We just got back home from my newly wed cousin M and his wife's kandori (thanksgiving) and thought to myself "What is more lovely than a couple who fought all the odds and found their way to each other?"

It is not unknown how parents arrange marriage for their children in the Meranao society out of purest and best intent. They choose among close relatives to create a tighter bond within the clan, mainly for alliance. For us, the most numerous in number is the most powerful clan. Parents meticulously hand pick The Chosen One for their child and consider various aspects, most importantly a bright future that is in store for their child and The Chosen One. However, most often than not, they consider too much about the in-law's family that they take for granted the compatibility of the two people they are going to wed. They overlook their children's rights and wants. By children, I mean these are actually grown-up men and women devoid of their inherent right to personally choose for themselves. Parents tend to satisfy their whims by neglecting their children's happiness. We are people too, y'know. Most importantly, we are grown-ups (at least we'd like to think so) and I believe we are capable of finding The One for ourselves.

After writing this, people might picture me as an ungrateful, selfish, rebellious and stubborn daughter. Call it defiance of the culture set by our forefathers but I want to set things straight in some aspects. Parents and children must at least meet halfway, right? Parents, no forcing please. Children, try to compromise.....peacefully and respectfully. 

Most importantly, I'd like to address this to all the men who have marriage playing in their minds. If you think you are ready to settle down, make sure you have fixed it with the one you want to settle down with. Be man enough to understand the complexity of what you are about to enter so do not allow anyone to dictate your heart. You are endowed with an intelligence to decide for yourself. There is no one on this earth who can tell you who to marry but your heart, so listen carefully to it. Pursue the one you truly love and choose carefully, but still,. in accordance to your parents' standards so you will not end up as a cast out in your clan. It must be a mutual decision between the two of you. Hence, if you sense that the woman doesn't feel like spending the rest of her life with you, then please, don't push your luck, stay away for she's definitely not The One. 

Why am I writing this? Because I admire my cousin M and his wife A for fighting for their love despite the distance and the somewhat seemingly endless adversities. I admire M for following his heart and for playing deaf when dictators came to him. I admire A for waiting patiently. They do not only brought two clans together but they showed us what real love can do. For that, I pray for a blissful and blessed marriage for them. 

After all their visitors left. M wearing flesh polo shirt and A is the one in blue veil. :)

After Every Rainfall Must Come A Rainbow

This song by my favorite band, Outlandish, released this song which is dedicated to the Pakistani blood victims last year. As much as I want to, I can not post the video here due to some technical errors. But if you want to hear the music behind these beautiful words, you may want to listen and watch this.
Please do because it is just awesome!! I hope this touches your soul. :)

(ISAM)
Some people in our world today
Can dream and wonder why
Some people in our world today
Can only wait to die
Empty my conscience for your love
A bouncing finger lets me know I’m alive
& its still rains outside my window
Rains outside my window
Still rains outside my window

Some got it bad, some got it worse
Life can sometimes look like a curse
So I cry my heart out, Let it all go
Cuz after every rainfall must come a rainbow.

Some got it bad, some got it worse
Life can sometimes be so absurd
So I cry my heart out Let it all go
Cuz after every rainfall must come a rainbow.

(WAQAS)
Uh
Some people got it bad
Sum people got it worse
Since the day of the birth
Everyday end of earth
Live to die another day
Sure I say “congratulations”
But désolé
If the roof should come down today
Rest assure I’m there to wipe away the dirt with pure intention
Some corrupt
Brought a lil bag of hope
What’s up (?)

(ISAM)
Some got it bad, some got it worse
Life can sometimes look like a curse
So I cry my heart out, Let it all go
Cuz after every rainfall
Must come a rainbow.

Some got it bad, some got it worse
Cuz after every rainfall must come a rainbow.
I cry my heart out, Let it all go
Cuz after every rainfall must come a rainbow.

I can’t run, I can’t hide
The struggle only makes us stronger tonight

(ISAM)
If I don’t find u here
Said if I don’t find u here
I hope to find u way up there
Some got it bad, some got it worse
Life can sometimes look like a curse
So I cry my heart out, Let it all go
Cuz after every rainfall must come a rainbow.

Some got it bad, some got it worse
Cuz after every rainfall must come a rainbow.
I cry my heart out, Let it all go
Cuz after every rainfall must come a rainbow.

(WAQAS)
Ansoo hain, behne do

(ISAM)
Cuz after every rainfall must come a rainbow.
I cry my heart out, Let it all go
Cuz after every rainfall must come a rainbow.

