School Orientation

This morning, my husband, little girl and I attended my daughter's school orientation. My daughter is 2.2 years old, and since she gets bored at home, we decided to enrol her in the school my sister Jus teaches.

Anyway, we brought her along so she could get used to the place. Turns out after 2 hours, she did not want to leave. She loved it so much. I'm just hoping she won't get separation anxiety, or hurt her classmates, or hurt by classmates as well.

So excited for her, and for myself. I am so used to orientations, I used to give them in Poveda, but this time, I am the parent.

As the world turns....

She has a set of uniform already, and a long list of personal items to be brought to school. Hay. It was not so long ago when I was just learning how to breastfeed her, and learning she was a colic baby. Now, for two hours, she leaves me to enter her own world where I play no role in it.

Do all parents feel this way?

Or just the dramatic actress in me?

She is slowly weaning herself from her dede (milk), and now I realize it's me who cannot adjust. Or who is doing it anxiously..

Until when does a parent call her baby "her baby?"

Anyway, this has no coherence whatsoever...

Just random, but valid thoughts...

Mom and Dad's Little Girl

My parents left for the States last Wednesday. I had been putting it off, but now I guess I cannot deny the fact that I miss them. A day never passes that there is no phone call from my mom or dad, or from both. For me or for my little girl. Now the phone hardly rings.

And I miss them terribly.

But I know that they will enjoy their trip because they will be seeing their 3 cutie grandchildren.

Which makes me realize how much I miss my sisters, too.

Oh well. They are just a plane ride away...

Miracles

Yes, the Sisa in me has emerged once again. Just last week, I had my generous share of bitching about my circumstances, about the depressing rain, about where to transfer all the drama the I have always had. (This drives my husband crazy, but between you and me, that is what attracted him to me in the first place...Joke!) Anyway, like a wheel that turns, I am in my up again. And this entry is all about miracles. My fault, even the most minute things that happen in my mundane life is still a miracle, I just dont appreciate them. So, in all humility, I will enumerate those beautiful gifts God has designed for me the past week....

Mizuno Infinity Run. I was so happy to see a sunny Sunday morning. No sign of rain, or drizzle. The road was on the verge of getting dry. And so, I ate my peanut butter sandwich and drank my water and off I went to the Fort.
This time, my 10 k run was much better than my Auto Race Review Run (wherein I was the last runner). I loved running up the Buendia Flyover, seeing nearly a thousand people in groups, or alone, loving the sunshine and the wind kissing our happy faces. I saw a few running celebrities coming back while I was on my way to Makati Avenue, and people started smiling back at me. I guess I was grinning stupidly for no reason at all.
There were happy embarrassing moments, too. I had a former parent who was anxious about her first 10 k, saying she was just going to walk the whole time. I figured her walk was more of a gallop, she finished way ahead of me (nakakahiya, diba?).
I also saw my former boss, who introduced me to Takbo.ph people. He's right, I was so hesitant to join the picture taking, but that's how it starts... Good thing I got to talk to him, since he gave me very helpful advice, which leads me to my second miracle..

Second Wind Store. Although I had a great time at the Mizuno Run, there was something that really bothered me. My 5 month old running shoes. My right toes were already feeling pain due to lack of wiggle room, and I had to adjust my knees to this pain. I walked during the run numerous times, but I guess out of will and joy, I still tried my best to run. But, I knew I had to give up the shoes I had trained with for 5 months. My beautiful Mizuno's . My former boss Rico suggested that I see Mr. Hector Yuzon of Second Wind Store to consult about what shoes would be right for me. And so yesterday, I went with a budget, open to the idea of buying new shoes, just so my feet would not suffer. Mr. Yuzon was very polite (even when he was holding my dirty, worn out running shoes!!), and told me I was wearing shoes that did not support my over pronation (to the unititiated, it just means I run with my feet almost knock-kneed) and so he suggested certain models. After a test run, I went with New Balance 848.

