Blank is #BetterByBicycle

It's History Month! So I'll talk a little bit about history. Actually, it's also Buwan ng Wika . So in honor of the Filipino language, magta-Taglish ako sa post na ito. Although dapat pure Tagalog, kaya lang hirap din ako. It's not to say na mas sanay ako sa Ingles, it's just that, mas natural sa pakiramdam ko ang Taglish. Ganyan kalalim ang colonial wound ko, hindi ako makasalita ng purong mother tounge! (I am slowly trying to change this in pursuit of  decolonizing myself and returning to my indigenous identity). Anyway, since last year, I've been experimenting on ways to encourage my students to try bike commuting. Niyaya ko sila sa mga weekend rides at sumabay sa  school commute ko. Dinidiscuss ko rin sa klase ang physical at mental health benefits ng pagbibisikleta. Sinasabi ko rin malaking tulong ito para maimprove ang kanilang concentration at attention span (na mahalaga sa kanilang pag-aaral). Last semester, sinubukan ko mag-organize ng mini-cycling tour...

Oh look at that, I've been slouching for a long time. The truth is, something made me really upset (acad. related) last semester, and ever since,  I haven't really been motivated to write here. Now it's been quite crazy in the world lately, and while they add up to the personal dilemma I'm dealing, I wanted to remind myself that I have personal spaces in the worldwide web where I can express myself and share my life without the worry of getting judged or bashed (perks of being unpopular LOL). Hence a new blog entry. I haven't been going to events or trainings lately, but it's National Literature Month, and I thought what an apt time to talk about book events. As a teacher, books have been a staple part of my life. They are  essential work tools. But even before I became a teacher, I've been consuming books simply for the joy of reading. I wouldn’t call myself a bookworm, just an average reader who enjoys the comfort of a good story or deep insights from essa...

So I picked up a new hobby over the summer. When I attended the Sustainability Fiesta last April, organized by the UP Diliman Environment Management Office (UP DEMO), I was fortunate to get a slot in a guided bird walk. It was a birdwatching activity within the UP Diliman campus. Birdwatching is the practice of observing wild birds in their natural habitat, free from cage or captivity, either with our naked eyes, binoculars or any magnified viewing equipment. The activity was facilitated by Prof. Carmela Espanola of UP Institute of Biology, she's also a bird specialist and a champion of wildlife conservation. She started orienting us about birds and why it's necessary to birdwatch, as a form of recreation or citizen science. Then we went off walking around the campus and spotting different wild birds. It was an eye-opening event for me, I was pleasantly surprised to see different bird species in a highly urbanized city. I knew there are plenty of sparrows and pigeons in the ci...

In the span of 2 months that I stayed in Australia, I would say there are many things that I wish to take with me in the Philippines. I'm talking about the system and way of life in general, I mean with its highly developed economy and high human development index (HDI), there are definitely a lot to envy, from the perspective of someone living in a developing country. But if I have to pick three things that I truly envy, I'd say it would come down to 3R's - recreation, reading,  and riding. Now this blog entry is mainly about the reading and riding part but let me talk a bit about recreation because it's also related to the other two R's. Before I start, let me state that whatever observation and comparison that I will describe here is coming from my own limited experience so it's fair to say that they may or may not actually represent the Philippine and Australian society in general. In terms of recreation, I noticed Aussies to be outdoor loving people. It...

So last month, I attended the opening of "Memento: A Journey Through Europe!" , a photo exhibit at Alliance Française de Manille in Makati. I love every opportunity that I could be exposed to culture and arts of different countries, events like this are some of the things I miss when I was still living in the city. But it's really not that far from my house, and with a folding bike, everything is possible! I cycled from my house, hopped on a jeep bound for Shaw Boulevard, and from there, unfolded my wheels and cycled the rest of the way to Makati. It’s funny how cycling through the city, even with its chaos, gives you a different rhythm. I wasn’t stuck in traffic, I was flowing through it. The exhibit was a collaboration between Alliance Française de Manille and the embassies of Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Poland, Romania, and Sweden, was an invitation to travel through Europe without flying. Each ambassador spoke briefly about three photos they selected to ...