Even The Mountains Need Some Rest

While some of my town folks are sulking at the fact that the rainy season signals the decline in the tourist traffic in our town, here I am rejoicing. I really should thank the rainy season for making the trails and roads less appealing with the mud and the increased difficulty to travel. While some might hate the rains for pulling down their sales and sources of income, I think nature deserves this opportunity to breathe after getting battered.

Having witnessed first hand how tourists of all sorts flocked to a small town, I cringe at the thought of how exhausted Mother Earth must be for accommodating so much. Use a machine continuously and the life span will surely decrease. What more for the elements in our environment that take time to rejuvenate? Unlike machines, both biotic and abiotic components lack the luxury of immediate replacement when damaged.

I am hoping that even when the establishments and individuals directly depending on the tourism for income source are saddened by the rains, they will still appreciate the fact that Mother Nature needs this break. I am also hoping that the local government in partnership with private groups initiate an assessment of the areas that are critically affected and impose closure of these areas to facilitate self-healing. I believe these make our approach to tourism more systematic and sustainable.

The key to not losing the place we call home to tourism is active local community involvement and scientific approach in managing the demons that come with it. Let us not be blinded by the short term gains that we currently enjoy- there is no greater gain in life than seeing the future generation enjoy and enrich what you have enjoyed in your time. Taking care of the environment does not require more than that desire to stop being selfish and care for humanity as a whole. Adi tako bukudan nan gawis.  

Minsan sa May Kalayaan

I remember how ten years ago in the summer of 2005, me and my sister set foot in UP Diliman for the enrollment- her for her last year in the university and me as a clueless freshman. I am not sure if I was the only freshman with no parents in tow- just a sister who was also busy collecting her class cards in preparation for her enrollment. Excitement overpowered that fear of entering the university for I have heard a lot of inspiring stories from my sister. How students go to class with the clothes they wore last night, with how cheap the things are, with the type of exams, with the brilliance of the other students and with the beauty of living inside a dorm.

Indeed the university dorm life made my stay in the university bearable and fun. I have acquired friends who remain to be my friends to this day and some inspiring acquaintances who are nice to run into now that we are in the corporate world. Living in a dorm offered an opportunity for a balance of the pressures of the academics and the demands of the soul for social interaction. I will never regret living in a dorm all my college years.

A month ago I attended a launch of a program aiming at raising funds for the rehabilitation of the dorms. I met a lot of old faces at the event- some of those remember me and maybe more cannot. But who cares, it is still extremely inspiring to look at these people and see how far they have gone in life. Although it saddens me not see some of my residents when I had a brief stint as a Resident Assistant at the Kalayan Residence Hall, looking at all these familliar faces and spaces is more than enough. I cannot ask more for I have seen my sweet college professor, my former dorm managers, my sisters in crime and have even visited my old rooms.

I know a lot of successful people (including my room mates hahahahha) who have stayed at the dorms in UP. I hope and pray they will help the university in preserving these structures that served as a home during our college days and now a memorial of those memories that have lead us to where we are now.

photo from http://upd.edu.ph/~updinfo/apr15/articles/balikUPDormGallery.html

photo from http://upd.edu.ph/~updinfo/apr15/articles/balikUPDormGallery.html

Coming Home

I have literally flown all the way home for the homecoming early this month. I have boarded a plane from Surigao, boarded a bus to Baguio in Cubao upon arrival, and finally boarded the bus to Sagada. On top of those, I have boarded a banca and a lot of taxis in between. I have braved all those in the name of the homecoming 2015.

For most, homecomings are intended to rekindle the past by meeting the old faces and reminiscing all those silly moments. For some including me, it is our way of showing our gratitude of our roots. If the former would have been my primary reason, it was a disappointment for only I showed for our batch. I am aware of some batch mates who settled in the locality yet failed to show at the event. I understand them for they have their reasons.Seeing old faces those of my generation and beyond is already a rewarding experience. How many of these old faces have inspired me into what I am today? The list is endless.

