Wanders and Wonders

Side note: Before starting my new post, I would like to thank all my readers and followers. You are the reason why I am motivated to write. Thirteen days to go and it's our academy's third PTC. Though it isn't the first time for me to organize this event, but still I am a bit nervous. Nervous because I want to do things right and like the previous two, I want it to be successful as well. If there are things I can do to better this 3rd PTC, I hope to do it this time. I want to exceed my own expectations. Firstly, I expect full cooperation from teachers and parents involved. I believe this activity is beneficial to both parties; it creates an open communication between parents and teachers about the progress of the kids and what else needs to be done to help the kids improve their English skills and more so, to excel academically in their individual schools. Secondly, I would like to remind myself of the following: Since there are only a few days left, I need to ready the QPR

The father of my BFF sent me a link to Steve Job's Last Words on Kakaotalk. After reading it, I find it worthy to share. Also, it is very timely with the message today in the church about money. Wealth has a power to blind us what really matters. Money sets a snare to whoever loves it. Yeah, let's all watch out 'cause anybody can fall to its trick. It has full of lessons and an eye-opener to many of us. Take time to read and let the message sink in: "I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others' eyes, my life is an epitome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. In the end , wealth is only a fact of life that I am accustomed to. At this moment, lying on the sick bed and recalling my whole life, I realized that all the recognition and wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of impending death. In the darkness, I look at the green lights from the life supporting machines and hear the hu

[caption id="attachment_175" align="alignnone" width="169"] Christmas tree at SM Aura... Christmas is in the air.💜[/caption] CHRISTMAS... is love... is kindness... is Jesus' birthday... is gratitude.. is my all-time favorite season. My heart is swelling with happiness 'cause Christmas is here, my favorite season. During this season, people are kinder, happier, and just good vibes around. Thank You for the Love is an ABS-CBN Christmas Station ID, which I love to listen to and is so meaningful. It pierced through my heart. I would like to take this time to thank you to the countless people who have helped me in so many ways. I couldn't be where I am now if not because of them. Thanks to my parents for the love and support. They have always been so supportive of my plans. They are the best when it comes to moral support. I know I am oceans apart from them but they are always in my heart. I love them so much. Actually, I have been thinking these

When you hear the word 'Philippines', the first thing that comes to mind is 'Boracay' or 'Cebu.' These two places are very popular among tourists, foreigners and locals alike. It was my first time to set foot in Boracay last November 7-10, 2015. Thanks to my Korean family who asked me to come with them. It was their first family trip abroad. When I say my Korean family, this is the family of my student turned BFF. Why do I consider them as my family? During my stay in Korea, I lived with her family, and they took care of me. For a year and a half of living with them, I felt I belonged to this family. I am always grateful to them for everything they have done to me - accommodation, love, support, and acceptance. The relationship that I forged with them transcends beyond cultural differences which I am very much thankful of. At times, though, there are some misunderstandings because of differences, but it's natural in any healthy relationship. Well, going back

Now, I know where to go to when I'm bored. Just head to PUZZLES, a board game cafe. It's just a few meters away from my place. It has so many games to choose from. The place is spacious but sometimes it gets too crowded just like last night. You can stay there and play the whole day for just 100 pesos each person. That's reasonable. Also, when you get hungry, they have delicious foods from fries to steak and rice. Also, they offer drinks - juice, coffee and tea. It's a perfect place for friends and family to have fun. [caption id="attachment_150" align="alignnone" width="225"] Scrabble - so serious thinking what word to make. Haha[/caption] One can determine the kind of person someone is by his attitude when he wins or when he loses. Have fun and  enjoy!!! Am going to visit there again with more friends.

Everyone loves outing, who wouldn't right? You get to go places where you have never been to plus, it's free. Everything is shouldered by the company. Then, you get to spend more time with your co-workers leaving all the paperwork behind. This time we  headed  to Stilts Batangas. It's my first time to visit a beach in Luzon. [caption id="attachment_145" align="alignnone" width="225"] The clouds, the yellow sand, and the blue sea. That says it all.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_146" align="alignnone" width="300"] Jump-shot picture with the coworkers.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_147" align="alignnone" width="225"] Love the serenity this picture shows.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_148" align="alignnone" width="300"] A lavish and sumptuous dinner. So yummy!!![/caption] We also had games during this trip. We played Pinoy Henyo, charade and I

My heart always longs for Cebu. It has a big [caption id="attachment_143" align="alignnone" width="169"] Crown Regency hotel Extreme Adventures[/caption] part in my heart and in my life. I just love the food and everything Cebu offers (not the traffic and the pollution though). Now it is time for me to visit once again the places I used to frequent when I stayed there. [caption id="attachment_138" align="alignnone" width="225"] The French-inspired restaurant. A good place to drink wine, catch up with friends,and relax. Wish we had more time.[/caption] The ambience is good but the waiters are not accommodating. They didn't smile nor greet us. They didnt even ask us what we want to order..When we asked them to dry off the table, they gave us that sour face..hmmm. I think they need a customer service 101 lessons.. [caption id="attachment_139" align="alignnone" width="225"] Apple-flavored wine.

