Onli in Pinas: part 3: Lunchbreak re-location review center

Currently Digging: Longsilog

The longer I stay here, the more Pinoy I become. Who knows, in time maybe it'll be easier for me to type all this in tagalog... afterall, i'm learning a lot of tagalog words and getting used to hearing tagalog 24/7. :) Sad part is, if i don't use english, i might lose it. Oh well...

Being a pinoy, what is it? I don't know how to answer this exactly. But I'll share my story with you. Here it goes...

The week after Mr. Ondoy Typhoon hit Manila, our review center decided to relocate us to Quezon city. Apparently, there is a smaller probability that they will cancel any more classes due to severe weather conditions or flooding if we hold our classes in QC than in Manila. So okay, anyway it is easier for me to get there. It's just one jeepney and train away. No worries.

Got a text message Friday night (week after Mr. Ondoy), that they are cancelling class on Sat, for the anticipated arrival of Ms./Mr. Pepeng, another typhoon. Seems like it wasn't just me who got traumatized...hehehe... even the admin people got scared too. Anyway, that's a cool deal!!! No class! Fine.

The next week, we received another text message that they are PERMANENTLY moving all of our remaining classes to Quezon ave, QC. Ok, fine. The only problem is I really don't know where it is, how the vicinity looked like, etc.

Came Saturday, thank goodness for a sunny day. We got there on time. Along quezon ave, there are a few slight logistics problem: From Q. ave MRT stations it is a good long walk to the building. I could ride a jeepney, but it's not sensible since it probably just about 6 blocks away. Plus walking is a good exercise. Just looking at the positive side.

Class went on... 7-12. Then lunchbreak.

Having walked 6 blocks going to our building from the train station, as far as fastfood, restaurants, I only saw 7/11 Convenient store, McDonald's (under renovation), Ministop convenient store, Starbucks, and a very expensive Cafe.

"O san na tayo kakain? (where are we gonna eat?)?" Across our building is a small grocery/supermarket shop. Since nobody knows the vicinity, those of us in the class who doesn't have a car or driver, decided to just walk altogether and find where to eat. Some have decided they will just eat at Ministop, some at Starbucks. Okay, cool with us, I don't particularly like to eat pastries or chips or hotdogs for lunch. So that didn't impress me nor my friends.

We've decided to check the supermarket/grocery, maybe they have stalls or diner within the store. OUR PROBLEM THOUGH, is how we could cross Quezon Ave.

Just an idea, Quezon ave is about 8 lanes wide, with a small island in the middle, barricaded by MMDA pink fence. Cars, Busses and Jeepneys go wild and crazy when they're driving at Q. ave. IT has a small emergency Bay area where there's no fence. But within the MMDA Pink fence there's this huge sign in all caps bold letters: "WALANG TAWIRAN. NAKAKAMATAY" Like saying: NO CROSSING: IT'S SUICIDE or ILLEGAL TO CROSS, DEADLY.
The overpass is 6 blocks away. There's some people crossing the street. So to cross or not to cross?!?

Being pinoy, and as studied from sociology, if belonging in a group or one of a collective group, you do things you will never do alone. I was really hesitant. Nonetheless, I don't really have much choice. So there's probably about 15 of us who crossed the ROAD. My strategy was to stay in the middle, so if ever we get hit, they would absorb the impact first becore the cars hit me.... hehehehe... MY friends were teasing me, cuz I was about to chicken out! I was sweating buckets and buckets of sweat droplets. I was scared. It's probably not as bad as crossing the interstate, but the thing is, I don't wanna get caught, I dont wanna get hit and I dont't wanna die just yet at Q. ave especially.

I thought after successfully crossing the street, the agony is over. But it's not. It's only the beginning.

Checked out, Hi-top grocery store. No food stalls, no eatery, no carinderia, mo cafeteria. no nothing. Beside it, starbucks... NOPE. Ministop... nope. Expensive Cafe, no no no!!
So we walked...

and walked...

walked... and walked and walked some more...