A New Home. The most important of all my miracles I guess is this. My mother in law found a nice place for us, a bungalow a little bit farther than Valle, but the space was a winner. We were initially choosing between this (4 bedroom house 400 square meters) and a 3 bedroom condominium behind my mom's house (130+ square meters). Yes, we will be farther from my mother, but we'll be nearer my mother in law's house. The difference lies on my daughter's happiness. The space the more distant house provided was essential to her, as she is getting quite restless in a shoebox where we now live in. That feeling of uncertainty and homelessness? They disappeared the moment we saw the bungalow. Hopefully we build a happy life in our new place...dream big dreams, maybe have another baby... well, we'll see...

So, there. I guess this time I end things on a positive note! Thank God for all the blessings!

Rain, Rain GO AWAY!!!

I never liked rainy days. They always reminded me of summer about to end, school about to start...a broken heart, and of another quarter of uncertainty. I went back to work in the academe and I started feeling that cycle. Now, I am resigned from work, I can feel the sadness manifest in different forms.

Running for example. Yup I loved running in the rain, but I now get scared. As a wife and mommy, your life is no longer your own. As much as I want me time, there are just so many factors that you lose your grip and let other things take a hold of you. I have a 10k run this Sunday, and so I am literally begging the Lord to spare me from being last again... or just to let me enjoy my Sunday run. I only did around 5 k this week, my fault of course... but still...

And our future. Our land lord has told us to move by July 30, where will we go? It is like first week of school all over again. Meeting new people, going through the motions... so physically  and emotionally draining! Argh... I hate emptying boxes only to find no space for their contents... or looking at a place you have loved due to force of habit, and letting it go... like a sad funeral.

Yes, I know... my blog says lets get positive, but there are times that I do succumb to this morose feeling... because these are also the times there is no one who can help me but God, and also I am in my most vulnerable position, and that I get to produce something good after (a blog entry or what have you...). And I guess these moments make you realize how good it is when you are up, and how hard you have worked to reach it...

Coron, Coron, Coron!!! Part Two

That night, we ate chicken a basket in the restaurant called Old Town. We also ordered spaghetti. And aside from the fact that it takes almost 45 minutes to cook your order, one thing I learned was to bring toys and manipulatives for my (manipulative) daughter. The waiting time did not only upset her, but it upset her father more...

I never mentioned our room in Village Hotel. Since the walls in each room were made of pawid, on the first night, the sound of the TV from our neighbor was blazing that we could not sleep. We politely knocked on their door (with my daughter tagged as my props), and requested if they could lower the volume. One thing about Coron people and visitors is that everybody is courteous and polite. The service people, the boat men, vendors, tricycle drivers, and the guests. Your accommodation is their priority.

Day 3

My husband realized that he had booked one day extra, since he planned to go to the farther islands. But, just so you know, it costs around P3,000 to get to those islands because 1) you will need a bigger boat, and 2) everyone is hesitant due to the strong winds. So with a heavy heart, we just spent the morning of our third day buying souvenirs for our family. My yaya, daughter and I rode the tricycle to get to the souvenir shop, and got ourselves crazy buying wallets, necklaces and bracelets. Not bad the price! I also bought dilis for my parents and kasoy (their number one product). The kasoy was really expensive, but worth it.

We knew better and asked my husband to preorder lunch in our own dining area. When we got there, food was already ready. But Rod said, they survived a mini tempest, the winds blew the table setting and even broke a glass. Anyway, there was something we truly liked about our own Village Restaurant. It has lots of pictures from different journeys, and a chandelier with all the souvenirs from different travels. Really interesting...

After lunch Rod bought a prosperity statue from the souvenir shop in front of our lodge, and a few souvenirs for his family. We also bought a small light house (there are lots of them that they sell). I bought Ava a shirt. That afternoon, my husband and I had merienda in Bistro and their pizza was just wonderful...

