Happy Mother's Day

A Love Letter to Filipinos from an American Expat

Love letter to Filipinos

11:39 pm | Sunday, February 17th, 2013.

I am an expatriate worker. I refer to myself as an OAW, an overseas American worker, as a bad joke. The work I do involves a lot of traveling and changing locations, and I do it alone, without family. I have been in 21 countries now, not including my own. It was fun at first.  Now, many years later, I am getting tired. The Philippines remains my favorite country of all, though, and I’d like to tell you why before I have to go away again. I have lived for short periods here, traveled here, and have family and friends here. My own family of origin in the United States is like that of many Americans—not much of a family. Americans do not stay very close to their families, geographically or emotionally, and that is a major mistake. I have long been looking for a home and a family, and the Philippines is the only place I have lived where people honestly seem to understand how important their families are.

I am American and hard-headed. I am a teacher, but it takes me a long time to learn some things. But I’ve been trying, and your culture has been patient in trying to teach me.

In the countries where I’ve lived and worked, all over the Middle East and Asia, it is Filipinos who do all the work and make everything happen. When I am working in a new company abroad, I seek out the Filipino staff when I need help getting something done, and done right. Your international reputation as employees is that you work hard, don’t complain, and are very capable. If all the Filipinos were to go home from the Middle East, the world would stop. Oil is the lifeblood of the world, but without Filipinos, the oil will not come from the ground, it will not be loaded onto the ships, and the ships will not sail.  The offices that make the deals and collect the payments will not even open in the morning. The schools will not have teachers, and, of course, the hospitals will have no staff.

What I have seen, that many of you have not seen, is how your family members, the ones who are overseas Filipino workers, do not tell you much about how hard their lives actually are. OFWs are very often mistreated in other countries, at work and in their personal lives. You probably have not heard much about how they do all the work but are severely underpaid, because they know that the money they are earning must be sent home to you, who depend on them.  The OFWs are very strong people, perhaps the strongest I have ever seen. They have their pictures taken in front of nice shops and locations to post on Facebook so that you won’t worry about them. But every Pinoy I have ever met abroad misses his/her family very, very much.

I often pity those of you who go to America. You see pictures of their houses and cars, but not what it took to get those things. We have nice things, too many things, in America, but we take on an incredible debt to get them, and the debt is lifelong.  America’s economy is based on debt. Very rarely is a house, car, nice piece of clothing, electronic appliance, and often even food, paid for.  We get them with credit, and this debt will take all of our lifetime to pay. That burden is true for anyone in America—the OFWs, those who are married to Americans, and the Americans themselves.

Most of us allow the American Dream to become the American Trap. Some of you who go there make it back home, but you give up most of your lives before you do. Some of you who go there learn the very bad American habits of wanting too many things in your hands, and the result is that you live only to work, instead of working only to live. The things we own actually own us. That is the great mistake we Americans make in our lives. We live only to work, and we work only to buy more things that we don’t need.  We lose our lives in the process.

I have sometimes tried to explain it like this: In America, our hands are full, but our hearts are empty.

You have many problems here, I understand that. Americans worry about having new cars, Filipinos worry about having enough food to eat. That’s an enormous difference. But do not envy us, because we should learn something from you. What I see is that even when your hands are empty, your hearts remain full.

I have many privileges in the countries where I work, because I am an expat. I do not deserve these things, but I have them. However, in every country I visit, I see that you are there also, taking care of your families, friends, bosses, and coworkers first, and yourselves last. And you have always taken care of me, in this country and in every other place where I have been.

These are places where I have been very alone, very tired, very hungry, and very worried, but there have always been Filipinos in my offices, in the shops, in the restaurants, in the hospitals, everywhere, who smile at and take good care of me. I always try to let you know that I have lived and traveled in the Philippines and how much I like your country. I know that behind those smiles of yours, here and abroad, are many worries and problems.

Please know that at least one of us expats has seen what you do for others and understands that you have a story behind your smiles. Know that at least one of us admires you, respects you, and thanks you for your sacrifices. Salamat po. Ingat lagi. Mahal ko kayong lahat.

