Wednesday, November 28, 2012
What does it mean...
when they say that the fruit of procrastination is always bitter. I know! And I definitely agree. I made an accord to myself when I went home to San Diego for Thanksgiving break that I will not be bringing or doing any school work. Now I am suffering. I haven't had a decent sleep since Monday. I have been doing several papers, bspace postings, reading outlines, and tons of reading. I am not sure the kind of grades I am going to get, although I tried not to submit half-baked work, I know I rushed some of them. I should have done some of these things when I had some extra free time during the break. Oh well. It's not college when it doesn't sting.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Drivin' Young
I first learned how to drive a car when I was around 10 years old. I know it may seem exaggeratedly early to teach a kid how to drive at that particular age, but I was actually able to pull through. It kinda became a tradition(?) in our family to be taught how to drive at a young age. My older brother and sister were also taught how to drive at around that age. I didn't cower in fear, to be honest. I was actually overflowing with excitement. I couldn't believe that I was actually driving a vehicle - stick shift too! I didn't really end up driving around town or something afterwards though, but still, I thought it was pretty cool at that time.
Family Tradition
Also I love holiday food! I always gain significant amount of weight after the holidays, which started during Thanksgiving and at the beginning of the new year. In our family, we normally rotate who's going to host the Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner. I hosted a Christmas dinner last year, I made chicken cordon bleu and pineapple fried rice. My sisters baked Christmas cookies and desserts, my mom cooked a lot of traditional filipino dishes. We sing, we dance, but we do not steal things. (Sorry for the Jason Mraz reference). Can't wait to go home for the holidays. Wishing everyone a lovely and amazing Holiday season!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Family Tradition
I honestly can't think of any family traditions right now. My family hasn't been engaged in the closest relationships these past few years, so nothing seems to come to mind. I suppose one tradition would be the commonplace get-together for Christmas. Majority of my family makes time to meet up on this holiday. What I look forward to the most is the quality time we spend together (cheesy, I know.) Plus, my mom makes Filipino spaghetti and sweet, sweet leche flan. And sapin sapin. And...yeah, you know how Filipino get-togethers are with their mountains of food. <3 I also love seeing those Filipino decorations for Christmas...the huge lantern-like stars that glow in different patterns and midnight mass. The best!
Kind of a short entry, but that's one family tradition I'll definitely be looking forward to this year. :)
Kind of a short entry, but that's one family tradition I'll definitely be looking forward to this year. :)
Christmas photo with my doooog!! <3
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
What Does it Mean?
"What does it mean when I don't know my own native language?"
I feel like this statement really applies to me right now. I am taking Filipino 1a right now for the sole reason that I want to be able read and write in my native language. Growing I always could understand Filipino but I could never respond back. The older I grow, the more I realize how much of an asset it is to speak another language. I feel like by learning Filipino, I can possible build a bridge to the past and be able to share more with my grandparents. By being able to speak Filipino, I can pass down something to my children that will be more than just an heirloom. It will pass down a culture that my family has been preserving for many years.
I feel like this statement really applies to me right now. I am taking Filipino 1a right now for the sole reason that I want to be able read and write in my native language. Growing I always could understand Filipino but I could never respond back. The older I grow, the more I realize how much of an asset it is to speak another language. I feel like by learning Filipino, I can possible build a bridge to the past and be able to share more with my grandparents. By being able to speak Filipino, I can pass down something to my children that will be more than just an heirloom. It will pass down a culture that my family has been preserving for many years.
Of papaya soaps
"What does it mean for me to see shelves filled with papaya soap?"
This statement brings into light an issue prevalent in some Asian countries, with the Philippines being of no exception. As a person who grew up in the Philippines, I chose this statement because the issue that it brings forth is something that I have been exposed to. I have witnessed its manifestations firsthand.
Papaya soap is said to be a skin whitening agent. The issue revolves around the notion that a lighter complexion proves to be more desirable than a darker complexion. The predominance of Caucasians in global mass media has yielded adverse effects on local Philippine media. Local show business in the Philippines is largely dominated by actors and actresses with light skin or are of mixed Caucasian and Asian ancestry, thereby reinforcing the problematic mentality.
This makes me sad because it conjures a thought that we may not be truly free from the shackles of our colonial past. It breeds immense absurdity that paves the way toward self-hate and internalized racism. Pilipinos should understand that there is beauty in our brown skin. I need not mention the accomplishment of Venus Raj, a Pilipina with a dark complexion.
This statement brings into light an issue prevalent in some Asian countries, with the Philippines being of no exception. As a person who grew up in the Philippines, I chose this statement because the issue that it brings forth is something that I have been exposed to. I have witnessed its manifestations firsthand.