That afternoon, we hired a tricycle driver for P250 to take us to the famous Maquinit Hot Springs. It was a 30 minute ride, which we all enjoyed seeing the beautiful view of islands and the calming sight of the blue waters. When we got to the Hot Springs, we saw the same guests we had been seeing in town. Of course, Ava did not like to immerse herself in the water, so she and her yaya just waded in the "kiddie pool". My goodness, the water was H.O.T!! But after a while, you get used to the temperature. TIP: wear slippers or aqua socks. The floor is rocky, and there are sharp edges. Plus, there was so much lumot....:(

We went home all soothed and calmed, and we ordered again from our restaurant and ate so much. After Ava was put to sleep, Rod and I went back to the restaurant for our yummy fruit shakes.


Day Four

We hardly had enough sleep because there was a brown out. And since the walls were so thin, we could over hear a new set of guests (chattering women) from the other room. My husband and I could hear their conversation and we started laughing when we heard one of the women FART OUT LOUD!!!!! Yes, the walls were so thin indeed.

One challenge we had to face in Coron was the rationed water supply. There were times during the night when water supply was down.

Day 4, after eating breakfast of fish, we said good bye to the beautiful town of Coron and headed for Busuanga Airport. We were glad to back home, but we we were also thankful we got to see the beauty and luster of Coron, and Ijust hope that it will not be abused in the future...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/avarl/sets/72157616292679412/

Coron, Coron, Coron!!!

Last end of March to beginning of April, my husband gifted my little girl with a trip to Coron, Palawan. It was a few days before she was going to turn two and we wanted to take advantage of her free fare. Because of that, her dad decided to bring her yaya Donna May, who was going to fly for the first time.

Day One
We faced a few obstacles here and there. The first was that I was an idiot to forget my ID. When I realized I had left everything with my mom (including my license), I could see Rod's face already, so so angry. You see, my husband's obsessive compulsive disorder is manifest in traveling. He gets really upset over things that skew from the original plan. This he really considered (me, too) an unnecessary hassle, so he was already frustrated.

Since no one could bring us to the airport, we had to take a taxi. It was a fun ride as Ava fell asleep on the way. When we got to the check in desk, it was a good thing I realized about my ID when I was still in the house, because Rod would have killed me. So I had my license, marriage certificate, Ava's birth certificate, too. And then we were all set.

Our plane was delayed (as always) but when we got to Busuanga Airport, it was pretty scary to land on a place full of mountains. Busuanga Airport was very small, and when I just took a few minutes in the bathroom, we were already the last party.

We rode a van to get to Coron town proper. It was a 40 minute ride, and Ava and I welcomed it as an opportunity to sleep. But I still stole a few moments to look at the beautiful scenery. Trees, mountains, and very few buildings. Until we got to Coron.

My initial reaction towards Coron was that it really reminded me of our province, Zambales. Their pride, the restaurants that were featured in a few travel websites were quite small. Our hotel was Coron Village Hotel, and we had a shabby room with three beds and a bathroom. It was like backpacking 101, but with a nearly two year old toddler.

Rod and I decided to leave Ava and her yaya to take a hike to get to Mt. Tapyas. We took around 720 steps to get to the cross above, and Rod and I were already panting by the time we reached the top. No regrets, since we had the best view of the whole island right before us. And on the other side was a pleasant view of the fields.



That night, we followed the trip advisor's tips and decided to eat in Bistro Coron, a small restaurant that served Western and Italian pizza and beer. Ava was really tired and was having a fit, but we managed to eat yummy food. The thing you have to remember is that it takes at least 30 minutes to cook your order in Coron, and that set up was not appealing to a toddler.


Day two
We had breakfast in our lodge, and it took a long time to be served. I had tocilog and it was okay. We had to prepare for our island tour. Rod already contacted a boat man through his cousin who also hired him previously. The price was P1,500 and we had the whole boat to ourselves. We paid extra P500 for food that they were going to cook and roast.

We met at the market and they had food prepared for us already. It was very challenging to carry Ava to the boat, but by God's grace we got to transfer her there. She refused to wear the vest we bought for her, so the whole time her yaya and I took turns in holding her closely. We on the other hand wore our life vests.

