Halloween party ideas 2015
Showing posts with label blissfulguro. Show all posts
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

4/09/2019 12:05:00 AM

Our school year has ended three days ago which prompted the start of our two-month summer vacation. Once again, my teaching life will be put on hold and my explorer self will kick off. This year, it will all be different as compared to our past trips. We’re traveling to two new countries as a one-year old married couple plus, we’re in the family way! This will surely be really exciting, eh? 



Married life has been treating us great. Me and my buddy have adjusted to it effortlessly and just as we planned to conquer new territories on our annual summer backpacking trip, we got prego! This sweetheart will have his/her first backpacking trip ever. 

Our annual “tradition” allowed us to discover amazing places as we experienced the local life. It started in 2013 when we traveled to Babuyan Islands and Sulu in the Philippines. In 2014 we explored Nepal and Southeast Asia. It was in 2015 when we did our ASEAN Summer Loop 2015 where we went around Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. Beach Hop Asia was our theme in 2016 when we covered the beautiful beaches of Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Singapore. In Same Same Summer Trip 2017, we went back to Southeast Asia where my buddy popped those three little words as we journeyed on Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Last year our SEA 2 Africa 2018 trip brought us to Bali, East Timor, Singapore and Morocco—my ultimate dream destination. 

This year, me and my buddy (together with some of our friends on some parts) will be traveling to China, Mongolia, and Russia (European side). It will all be different though because of baby peanut; our trip will be trimmed to six weeks from eight weeks, our 40-liter backpacks will be replaced with 30-kg trolleys, and our slow-and-steady kinda trip will surely be much slower and more chill. 

As usual, my buddy took care of the itinerary and for the first time ever, we will be flying on full-service airlines all throughout the trip plus, I’ll get to set foot in Europe! Well, European Russia that is. And just like our last year’s trip, we do not have a fixed itinerary (and haven’t even booked our hotels yet) and would rely basically on our gut feel on what to do and where to go next. 

So here’s our rough itinerary; 

Manila > Beijing (China) > Pingyao (China) > Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) > Moscow (Russia) > Saint Petersburg (Russia) > Novgorod (Russia) > Xi’an (China) > Changsa (China) > Guangzhou (China) > Manila 

Packing will be tough though as it will be the first time that we’ll be having our summer backpacking trip on spring season for the countries that we’ll be visiting. But judging from previous trips to China, spring will definitely be much colder than we think it will be. So my “summer” pack will include coats, warmers and boots (me thinking on how to go about our DIY laundry during this trip). 

Thirty eight days. Three countries. Eurasia. Nine key destinations. Slower and steadier. #EurasianSummerBump2019 

Join us as we jump into the family life while backpacking. Check out our real-time updates on our social media accounts @blissfulguro | @lakadpilinas.


from blissfulguro
via PinoyKawayan
Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

4/09/2019 12:05:00 AM

Isang taon na naman ang lumipas. Ang bilis ng panahon. Labing-isang taon na pala ako sa pagtuturo. Kasabay ng mga pagbabago sa buhay ko bilang may asawa ay ang pinakamalaking pagsubok na hinarap ko sa aking pagtuturo; bigla ko na lang naramdaman na ayoko nang pumasok sa eskwelahan, Hunyo pa lamang nung mga panahon na ‘yun. Nasa puso ko pa ang pagtuturo pero hindi na ako natutuwa sa sistema ng kagawaran.


Simple lang naman ang inaasam ko; tahimik at masayang buhay, magbiyahe, at magturo. Okay na ako dun. Siyempre may mga munting kahilingan pa rin ako pero sapat na yung mga yun. Kung yung iba eh nangangarap ng mga engrandeng bagay, ako hindi. Pero sa labing-isang taon ko sa pagtuturo, ngayon lang ako nakaramdam na ayoko na pumasok sa eskwelahan, gusto ko magturo pero hindi na ako masaya sa mga nangyayari sa ekwelahan. 