Papaya soap is said to be a skin whitening agent. The issue revolves around the notion that a lighter complexion proves to be more desirable than a darker complexion. The predominance of Caucasians in global mass media has yielded adverse effects on local Philippine media. Local show business in the Philippines is largely dominated by actors and actresses with light skin or are of mixed Caucasian and Asian ancestry, thereby reinforcing the problematic mentality.
This makes me sad because it conjures a thought that we may not be truly free from the shackles of our colonial past. It breeds immense absurdity that paves the way toward self-hate and internalized racism. Pilipinos should understand that there is beauty in our brown skin. I need not mention the accomplishment of Venus Raj, a Pilipina with a dark complexion.
Bakit....?
"What does it mean when around 1 million Pilipinos leave the Philippines every year to work abroad..."
I chose this quote because it exactly what happened to my family. To make a long story short, my dad's business collapsed during the Arroyo presidency. I had always wondered, "Why did we leave the Philippines? Was it not a viable option to stay there and rebuild? Didn't my dad regret leaving majority of his family in the Philippines?" Heaven forbid, I know my parents wholly miss their homeland--my mom tells me at least once a week about how she'd like to go back. So, exactly...why did we leave in the first place?
My dad told me simply: "Because there are more opportunities here in America." And then it brings to light exactly the position of the PI in the global system. If even my own parents view the PI this way, as a place of home but not a place good enough to abide by the standards of how you'd want to raise a family, then how about the other people? If many of us think and complain now about how tumultuous the US political system is, then how more so do we think poorly of the situation in the Philippines?
Why must it take a ratio of a million people every year moving out, disconnecting from their homeland because they can't find jobs or a stable education, to make us and the people there realize that there's something wrong? And given that those who did immigrate out are blessed with having the finance, how about those who cannot and have to stay? What do they think about this? These are just some things that popped out to me.
I chose this quote because it exactly what happened to my family. To make a long story short, my dad's business collapsed during the Arroyo presidency. I had always wondered, "Why did we leave the Philippines? Was it not a viable option to stay there and rebuild? Didn't my dad regret leaving majority of his family in the Philippines?" Heaven forbid, I know my parents wholly miss their homeland--my mom tells me at least once a week about how she'd like to go back. So, exactly...why did we leave in the first place?
My dad told me simply: "Because there are more opportunities here in America." And then it brings to light exactly the position of the PI in the global system. If even my own parents view the PI this way, as a place of home but not a place good enough to abide by the standards of how you'd want to raise a family, then how about the other people? If many of us think and complain now about how tumultuous the US political system is, then how more so do we think poorly of the situation in the Philippines?
Why must it take a ratio of a million people every year moving out, disconnecting from their homeland because they can't find jobs or a stable education, to make us and the people there realize that there's something wrong? And given that those who did immigrate out are blessed with having the finance, how about those who cannot and have to stay? What do they think about this? These are just some things that popped out to me.
Monday, October 22, 2012
What does it mean...
What does it mean when around 1 million Pilipinos leave the Philippines every year?
This was the first question posed in the video and it struck me because it sheds light on some of the most fundamental issues facing the Philippines every year. In addition to rampant poverty, government aide to the least fortunate has often been stymied and blocked. This has led young families to relocate every year in hopes of achieving the life that is beyond their grasp in their homeland. As a Pilipino-American and a beneficiary of parents who sought that same dream, I am often perplexed as to how I can be more effective in alleviating these issues beyond simply being aware of the problems in the first place. Sustainable solutions to these issues are not simply created via political and economic theorists and experts because much of the problems can also be attributed to the cultural and religious perspectives of the Philippines. As a college student, I am constantly bombarded, every day, with the many issues that California and the US face every day and with the globalization of economies, everything seems to be more interconnected then ever. Yet, it also puts into perspective the many privileges that come with living in a developed country. In order to complain about rising tuition and fee hikes, there had to be accessible education in the first place in and order to combat the privatization of our university system, it had to be public first as well. These things are often lost in translation to begin with but it sheds light on the dire situation that exists in the Philippines. To be honest, I don't have much of a solution at the moment - it is difficult to hypothesize one when you live 4,000 miles away - but acknowledging the problem is always the first step. Hopefully we can all figure out a way to make that next step....