2 blocks after, there's a pair of policemen patrolling the area. "Kuya! Kuya! san ba may kainan dito?! (Sir, are there any place to eat here?). One of the policeman pointed to yellow bldg. 1 block away. They said that place has a cafeteria inside.

Off we went... Peeking through the glass wall, around the building... nope.. nope.. nobody is even there. There's nothing on that building... arggg....

It's 1220nn, everybody's getting really really hungry. Sun is up directly on us, we were tired, sweaty and slightly getting pissed but still laughing our hunger and tiredness away.

We walked some more... walked more.. walked... walked...

3 blocks later, we saw the GOLDEN ARCHES from a far. Another 2 blocks, and we are there! YEY!!!! McDonalds!!! Signs up. We were standing right under the sign. Uhhh... but where's McDonald's again? Did we miss it? 180 degree turn? to the left? to the right? No?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

McD is closed for renovation!!?!?! WTF?!?! ARe u kidding me?!?! ARGGGGGG!!! Well apparently not. IT is closed. Beside it, 7/11 Concenient store---ahh nope.

FRustrated and hungry, we are definitely looking for a carinderia or a fastfood shop. We need a BIG MEAL. So we walked again. walked another block. Then there was a group of taxi drivers. They pointed us to another direction. They said its just about 3-4 blocks away. Alright, no biggie.

So we walked.

Ahhhhhhmmm.. excuse me, everyone, we've already been here! just a block away is the grocery store! OMG!!! We just circled around, and there we are again, we're back to where we started. argggggggg...

Really frustrated now, we are just thinking of walking back to the building and asking our admin people where the closest fastfood establishment is. On our way back, remember Kuya policemen?!? We saw them again!!!

Riding their Police pick up van, bright yellow, open... One of them yelled: "NAkakain na kayo?! (Have you eaten yet?!)" They probably took pity on us. Cuz by this time, we are all about to collapse... its really hot and humid that day! Sun is up! Hungry....

So they said, Hop in the back, hold on, and we will take you to Jollibee!!!

So there we went, rode the open police minitruck, in bright yellow color, along the EDSA... They dropped us off, at Jollibee, then we asked, "Kuya, panu kami makakabalik!?!? (How are we gonna get back to Q. Ave?").
They said: After 30mins we'll be back, don't worry. 'Yan ang PINOY!!!! :)
Onli in Pinas right?!?

I couldn't stop laughing... we couldn;t stop laughing that day! we ate, we laugh. we went back to class, still laughing. Shared the story to the administation, and they were laughing at us.. Oh well...

That was really one memorable experience....

At least I rode the police car not because I crossed the road illegally, but because we have no where else to eat.

The week after that, I brought my own packed lunch...
enough of too much adventure in class...

:)

Onli in da Phil ---- part II : Mr.Ondoy

Currently Digging: freshly brewed iced-tea and Oishi PODS

Signing back on!!

For the part II of my review class experience, I'd like to talk about the buzzed typhoon: Mr. Ondoy.

Mr. Ondoy, hit Manila and nearby provinces last September 26, 2009. As you can see, I have respect with Mr. Ondoy, that I've decided to call him mister.

Filipinos are known to be joyous people by nature---smiling, laughing...--an important quality I wanna have myself. Despite the recent typhoon tragedy, a lot of people managed to keep smiles and grins on their faces. Maybe us, pinoys were all born smiling... :D
Hmmmm... I've got a theory, maybe we are all happy to get out of our mom's wombs after swimming on a wild river for 9months. Just imagine a pregnant woman's fluid---while riding the jeepney or tricycle on the public roads of manila?!?! Or whatabout being bumped, pushed and carried by the waves of human beings rushing at the MRT stations.... hmmm.. maybe we're all smiling when we got out of our mom's wombs... after all, how hot and wild could it be inside a dark fluidy thingy, constantly moving like crazy!


09/26/09 @ Taft Ave. 0630: I was walking from Julio Nakpil St. going to Taft. It was just a lil rainy, just a typical day.