Isa sa mga pinaniniwalaan ko sa buhay ay ang hindi mo kailangan na magtagal sa isang bagay o sitwasyon kung hindi ka na masaya. Nangyari ito sa dati kong trabaho sa bangko noong gumising ako isang umaga na ayaw ko na pumasok, na hindi na ako masaya, na napagod na ako magbilang ng pera ng ibang tao. Sa Graduate School naman, mga ilang taon na ang nakalilipas, bigla na lang akong tumigil habang nasa kalagitnaan ako ng paggawa ng thesis ko. Napahagulgol ako bigla at sinabing, "Ayoko na". Sa parehong pagkakataon, bigla na lang ako nag desisyon na ayoko na at umalis ako bigla-bigla. Hindi ako nagsisi sa mga naging desisyon ko dahil nahanap ko na ngayon ang mas ikaliligaya ko. 

Natahimik sa kinauupuan nila ang mga kasamahan kong guro noong sinabi ko na ayoko na muna magturo. Muna. Walang pangwakasan na desisyon. Pahinga muna. Ganun. 

Sinabi ng mga kasamahan ko na baka daw isa lamang itong phase sa aking pagtuturo, na siguradong magbabago rin ang isip ko. Pero desidido talaga ako noong mga panahon na iyon. 


Hindi ko masisisi ang sarili ko sa mga naramdaman ko. Sa totoo lang, sa tagal ko na sa pagtuturo, ngayon ko lang naramdaman na mas marami pang ginagawa ang mga guro sa labas ng klasrum kesa sa loob. Na mas sinusukat ng mga kinauukulan ang kahusayan ng mga estudyante sa dami ng mga ginagawang reports at forms ng guro. Sa dami nang iniintindi ng mga guro sa lesson at personal na buhay ng mga estudyante nila eh sumasabay pa ang padami na padami na trabahong wala naman kinalaman sa pagtuturo. 

Ayun nga. Hindi ako nagpadala sa padalos-dalos kong desisyon na sinegundahan rin naman ng asawa ko. Mas namutawi ang pakiramdam na gusto ko talagang magturo. Kahit ano’ng mangyari. 


Noong pinaglabanan ko ang nararamdaman ko, sinimulan kong hindi na magpatali sa mga walang kinalaman sa aking pagtuturo at iniwasan din na magpadala sa sinasabi ng mga taong nakapaligid sa akin. Ang problema kasi, walang pumapalag kapag naaapektuhan na ang mga guro at mga estudyante sa gustong ipatupad o gawin ng kung sino mang namumuno sa administrasyon, mula taas hanggang sa ibaba. At oo, matindi ang “politika” sa Kagawaran ng Edukasyon katulad sa ibang ahensya ng gobyerno. 

Ang nangyayari ngayon eh ang pag-angat ng posisyon sa pagtuturo ay hindi lamang nababase sa mismong pagtuturo kung hindi sa marami pang ibang bagay na kung iisipin mo ay isang malaking kalokohan. Labing-isang taon na ako sa pagtuturo at Teacher I pa rin ako, ang pinakamababang estado. Teacher I pa rin ako hanggang sa ngayon hindi dahil sa hindi ako karapat-dapat ma-promote kung hindi dahil ayoko ilagay ang sarili ko sa sitwasyon na hindi ko kayang sikmurain. Ayoko at hindi ko kailangang patunayan na ako ay “mahusay” na guro base sa mga letrato at papeles na naipon ko sa isang taon. Hindi ko gustong umakyat sa hagdan ng organisasyon dahil ayoko ang mga taong magiging ako pag andun na ako sa taas o baka hindi ko na masilayan ang mga nasa baba kapag andun na ako. Okay na ako sa kung nasaan ako ngayon. 


Sa dulo ng pakikibakang ito, ang tunay na nagpabalik sa akin sa loob ng klasrum ay ang mga estudyante ko. Ang mga walang kamuwang-muwang na bata. Ang totoong dahilan kung bakit kami lahat nandito ngunit sila rin ang mas madalas na nakakalimutan sa sobrang pagtuon sa mga guro at sa eskwelahan. 