For how can I not attend an event if I have practically grown with the school? The school is the very reason why we are now residing in Sagada. My father hails from Sabangan and my mother from Tadian making us "dayos" on where we now call home. Ever since I was a child, my mother would bring me occasionally to school. I remember playing with those potted plants-sipping the sweet nectar and popping their buds. I remember playing with the stapler and getting my hands stapled. Along the way some of our students became our kuyas/ates.

Growing older I have constantly witnessed school affairs through my mother. Some of my projects during my elementary days had their inspirations from the works of my mother's students. Then it was time for me to be in high school and I attended school here. Graduating from it's portals, I am proud to say that I am a product of a quality public education institution.

So you see I cannot blame those other batch mates of mine if they have not shown up during the event. Among all of us, I am the most expected to be there for I have spent a longer part of my life there. I have attended not just for myself but also for my siblings who have gone through the same way as I did. We will always treasure the school because it was the reason why we have belonged to the community. Even if my mother does not teach there anymore or that me and my siblings rarely come home, the school and the community occupy a permanent slot in our hearts.

Live long Bangaan High.

Please Do Not Come to Sagada

I am personally making this appeal to my friends who intend to visit Sagada- please do not. Not that I am not proud of where I came from but the recent realizations when I recently went home pushed me to clamor for your support. If you are expecting to find a quaint town where life is quiet and simple, you are up for a disappointment. Traffic, noise and the crowd tarnished the image of the town.

I cannot think of any better feasible action than to ask support from my well traveled friends whose words of recommendation are credible. I am hoping that the desire to see Sagada will not prevail over the desire to preserve the environment. If you are aware of the concept of carrying capacity, then I hope you will agree with me. At present, figures show how the in-traffic far exceeds the number of people that can be conveniently accommodated by the town. I am gripped by fear having seen what tourism did to once quiet towns turned tourist havens. What you will currently see is not Sagada- at least not my version of home.

You may say that you are as environmental as I am and that you are very much aware of the ways to preserve the environment. I know that you all are- but waste generation is directly  proportional to the number of people (whether we like it or not). You might have pocketed your candy wrappers and have used the water sparingly but what about the waste generated by the restaurants that prepared your food? What about those resources used to accommodate you? How about the human wastes generated in the absence of proper sewage treatment?

I hope you find it in your hearts to heed me. Please do not come to Sagada and tell others to do that too. Please come when things are better- when the government has devised a way of regulating tourism and solving all those perpetual problems that come with it. While waiting for that, please let my stories be your virtual tour to the town.

Thank you!

Stepping Out of the Funny Zone

People will never see me as smart. They will always see me as funny, friendly, entertaining... adjectives on this side only. I have gone through a lot of team building activities where the facilitator asks everyone to tape a paper on their back and ask everyone to write an impression of each person- I have never gotten smart among those descriptions but funny and entertaining always made an appearance.

Even in conferences that I have attended, they will always ask me to do the hosting when things go boring and not when things go intellectual. More often than not I do the ice breakers than deliver the meat of the conference. If I will ask some of my classmates before or my colleagues from my past jobs, I might get the same answer as those derived from the "paper on the back" activity. I am afraid to do that and will just settle to this delusion that somehow a small fraction of those who know me find me witty together with being funny and friendly.

I have struggled with this when I have tried to teach at a tertiary institution. I was not confident whether the students will view me as a credible teacher or just a comical one. Will the two never point to the same direction? I have often heard that comics are witty people but with how I think people perceive me, I do not find consolation in that popular belief.

I long for the day when I can be regarded as a credible expert on things. That when I share what I know, people will not wait for the punchline thinking that it was some kind of a joke in the making. I have often blamed the way I carry myself with how I am perceived but I cannot change it- it is who I am. Self-expression really comes at a cost but maybe someday things will fall to place. 

The Next Station

Of late, there are few things that make me ponder about moving on and getting on with life. I have been used to moving on and closing the chapter behind but as I age I come across inspirational people who will likely be open pages in my life. Not that I do not want them to move on and get on with life, but I want to remember them at the state where they have inspired me most.