I learned how to use an umbrella... an essential on Philippine living... rain or shine--always the payong! :) (right hou?) So I took out my weapon, opened it, and pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffft..... wind blew... not so strong, just a breezy one.... and then again.... and another one....
and poooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooof!
ah.... there goes my umbrella--- Nope! didn't fly... just turned inside out. Now crumpled and useless. Bad sign to start the day. I ran to the shade, waited for a jeepney to Morayta area and said goodbye to about 1-2 in. of puddles of water along Taft, which by the way... is soooooooooooooooo typical.

@Morayta 0650: Rain stopped. Thank goodness!Cuz I dont have any payong with me. A lil brighter now, but still not sunny. Entering our old, ran down, dark, dirty building. When I said dark--- i meant busted lights, when I said dirty---meant dead roaches everywhere, when I said old---I mean old, smell-the-century-kinda-old. But found relief when I entered the room, coz our room was well lit and airconditioned..... (but, not for long.)

@0720: Done with exam.

@0810: Botany lecture started. zzzZzzZzzZZZzzz.... I don't like studying plants! I don't know. It's just so hard to relate it with real life. Just like any other subjects.... I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE BOTANY (psych urself lei. psych urself...)

A few more hours of boring plant-lecture, heard a strong down-pour of rain!!!!! I peeked through the window and realized how dark it was outside. A few more minutes, our ceiling started leaking.
I'm worried now. It's raining hard! and knowing Morayta, Espanya area.... OMG! it only means one thing--- flood.
Few hours later, I wasn't even paying attention to the teacher. I was texting blatantly in class. My inner organs are somewhat in panic now---not showing it of course, that's one of the traits i'm proud to have :).

Ceiling still leaking....
Still raining hard...
Dark outside...
Class not paying any more attention to the lecture...
Whispering on each other about the event we're all about to succumb..

Then break time.

Kuya guard, mopping the floor, with his pants rolled up to his knees, with the edges slightly wet. Heard a nasty rumor, btw, that it is calf-deep flood downstairs (1st floor) and ankle-deep outside on the streets...

ef-you-see-kay!!!! not a rumor anymore.... cuz it was 100% true! damn!

Well the lecture went on until 1230. Kuya guard kept coming back to mop the floor, and each time his pants were rolled up higher, now to his thighs. And the last time, he went up, he was only wearing his briefs on. But no! we're not concerned on him just on his briefs and shirt, we are more concerned on the thigh-deep flood on the 1st floor of our bldg, and the streets? wtf?! just the same... black-oily-garbage-topped flood is rising...

a bigger ef-you-see-kay!!!

At this point, class had been cancelled. WTF?! just now?!?! How can we go home? How can we walk outside!! There's no more public transpo available on the roads.... argggggggggggggg!!!!

After the panic, felt hungry.... We're still hopeful that after 4hours, around 5pm, rain would've stopped and flood gone.
Tried asking McDonald's delivery---- no luck! McDonald's already closed down due to extreme flooding outside....

Hmmm.. Luckily, by 2:30pm, we were able to get our bearings together, ordered lunch from the cafeteria downstairs. Funny thing, the kuya getting the orders will give us pen and paper, we have to write all our orders, and he has to walk through the flood while all the customers awaits his delivery onto the "DRY LAND"--- meaning the 2nd flight of stairs.

Ate tindera from the small in-house sari-sari store are selling her goods on the 2nd floor. She and her crew were swimming back and forth to get the goods from her store.

But few hours later, some of her gooods were already floating in water along with biotic and abiotic roaches!!! hahaha!! EF-YOU-SEE-KAY!!!

Came 4pm: lights off! WTF?!? AC off too!!! NO ELECTRICITY!!!! NO WATER FOR toileting needs!!! WTF!!!! but no panic. Still hopeful that by 5pm we are all going home safe and sound.
Came 5pm: no luck. Still raining, Flood still up. Getting dark. Everybody's worried but still joking around like crazy. Came 7pm: Kuya guard evacuated all his stuffs and his desk up to 2nd floor. Ate tindera evacuated as much goods as she can to the 2nd floor, and Manong Cafeteria has a small carinderia on 3rd floor. Sounds like an overnight event. But still hoping for the final try of 10pm.

