Traveler's Bliss

While getting ready for a much needed sleep at about 2AM at the Memoires de Saigon, I glanced at the bedside table and saw the book my hubby is feasting on – The Remains of the Day… My mind instantaneously wandered to the grim reality of daily deadly scenes in the Philippines, especially in the busy, urban centers of Cebu and Manila. No one, I suppose, desires to harbor such dreadful thoughts at bedtime.  I often wonder how many of us, Filipinos, living in or away from our country ask ourselves – how many more will eternally rest, unceremoniously to say the least, and more accurately - unjustly?  Out of habit or a genuine sympathy for the family or friends of a person who recently died, many of us would send them a message – “may God grant your dearly beloved eternal rest” or “may he or she rest in peace.” With the daily carnage especially in the cities, what does death mean? When we feel uncomfortable mentioning the word death to a grieving person, we sometimes ...

I joined a Mekong river tour last year. One thing caught my attention - the women at the Mekong river.  They were trading, providing meals, coffee and tea, rowing, steering and waiting for buyers... I was amazed at the skills these women displayed. They looked powerful as they navigated boats through the busy trading area at the Mekong and at the small tributary rivers.  They donned colorful blouses and trousers that made a cloudy early morning tour on a brownish river more vibrant. Here are some of the photos that I have collected from this journey...

There are many reasons why we go home especially during the holidays. - to reunite with family and friends - to celebrate - whether it’s Christmas, New Year, a wedding, a death anniversary, etc.  - to reminisce some good and fun memories - to rest or be relaxed as we go away from our workplace - and more... PLUS these may also be the other reasons for going home... - to understand the communication patterns in the family that one may have carried over to current relationships - to heal or find closure - as we come in contact with not only persons, but place, things, the atmosphere, the environs that may has been part of hurts in the past - to bring to life that which has died in us - such as being childlike, the spirit of fun, or simply the experience of hugging and being hugged, and more - to share where we have been with family and friends and what we have learned (and not merely to show off what we have or have achieved) - to find one’s center again - to find a ...

Each day is an opportunity to die meaningfully. Morbid! You might think this thought - this statement is out of bounds, unacceptable in our society that considers talking about our own death as taboo. Yet these past months, we have listened and read news about deaths happening mostly in the slums, in poor communities. And some of us expressed satisfaction over the spate of killings as a way of cleansing and cleaning up society.   Have we lost our fear of talking about death? Our own death? Or are we not afraid to think about other people’s death, as long as it is not oneself or one’s loved one who is facing the prospect of dying or has died? I do not intend to write here about the recent depressing snuffing out of lives but I could not help but wonder why many of us have all of a sudden become so accepting of the death of others. Perhaps because it makes one feel not so deserving of death – unlike all the “others” whom we have judged coldly as worthy of an execu...

(An unexpected take away from a course. Timing could be everything.) The past week was spent sharing, discussing, reflecting on peace practice, conflict sensitivity, do no harm in Barcelona, Spain, together with participants from different parts of the world who are working in different peacebuilding and conflict transformation programs and projects or implementing humanitarian assistance interventions. I will not be telling you something about the training. Rather, allow me to share about some discoveries and inspiration I got from the training venue. Our training course information sheet describes our training venue, Sant Felip Neri House as “a convent, training venue and retreat located in a beautiful and quiet setting within the ever active city of Barcelona. Surrounded by a garden, it is one of the Modernist buildings giving name to the neighbourhood of Tres Torres de Sarrià, in the northern part of the city.” I found it strange that on my first night in Sant Felip Ne...