David H. Harwell, PhD, is a former professor and assistant dean in the United States who now travels and works abroad designing language training programs. He is a published author and a son of a retired news editor.

To the American who wrote Filipinos a love letter

http://opinion.inquirer.net/47047/love-letter-to-filipinos

IGA Kendo Club recruitment poster

My Kendo Club the IGA Kendo Club home of the U.P. Kendo Club founded by Sensei Igarashi and sempai Kutch  & Loida Inting are recruiting new members for the summer. Check it out.

May you be filled with love and blessings today and always. Hugs and kisses! Love and Light!

Liwanag World Festival 2013 Davao City tracking its carbon footprints

LIWANAG WORLD FESTIVAL ON CREATIVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

29 January – 02 February 2013, Philippine Women’s College, Davao City

  

                     Liwanag World Festival in Davao City

To Be the First

Major Event in the Philippines to be Carbon Neutral

Program Addresses the Urgent Challenge of Climate Adaptation

The Movement of Imaginals for Sustainable Societies Through Initiatives Organizing and Networking (MISSION), organizers of the Liwanag World Festival on Creativity and Sustainability, today announced in a media conference that Liwanag willbe the country’s first major gathering to be carbon neutral. Liwanag, a unique world festival and the first of its kind in the Philippines, is slated to open in a few days, starting on January 29 and ending on February 2, 2013, at the Philippine Women’s College in Davao City.

“The era of destructive extreme weather events is upon us and will escalate in the years to come”, emphasized Nicanor Perlas, Liwanag Festival Director. “We have to contribute our modest share towards addressing the challenge of climate change. And designing a major event to be carbon neutral and encouraging others to do the same, is one of them”, Perlas continued.

In addition, Liwanag organizers stressed that climate adaptation means not just to be more knowledgeable of weather and climate patterns. It also means converging this wisdom with how we structure our economy, how we govern ourselves, how we consume, and whether or not our lifestyle is climate friendly. “This is the reason why Liwanag’sProgram is designed to encourage a deeper and more systemic approach to societal challenges like climate change”, explained Shiela Castillo-Tiangco, climate change specialist with Liwanag and a climate change presenter for The Climate Reality Project of Al Gore, recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace and former Vice-President of the United States of America.

The recent floods that have swept through Davao City, the venue of the Liwanag World Festival, underscored the urgent message of climate change adaptation advocated by the organizers of Liwanag. “Abnormal rains pounded on Davao City drowned many areas and displaced over 39,000 people”, stressed Leo Avila, former chief agriculturist of Davao City and Festival consultant. “These same torrential rains also hampered rehabilitation efforts in communities devastated by super typhoon Pablo”, lamented Avila.

Carbon emissions from technology and other human activities, including vehicles, power plants, chemical fertilizers, and industries, are among the major causes of climate change, the gradual heating up of Planet Earth. With global warming comes from extreme weather events, super typhoons, flooding and major disasters for human settlements. To be carbon neutral means to offset carbon emissions with activities that take away carbon from the air, including tree-planting efforts.

MISSION, through Leo Avila, asked Atty. Joey Felizarta, OIC, of the Davao City Environment and Natural Resources Office, to do a carbon footprint auditing of Liwanag. “According to Felizarta, Liwanag will have a total carbon footprint of 77.41 tons of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere”, reported Avila. “The CENRO official further wrote that Liwanag willhave to plant a minimum of 3,140 trees to offset the carbon emissions of the event”.

“But we will not stop at 3,140 trees. We will plant at least 6,000 trees to ensure that we do not add carbon gases that will heat up the planet”, emphasized Perlas. “In addition, we will encourage all Festival participants to do their small share of carbon saving and offsetting practices. We will track participant commitments and report it in the Liwanag website (www.liwanagworldfest.net). In this way, we will walk our talk”, concluded Perlas.

“To achieve this, we will mobilize our more than 80 volunteers as well as students from the various colleges and universities of Davao City”, explained Maya Vandenbroeck, Liwanag Head for Volunteers.