Sa taon na ito, nakahati pa rin ang klasrum namin sa dalawa. Isang section, hanggang 55 na estudyante. Nasanay na kami sa mala corned beef (hindi sardinas) na sitwasyon sa loob na mas madalas na walang electric fan man lamang. Walang group work o walang oral recitation dahil hindi makakatayo ang mga bata sa upuan, at lalong walang kasiguruhan na hindi magkokopyahan sa mga gawain ang mga bata. 

Ang lagi ko nalang iniisip, masaya kami sa loob sa bawat isang oras kada araw na magkakasama kami, bahala na sila sa labas na pag-usapan kung paano maiaangat ang antas ng edukasyon ng bansa. Sama-sama kami sa loob na magtataguyod ng maayos na kinabukasan ng isa’t-isa habang nagkakandarapa ang mga nasa labas sa kung anuman ang ginagawa nila. 


Sa isang banda, kung tumuloy sana ako sa pagbitiw ko eh di sana hindi ko nakitang umabot ng Palarong NCR ang trainee ko sa Chess. Sana, hindi ko nagabayan ang advisory class ko na halos sampu ang repeaters (kalahati ang nakapasa sa kanila), at hindi ko sana nakita ang mga ngiti sa mukha nila sa bawat araw. 

Isang school year nanaman ang nakalipas at isang malaking pagsubok ang nalampasan ko sa buhay pagtuturo ko. At nandito pa rin ako. Ilalaban ko ito. Hanggang dulo.

Naalala ko ang isang pagkakataon noong ipinakilala ako ng isang mayamang kaibigan ko sa kapatid niya, “Si Carla nga pala, ang dami naman pwedeng work niyan pero nagttiyaga sa public school, bayani.”


from blissfulguro
via PinoyKawayan
Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

1/30/2019 12:00:00 AM

Everyone needs a little change in ambiance every once in a while. That’s why most people prefer to go outside and travel to new places. But sometimes all we need to do is to energize our own home. Since this is where we spend most of our time, it certainly deserves a little upgrade every now and then. But with all the fancy and overpriced home decors out there, sprucing up our space has always become the least priority. Who needs decor more than food?

But upgrading your home doesn’t need to drill a hole in your wallet. There are a lot of easy and most importantly, cheap DIY projects you could do to give your home the facelift it badly needs. 

Here are seven tips for you try right away. 

Boost Your Drawer Space

If there’s one area in the house that’s always inefficiently used, they’re your drawers. It probably contains a pile of mixed up things and a lot of clutter. But a little tweak and creativity could bring your drawers more space and functionality. Creating divisions or zones can maximize the space in your drawers. Plus, it could save your time looking for a specific item instead of going through a mountain of things you don’t need. You can repurpose old carton boxes of shoes, cereal boxes or even tissue paper rolls to create partitions in your drawers for a cheaper option. 

Cover Unsightly Shelves With A Curtain

We all have that one shelf that contains a myriad of things that that looks rather unsightly. If there’s no other space to hide them, cover them with a nice curtain of your choice, an equally stylish and quick fix. Choose a curtain that goes well with the theme of your home or even a bright one for a pop of unexpected color. If you’re feeling artsy, you can paint a plain canvass with whatever you like for a more personal feel. 


Go for Half Painted Walls

Whether you’re afraid to get on a ladder for a full coverage paint job, or just trying to minimize cost for buying a lot of paint, half painted walls are the answer! Half painted walls even gives an illusion for a higher ceiling. It even injects a refreshing feel in your home as it puts quite a different and artistic vibe.

Hide wall Blemishes with Pictures

Chipped paint, wall blisters, nail holes, or any other wall imperfections are sometimes distracting. If you don’t have time for repainting or hole filling, you can always just hang your pictures over them for cover. You can even add a cluster of pictures and create unique and personalized wall art. No one would ever think you were covering something in the first place. 


