moved out

28 of May. Do you believe in the rule of 8? Funny though, yet, I did. I officially moved out from our staff dormitory to a private bachelor’s pad. I was the first occupant of the 2-room pad. Finishing and furnishing were actually still on-going. But I transferred anyway because of the 8.

Having the 8 was only a bit of the reasons of my transfer. There were heavier reasons why I decided to leave outside the compound. Reasons that are better left unsaid.

I thought I had few things to transfer but when I packed all my things I couldn’t make a single trip. So I brought the first batch of the 27^th and brought the remaining on the morning of 28. According to some old beliefs, one should transfer to their new home when the sun has not come out yet. But it was already past 6 am when I left the compound, but the sun was still shy to come out. This was when I decided that I was already out of the compound. I am no longer a resident of the office’s housing facilities, only an employee.

In my new place, I arrange my things until 7 am and went back to the dorm for my breakfast. I still had my contribution for food with my dorm mates until Friday. Besides, I did not have gas for cooking. In the afternoon, supposedly we should be eating ice cream in my place together with my previous dormmates, but we ended up eating in the dormitory. The supposedly welcome party for my new place turned out a despidida event.

What I am looking forward in staying outside the compound was the afternoon walk from the office to my place, the after 5 snacks at the market with banana cue, waffles, batchoy, bread, or barbecue. Yes, I have a shallow happiness. Anytime I felt hungry at night, I can simply slip and go to the market to eat. At the dormitory, its difficult to buy something to eat. Though its not so far from the center of the town, it seemed to be inaccessible by public rides at night starting past 7 pm especially if you are alone. In addition, the fare changes at night. A private ride is a necessity when you are staying there. And I do not have one.

It is different also that after work, you can see another environment. It refreshes the tired body and strained eyes in a days work in the computer. Or if you work in field that day, it again gives you energy for the next day. It was so monotonous that when you end your day, you see the office and when you wake up in the morning, the first thing you see is the office. Its as if there is a thin line separating your personal life with your work. I remembered one author said that failure people are those who cannot distinguish where their job’s life ends and personal life begins or the other way around.

As of now, I am happy I was out.

climate change

Nowadays, everywhere you go the issue of global warming and climate change have been ringing and irritating (?) to our ears. But who cares climate change? Is it only for environmental scientists? Or simply it is an Al Gore’s personal crusade? Or an everybody’s concern? How can we consider climate change when there are more pressing problems we are facing nowadays? There is that world crisis- economic recession, unemployment; moral degradation, and health threat- just recently the swine flu virus; are some of the everyday issues, more urgent to be taken care of.

But we cannot ignore climate change. Everything is connected with the environment. Our food crisis is the result of changes in the climatic conditions making production more problematic than before. The climate that once supports a productive harvest cannot be expected today. The unpredictable weather in a season is more observable today. Have you noticed that our summer this year is so short? As of last week the PAGASA already announced that our summer was already over.

Did you enjoy your summer? Well, who would if you no longer have job because you are one of those employees of a company that declared bankruptcy or one of those laid off because of company’s way of keeping alive? Or if you do have the resources for a summer escapade, did you enjoy going out with a surprise shower or heavy rain?

I will not be talking here of the technical or scientific views about climate change or its effect to production or the  combined effect of everything contributing to what we call as climate change. But I can say, this summer experience is one effect of the climate change.

a shot from the giant screen during the rainy graduation ceremony, 

the tent blocking the grand background

the carnival-like tents, the ground showing the traces of yesterday's graduation ceremony 

 the appeal of the green, green grass of Freedom Park that was not noticed

 

UPLB’s centennial graduation was so memorable to me simply because I belonged to the UPLB centennial graduates. After long arduous struggles and desperate days and nights trying to beat deadlines, a moment to savor victoriously our feat has come. Yet, it was not the sweetest of all.

It was first of the UPLB history that on graduation it rained. Not just an ordinary rain but really raining hard. Although there were times when the rain would stop a bit but it was a hard blow to all who were at the ceremony. It was so timely that the School of Environment Science and Management always talk on the global warming issues. And on its centennial graduation, the Earth wanted to manifest that climate change was indeed a reality. It is not only some remote issues that are tackled in some scientific gatherings but is actually happening now. We can really feel how it works. Decades ago, summer was indeed a summer.  But this year, April seems like June when rain did not stop to pour for a week.