Few days to go and a mentor will move with her professional life. I have nothing else to say but express my deepest gratitude for it is with her that I have found recognition and acceptance in a place where it is scarce. She have seen me as a different person but I actually consider her as one of my best mentors especially that I have transitioned to this career path. It is not those numerous times that she stuck her neck for me that I most grateful of but rather of the fact that I feel I have fulfilled my mission for this particular place and I can finally move on. Almost a year ago, I arrived on tears and fear but I can say that I can now move on knowing that the likes of me can now trod these grounds being regarded and recognized for what they really are capable of. For this I am truly grateful to her. 

An acquaintance asked me recently why I have not figured on the wedding entourage of someone who used to be so close to me. Even pressed further by questioning why our hilarious wedding plans were not put to reality.  I declined to answer for I might say the wrong words and send the wrong message.  I could have just said that both of us just moved on and have outgrown that friendship, but that could be misconstrued. There was no falling out whatsoever, there was only this mutual decision of moving on and we did. I have always regarded her as a sister could not have gone through college easily without her companionship. Our friendship may have been the casualty of the choices we made in life but hey- we made new friends and a have this opportunity to apply the learnings we derived from our lost connection. 

Whether  we move on with happy thoughts or sad ones, what is important is we look back and treasure those things that we have learned from the recent past. Look into the future with optimism- paparating na sa susunod na istasyon. Ang susunod na istasyon ay...

An Open Letter to My Former Residents

Dear Former Residents,

Since open house ng Kalai ngayon at uso naman ang mga open letters, pagbigyan niyo na ito.

Kuya Kim, Madamme Kim, Madam, Donya Kim ... and all those titles given behind my back might be the name you remember me. Siguro ilan sa inyo di niyo na ako maalala bilang naging bahagi ng masalimuot na buhay ninyo sa unibersidad. When I decided to be an RA at Kalayaan, I never thought that it would be a great responsibility. May mga magulang na sobrang makapamper sa mga anak ang pinagkatiwala ang mga anak sa amin na bantayan at arugain bilang mga tunay na kapatid. May mga ilan din namang mga magulang ang wala masyadong pakialam at siguroy iniisip na may taong gagabay sa anak na iniwan nila sa isang pang freshmang dorm sa UP. Naway napunan ko ng kahit na kaunti ang responsibilidad na naiatang noon.

Looking back, my stay as an RA sa Kalai is one of the most colorful pages in my college life. Sana pag nagbabalik tanaw kayo sa inyong freshman year, sana hindi ang aking mga paghihigpit sa bedcheck, pagtataray sa corridor meeting, pag oorganize ng mga walang kuwentang activities, pagkanta ng malakas sa shower o madalas na pangookray hindi lamang sa inyo kundi sa kung sino mang mapadaan ang maalala ninyo sa akin. Given na maalala ninyo ako. hahahha

Sana maalala ninyo ako gaya ng pagkain sa Glorias na kahit di naman kasarapan ay naitawid kayo sa gutom at nabigyan din ng sustansiya. Sana makita ninyo na sa kahit gabundok na basurang pinauso ko ay may kaunting aral na mapupulot. I will always remember each and everyone of you with fondness for I have given it my all. Whether you like it or not, you have taken a part of me when you stayed under my wing for a sem or two . I hope you saw right through the comedian and saw someone credible and a potential source of inspiration. If hindi talaga pasok ang inspiration, a warning perhaps haha #charot.

Ilang taon na nga ba ang nakalipas noong kayo ay freshmen? Ilang taon na nga ba noong huli tayong magkita? Ilan sa inyo ay nakakasalubong ko pa paminsan. Ilan sa inyo ay di ko na makita matapos mag check out sa Kalai. Hindi ko man batid whatever happened to you in life, I wish you all the best in life. Entitled or not, I always feel proud at what you achieve. Sabi nga ni Maricel Soriano sa  pelikulang Bahay Kubo, "lahat kayo magkakapatid, lahat kayo mga anak ko. Galing kayong lahat sa puso ko". #award

Missing you,

Kuya Kim