Stories... lots of stories... talking nonstop... jacking around like crazy... laughing... sometimes realizing how bad this is gonna be... hungry... all we've got are junk foods from ate Tindera's store... thirsty.... hungry.... bored.... tired... sleepy... talking... more talks... laughing... jacking around.... holding pee cuz its really phaking dark and stinky in the restrooms... worried... concerned... stories... more stories...

By this time, my cp's batt is getting low so i have to conserve it for later. This means we all have to time our voiding sched so we only have to use at least 1 phone as flsahlight. Apart from the room being all steamy hot, mosquitos! there's tons of them!!! Roaches?!! wtf?! they all evacuated in the bathrooms!!!! DAMN!

EF-YOU-SEE-KAY!!!!!!!!! but we were all just laughing our guts out... what else can we do?!!? just turn the ickyness and despair and sadness and frustrations into laughter...

WE WERE STRANDED... in fear...worried...hungry...frustrated...mad...hungry... tired... hungry... sleepy... stinky... sticky.... hungry... tired....powerless... left with no choice...no control... and unaware of what's really going on outside...
I thought the flood was only in Morayta area.... apparently not... We were not the only people stranded at that time...

AFTER BEING STRANDED FOR 26 hours on that old-yucky-dark-hot-dirty building, group by group we've decided to walk.... este swim with the roaches and trash and poop and everything else floating on the flood.... We said, either we die from leptospirosis, or dengue+malaria+hunger+cholera+uti+ etc.... Which is more painful?! We chose the earlier and did it...
By the time we went out... water was only thigh-deep for me.. just a few inches below my genitals!!! Just imagine how high it was for my height-challenged friends swimming with me...

The first step into the baha (flood) was the hardest... AFTER that: EYE ON THE GOAL (LRT/MRT/ANY TRAIN STATIONS) and HEEL/TOES ON THE ROAD.
The next hardest: not being able to see where you are going.. manholes.. roaches... garbage...steps...stairs... gutter... more manholes...
But as you can see.. I SURVIVE! hahah!!! I'm blogging now with a smile on my face!!

BTW, it didn't end there. Here's an equation I will never ever forget:

PSEUDO-TSUNAMI = moving BUS + FLOOD
where: BUS must be in motion
FLOOD be > or = to above the knee flood.

Example 1: While walking in front of McDonalds, Morayta, A passenger bus cruises along Espanya in constant speed. What would be the resultant scenario?

Answer: Strong waves were created as a result of the pseudo-tsunami phenomenon. Tables flew at least 2 meters from its initial position and people, me and friends, were displaced and smacked onto McDonald's fiber glass walls.
Lesson learned: when a bus is coming, hold onto something really sturdy, strong and fixed.


Example 2: While crossing Espanya Street going to FEU, you heard groups of people from both sides of the street, yell and cheer "BUS! BUS! BUS!" while pointing to another Bus. What would you do?

a:) walk faster or even run on the thigh-deep flood to be able to reach the other side of the road and hold on to posts and walls of stalls.
b:) climb the lamppost located at the middle island of the road and extend your feet so that other people can hold on to you while the pseudo
c:) stay where you are standing (at the middle of the 3 lane road) hold on to nothing and let the current and waves take you wherever it will.

ANSWER: B. Yup! That's what we did! I climb the post with 2 others and let our legs dangle so other people can hang on to us. sleek eh?!

Once I reached LRT2: It was heaven! IT was dry. Don't care about the miles and miles of people lining up for the ticket, I just knew I'd be able to go home that day!

AFTER I GOT HOME: I ATE an egg, 1 can of tuna, 1 can of corned beef and rice!
EVERYTIME it rains: I GET SCARED and worried.
after all these happened: I diagnosed myself with slight PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) but managed myself through, therapy, sharing my story (to houie especially) and by laughing!!!
3days later: I bought another PAYONG!