" Jessica Wakefield made a huge mistake. So huge that it risked her twin sister's life and ruined her relationship with her boyfriend, A.J. Morgan. She dated a psycho over the weekend when her boyfriend was away ." This is one of the books of Sweet Valley High series of Francine Pascal. I enjoyed these books in my college days. We had them at our Reading Laboratory where I was assigned at. Now, I found them at Market Market and I enjoy reading them especially on a day like this - rainy and stormy. [caption id="attachment_133" align="alignnone" width="182"] That's Jessica Wakefield and Christopher.[/caption] Let's go back to the story. (The summary is copied from the back of the novel.) Jessica Wakefield doesn't know how she'll survive a long weekend without her steady boyfriend, A.J. Morgan. But when she meets Christopher, a mysterious, good-looking boy, her lonely weekend turns into one of the most romantic times of her life

Every day we carry with us to-do list, to-buy list, and to-have list. They seem endless. Every second or minute ticks,  a new idea comes to mind and we desire to have them. Sometimes they  come right away, but some will test your patience. They come very late. (In our thinking, it's late.) While I am waiting for my student to take my skype call for our online class, I have this realization: God will give you the things you have prayed for when you are all ready to accept it - physically, mentally, spiritually. God knows the perfect timing. However, more often than not people are impatient. We are so used to 'instant things.' We thought that once we pray to God what we want, we want to receive it the next day or the next week. Yet, we don't know God has another thing in mind - better than what we thought of. God says in the Bible His thoughts and His plans are higher than ours. Thus, people should learn to trust God in everything. I am telling this to myself. Though insi

[caption id="attachment_122" align="alignnone" width="300"] Do you want to live in a community of Sameness?[/caption] The Giver rings a bell to me. But I am not sure whether I have read it in the past or not. One day, my Korean student bought a novel "The Giver" and it made me more intrigued about it. Hence, I borrowed the novel from my co-worker who also has it and he even used it in the class as a lesson. In the first few pages, it was hard to comprehend the setting of the story and even the plot. I had lots of questions of who or what these words mean: Release, Nurturers, Giver, Receiver, and the list goes on. It appeared to be very metaphorical to me. Well, since I don't like putting down a book without finishing it, I did continue reading it and I was glad I read until the last page. It really made me think about life, people, community, rules, etc. The story in a nutshell goes like this: It is a story about an isolated community that t

Thanks to those who came to our housewarming party. They brought gifts, too. Giving gifts to the host is typical for Koreans. One of the famous gifts is a roll of tissue paper. They believe that if you are gifted with a roll of tissue paper, your problems can easily be solved just like the tissue paper when you roll it out. Hence, we received these 30 rolls of tissue. It is good for a several months of supply.  Another one is a blender. Though it's not typical, but it is very useful. I've been meaning to buy this one even before but just couldn't get myself to buy one. The last one was a shoe rack. One of of our friends saw that our shoe rack was not enough for our shoes, so she bought another one. Yay!!! Gifts and blessings! We prepared all Korean foods - tofu with kimchi, Pajeon, Makkgeolli, etc. I wasn't able to take a picture of those. I would love to share the Korean foods here. Well, next time in my future posts. In two weeks probably, it would be our turn to give

To my followers and readers:  I extend my gratitude to everyone who reads my post. And, I'm sorry that I haven't written anything these past few weeks. A lot has happened. I moved in to a new place. Maybe you are familiar with the things you have to do before, during, and after the move in. It's indeed stressful. But my friend told me sometimes we need to change though it may seem very stressful. Change is needed from time to time. Yeah, she has a point. I tried to argue, though, that sometimes some stress are unnecessary, and we don't need to go through it. Well, in the end, I gave in. Moreover, more work needs to be done in the office. Piles of paperwork clamor my attention each day. Again, thank you. I will find time to write. Monthly meeting:  In a week, the peak season kicks in. Japanese and Korean students will start their summer vacation next week. That means that there will be a lot of students coming to the Philippines to study English. Thus, in preparation, we