(LENNY)
despues de cada gota sale el sol
despues de cada nota una cancion

[TRANSLATION:]
after each drop the sun rises, a
fter each note a song

(ISAM)
Cuz after every rainfall must come a rainbow.

(LENNY)
despues de cada gota sale el sol
despues de cada nota una cancion

(ISAM)
Cuz after every rainfall must come a rainbow.

(WAQAS)
Ansoo hain, behne do

[TRANSLATION:]
they're tears, let them fall

(ISAM)
I said every rainfall must come a rainbow.

"Lost in Love" Awardee

Our own despedida party was held this evening at school. It was just a very simple event but the program was exactly how we want it to be. There were fun kiddie games such as pinoy henyo and charades, many doctors came participated in the games, gave us unforgettable piece of their wisdom, and showcased their talents by singing!! It's really cool watching serious-looking doctors singing to us and joining the fun! Awards were also given to everyone in the class based on some unforgettable characteristics of each and everyone for the past four years mostly during the clerkship where most bloopers of our lives occurred. Example is "Journalist of the Year" given to the person who had lengthy extension duties that consultants pitied him and just told him to pass some journals to lessen his extension duty hours! We also have "Doctor Magnet" given to that person who directly answers all the questions by the doctors even her phone number! The "Eavesdropper" award given to that person who simply sits and pretends to read, little did we know, she absorbs everything that we talked about. So she is very knowledgeable of all the circulating chikas! Another was the "Best in Argument" given to that person who frequently argues with some hospital personnel!  "Through out the Years" award was given to that person who hasn't physically changed a bit since first year! "Read Between The Line" award was given to two people who left our boggled mind the answer: "what you see is what you get". Yiiiheee!! <3  There were more than 40 awards given and everything was hilarious my stomach and jaw ached from excessive laughing!

I got this "Lost In Love" Award. I googled this photo and it kinds spooked me at how those three words were depicted in such a miserable manner.  LOL.

The reason I got that award was that during clerkship, every single soul at House A (Group A clinical clerks) found love or stayed in love EXCEPT me. I am not being cynical about love contrary to a friend who consider it as overrated and all that blahs. It's as simple as I'm not in a hurry to find and to be found. I am looking forward to that day when I fall madly in love, that feeling of true love, that intensely consuming kind of love, that you-can't-live-without-each-other kind of love---I don't know how it feels (can anyone describe this abstract thing to me?) but I know I will feel it when it arrives. Needless to say, I trust the perfect person at the perfect time will come and it is just NOT now. NOT at this point of my life. 

I've said my piece. Bow.

Elusive Time

It is my lifetime goal to be able to see the world and appreciate its wonders. My undergrad course (BS Zoology) allowed me to wander at some tourist spots in the Philippines for educational purposes, i.e., studying flora and fauna. We've been to Camiguin Island, Apo Island at Negros Oriental, Bukidnon, Dumaguete City, Bohol, and a lot of places where nature manifests its beauty. My course took me to places in my own land, Lanao, that I had never been before and discovered the magnificence that lies behind the great Lake Lanao and the virgin mountains surrounding it. In med school, I grabbed every opportunity such as conventions to be able to travel. We roamed around Davao when we were freshmen, and when the APMC-Annual Convention was held at UP Manila during our sophomore year, we had a side trip at the cool city of Tagaytay and all through out Laguna and visited the beaches of Cavite. Philippines is a beautiful country indeed and there is yet so much to see. 

Two years ago, I had my passport ready. I remember my parents asking WHY I am working on a passport. I told them that I want to travel outside the country most probably just around Asia after med school which will serve as my gift to myself for an...ahem...a job well done. With my persuasive power, I convinced my friends to have their passports ready too and save up for the trip. We had it planned and our first stop was supposedly:

MALAYSIA!!

Photo courtesy of Google. Thank you very much.

And then we are supposed to have a side trip to:

SINGAPORE!!

Again, from Google. Thank you!

We already had our travel itinerary and boy was I excited!! This is a dream come true!! I pictured myself exploring Kuala Lumpur, riding a cable car to Genting Island, visiting International Islamic University at Selangor where my father impressed a beautiful memory, and of course walking down the busy street of Orchard Road at Singapore where Ken Zhu grew up!! 

BUT. 