MISSION is organizing the Liwanag World Festival with the support of its major partners, Lifebank Foundation, the Government of Davao City, and ABS-CBN. World- class leaders, from abroad and the Philippines, will take a systemic look at the challenges facing humanity and the country and describe innovative practices that solve these challenges for the good of society and the ecology.

Frohe Weihnachten! Merry Christmas!

Ich wunsche euch Frohe Weihnachten! I wish you all a Merry Christmas! Und alles Gute zum neuen Jahr! And best wishes for the New Year!

Der heilige Nikolaus oder Sankt Nikolaus kommt heute abend an mit Geschenke fuer alles! St. Nicholas comes tonight with gifts for everyone! Viel Spass!
Zwei Weihnachtsgedichte- two christmas poems

Das Weihnachtsfest — The Christmastime.

Vom Himmel bis in die tiefsten Klüfte — From the sky to the deepest chasms
ein milder Stern herniederlacht; — a mild star is down laughing;
vom Tannenwalde steigen Düfte — from pine wood the scents are rising,
und kerzenhelle wird die Nacht. — and as candles the night is alit.

Mir ist das Herz so froh erschrocken, — My heart is so happily scared,
das ist die liebe Weihnachtszeit! — this is the loved Christmas time!
Ich höre fernher Kirchenglocken, — I hear church bells from afar,
in märchenstiller Herrlichkeit. — in fairy silent glory.

Ein frommer Zauber hält mich nieder, — A pious magic keeps me down,
anbetend, staunend muß ich stehn, — adoring with amazement I must stand,
es sinkt auf meine Augenlider, — it is falling on my eyelids,
ich fühl’s, ein Wunder ist geschehn. — I can feel it, a miracle has happened.

Theodor Storm (1817 – 1888), Schriftsteller und Dichter — writer and poet.

Christkind im Winterwald — Christ Child in the winter forest.

Christkind kam in den Winterwald, — Christ Child came in the winter forest,
der Schnee war weiß, der Schnee war kalt. — the snow was white, the snow was cold.

Doch als das heil’ge Kind erschien, — But when appeared the holy child,
fing’s an, im Winterwald zu blühn. — it began to bloom in the winter forest.

Christkindlein trat zum Apfelbaum, — Christ Child came to the apple tree,
erweckt ihn aus dem Wintertraum. — raised him from the winter’s dream.

“Schenk Äpfel süß, schenk Äpfel zart, — “Give sweet apples, give apples tender,
schenk Äpfel mir von aller Art!” — give me apples of all kinds!”

Der Apfelbaum, er rüttelt sich, — The Apple Tree, he shakes himself,
der Apfelbaum, er schüttelt sich. — the apple tree, he shudders.

Da regnet’s Äpfel ringsumher; — There it’s raining apples round about;
Christkindlein’s Taschen wurden schwer. — Christ Child’s pockets becoming heavy.

Die süßen Früchte alle nahm’s, — The sweet fruits all taking them,
und so zu den Menschen kam’s.— and so coming to the people.

Nun, holde Mäulchen, kommt, verzehrt, — Well, sweet little mouth come here, consume,
was euch Christkindlein hat beschert! — what has given Christ Child to you!

Ernst von Wildenbruch (1845 – 1909)

Credit for the poems: http://german.about.com/bio/Ingrid-Bauer-63662.htm

Mon Chou Chou Tori Matsuzaka

When I finally make that movie on Japanese Pinoy love, Tori Matsuzaka will play the lead Diego Matsumoto. I hope he won't be too old by then, cause he's 24 now! He and  young actress and current it girl Takei Emi  http://asianwiki.com/Emi_Takei , totally light up any drama or movie that they are the OTP. 

 Here, read up on this young actor   http://asianwiki.com/Tori_Matsuzaka

and be amazed!  I really loved him in Atsuko March, Kaitou Royale, The Wings of Kirin. Need to marathon more of his movies and dramas. Waiting with bated breath for the manga/anime live action of Kyo, Koi Hajimemasu, Love for Beginners http://asianwiki.com/Love_for_Beginners