Our first island stop was the Siete Pecados, 7 tiny islands where snorkeling was the recommended activity. The current was crazy due to the strong winds, and so it was just Rod and I who swam. The fish and corrals were BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! The big challenge was trying to use the mask because the water was so strong. I almost panicked because I could not go back to touch the outriggers. But after a while, we went back to the boat and paid an old man who paddled his raft with ease for the "maintenance fee."

Then we got to Cayangan Lake. It was a major challenge to hike up alone, but to carry Ava? My yaya and I were so dismayed. But, knowing it was going to upset my hubby, we tried our best to hike up and go down to the lake. There was a beautiful spot where you had the view of the islands... and it was breathtaking. ...Pictures here and there, then we got to the not-so-salty lake.

And my daughter did not want to swim...

I shrugged her off and just enjoyed the water... so soothing for me, but I had to admit it was very deep, and so I had to be careful (though I am fat, I am a sinker)...While my hubby enjoyed snorkeling, I took pictures of the beautiful scenery. We were not alone, around 4-5 groups of adults (yes, we were the only ones who brought a toddler) quite adventurous enjoyed themselves and sat on the rafts.. and I realized that Coron was indeed for the single, adventurous market. Perhaps the market of Boracay but in its old, virgin form.



Thereafter, we ate at one of the huts shrimps (which I almost finished), liempo, a big fish（I forget the name but it was huge!!) and a boatma/carpenter's share of rice. It was yummy and we had a great time. Even Ava was not so fussy, eating liempo and sky flakes.

We could not visit Twin Lagoon since the tide was high, so we went to a small white beach instead. It was called Atwayan beach, and it was quite tiny. Ava still did not want to swim, but we got her portable tent (the "apple house") and her tools (shovel, etc.) The "Hanging Amihan" was pretty strong (it was nearing Holy Week). The problem with that island was that it was so small, the parked boats were about to bump one another. After a while, my family and I settled to go back home.














Horror Show
A little sad for not visiting the Twin Lagoon, my husband reluctantly rode the boat as we passed by the Skeleton Wreck. Good thing my daughter was about to take her nap, and so that left me and my husband time to do snorkeling and swim to see the famous ship.

It was pretty interesting that the ship was still visible underwater. According to stories, these ships were sent from Japan to battle during World War II. The wreck, the fish, corrals, they were all just beautiful...

Going back, it was a good thing my baby was asleep, because the winds were so strong, and the waves already entered our boat, which made me and my yaya really hysterical!!! Looking back, one very important lesson learned is that you should always, always wear your life jacket, no matter what!!!

(to be continued)

Nike Running Clinic

It was my second time to attend the Nike Running Clinic. I willed myself to brave the traffic last night so that I could join the runners in Bonifacio High Street. Well, I was not disappointed.

We had our first two rounds (big) from the Nike Park, encircling the whole high street. Of course, the slow runner that I am, I got late for the warm up stretches. No regrets. I met a coach who politely explained to me why I feel pain in my quads and knees.. because I was overweight. Hehe, as if I didn't know that...then he gave me tips on how to develop speed. Thank you, Coach (I have yet to know your name).

We were about 16 students, and I never spoke to any of them (I am shy, you know). But the stretches, the experiences we shared in the difficulties of the drills made me bond with them. No words spoken, only the feeling of frustration taken lightly. One challenging drill was running with your knees hip level. The uncoordinated woman in me could not find any rhythm in crossing the line with knees up, feet flexed, and arms moving like a bicycle. I found myself totally challenged.

Since it was my second time to join, I knew better than to wear shorts. I wore a pair of mid calf jogging pants, which made me more relaxed and less conscious of what I didn't want the world to see.

The last 4 small rounds were hard for me. I had to walk 30% of the way, since my legs were overused. The drizzle was also getting more pervasive. After my 4th round (6th to the advanced who even finished before I did... can you imagine me scratching my head?), we stretched some more and cooled down. Then we called it a night.

I called it a lovely night...:)