After our graduation rites, I looked at my calendar and realized how less time left we have before we go and proceed to internship. If the trip would push through, that gives me little less than a week to be able to spend time with my family at home. That made me re-think things over. And as always, I weighed the pros and the cons. The cons won. I backed out and explained to my friends my reason and I am more than happy to hear when S told me she won't be forcing me to come and she respects my decision. As I said in my previous post, I felt such a relief. I felt like I was freed from the pressure of chasing time which must be completely absent when one is traveling. 

Malaysia and Singapore can wait, but the amount of time I would be spending with my family is priceless. :)

P.S.

Due to the same reason, i,e, scarcity of time, my friends realized the pressure the trip brings. Hence, none of us will go. Some other time, Insha Allah. 

I am surprised at how much relief I felt after giving up on something I have been planning for almost a year now. I was very excited about it because it is actually a part of materializing a big dream. However, I am so in conflict with TIME that after I weighed things out and underwent terrible confusions, I decided to cancel it in order  to spend quality time with my family before I finally leave for internship. Family comes first before anything else, that's what my father taught me. :) 

Hopefully I can elaborate on this on my following entry. I sneaked at my brother's room only to blog about this. Gotta go now before he finds out.

Lakwatsa to Laguindingan!!

Laguindingan is a municipality of Misamis Oriental, around 1 hour of road trip away from Iligan City. I'm sorry I cannot tell you how many kilometers away coz I'm not that keen at researching for that specifics. Anyway, Laguindingan is quite known for the International Airport that is currently being constructed in the area. Luckily, one of my classmates, Faith who celebrates her birthday today, is originally from Laguindingan. In fact, her father serves as a councilor in the municipality. Faith invited us over and she even toured us around. First stop: Laguindingan International Airport. This is a special privilege given to us only because Faith's father is a municipal councilor. Not everyone can just barge in and go inside. From the highway, we thought it'd be just like some 5 minutes ride to reach the exact place but we were quite surprised that it took us almost 30 minutes or more to reach the airport per se where everything is still under construction. The dusty place reminds us of Dubai. Oh, not like anyone among us had been to Dubai but it felt like we were deserted in the middle of a desert. Here are some photos I took from my mobile phone so please bear with the quality of the photos because I perfectly know  how much it sucks. (#becauseIdon'thaveacameraandIcan'twaitforpeopletouploadourphotosatfacebook).

This future international airport is really vast that I believe it is even wider than the present NAIA. I cannot wait for the time when my classmates and I will become consultants and we go together on medical conventions both locally and internationally! Naks! That's what we were talking about the whole time, when this place is developed and I bet hotels and business establishments will sprout from all over Laguindingan until it becomes a business district where everyone from all over the globe flocks to and fro. But because we are a bunch of kuripot people, we will still stay at Faith's mansion which is nearby the airport whenever we have a flight coming or vice versa. 

This is the runway. 

 This is something I can brag to my future children and grandchildren that before any airplane can land at the would-be Laguindingan International Airport, we had our photos taken at the runway on a beautiful April Sunday. :) 

That's Angeli, Maryvic and Rose at an attempt to jumpshot. Such a major failure. 

Like I always said, traveling is best when you're with the best bunch of people. Here are the people I am with standing from left: Moi, Faith, Nash, Angeli, Maryvic, Pemots, Abby, Cor-cor, Gloi (standing in front of Cor), Zyra, Hazel, Alvi, Joni, Rose and Tisoy. Lairah was the one sitting in front with Baby Carl, Faith's nephew. 

With the birthday girl, Faith with Baby Carl. Happy, Happy Birthday Papet! Thanks for the wonderful experience we had at your place!

These people are having so much effort to perfect the jumpshot! Haha! I can't count how many takes it took them. 

Just like any progress story of a developing country, there are always people who are being displaced. When you look on the other side from the very edge of the runway, you can see tiny huts like these. They are the people who originally owned the vast land where the airport is being constructed. It was not easy for them to give up the land that they have inherited from their forefathers, the land that was passed on from one generation to another. They fought for it, but because they were weak, they lose their battle. Apparently, they were given monetary compensation and a promise that they will be hired once the airport is already functional. They can only hope. But that's the nature of evolution: elimination of the weaklings. I hope they were the given the due that they deserve and the promises given to them shall be fulfilled.

This is the ironic price of progress.

Next stop: Virgin Beach. As always, Tisoy cracked that those who are no longer virgins are not allowed to enter the bitch slut (beach lot, oh, do I have to explain this?!). He emphasized that everyone must check on their hymens if it's still intact. All of us looked straight at him who spoke as if he possess a hymen! 

