. Apparently, she lied to everyone, she keeps her illness to herself, to her family. She hid it so well, that we know nothing. It was painful, guilt and regrets wrapped me up, I was like a robot, functioning but with no feelings, or I functioned but not so well, it was too heavy to carry, I would like to cry, but there are no tears running down from my eyes.  Light headed, I immediately told our friends and classmates in high school and college what happened to M, they were sad too and almost in disbelief, because they also thought she is doing well like she portrayed she was,  we raised funds and I actually asked those who message me personally to extend help if they can, because M's family is financially exhausted, good thing the response was positive.

At work, I became so silent which is unusual to everyone, they tried to cheer me up and even some of my other friends tried to make me laugh, one of our bosses sent a stolen photo of someone in my inbox, for me to smile and be happy.  It was, actually, a friend and workmate's birthday that day, it was a happy occasion, but it wasn't for me. There was no way for me to celebrate when I am sad and in grief, later that afternoon she invited us to go out, as one of our bosses wanted to treat her somewhere nice, I went with them, because I would like to breath and to forget my grief. It helps, was able to feel a little bit better and was able to breath from my sadness.

Anyway, are you going to believe me if I say, I think I already felt something is wrong with my friend. I initially wanted to share our picture together taken in Baguio, but I didn't because my immediate bosses were going to Baguio and I was thinking they might think I am trying to show off, that I have been there too.  For two nights before she died, I think she visited me too, and I never told this to anyone, because I don't want to be judge and called weird, but the night before when lights were already off I saw a white silhouette of a woman in our room, just in the foot of my bed, her hair was a bit curl, she is healthy looking and her aura isn't that scary, I look at her without even a thought who she was, it was only when my friend died that I realized, maybe it was her who visited me at home to say goodbye since we didn't even see each other for a long time, we went to his father's funeral last year, but she wasn't around, or maybe she hid from us.

Good friends relieve stress, provide comfort and joy, and prevent loneliness, but I think I wasn't a good friend at all. I wasn't able to give those to her while she is sick and dying, wasn't able to give her love, time and effort. She hid her illness very well, she was already given a few months to live, yet she didn't tell us, she said she is ok and going stronger, she is already bedridden, but she said, she can already walk and do small things.

Some of our friends, told me to let go that maybe our friend (M), wanted it to be like that, she doesn't want us to be sad and don't want us to cry, they said I should be happy because our friend (M) was already free from her sickness, she was already happy in heaven. Shall I really do that?

Love your Life, Love your Family

Drinking is not bad if it is occasionally done, but if you are doing it every night, it isn't healthy anymore. Some men transform when they are drunk, they hurt their wife and kids, they say hurtful things, which cannot be forgotten by a young mind. Please remember, drinking doesn't only ruin your body, but it can also ruin your family.

[Photo courtesy of Terje Sollie/pexels.com]

Always put in mind that in the end, it is your family who will suffer. Do you think your drinking buddies will take care of you, if you get sick and hospitalized? Are they gonna help you feel the pain you are experiencing if you get terribly sick? The answer is NO. They might even laugh at you for being weak and vulnerable and worst maybe they can't even visit you in the hospital eh.

So please, don't drink if you don't know how to control it. Love your life, love your family. Value your friends, but value your family more.

Travel Guide to South Korea

Before going to a different country or a new place, it is important that you perform some research first. The following are some of the things that you as a traveler need to bear in mind before making up your mind to travel to Korea.

To start with, obtaining flight tickets to Seoul does not wholly guarantee you entrance. Nationals form various countries are supposed to obtain visas from the Korean embassies back in their home nations to enter legally. Depending on the purpose of entry, an appropriate visa is going to be issued. Legal procedures should be followed after the submission of the outlined requirements.

Travelers also need to bear in mind that it is not all the Koreans can converse fluently in English. In some of the cases it has been realized that some of them usually get terrified being addressed in that foreign language. But signs have translations and taxis have free interpreters. Thus, travelers need to take time and study even the basic phrases. It would be enough to use simple greetings such as "kamsahamnida" meaning thank you.

As a tourist, you need to stay informed of the Korean weather conditions before you decide to travel. Spring comes between March/April to May/June. Summer falls between June/July to August. Autumn falls between August/September to November/December. Winters comes in between November or December to February or March.

The benefit of knowing the seasons is because it will help in selecting the type of clothing you should bring about. For those who live in subtropical and tropical nations, the cold seasons can be literally very cold for them. It is advisable to bring scarves, earmuffs, jackets and coats when visiting in such a season. Staying comfortable during the nights is assured of as most of hotels in this country have heaters installed in the rooms.