Everyone has their own stories of Mr.Ondoy. What's yours?

LAUGH ON people!!!

ONLI in PINAS... REVIEW class part I

Currently Digging: uy-oy!!!! sarap nito! the best longganisa ever!

Lately, seems like the world is talking to me. I remember one of my clinical instructors in psych before, she said: 'Listen to the world, cuz it speaks to you.' I really do believe that it does.

After series of events with school applications, well, I could say that Philippine med schools are really not into providing me an education, except for one last school left. Which, in fact, is my first choice anyway. I just don't like the feeling of having NO CHOICE or being left with an ONLY choice. Nonetheless, I'd grab one last chance I have. And if i can't make it through, that is my final sign from the world. But if I do, then I have a lot of things to think about.

Anyway, medschool is beyond the point of this blog. I will blog about that in some other time. MY frustrations and the differences in the application process, etc.
And, the feeling of being lost here in the Philippines is far beyond the discussion of my blog today.

I just told my mom: "Ma, sulit na yung bayad sa review class.. not only for the knowledge i've gained, more for the LIFE EXPERIENCES I've had several weeks ago. Didn't they say that we learn best if we experience it? Hmm... then I must be learning a whole lot.... more than the context of the review....

To begin with, I love watching people. Observing people somehow relaxes me. I like to watch their actions, reactions, way of talking etc. Our class used to be just the typical--- clustered in cliques, what schools they came from, or undergrad courses etc. But we smile on each other, and greet some with a nod or by raising both eyebrows. It's just fun knowing everybody, in some ways interacting with pinoy and pinay youths, and just being around filipinos in closer proximity than just the usual aggregate i belong while walking in the streets or riding a jeepney. In some ways, I felt like I belong in the Philippines again, still not completely though. But in some ways...

I must admit that the first few weeks of review is the toughest for me. Do u know the feeling of being embarassed inside cuz of not understanding anything at all?!?!!? Well, thats what I had. I failed the initial assessment exam for one. But it was just a wake up call for me to study harder... that was fine. What embarassed me the most is when the professors started teaching, and I couldn't understand words and sentences they were saying. HONESTLY, I felt like shit those days, felt so DAMN STUPID! Coz working in the medical field for the past 2 years, I should know the terms right? But when they started throwing terms at us, I was bombarded with foreign words I haven't heard before. Uhhhh.... brain cells not functioning here.. in short circuit... sparks going on... OMG! And all i could do is either, take it slowly and process it inside me, or copy from my seatmate's notes. I was probably annoying my seatmates, asking too many questions like : "what?" "what did he say?" "what was that again?" "Anong sabi?" "Ano daw yun?" etc...

An example? Someone asked: "Oh sinong gusto magpeja sa inyo? (who wants to take pehdja here?). And I gave the instructor the look of WTF? Lea processing....

processing....

processing....

Thinking now, what is peja?

processing....

processing....

Finally, the instructor asked me: "Ikaw anong specialization gusto mo?" (What specialization do you like?) And I simply said Cardiology. And she loudly said: "Ahhhhh Karjo!!!"

Then it clicked. Hit my like a truck! PEJA=pedia! KARJO=cardio!!

Whew.... at this point... my armpit was sweating bad.... but that wasn't just it.
BIOLOGY, ZOOLOGY CLASSES.... omg! My braincells are processing triple time! I couldn't catch up with the lecture, I was processing foreign words so bad!!! :,( it was sucky, i really felt stupid!!!! I smiled and laughed at it, but deep inside, I was about to cry. That was hard. :(

other examples i can remember:
YO-sino-fils = eosinophils
BAH-so-fil = basophils
FAH-go-sayt = phagocytes
mehTO-prolol = metoprolol
intra-VEYN-yus = intravenous
sehk-kri-tin = secretin
JA-betis = diabetes

+ more to come once I remember them.... :)

I had to relearn how to listen... it was hard... but i'm getting it now! :]

for now got to go!!! had to go with my sister to a binyag!! later...