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZLd8gXJJRg[/embed] I love to listen to this song these days because I haven't gotten over yet the recently concluded drama "FOREVERMORE." I still have the hang over and I can't get enough of Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano. They are perfect together. And, it makes me want to fall in love again. These questions linger in my mind for quite awhile now: What if I bump into my ex-boyfriend? The ex-boyfriend I haven't met for 5 years but kept in touch until last year. The ex-boyfriend whom I thought I would end up with. The ex-boyfriend who told me "I wanna grow old with you." What would my reaction be? Honestly, he wanted to meet me last year when he knew that I am in Manila and am back in the Philippines. Deep inside, I really wanted to to test my emotions whether I still have feelings or not. But I stopped myself from meeting him because he already had a girlfriend. Just a few months ago. Until now, I still wonder what

Watched this on 4D  and I have no regrets!!! It's worth it, guys! So, while it is still showing on theaters, do buy a ticket and enjoy!!! I love the cinematography, the special effects, but above all, I love the story. The trust formed between the dinosaurs and man. It's impossible to happen in reality, but at least, in the movie, it became possible. This is a sequel of the Jurassic Park, shown 15 years ago. A theme park who keeps on looking for something to wow the visitors. They said the people want bigger teeth and scarier dinosaurs. Thus, they bred a genetically engineered dinosaur, but this turned out a monster killing all other dinosaurs. It was kept in isolation then when it went out of the cage and went wild. The story resolved on how to kill this dinosaur. In the beginning, Owen, a caretaker of the raptors, trained the raptors to follow orders. These raptors were put together in one cage. According to Owen, these raptors learned social skills and trust. Owen formed tru

Looking for some adventure near your place? Who knows? One of the stores in your place offers some activities like wall climbing. You need not to go far to experience the suspense and thrill. Check your neighborhood out! If you live in Taguig City Metro Manila or near here, there's one at R.O.X. in Bonifacio High Street. One trial climb costs only 150 pesos. That's really affordable, guys! I've been to this store several times, and every time I passed by the wall climbing area, I watched the climbers as they went up their way. One day I told myself, "I am going to try this one soon." And, yeah, I did it yesterday. I was happy and proud of myself. I've got only a few pics but yeah, here they are: [caption id="attachment_95" align="alignnone" width="225"] on my way up. :) It's my first.[/caption] For the videos, guys, please check out my instagram account:@malou_here. My feelings during the climb:  Honestly,   fear crept in. Al

Today, the Filipinos celebrate the 117th anniversary of the Philippines Independence Day. Thus, no work, no class today. It's a holiday in the Philippines. To know more about it, please click this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(Philippines). Some people chose to spend the holiday at National Museum which gives free admission to everyone who wants to visit the place. It's kinda far from my place, hence I didn't go. Besides, I am not very familiar on how to get around the city. Nevertheless, I've spent the holiday well. I had fun, and I really enjoyed a lot. I felt it's indeed a holiday. Around 7 in the morning, I got my Korean book and read one story. I was a bit disheartened while reading the story. It became apparent to me that my Korean skills are declining. I really want to maintain my level, at least. Well, it means I have to make time, to allot an hour or two a week to study Korean. Then, at 10:30 in the morning, my friend  and I headed t

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https://youtu.be/YzowEfQpHrg Both are youtube sensation. Aldrich made a cover of Dance with my Father. They uploaded it on youtube and it became viral. I so love them both! More blessings to come. More projects!

[caption id="attachment_84" align="alignnone" width="300"] held our 2nd PTC today.[/caption] I have been inactive these past few days, and am so sorry about that. Work has been too busy. My plate is full and just too hard to juggle all. These days, we are having a one-on-one conference with the teachers regarding the progress of their students and the goals they have for each student. The rationale behind is to give the program team, including me, an idea how the student is doing and progressing inside the class. Sometimes, the parents just approach us and ask about their kid's performance, but it's hard for us to answer because their kids are not our students. But, because we are part of the management, they assume that we know these things. Hence, we come up with this activity. I started last week but is not done yet. I will plot the schedule of the teachers under me and make an appointment with them. Now, we just finished our 2nd Parent-Teacher

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"You're going to wear yourself out--and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself." (NLT) -Exodus 18:18 Moses' father-in-law had just given him some wise advice to delegate. Moses was tasked with being the sole judge for thousands of Israelites, but it was burdensome. Often, we cling onto these burdens because we take pride in the control and recognition we receive from doing them. Yet, delegating gives others the opportunity to prove their worth if you give them the chance. Also, we can be much more effective with our time because it is multiplied by the effort of many. Are there areas you could relinquish control and delegate to willing and capable people? Download this app to get your daily devotions: http://bit.ly/16uZrQ5