The graduation ceremony was conceptualized and its preparation was laid out for a year, as I was informed. Two months ago, the lawn was already trimmed and maintained to show its glossy green for the graduation. Unfortunately rain was not cooperating with the celebration. You can see that everyone was disappointed but the show must go on.

If the stage set up for the UP system centennial graduation in UPLB last year was grandiose, as they said. It was much more grandiose this year. But its extravagance was not flaunted because of the rain. The tent covering the UP officials up on the stage blocked the background scenery of flowing waterfalls in a lush tropical garden enhanced more with the colorful lights. The walkway where graduates walked going up to the stage to be recognized and receive a diploma was covered with red carpet.  

Despite the rain, everything went well. Not to mention that the red carpet was covered with mud. The cushioning effect of the carpet my made even softer by mud absorbed in it. The green grass at the place where everyone passed through was like a molested ground played with rodeo. The open Freedom Park was transformed into what like a carnival. Notwithstanding no contingency plan prepared if ever it will rain, the carnival-like ground was the best of all the preparation worthy of praise. At the end of the ceremony, a fireworks display brightened up the dark sky previously spurting out rain.

Even in the Convention I attended at Baguio, there was a separate day for plenary session which deals on the climate change, changing environment and microbial biodiversity. Yes, Baguio, ahhhh. The Summer Capital of the Philippines. But again, even if it was still summer yet, we were soaked with rain. In my 6 days stay, I only saw one day that had no rain at all. I even bought an umbrella because of intermittent rain showers.   During our field tour, Emong joined with us by sending us a loving Signal no. 2. Our supposedly one day trip was cut into half day because of the forthcoming Signal #3. I intended to stay a day behind from the group to tour on sites that we failed to visit because of the typhoon that day. I thought it would be sunny then but in the afternoon a strong rain came. Disappointed and soaked with rain, I just considered it a nature’s way of expressing itself. Why fret? So I ended up early in the bus terminal, brought my Readers Digest and read there. From time to time I glanced on the TV screen showing Spiderman III (I guess), after a basketball game.

And this is my summer climate change experience.

  

clumsy trip

I took my things from the place I stayed for a week around 11 PM. I rang the door bell. About hundred meters away, some teeners were shouting, cursing and swearing. In no time they were chasing someone and running towards me. I nervously called kuya to open up the gate faster. But the more I fervently stomped my feet to open up, the more he became disoriented with the keys. I just closed my eyes and waited. At last, the lock clicked open. Fortunately the teeners were running on the other side of the road. The chase stopped. I was relieved. I took my bags and called a taxi going to the terminal of Victory Lines.

Because my sneakers were wet because of the heavy rain in the afternoon while strolling in some scenic spots of Baguio, I ended up using slippers for my early trip back to Manila. Around 12 midnight, the breeze was already too cold soothing in my skin. I put on one more jacket with hood. At 1:15 am, we were already on our way to Manila. To keep me warm, I slipped in my feet to the sleeves of my other jacket.

Since I left my luggage in my friend’s place, I went to her place to repack my things because I had additional things added. Some of my pasalubong could no longer be inserted in my luggage and it surely would be over 20 kgs so I decided to bring it as one of my hand- carry bags. In haste, I left it in her place. Because she would be coming home, I requested her to bring it with her the next day.

I went to the airport 2 hours before my supposedly flight because I haven’t had a ticket yet. I was not sure whether my online booking was still legitimate because there was no confirmation forwarded to me as should be, like my previous on line booking with PAL. I was ushered by the guard in the PAL ticketing office to the ticket express lane to get a ticket. Going to the terminal, I noticed that my cellophane containing the camera’s accessories handed to me hours ago by my supplier was missing. Fortunately, I transferred the unit to my laptop bag a while ago. I suspected somebody from the airport might have taken it thinking it still contained the camera unit. After checking in I returned to the ticketing office and asked the guard if he noticed a cellophane in my cart. Somebody might have taken it by mistake while I was at the counter. The guard did not notice. Two hours after, my friend called me telling that the guard of their condo gave her the package turned over by the taxi driver.

