Today was a good day to be a teacher

Yes, it was. 

It was the last day of an in-company English class that I had been teaching since April. Their classes actually started in January, but they requested a change of teacher and I was sent in as the replacement. I had been a bit anxious about teaching them, wondering if they were particularly demanding or some such, and if they would eventually ask that I be replaced as well. 

They turned out to be a fun class with a lot of energy considering the time (their classes were on Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:00-9:30am). I actually liked them from the start. They were five, and they all seemed to be friends with each other, at least enough to constantly tease one another if they made mistakes in class, be it about grammar, pronunciation, spelling, or even general facts/information.

Today the last of their presentations was done (I had asked each of them to prepare an oral report for the end of the course that would last 15-20 minutes on any topic of their choice), and they suggested that we have breakfast together after to celebrate the end of their English classes (at least for the moment). They have a break for summer and will resume in October.

My B2 Students

We walked to a nearby place where the only male of the class gallantly treated all of us to breakfast. Talk revolved around their children, and everyone ooh-ed and aah-ed over photos of everyone’s offspring. I asked them what they wanted to study if I were to teach them again in October, and they said that they had fun during class and that they would like to have more of the same.

We walked back to the office after our meal, and as I said goodbye to them at the entrance (class was done so I was set to go home), they all gave me the Spanish “double-beso” and told me they hoped I would still be their teacher when classes resume. They said they would tell their coordinator that they liked me and would want to have me back.

So sweet of them to say that. AND free breakfast to boot.

So yes. Today, I didn’t mind at all that I was an English teacher.

Blows to the ego

Yesterday, I had Blow to the Ego Incident #1. (For the week, at least.)

I'd been slacking off in terms of exercise for the past two weeks, so I went to the gym to join a couple of evening classes to make up for it. It was the first time for me to see and meet the instructor teaching the first class. He was cute, so I decided to chat him up after the workout was done. 

I am not really the queen of small talk, so I tried to think of a topic I could bring up with him. Thankfully, I knew that I once took a P.E. theory class which his father taught at my university. So, I came up to him and said, "Hey, I know your dad. He was my teacher some time ago." To which he responded, "Really? Where? In weightlifting?"

I guess I didn't look very girly to him.

Today, I had Blow to the Ego Incident #2.

Again, the scene was at the gym, this time, the wall climbing gym I regularly go to. I saw a guy whom I hadn't seen in around ten years. He's one of the old-timer mountaineers who pioneered rock climbing in the country, and I met him when I was just starting to climb at the old climbing gym. I wasn't sure that he'd remember me, so I came up to him to say hi. 

"Hey, do you remember me?" I said. He said, "Yes! I wasn't sure it was you though. You got big. You weren't macho before." I tried to show that I was not very happy with what he said, and at the same time I gave him the chance to modify/retract his rather tactless statement. "I'm not really sure how I should take that," I said, hoping he would realize his lack of sensitivity and somehow take back what he said. Well, he did modify it. Kind of. "Well, you really bulked up."

Oh well.

March NUDI Night- Marine Life Portraits

A few months ago, some diving friends of mine set up a group called NUDI, which stands for Network of Underwater Digital Imagers. Nudi is also short for nudibranch, a kind of sea slug which is a favorite subject of underwater photographers. The main regular activity of the group is NUDI night, a photo competition held every month. There's a theme per month, and for March, it was Marine Life Portraits. Basically this meant a photo of an animal which shows its face and highlights its expression. This was my entry, a blenny peeking out of a coral. I chose it because the fish looks like it's smiling. It won fourth place in the compact category.

Waiting for the supermoon at Punta Fuego

I'm in Punta Fuego in Batangas for a planning session for work. Despite the long traveling time, I do like coming here. We arrived early this morning, around 5am, because we left Quezon City around 2am. When we got here, we saw this big fat moon when we registered at the reception area. It was a moonset, although it really looked more like a sunset. The moon looked particularly big because of March 19's supermoon, when the moon will be at its closest to the earth in 18 years.


Since we arrived here so late (or early), we started our session after lunch. After our afternoon workshop, we had our buffet dinner outdoors. The view from the dining area is very pretty, as you have a view of the sunset over the sea. There were a lot of visitors in Punta Fuego who also enjoyed the view with us, a lot of them foreigners. If they came from colder climes, Punta Fuego probably seemed like paradise.



Tonight the moon was even fuller, as it is the actual supermoon. It was a even more of a pleasure to dine outside because you had front row seats to the moon's splendor.

I always enjoy going to Punta Fuego, whether for business or for pleasure. I wish that I could afford to get a house here someday.

This blog is settling down!

I've been importing and exporting this blog and I'm getting tired of all the moving, so (for now?) I'm going to stick to this address. This will continue to be my personal blog, to be updated when possible, and I will continue writing little things that I've heard about, that happened to me, that struck me as funny, or whatever else that strikes me to be worthy of putting pen to paper (or more accurately, fingers to keyboard).

One thing I hate about being Filipino...

is the way people feel free to comment on your weight gain/loss (in my case, ALWAYS gain), and then look at you strangely when you show any sign that you were offended by what you were told. I'm so tired of people saying "ganyan talaga ang kultura ng Pinoy" (that's part of Filipino culture), and making that an excuse for their rudeness. So many people don't see how rude it is, and label you as onion-skinned or what not when you point this out.

Last Friday, I was at my parents' house for a visit before they left for an extended trip. My mom's manicurista was there, and she hadn't seen me in a few years. Expectedly, she said, "Tumaba ka!" (You gained weight!), then when my mother told her I didn't like being told that, she changed gears and said (as SOOOOOOOO many Filipinos do), "Bagay naman sa 'yo eh!" (It suits you!) GRRRRRRRR!!! I'm really so sick of hearing this. Again... and again... and again. I can never get used to it, (I certainly don't intend to!) and I continue to think it very ill-mannered, offensive and objectionable. My weight is my own business, and nobody else's. Keep those comments to yourself.

(And to those who think this behavior is acceptable, please don't tell me it's my fault for gaining weight. You wouldn't want me pointing out your faults and saying they suit you just fine, would you?)

Harry Potter vs. Twilight

I discovered rather recently and belatedly that fantasy is my favorite genre, both for books and for movies. I think it's because it's more possible for me to have some suspension of disbelief when dealing with outright fantasy than I can with sappy love stories.

Today, I came across a quote (care of a facebook status update by my friend Jan) that's been attributed to one of my favorite authors, Stephen King. I think it's hilarious.

"Harry Potter is all about confronting fears, finding inner strength and doing what is right in the face of adversity… Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend." -Stephen King