Back to Laguindingan, this is the Virgin Bitch, situated on the very edge of Laguindingan. Again, I cannot tell you how many kilometers it is from the highway because it was really really far. Too bad, it was low tide so it was not perfect for swimming. (Haha, the swimmer speaks!) 

This place was named Virgin because once upon a time, there were fishermen who got lost in the middle of the sea and lost their way to the shore. After many days wandering without direction, they asked for a sign from God. Apparently, they saw a shining image of the Virgin Mary from the direction where this place is situated. They followed the direction and found their way home. And that's how this place got it's beachy name. 

People enjoyed dipping in the shallow water. Look, there are pretenders who swam on deep water!

Laguindingan is indeed a marvelous place where nature is now gradually removing its mask. I can see this place becoming a beautiful metro in the near future. I don't lose hope for my beautiful place Lanao which boasts for plenty of scenic views and natural resources. All we need is a leader who will stand by his principles to elevate the welfare of his people, not his own or his family's. Someone who will use his wits for his people to benefit from these God-given gifts, not giving ultra expensive gifts to their wives or children at the expense of his people's money. 

Photo courtesy of Nash. I promised to mention her here. She's my very very bright, topnotcher, doctora friend. :) 

It was already past 6:00 pm when we got back to Faith's house where her visitors were already waiting. Her mom specially separated the food for us non-pork eaters, and for that we thank her so much. :)) I love people who are very considerate when it comes to my religion. We got busy eating and chatting that I forgot taking a personal photo during Faith's party. But I tell you, their house feels like a rest house on a country side. Cool, breezy and silent. 

This day is indeed worth retelling to our future children. :)

Another Extraordinary Moment On An Ordinary Rainy Day

The title alone speaks what you will be reading but I tell you this: THIS IS NO APRIL FOOL'S PRANK!! Okay? 

I woke up this morning feeling a little woozy and sluggish and as I was just about to go out to say hello to the ceiling-high charts at the hospital medical records, the rain suddenly poured. Talk about perfect timing, eh? Nevertheless, I find it a reason to wear the chucks Shengot had voluntarily given me. Emphasis on the voluntary. At the hospital quarters, I waited for Cor-Cor who had agreed to accompany me to Dr. A's clinic somewhere along Sabayle street to talk to him about some important life-and-death matters. It was so muddy and drizzly outside that if it weren't for the severity of the situation I need to talk to with Dr. A, I wouldn't go all the way to his clinic. But I did, because that defines my life principles (char lang gud!). I was crossing my fingers that everything will turn out okay. Cor and I were sitting silently on the jeepney, staring straight at the people, observing things at ourselves, and occasionally talked about some things that concerned us both. When we were about to reach the corner turning to Sabayle street, I noticed a lot of people and a motorcade was being organized. It instantly hit me that the old Penshoppe boutique in that same site was re-opened under the name Fashion Hub catering to many more local brands. I noticed too many cameras were clicking at someone hidden behind many giggling and screaming women, teenagers and adults alike. The crowd allowed our jeepney to pass by very slowly and that was the time we got a closer look at the person who got everybody's attention. Almost inherently I screamed: "OH MY GOD COR, SI AKIHIRO SATO!!" He was like 2 meters away from us and it was almost a reflex for me to get my phone and capture a photo of him, unfortunately, the jeep moved forward so I captured the security guard behind him! Haha. I took another one but his face was covered by a woman insisting to kiss him on the cheek. I bet that woman wanted it on the lips but she failed, just the way I failed to take a photo of Akihiro, my love!! Waaah! I couldn't get over seeing him on a very ordinary day. :) Some things really are just like that, pleasant surprises on a gloomy day. 

If you guys have no idea who I am talking about, just like the old woman sitting beside me on the jeep who asked why we were fussing about this person. She asked: "Kinsa diay na dai, artista?" Me: "Dili, model.". I bet, she couldn't figure out why everybody was all over him. Eto lang naman si Akihiro Sato:

I thought my moment with Akihiro-san ended there, but no. While we were standing outside Dr. A's clinic, the Fashion Hub motorcade was coming toward us. I thought this is my chance to get a photo of Akihiro-san, but too bad this is the best I can get:

That's him wearing blue jacket waving at the people. Grrr. I'm so mad at myself for not getting a closer photo of him. Oh well, this could just mean one thing: Akihiro-san, 'til we meet again! :)