The above sums up some of the things a tourist should know before heading to Korea. A travel adventure is truly worth the experience in case you are prepared to travel to this wonderful nation.

My New WordPress Theme is Adaptation of My Old Blogger Template

There was no work today, because of the super typhoon and knowing I will not wake up early, I have decided to sleep late in the evening last night, to tweak and changed my blog's theme and as you can see, my blog is wearing a new theme.

I have posted it in my social account and my fellow bloggers, reminiscence their blogs and blogging life back then, as  they already stopped blogging and let their domain names expired. It was the same for me, I let some of my precious domain name goes, because I can't maintained them anymore. It was heartening to let them go, but it was for the better, I let my two travel blogs, photography, pet and food blogs expired. I choose to maintain three blogs, and I almost lost them a few months ago, but with the help of my facemask business at work, I am able to pay and renew my domain and pay my hosting monthly, as to this day.

The Blogger Theme

Anyway, my new theme was the theme I won from a blogging/writing contest back then, it was designed for blogger platform, but I tweaked it into a wordpress theme. What do you think?

Travelling and Eating like a Local

We have been traveling in Eastern Europe for almost three weeks already,  we went from Hungary to Slovakia and now we are in Torun, Poland.  We stayed five days in Krakow and took an 8 hour bus ride to Torun, there's nothing much to see in Torun aside from the old town, churches and museums.  So after visiting two museums today and walking again in the old town (as we already wandered yesterday) we called it a day and headed back to our hotel to rest, we are heading to Gdanks tomorrow.

[Krakow, Poland]

I should be blogging in my main travel blog but it was stuck in Jeju, Korea blame it to procrastinated me. (Ha-ha), anyway while looking around my facebook page I have stumbled to a link shared by a friend about a blog of  two travel buddies who are disappointed/sick with Filipino food - I Would Rather Go Hungry Than Eat Filipino Street Food Again! Not new to me, my husband is not please with Filipino food either,  I will wait until he try an authentic Filipino restaurant. Lol!

Well, I admire their courage to eat street food because I would not eat street food unless I knew the vendor or person cooking it is better to be safe than sorry. It is like you travel to India and commit stomach suicide (errr Delhi belly)  by eating street food,  I am not sure if they do proper research before heading to Philippines or even try to use a lonely planet guide on their trip, because it is quite unbelievable that they are not able to try longganisa if they went to Ilocos (as I have read in few comments) you can get these famous longganisa in the street of Vigan and they even have their famous empanada with longganisa. Even if they didn't go to Vigan they can find longganisa in every wet market of the Philippines, they are all hanging like a wall decor in every meat stalls. So quite interesting they are not able to get one unless they really went to convenient store to look for longganisa, you know it is like buying  a loaf a bread in a pharmacy and buying  a medicine in a bakery.

Well if they stay in a hotel/hostel they should ask the information desk where to get traditional food if their travel guide (book) doesn't say so or a simple question to Mr. Google is already a big help.  Asking people in the street is like asking for direction, some people knew and some people don't.  If they want to Filipino street food like balut they can get them in the local market, just look for egg stalls and ask for balut but of course they have to boil them themselves unless they found a street vendor walking in the street shouting "balut! balut!" you can find balut vendor from 5pm till midnight.

Most Filipino eat heavy breakfast, consist of fried rice, fried eggs, longganisa and tuyo (fried dried fish) or tapa. If they want to eat Filipino breakfast they should went to tapsilugan or Chowking, Greenwich and McDonalds to order tapsilog, longgilog and more (see more varieties here).

Furthermore, I have read they want to eat like locals, but sad to say they failed. Filipino foods like adobo, sinigang, kare-kare, nilaga, bulalo, sisig are mostly cooked at home and can be found in a medium scale restaurants or large restaurants. Mostly Filipinos will not eat food they can easily cooked at home, so if you went to turo-turo (point-point restaurant), you will mostly see menudo, dinuguan, afritada, bopis and taghilaw or those food that you can only eat during birthdays, wedding and feast season. If you really want to eat well prepared food be ready to spend some shackles, further more if they are really in their tight budget or trying to spend $25 a day, malls in the Philippines has food courts where they can try different foods local and not.  Eat wisely,  eating in the street of South East Asia is not like eating in the street of Europe! Saving money while traveling doesn't mean eating bluntly and sacrificing your health.

Originally posted on March 21, 2014 @herztravel