Finicky Knick-Knacks

Friends!! :”>

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:40:35 -0400

Friends!! :”>

lovequotesrus: EVERYTHING LOVE

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:39:09 -0400

lovequotesrus:

EVERYTHING LOVE

m-addie: kizlol: cumplane: no :( so relevant true love

Fri, 10 May 2013 07:44:44 -0400

m-addie:

kizlol:

cumplane:

no

:(

so relevant

true love

We Help with Barriers

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 10:00:08 -0500

CWATS ARTS BLOCK with barangay officials in Catmon, Malabon

We Help with barriers?

Fay Ballo

Why is CWATS boring? You talk about how to “help others,” which is an example of an overrated, cheesy, mainstream line of saying that you’d offer your services to those in need of it. Some of you might agree to what I said earlier. Although it seems as if the word “help” in CWATS is not of value. Maybe this is in it for you. For those who regularly attend your CWATS classes and finds it boring, but it’s different from mine.

I don’t belong in a regular CWATS class but in the ARTS Block. It’s just like with the regular classes, except for the time (we have shorter meeting than the regular ones). Although in my case, it isn’t that boring, it’s interesting ‘cause it makes me think. In NSTP help means helping yourself in order to help others. That’s one thing I learned and a thought we should consider as well. Engaging in the NSTP program made me realize that I do belong to the fortunate ones who have what they need. It’s not gadgets or material things, a house, food to eat or clothes, but its education.

I remember our moderator for CWATS telling us that the only barrier between me and the people/host families we help is education. Money, work, proper lifestyle, health, all these basic needs seems out of reach to them for the reasons that they are not given the choices that they can have. They’re judged because of their status, looks and way of living, but they’re no different from us.

I got to talk to families, kids and mothers mostly, and ask what they think about their situation. They said that they just want to be given choices, because it seems to them that even their choices are kept away from them. One of the most touching things I heard was this:

Friend from CWATS class: “Kuya marunong ka ba magbasa?”

Kid: “Opo.”

Friend: “Sige nga at basahin mo ito.” Showing him the bag of chips.

Kid: “Gusto ko po ng libro.”

Not all of them care less than we do. They want to have all these things as well, and they try to work for it. But one of the factors that prevent them to do so is us, and how we think of them. How can we help when there are barriers between us? Where’s our Filipino value of “kapatiran” when even a simple way of lending out time for them can’t be practiced? CWATS is not just going there to teach the children, build projects around their area. It’s breaking the barrier between our classes and to educate ourselves in order to help them educate themselves in the long run.

Kids from Catmon, Malabon

Host Family Catmon, Malabon

Giving out food Catmon, Malabon

Walk Fast

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:00:00 -0500

WALK FAST

Fay Claudette Ballo

Notice the difference between Filipinos and other countries. Almost every day, people in the streets of USA, England, Asian Countries such as China and Japan walk fast. They even said that their simple act of walking fast, living the fast life, is the reason why they belong in the upper class both in work and social aspects.

Filipinos never live the fast life. Noticeable traits among us is working the tendency to control and handle situations when the problem is at its peak, to wait when an issue becomes the talk of the town, letting society’s concern/s rest in the hands of others than creating action on our own, and the worst of all, leaving things at other’s will.

A friend of mine said that, we have to be European to help our country start and work for its best. But is there really a need for us to adapt European culture just to fix ours? I found this statement (to be European) insulting. It’s ironic that we pride ourselves with statements that say how our customs are better than others, but on the other hand we apply that there is a need to adapt the Western way of living.

Another case: Exerting efforts to fix an issue already at its peak. The tendency for Filipinos to give their attention to a certain social issue just as it becomes the talk of the town. Can we not fix problems as soon as possible? Avoid small problems be cultivated into huge ones that can affect us. We don’t live the fast life because we let time take our plans and ways. I guess that is why we coined the term Filipino Time, that means late and our Manana habit, “mamaya na lang.” As long as these 2 terms are used and recognized, we definitely can’t live the fast life we dreamed of incorporating.

Filipino recognizes adaptation as a way to improve. Adapting Western customs, how successful Asian countries work, and the rest of the countries’ ethics served as resources we can use to improve on Filipino customs, but would it work? Why cannot we start establishing our own take in improving? Why don’t we work on living the fast life by starting with ourselves, in our own routines? Simply being sensitive to the people around you, walking in other people’s shoes, and even the simple way of walking fast to consider your intake in time- these are the ways to start living a fast life. Living the years as Filipinos wanted it to be, thriving and booming.

Photo taken at:

http://cdn.theatlanticcities.com/img/upload/2012/03/21/CityWalking/largest.jpg

Photo

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 11:41:02 -0500

calm

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 11:35:09 -0500

calm

:’(

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 11:32:01 -0500

:’(

Photo

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 12:14:17 -0500

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Sun, 30 Dec 2012 12:07:42 -0500

camach0: ♥♥♥

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 13:50:58 -0500

camach0:

♥♥♥

kari-shma: by: Lisa Congdon

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 13:30:33 -0500

kari-shma:

by: Lisa Congdon

this is exactly what I feel right now -____-

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 13:22:22 -0500

this is exactly what I feel right now -____-

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Sat, 29 Dec 2012 13:05:22 -0500

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Fri, 28 Dec 2012 12:49:33 -0500

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Fri, 28 Dec 2012 12:46:27 -0500

:”>

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 12:46:02 -0500

:”>

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Mon, 24 Dec 2012 01:51:33 -0500

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Mon, 24 Dec 2012 01:32:11 -0500

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Mon, 24 Dec 2012 01:27:50 -0500