Add Storage With Floating Shelves

You don’t have to buy expensive shelving or new cabinets to add storage to your house. A brilliant and easy way to do this is to create hanging shelves. But don’t limit yourselves with the use of wooden materials as shelving. You can always get creative by searching for alternative materials that you’ve already deemed useless. You can use old PVC pipes and cut them into smaller lengths then pile them on a wall for shoe storage, or you can even use old books and stick them on the wall for a more stylish accent. This is a stunning way to add storage or display your personal items such as pictures and other trinkets. 

Repaint Your Door

Repainting all your walls could be a little expensive and requires a lot of effort, but if you badly been craving for a burst of color in your house, painting your doors can transform the mood just the same. Cheery colored doors are wonderful accents that could energize and liven up your space. And this project only requires a lesser amount of paint, a cheaper upgrade than wall repainting. 

Try The Sticker Wallpaper

If you're not in for a painting session, you can still replenish your walls by using a sticker wallpaper. If you haven’t seen the expanded range of wallpapers nowadays, you’re missing a treat. Wallpapers have now become popular and most of them are cheap too. And you don’t have to buy a lot since you may opt to cover just portions of your house for accents. This is especially great in plain walls to add instant character. All you have to do is stick these wallpapers and you now have a dramatic wall transformation!

There are a lot of DIY projects you can try, or you can even create your own! You can always get creative in your home decor. The more personalized they are, the more you’ll feel comfortable and proud of your space. So stop skipping the house upgrade and start with the easy and cheap DIY tips mentioned above!


from blissfulguro
via PinoyKawayan
Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

1/14/2019 12:04:00 AM

Great Eight. Symbol for infinity. Favorite anniversary date for lovers. Lucky number, for some. Today marks my eighth year in the blogosphere. My longest intimate relationship lasted for seven years so I guess my personal space on this overcrowded online world is going stronger. Video bloggers and online influencers with huge followings are the trend now, but I’m still tucked in my old school narrative way of blogging but I know that I’ve been too lazy on writing regularly (especially on my school-related posts), and hopefully I could do better this year. 


I never imagined myself getting married but I did hope for a lifelong relationship with someone who would understand me and could tolerate my crazy antics, regardless of its gender or whether what we have is intimate or not. I just want somebody who’ll be my “last call of the day” or that one person in the world that you know his/her cellphone number by heart. 

Change of name may not be required for newly-wed women but I chose to do so. We just got our official certificate of marriage but only my driver’s license has been replaced with my new surname. And just the thought of going to each and every government agency or bank is stressful. I’m not in a hurry though. I want to do things when I’m ready and happy to do it. 

Adjusting to having a person beside you at bedtime when you grew up having your bed all by yourself is not an easy feat, although it’s a happy problem. Waking up every day feeling more alive and with a new sense of purpose is amazing. 

I experienced mid-life crisis (I’m 35 years old and my father died at the age of 57 so yeah, I’m on mid-life now) last June and wanted to quit teaching at that time because of too many reasons like corrupt administration and practices. But here I am, still hanging on to the reason why I went into teaching in the first place. 

Choosing and buying furniture, cabinet, and huge bed. 
Painting, re-painting, plumbing, and hardware stores. 
Adulting at its best. 

I ain’t complaining though. 35 years of solitary wandering to almost 1 year of being part of an awesome team. 

Thank you for rockin’ it with me for eight years now! To infinity and beyond, or wherever life takes me. 


Happy 8!


from blissfulguro
via PinoyKawayan
Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

11/13/2018 12:04:00 AM

The plan was to go out for a drink after a full day of touring around Kuala Lumpur. The group marched its way to the nearby Bukit Bintang area and settled on one of the bars at Changkat. Our supposed one round of beer session ended on an all-nighter bar-hopping spree. We went back at Dorsett Kuala Lumpur at three in the morning and collapsed on our beds, three hours shy before the buffet breakfast starts.