This was the first question posed in the video and it struck me because it sheds light on some of the most fundamental issues facing the Philippines every year. In addition to rampant poverty, government aide to the least fortunate has often been stymied and blocked. This has led young families to relocate every year in hopes of achieving the life that is beyond their grasp in their homeland. As a Pilipino-American and a beneficiary of parents who sought that same dream, I am often perplexed as to how I can be more effective in alleviating these issues beyond simply being aware of the problems in the first place. Sustainable solutions to these issues are not simply created via political and economic theorists and experts because much of the problems can also be attributed to the cultural and religious perspectives of the Philippines. As a college student, I am constantly bombarded, every day, with the many issues that California and the US face every day and with the globalization of economies, everything seems to be more interconnected then ever. Yet, it also puts into perspective the many privileges that come with living in a developed country. In order to complain about rising tuition and fee hikes, there had to be accessible education in the first place in and order to combat the privatization of our university system, it had to be public first as well. These things are often lost in translation to begin with but it sheds light on the dire situation that exists in the Philippines. To be honest, I don't have much of a solution at the moment - it is difficult to hypothesize one when you live 4,000 miles away - but acknowledging the problem is always the first step. Hopefully we can all figure out a way to make that next step....
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
My relationship with my roommates has been a roller coaster. First of all, my actual roommate (there are 4 of us, two rooms and I share a room with on eof them) is one of my friends from high school but the thing is, sometimes, we drive each other craycray. I'M DEAD SERIOUS. I'll be sleeping and he'll wake me up... JUST TO FLIP ME OFF. WHO THE EFF DOES THAT? But I mean, at the end of the day, if push comes to shove, he's the only person who can contact my family back home if something were to ever happen to me (God forbid >.<). But overall, we cool.
Secondly, there's the homie Mikey, who be slangin' from the 707 American Canyon, Vallejo. He be a dancer, always doing that P90X stuff. He got lots of posters and stickys up in his room. Plays video games... A LOT. A LOT LOT LOT. And he's majoring in Political Economy... I think, might have to check up on a homie for that one. He a cool dude though, we get a long well. Takes long showers sometimes but hey, the cleaner the better, yanadameeaaannnn...
And then there's mahh babyboii Rivo. He's new, moved in over the summer, hailing form the 619 WHICH IS WHERE I'M FROM, a former MORSE TIGER dooeee. He's a loveable and cuddly fellow who be doin' lots of PAHC rep stuff. He's our community mascot and he's HILARIOUS. He loves me a lot but tends to show it in this weird way where he denies it a lot and acts like he don't currr. but he really do. ya kno. I'm happy to have him around because he's always watching charmed and other cheesy shows but its pretty entertaining so I like having him around.
MARR's
MIKEY
ANTHONY
RIVO
ROEHL.
GET AT US.
whatup.
Secondly, there's the homie Mikey, who be slangin' from the 707 American Canyon, Vallejo. He be a dancer, always doing that P90X stuff. He got lots of posters and stickys up in his room. Plays video games... A LOT. A LOT LOT LOT. And he's majoring in Political Economy... I think, might have to check up on a homie for that one. He a cool dude though, we get a long well. Takes long showers sometimes but hey, the cleaner the better, yanadameeaaannnn...
And then there's mahh babyboii Rivo. He's new, moved in over the summer, hailing form the 619 WHICH IS WHERE I'M FROM, a former MORSE TIGER dooeee. He's a loveable and cuddly fellow who be doin' lots of PAHC rep stuff. He's our community mascot and he's HILARIOUS. He loves me a lot but tends to show it in this weird way where he denies it a lot and acts like he don't currr. but he really do. ya kno. I'm happy to have him around because he's always watching charmed and other cheesy shows but its pretty entertaining so I like having him around.
MARR's
MIKEY
ANTHONY
RIVO
ROEHL.
GET AT US.
whatup.
My Siblings
"Sometimes, being a brother is better than being a superhero."
Found that random quote off the net and spoke true with the relationship I have with my siblings. I am forever grateful that I have the most caring, understanding, and loving siblings. They provide unconditional support and love with no questions asked and asked for nothing in return. They inspire me to be a better person. We have inside jokes, we make and poke fun of ourselves especially our dysfunctional family. I realized that as we get older, our bond is also getting stronger.
My mom
The one person that has had the most impact on me is my mom. She has always been there for me through ups and downs. She has been through so much in life, and she sees to it that she is able to impart her life wisdom on me. She has proven herself to be quite tenacious and I aspire to be as tough as she is. One thing she does that I have really come to appreciate is how she reminds me to try to see the good in people - to refrain from making hasty judgments as much possible.
Lisa
One relationship that I really value a lot is with my girlfriend Lisa. She's my best friend, support system, my tutor and just about everything. I can always go to her for anything I need. Theres a lot of times I've given up on myself and she inspired me to keep going. I believe its really important when you find a significant other that they make you better and bring out qualities you didn't know you had in yourself. So here's to someone who keeps me motivated every day.