Inside the airport, my phone’s battery was almost drained. I went to the charging station. To break the boredom while waiting for our boarding schedule I chatted to a man who was also charging his phone. I was confident that our plane was delayed because the flight earlier of ours was delayed because of some technical problem, I did not notice the time. We chatted after I took a nap. I was so sleepy because I was not able to sleep well during my trip back to Manila.

Then he asked me the time. I answered; it’s already 4:30.

“Il go ahead, I might be left behind. We will have our boarding at 4:45. Where is the gate 9?” He asked.

Just go straight. The gates are arranged this way (pointing the left as the starting point and to the other side). Then he left.

4:30?????? I checked my time. It was really 4:30. Did not my flight boarding time was 3:30? Was my plane had left already? I immediately took my charging phone. I was not yet finished packing my charger when the intercom filled the terminal. “We are calling the attention of the following passengers: _-___ . I was called first. That was the first time that I was paged.

I hurriedly boarded. Everybody was all settled inside the plane. The shame was not much because my seat was at the front.

After dinner, my sister and Mandy invited me to have a quick drive around the city before they will send me to the bus stop going back home. Since we were driving near the bus terminal, I suggested them to just drop me at the terminal. Mandy did a wrong turn so we ended up to a farther way going to the terminal. There was a heavy traffic along the boulevard straight to the terminal because of a public activity. As a result, I almost not able to catch up the bus. I was catching up my breath when I was seated after running just to board the bus.

Talking about my pasalubong, I totally lost it when the package was lost or dropped or separated somewhere from the checked- in baggage of my friend, assumingly was not properly sealed.

cold water, anyone?

Yes, I would not dance under the rain of Baguio.

Looking outside the window, I can see a little swaying of trees and I can hear the howling of the wind. It was getting dark now, I must hurry go out and eat my dinner or else it would be more difficult going out later since Emong will be passing over with a Signal #3 strength. Or was it already Signal # 3?

At first try, oops, my umbrella was not strong enough to counter the wind. The wind too did not provide a good welcome outside the house. I stepped back. In my next try, it was more manageable. But, brrrrrrr.. , the water. Brrrrrr, I felt like cold water from the refrigerator. I was wondering if children here ever enjoyed dancing and laughing under the rain. Do they experienced the joy of playing, stomping the soil till it created a puddle of mud, playing boats made of leaves and race it with other boy’s boat?

Two days after, I saw a group of people playing under the rain in Burnham Park. It must be a company’s activity or some team building or family day of an organization. They seemed to enjoy the game under the rain. Or they must have no choice or else they would forfeit this activity for this year, thus, ended up playing even when it was raining cats and dogs.

As for me, I rather not play under Baguio’s rain. Even it’s a romantic one (lol). I would not rather be romantic and catching a cold.  Hot shower is a must have in the place you’re planning to stay in Baguio City. It was difficult to get up in the morning because of the cool air. The steaming shower was the only thing capable of waking my senses to start the day.

Bagyo sa Baguio

Life is gloomy when it rains. Rain is usually attributed to suffering, aches, pains, desperations, and so on.  Indeed, that is why little Jenny asked rain to go away cause she wanted to play. What if is not only rain but a typhoon? What if not only a typhoon but Signal no. 3 typhoon?

Baguio City is a beautiful place because of its cool climate, fresh fruits and vegetables, but most of all the sceneries. It is even considered the summer capital of the Philippines. But fate maybe has played with us when we did our field tour. The excitement was slowly replaced with disappointment and defeat from Mother Nature. The whole day field tour was cut to half day because of the oncoming Signal #3 over Baguio City. While we were visiting some of the places it was already raining badly. But we still persisted to visit them and have wet shots on those places. But then, we retreated after lunch to our individual places.

Back in my room, I should have prepared my presentation for tomorrow but I felt so compelled to write a blog on this time. And so here it is.

this was taken from the BSU Nature Farm - the start of rain

a view taken from my window, i think it is already rain and fog blanketing the sky

another shot taken from my window

I intentionally included a pine tree in this picture to signify its really Baguio

 the sky is getting darker and the wind started to howl a bit

a street just around the corner from my place, taken from the attic's window

With the disappointment on these rains, maybe, then, nobody has told us to dance under the rain, as some say. Just to sound optimistic. But even I, would not dance in the rain of Baguio, unless I wanted to die of hypothermia (lol). And so here I am in front of my computer enjoying the comfort of my room. 

Now,  I should  be doing my presentation.