092209-foodlog

Currently Digging: diet calamansi soda


bfast: sleeping
snack: raisins - 90
lunch: 2 wheat bread - 190
cheese slices - 90
hard boiled egg - 80
post gym: handful peanuts - 300
dinner: calamares - 400
rice - 160
talong - 140
snack: pic-A - 300
dt dalandan soda
dalandan

brussel sprouts + stuffed chicken + chicken balls + steamed veggies

Currently Digging: crackers and garlic-hummusI just have to brag about this. So let me. I can't really remember how I did all this. It was last year's meal.
THERES NO RECIPE... coz i can't follow them. I suck at it!! There's directions to guide me though...

I'd rather experiment on something and fix it if it's not good, rather than following a recipe! I JUST CANT DO IT! what's wrong with me?

Anyways.. too much blah!

It's my first time messing with brussel sprouts! I don't think we have that in Pinas. Do we? Maybe we do but it's probably expensive eh? Well brussel sprouts, taste and look like small cabbages. Do people eat it raw too? I don't know. but since it's my first time to cook it, i thought I'll try the best way to enjoy veggies------ roasting it (on our nu wave oven pro...)
Y? it gives just enough camelization, a little crunch and still taste the veggie by itself.

I also tried making chicken balls using the oven instead of frying it. it turned out juicy and nice!! I remember I seasoned it with poultry seasoning, chili powder, ketchup, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. But can't remember oven temp and how long i cooked it! tsk.....
Then, I also made that swisscheese-ham stuffed chicken ala cordonbleu? Maybe. It's just a seasoned pounded chicken breast (cutlet). stuffed with fat free swiss cheese slices, deli ham. Roll up. Pin with toothpicks. BAKED then BROILED to brown.


Check out my plate! It's healthy and delicious!
We serve it with more veggies: boiled napa cabbage and green beans with oystersauce.
TOP with my favorite: fried garlic slivers!
whattameal!


But the best is still to come the next day! The leftovers are just perfect for my lunch at work... balance diet.. healthy delicious... portion controlled! LOVE IT!

the question is: can i do this again???

nobrainer dip stuffed mushroom

Currently Digging: nuwave oven fried chicken wings + herb potato soup

Just a no brainer.*Remove mushroom stems
*Clean each mushroom buttons
*Spoon: onion sourcream dip first
*Spoon: pimento dip next
*Cook: in oven toaster or nuwave oven until mushrooms are cooked and fillings bubbly!
*Freshly ground pepper

What's there to remember? Any cheese goes with mushrooms!

Mom loved this! :p


appetizer? snack? or just whenever we have unused mushrooms!

superbowl line-up

Let's start off with breakfast: It was mom's chicken and rice soup with scallions, mushrooms and tofu.... (feels pretty good for a sicky like me... **COUGHS...**SNIFFLES**)

Mid morning snack: light 7 grain crackers, garlic-hummus dip and kiwi-strawberry yogurt.

Lunch: NUOC CHAM marinated PORKLOIN with STIRFRY green beans, mushrooms and carrots! (ooooowwww saraaaaaap! *i did try to make nuoc cham sauce but i didn't really like the taste of it so i used it as a marinade... turns out real goood!)

PM snack: here we go again... it's MOM'S sugarfree GINATAN!! ohh yumm (dad could'nt get enough of it... his words were: NKAKAADIK!)

Dinner (just in time for superbowl half-time): PORK RIBS marinated in nuoc cham sauce, roasted in nuwave oven.
Sides: corn kernels and crunchy asian broccoli slaw with almonds and dried cranberries.


^^ASIAN SLAW DRESSING^^
apple cider vinegar and white vinegar
few pinch of salt and pepper
pinch of splenda
toasted sesame oil
scallions
tsp garlic hummus
>>>>MIX UP. then TOSS!

2 reasons why we don't have the pics of the foodssss:
1. I'm sick... still sick... argggggggggggggh!!!!
2. food were so goood no time to waste...
can't wait to dig in and nobody wants to get up
once we started eating...

*NEXT TIME BEFORE TASTING IT I WILL SNAP A PIC FIRST*