Alaina
A relationship that I value a lot is my friendship with someone called 'Alaina.' More than a friend, I often call her my "sister from another mother" because people actually mistake us for siblings many times over. She's helped me through thick and thin and always supported me in school, in my family problems, and just life in general. She was the person I turned to when I couldn't even talk to my own family about certain things. Whenever she heard my problems, she wouldn't judge (ie. "Some people have it worse,"-thing, which is true but...) but always lent her shoulder. I remember where we had a sob-fest in which she started crying 'cause I was crying. LOL. And she'd also be the person I'd go to and spazz with when it comes to K-pop. Heh.~
Anywaaay, we still keep in contact and she still in fact remains my best friend even though she's in SoCal. I admire her lots in her determination and creativity (she makes her own clothes and so crafts.) So seeing her, I can't give up yet ! :C
Anywaaay, we still keep in contact and she still in fact remains my best friend even though she's in SoCal. I admire her lots in her determination and creativity (she makes her own clothes and so crafts.) So seeing her, I can't give up yet ! :C
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
I'm proud of...
1.) I'm proud to be a Cal Bear. Getting into the #1 public university in America is no joke, and we should all be proud of ourselves for this accomplishment.
2.) I'm proud of my parents. I truly admire their perseverance and resilience. We may not get along sometimes, but they have always been there for me no matter what.
3.) I'm proud of myself for taking the effort towards becoming an agent of altruism. I volunteered at an Alzheimer's facility and it has truly been such a rewarding experience. Being able to make a difference in the lives of other people allowed me to get a better sense of what it is to be truly human.
2.) I'm proud of my parents. I truly admire their perseverance and resilience. We may not get along sometimes, but they have always been there for me no matter what.
3.) I'm proud of myself for taking the effort towards becoming an agent of altruism. I volunteered at an Alzheimer's facility and it has truly been such a rewarding experience. Being able to make a difference in the lives of other people allowed me to get a better sense of what it is to be truly human.
I am proud of....
I am proud of myself of gaining admissions to number #1 ranked public university in the world. Although I was not really planning on going back to school, the last time I set my foot into a classroom was three years ago, but I figured it was time. (I even had a job promotion two weeks before I received my acceptance letter that made this decision a tad more difficult!) I realized that I am a bit older than my peers, I was already living on my own, had a stable job that allowed me to afford the things that I enjoyed... it paid my bills and had some extra, life was not really that bad. But I made a personal accord with myself after I dropped out of UCSD several years ago, that I would eventually go back and finish what I started and if I become really ambitious, apply myself to law school. It took considerable amount of effort and sacrifices to get here: from being away from home, leaving my family, friends, and my partner, relying on my savings, and readjusting my life as a student again.
It has been an amazing experience so far, filled with mixed emotions. (I had been ecstatic, overwhelmed, proud, amazed, happy, stressed, felt ridiculously stupid, and at time smart). Maybe what they said is true that... "if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere."
The second thing I most proud of is my car. I also really miss it since I left it in San Diego. I was able to pay it off weeks before I moved to Berkeley. It literally took blood, sweat, and tears! I worked 60 hours a week for the past three years to pay it off. I did not have the luxury of having a cosigner, I did not want to burden my mom or any family members for the things that I want.
I am really proud of my two nephews and niece. (Jacob, James, and Meagan). I am proud uncle! I love and would bend over backwards for these kids. They are my stress-reliever because they are carefree, innocent, and cute (maybe I am a bit biased). I want to be a role model for them and that's probably one of the main reasons I want to succeed in school and in life.
I'm Proud Of. . .
First and foremost, I'm really proud to be a Golden Bear. Cal has given me the opportunity to further my future and follow my dreams. I could not imagine myself anywhere else and I'm glad my dream school became my school.
Next I'm really proud of my girlfriend Lisa. She's an amazing and inspiring person. This summer she made it on to Summer Stacks and I could not have been more proud! I'm proud to say that this wonderful woman is not just my special someone but also my best friend. She is there when I need her the most and thats all I can ask for.
Last but not least, I'm proud of my two younger brothers Ethan and Jaden. They are doing well in school and already saying that they want to go to Cal for college! They always get all these awards and good grades. I'm proud to say the Robles family is pretty bright!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
I'm proud of....
Okay, hopefully I'm doing this right.....
