Election Day: The Lesser Evil Prevails

I suppose the “voting-for-the-lesser-evil” logic has prevailed. The Philippines has moved forward in automating this year’s elections, yet its ways of voting are still way too backward. Oligarchy and political dynasties still rule. Oh well.

For the record, I have nothing ill to speak about Ninoy Aquino who is currently leading the polls. I just don’t like the kind of emotion that the people poured onto the guy. It makes him the type who can be easily swayed. But hey, I may be too harsh.

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Why I Am Putting My Stakes on Gordon

My dear blog, please allow me to highlight my Philippines this time around. Thanks.

Tomorrow, the Filipinos will partake in what I feel is a very important right and obligation for them— voting in the presidential elections. I have already done my share of the “absentee voting” at the Philippine embassy in South Korea a week before. That marked just my second time to cast my vote, yet I feel the need to express my more independent stance on life-changing political decisions like these at this time around. I guess this is what getting out from under your parents’ skirts do to you, much so if life has recently allowed you to physically leave a country you desperately want to go back to in the hope of reliving it with more realizable hopes and dreams.

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Seoul International Friendship Day 2010

I went out this nice Saturday weekend with a friend who informed me about this year’s Seoul International Friendship Day. I saw how this event turned out last year and it has been such a fun and memorable event, so it’s never really that hard to check out what’s in store for everyone this time around. The weather was so good today, too. It would be too sick to just stay at home.

It was held at the same venue as last year (Seoul City Hall)-- in that outdoor area in front of the Seoul Hotel Plaza. As usual, a lot of booths were set up though I must say that it has doubled this year. Unlike the previous year when each country had just one booth to showcase everything (food, clothes, handicrafts, etc), this year’s event provided for each country two separate booths for food and non-food (clothes, accessories, handicrafts, etc.) items.

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Family's Vacation in South Korea

I just got home from the airport where I sent-off my family back to the Philippines, after a special weekend spent with them here in Seoul. Finally, all the stress and the worries from whether my mom would get a tourist visa or not, to how I’ll divide her time in spending an out-of-the-country vacation have paid off! I couldn’t be any happier.

My family’s plan to visit South Korea came in at the start of this year, a big hooray to that airline’s promo fare. A couple of months later, I got to see and tour them around the place where I let myself be exiled, hahaha!

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Touring Yeouido

Sometimes no matter how conveniently near and worth-visiting a place, when there’s no good company, there’s just no reason to go at all. I mean, I’m already close to working for two years in the Yeouido area, where the famous 63 Building landmark and Han River are, but I never really mustered enough interest to pay them a visit.

Glad that I finally got the chance, squeezing it in with my weekday work schedule. It sure helped me  in accomplishing my job for the day, so I could leave early for my seven o'clock date with my fave girls on vacation-- Mom, Tita Margie, and sisters Ruby and Roxanne.

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Korean High School Girls are Love!

I'm holding a banner of welcome notes from my high school girlfriends. Teehee...

Aren’t they just the sweetest?

This will definitely come fourth in the things that I will miss most about South Korea. Okay, so I got

1st-- the Seoul Metro Rail Transit (subway system),

2nd-- the very fast internet connection,

3rd-- the “vertical” way of living (my current apartment and neighborhood), and

4th-- my CCAP-sponsored cultural classes.

I may occasionally wreck things up at work, but I am redeemed by the genuine fulfillment that I feel by doing something that I really, really enjoy.

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New Stress Busters

I have a paper due tomorrow plus a presentation to work on a day after that, and I find myself craving for these... Tantararan!!!!!!!!

                              
                                          It used to be a Snickers bar, for goodness sake.

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My Choo-Choo Train

I still have this slight hangover from last weekend's trip to Busan, since the place has been the closest that I have gotten to feeling even a bit like home. Well for one, it drew me near to a pretty decent beach. More importantly, I got to see my sister.

Now what I think contributes to a generally good trip is an equally memorable mode of transportation that brings you to and from your destination. What I thought would be a dragging, late night train ride back home actually turned out to be a lively one.

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I Love Busan! (Part 2)

Sunday’s itinerary turned out to be more of a laze, having realized that our pre-planned itinerary for today was not feasible. Our chosen activities and places to see were nowhere to be found in Busan. That random, online itinerary that we followed made us believe that Busan and Gyeongju were just geographically kissing each other. We were so wrong. Oh anyway...

Sunday

9:00am-12:00nn------------Morning stroll at Pusan National University

12:00nn-6:00pm------------Underground & Lotte Town shopping in Nampo-dong

7:00pm-9:00pm-------------Gimhae International Airport

9:30pm-10:30pm------------Seollongtang Dinner near Busan Station

11:00pm-4:30am------------Busan to Yeongdeungpo Station via Train (KORAIL)

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I Love Busan! (Part 1)

I know, I know. I’m sorry that I actually underestimated Busan's charm. It’s just that the people I have talked to mostly gave me so-so ratings when I asked them about it, that I settled for a just-for-the-heck kind of trip in South Korea’s largest port city. I wasn’t even expecting much from its brown-sand beach. But hey, it all changed when I finally reached the place. Busan has the warmth that makes you want to embrace it, not to mention a beach prowess to impress! I want to go back!!!

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