Having been to Malaysia a number of times, we definitely had our fair share of hits and misses on hotels in Kuala Lumpur. From hostel to inn to 5-star hotel, we surely had tried almost every type of accommodation in the city.

It was two weeks ago when me and my buddy got an invite to visit one of our favorite Southeast Asian cities from the leading low-cost carrier in the Philippines. Cebu Pacific Air offers daily flights from Manila to Kuala Lumpur, with lowest base fares starting at P2,088 which makes it easier for Filipinos to visit its neighboring city.

Batu Caves 2018 Blog
Rainbow-colored theme for Batu Caves
A bunch of thirteen travelers gathered around for a three-day adventure around Kuala Lumpur and some of its neighboring cities (check here for discounted tours, activities and transportation in Kuala Lumpur).

It was two in the morning when we arrived on the still sleeping Kuala Lumpur. Feeling that we knew KL by heart, me and my buddy were trying to trace our location from the maps on our mind. We realized that we're near our favorite getaway spot, Bukit Bintang.

Dorsett Kuala Lumpur Blog
View of the city from our window
Dorsett Kuala Lumpur is centrally located on the entertainment center of the city and is nearby the famous landmarks of Kuala Lumpur including KLCC, Twin Towers, KL Tower and the shopping district of Bukit Bintang. The newly-refurbished guest rooms and suites complement the first-class facilities and services of the hotel. 

We immediately rushed to our room after the swift guest registration process. The lift is accessed through the keycard which guarantees the security of its guests. We were assigned on the 18th floor which I imagined would have a great view of the city.

Dorsett Kuala Lumpur Blog
Dorsett Room
Our 30-sq.m. Dorsett Twin Room was spacious and had all the basic necessities for a comfortable stay; two double size beds, sofa lounge, work station, TV with cable channels, mini-bar and vanity closet (check here for discounted room rates).

Dorsett Kuala Lumpur Blog
Spacious yet cozy
The en suite toilet and bath was spacious as well and complete with luxurious bathroom amenities.

Dorsett Kuala Lumpur Blog
En suite toilet and bath
Aside from a complimentary fruit plate, we also got two boxes of reusable and re-sealable zipper storage bags with their cutesy icons printed on it which was quite cool as it's the first time I encountered such treats.

The floor-to-ceiling glass window was covered with heavy drapes and as I pushed it aside, a sleepy urban jungle revealed itself.

I surrendered to the comfy bed after unpacking my stuff and woke up to the morning light peeping through our window, I totally forgot to put back the curtains in place some few hours back.

Dorsett Kuala Lumpur Blog
Checkers Cafe
Breakfast was included in our room and it was in buffet style which starts from 6:30am until 10:00am. I'm quite a morning person so I got up at seven in the morning in spite of our late arrival.

We went straight to Checkers Café located at the first level where the restaurant was and scanned our breakfast choices that morning. I was craving for Indian dishes so I went to that section.

Dorsett Kuala Lumpur Blog
My buddy's brekkie plate
My buddy was excited for his mee goreng fix so he headed straight to Malay dishes and grabbed some.

After the satiating breakfast, we headed to the pool area and lounged for a while. If not for our hectic schedule, we would've gone swimming.

Dorsett Kuala Lumpur Blog
Outdoor pool
After a half day of fulfilling our Kuala Lumpur itinerary, we went back to Dorsett Kuala Lumpur for our buffet lunch, still at Checkers Café.

The buffet spread was overwhelming that I needed to scan each and every item and let my heart decide on what to have.

Dorsett Kuala Lumpur Blog
Buffet lunch at Checkers Cafe
My plate was filled with beef rendang, krupuck, steamed veggies and some Chinese dishes. Almost every item on my plate was so good that I needed to go back for more. 

Dorsett Kuala Lumpur Blog
Plate # 2
The group went on with the rest of the tour that day and came back at the hotel around ten in the evening. Someone mentioned that we needed a round of beer just to chill down a bit, so we did.