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. (NLT) -Romans 1:7 Some days we need just a bit more grace and a bit more peace than others. Busyness, drama, and life circumstances pull out every last ounce of patience. By the end of the day, it feels like we are just barely hanging on. When you feel your patience wearing thin, step away. Get a moment of distance to recenter yourself around Christ. He will give you the grace and patience you are seeking to give to others. Download this app to get your daily devotions: http://bit.ly/16uZrQ5

[caption id="attachment_70" align="alignnone" width="225"] had this after lunch on Sunday afternoon with my church mates.[/caption] Last Sunday was the birthday of one of my church mates in our small group. Every Sunday at 2, we usually gather at BonChon Chicken store at Market Market for our small group. But, at that time, she told us to gather at Shakeys instead. So, we headed to Shakeys and had pizza, spaghetti, and chicken for lunch and banana split for the dessert. We enjoyed the food. Also, we shared our travel stories. Some went to Dumaguete; others, Camarines Norte, and I went to Hundred Islands. By the way, what' s a small group?  This is initiated by the church. Victory The Fort is the church where I go to every Sunday. They have small groups for all ages. Our group is for the single ladies from 26 - 35 year olds, if I'm not mistaken. There are groups for teens, for married couples, etc. If you are looking for a small group, please clic

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Would you blame the environment for the person you become? Is the society responsible for the crimes done by the lawbreakers? Danny Boy Cadogan is the main character and the antagonist in the story. Danny Boy Cadogan grew up and lived in hatred, violence, and betrayal. His father was a gambler. He buried himself in debt in game of cards. He was an irresponsible father leaving his family in the hands of the Murrays, the debt collectors. Danny Boy Cadogan, being the eldest son, took upon his shoulders the responsibility his father ought to carry. At a young age, he did all the best he can to protect his family from these ruthless people and to pay off his father's debt. Louie, an old folk in their neighborhood,  took Danny Boy Cadogan under his wing. He loved Danny Boy like his own son. He gave him means to make money so that he can provide the needs of his family. Soon enough, he was introduced to the criminal world. He became the most feared person in the neighborhood. He controlle

"Am I overextending myself?" This question sometimes crosses my mind, especially when I feel overwhelmed of the tasks at hand and the to-do list. "Have I signed up to too many commitments?" In June 2014, after a year and a half being away from the Philippines, I found myself back in my country; however, I was not in the city where I used to live. I was in Manila. The first few days were kind of difficult for me. It was a new environment. I knew no one. I knew from the start that it would take a lot of adjustments before I could feel at home. Fortunately, by God's grace, I quickly found a good job. In my first month in the academy, I wrote a prayer: "Lord, use me so that I can contribute something good to the academy. I want to help the academy grow, and in doing so help more people find a job. If the academy grows, then obviously, it needs more teachers. If we hire more teachers, then more people can have jobs. Then more people can be helped out." God

When I told my Korean students that I went to Hundred Islands last week, they have this confused look and asked, "Why is the name 'hundred islands?" "Because, literally, it has hundred islands in that place" I replied. They nodded in agreement when I showed them the pictures.  Hundred Islands is one of the famous tourist destinations in the Philippines. If you want to know more about it, please click this link: http://www.philippinetouristattractions.com/hundred-islands/ Last Saturday, I went to Hundred Islands with my co-workers and Korean students. I knew it's far, but I didn't expect it would be that far. It was a 5-6 hour drive. We departed at 1:45 a.m. and got there at around 8 in the morning. Here's a tip: When you rent a van, make sure that the driver knows how to get to Hundred Islands. We lost our way. We kept on asking where Hundred Islands were. That explained why it took us so long.  Here are some of our pictures: Sunrise or sunset? We we

One day I was reading a travel magazine and this urge to write just came all of a sudden so strong that I said it out loud: "I want to write." Then my friends looked at me and nonchalantly reacted to my outburst. "Then write." they said. "You can have a blog," they added. I sighed and said, "Yeah." Don't get me wrong. It doesn't mean that my desire to write just started that day. Nope! I love writing since the day I learned how to write I guess. I've been keeping a diary since elementary. I used to write fiction novels in my high school years. I was a writer and an editor in our school publication in college. I loved to write essays. When my teaching career started, my busy schedule got the better of me. I can hardly find time to write. But, yeah, I still keep a diary but not long ones though. It's more of a memo in my planner. These days, however, I've been itching to write just to express myself. But  not only that, I want t