1) Like most people, I'm proud of getting into this school (#1 Public!) There are so many inspiring individuals who have done a plethora of things their lives, so seeing them makes me want to go far and beyond. Honestly, just hearing about a 12-yr old student in Cal gets me fired up (in a postive way)!
ʕノ•ᴥ•ʔノ ︵ ┻━┻ Gooo Bears!
2) I'm proud that I'm able to stand here with my family still in one piece. The past few years have just been muddled by family secrets popping up and whatnot. My mom contracted cancer, my brother was "exiled" from my family, and we found out we had a half-brother...Etc. Etc. But despite all this, we're still standing--albeit a bit shaky, but still upright. I'm proud of my family for not collapsing apart, for taking the time to fix things, and for always supporting me 'till the end. Since I'm the youngest, I was always criticized by my older siblings: "Why can't you do this? We did it at your age." I know they probably didn't mean it (bitter that I was spoiled by the parentals...haha, just kidding), but I'm still grateful for them. They pushed me and believed in me. Woot woot. (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ
3) Proud of making it here. Not location-wise, but rather, here. Where I stand as a person. I did things I wanted and was able to commit myself to things--I was not coerced whatsoever. I volunteered at the General Surgery Dept. of Kaiser in my hometown, where I saw and talked to so many interesting people--you'll be amazed at what people tend to say before their surgery day (which is not a bad thing). I co-started my school's dance team and a charity club, worked since 10th grade and was able to support the household, placed in a Congressional art competition, and became salutatorian. I'm just happy that I was able to get involved with so many opportunities and met people from all walks of life. :))
1) Like most people, I'm proud of getting into this school (#1 Public!) There are so many inspiring individuals who have done a plethora of things their lives, so seeing them makes me want to go far and beyond. Honestly, just hearing about a 12-yr old student in Cal gets me fired up (in a postive way)!
ʕノ•ᴥ•ʔノ ︵ ┻━┻ Gooo Bears!
2) I'm proud that I'm able to stand here with my family still in one piece. The past few years have just been muddled by family secrets popping up and whatnot. My mom contracted cancer, my brother was "exiled" from my family, and we found out we had a half-brother...Etc. Etc. But despite all this, we're still standing--albeit a bit shaky, but still upright. I'm proud of my family for not collapsing apart, for taking the time to fix things, and for always supporting me 'till the end. Since I'm the youngest, I was always criticized by my older siblings: "Why can't you do this? We did it at your age." I know they probably didn't mean it (bitter that I was spoiled by the parentals...haha, just kidding), but I'm still grateful for them. They pushed me and believed in me. Woot woot. (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ
3) Proud of making it here. Not location-wise, but rather, here. Where I stand as a person. I did things I wanted and was able to commit myself to things--I was not coerced whatsoever. I volunteered at the General Surgery Dept. of Kaiser in my hometown, where I saw and talked to so many interesting people--you'll be amazed at what people tend to say before their surgery day (which is not a bad thing). I co-started my school's dance team and a charity club, worked since 10th grade and was able to support the household, placed in a Congressional art competition, and became salutatorian. I'm just happy that I was able to get involved with so many opportunities and met people from all walks of life. :))
Thursday, September 20, 2012
What am I most proud of?
2. I'm proud of my little brother, Ronell. I grew up with my cousins, a majority of whom are male and.. Well, ignorant. A lot of them have chosen not to invest in their education, and are living off of their parents. On top of that, they're disrespectful and just plain arrogant. My little brother, on the other hand, is none of those things. I'm proud to say that my brothers awesome, intelligent, and very mature for a thirteen-year-old. He also gives ME relationship advice sometimes... It's pretty weird and usually uncalled for, but yeah, he's great, and he has such a bright future ahead of him. :)
3. So, my parents were never particularly interested in my education. I was held to the standard of becoming a housewife, really, and was constantly compared to my older sister. When I was a sophomore in high school, my mom pulled me aside and told me that I shouldn't try to be like my sister because I simply didn't have the ability to achieve what she had. She basically told me I wasn't good enough. As you can imagine, I took that to heart, but rather than listen to her, I decided I'd prove her wrong...
And I did. During my senior year of high school, I was on the Drill Team (*click "Drill" to see video). I was the Co-Editor-in-Chief of my high school's yearbook, and our yearbook won first place at the annual Del Mar Fair. I was the secretary for One World, an organization dedicated to helping children in Uganda. I volunteered monthly. I graduated as valedictorian. I paid for ALL of my college applications, and I got into every single university that I applied to. WHADDUP. Haha.
Anyway, I'm proud of how much I accomplished in high school. I'm proud to say that I proved my parents wrong, and in doing so, finally gained their respect as an adult.
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