We rushed through the busy Bukit Bintang area and found ourselves on Kuala Lumpur's party area of Changkat. The supposed one round of beer sesh ended on a club-hopping stint which ended at three in the morning. And if not for our early call time, I think we could've partied until the morning.

Changkat Kuala Lumpur
Team Party
The strategic location of Dorsett Kuala Lumpur provided a good home base for our KL activities including an all-nighter drinking spree. Its next door property-Dorsett Residence @ Dorsett Kuala Lumpur-also caters to long-term guests that needed a place to call home while in the city.

I will definitely consider staying at Dorsett Kuala Lumpur on my future visit.

Dorsett Kuala Lumpur Blog
The infinity pool of the nearby Dorsett Residence

Dorsett Kuala Lumpur (check here for discounted room rates) 
172 Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 
Contact Number: (+60) 3.2716.1000 
Email Address: info.kualalumpur@dorsetthotels.com


This trip is made possible by 
Cebu Pacific Air 
in partnership with 
Tourism Malaysia.




from blissfulguro
via PinoyKawayan
Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

9/11/2018 12:03:00 AM

Everyone has an idea that they wish they could turn into a reality. Something that they believe that, given the right circumstances, they could turn into a profitable business. A source of income doing something that they are passionate about. It’s the dream. 


Many, though, are not brave enough to take the plunge, or simply do not have the belief in themselves to make a success. Going out on your own is scary, especially when household bills continue to come through the door. Staying on the secure path is the easy route that many prefer, and there isn’t anything wrong with that, but for those that want more a simple idea can truly grow into something big. 


Mixing a Passion with a Niche 

In order to be a success, you need to be passionate. However, if your passion lies in a saturated market, then you will either need a lot of luck or a lot of money (it helps to have both). 

If you can find a niche with a gap in the market that you are genuinely passionate about then you are onto a winner. Even the most obscure idea can eventually prove to be popular – for example, London has seen a spike in Jack the Ripper tours popping up in the East End, following the trail of one of history’s most mysterious killers. 

These tours are led by enthusiastic historians who lead tourists around the streets of Whitechapel. A simple idea turned big as a result of a gap in the market and a passion that sparked the interest of others. 


Sacrifice 

In order to make any business succeed, you must be prepared to make sacrifices along the way. Time is one such commodity that you must be prepared to sacrifice, especially in the early stages of building your business. 

Many would-be entrepreneurs begin by moonlighting, running their business during their own time outside of a full-time job. While this asks a lot, especially those of whom have a family, the rewards certainly supersede the sacrifice you have to be willing to make. 

As well as time, money is another key sacrifice you should expect to make. As the saying goes, you have to speculate to accumulate, and in the world of business that never rings truer. Starting a business can be expensive and, when you see little to no return in the initial stages, it can be demoralising. If you read up on some of the most successful businessmen and women, you will quickly learn that they, too, made and continue to make sacrifices to this very day. 

Don’t Allow the Fear of Failure to Scare You Away 

Finally, the fear of failure is one of the most crippling diseases that prohibit people from entering their own entrepreneurship. Here’s a fact, 99% of entrepreneurs have failed in business terms – you will rarely meet one who hasn’t and, when you do, question why they haven’t failed. It is good to remember that failure is never truly a failure, you either succeed or you learn. 

Accept that failure is a part of business and, instead of worrying about what you are going to do if you fail, plan for what you are going to do when you fail. Having a contingency plan in place is vitally important. 

Go For It 

In the words of Shia LaBeouf, “Just do it!”

There is no time like the present and tomorrow never comes. If you are serious then get working on your dream, otherwise you may just spend the rest of your life working for somebody else’s.


from blissfulguro
via PinoyKawayan
Read more »
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

The Ultimate List of Books That Will Make You Smarter

  The Ultimate List of Books That Will Make You Smarter By  Emma Cubellis • February 14, 2019 • 14 min read We love learning from books. The...

PinoyKawayan Team 2018. Powered by Blogger.