Sunday, 26 August 2007

Italian Sojourn Summer 2007

 
 
 

Ciao! I am back to the German nest after a month sojourn in Bella
Italia. Would be posting some photos taken during my stay in Padova,
short visit to Venice, summer camping with Filipino and Italian kids
in Settefrati and a brief holiday in this Città of ever walking tourists,
varieties of pasta and pizza and hundreds of piazza, in this hill now
known as the Palentine, in this city of Roma.

In between saving my drooping "self-supporting" plants and
sorting out emails which landed as spam mails, I would be spending
many late hours of the last summery days this year posting, reading
and touching base with other "webby" pals and friends who could not be
convinced that there are places in Italy which are so stubbornly against
internet cafes.

Other plan is to do some trimmings of the deposited fats (per carità)
after a month of devouring lovely pastas and Gelato(ice cream)and meriendas
of guinataan and pichi-pichi!

What about you? Vi siete trovati bene? Did you have a beautiful time?
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Wednesday, 18 July 2007

Things We Do in Summer: Climb Every Mountain

While I listed some summery tags in Bulongbulongan I am posting
here some of my favorite summer photos. These ones were taken
during a trekking tour in Hochgernhaus in Southern Germany
organized by dear friends Moni and Caro for some multi-cultural
mountain trekking neophytes who would prefer to stay in the
beerhouses down in the valley than enjoy the breathtaking view
after the hard climb.
Plans are on the way for another tour and if you wish to join
us, just email and we could arrange a weekend climb if Moni
is still willing to guide us. Meanwhile, enjoy the digitalized
moments without having to perspire.






And finally, beer and shiatsu for the dear guide

Sunday, 15 July 2007

Fatima and Her Love Song

She will wring my neck if she finds out I posted
our experimental mini musical in my blogs but
I've taken a liking in her song...humming it
when I am searching for papers, folders or cds
in what I call "life is found in movements" writing
desk. She explained to me once that the song
means "I can not lie to you." I would like to
propose this song to be one of the campaign songs
of our politicians. Will ask Fatima to give me the
complete lyrics before she finds out I have her
immortalized in my pinay kaleidoscopic blog.
So here's our experimental mini musical
"Fatima and Her Song"


Apropos on lying...we do have songs, romantic pledges
on similar lines, right?
I remember these lines...
"Hindi baleng huwag mo akong mahalin
Huwag mo lang akong tawaging Sinungaling."
(It is not important if you won't love me
but just don't call me a liar.)
In the same vein, one could also sing:
"Hindi na baleng ako ay inyong botohin
Pagsisinungaling ay aking galing."
(It is alright if you give me your vote
My best talent is lying.)

Any song you could share about love and lying?
Puede din yun lying and vote loving.

Dear Fat, please don't get mad
if your friends chance on this experimental solo
performance, just tell them you are trying to do
a bit of political awareness raising through this
love song.

Friday, 13 July 2007

Mitbringsel or Pasalubong "Perks and Irks"

 

Blessed are those who do not expect for they will be
given pleasant surprises. But this time I was expecting
because I gave him an extra travelling bag to use for my
ordered "pasalubong or bilins."
So when the Datu came home from his short lecture
stint in the Philippines including a brief visit
to Jolo (the news I found out through another friend
in Manila)and stay in Hongkong and Macau,I was a bit more hopeful
that he would this time surprise me with my ordered
goodies from Chinese silk shirts to moon cakes.
"If only looks could kill," he said, when I saw this
red plastic bag he was holding when he got out of the ICE
train from Frankfurt airport, and the extra travelling bag
was nowhere to be seen. Not a good omen, I thought saying
goodbye to wishful thinking about silk blouses and moon cakes
and all other "bilins" I wrote in this piece of paper which I
tucked into this extra bag for Mitbringsel or pasalubong which
is a compulsory gift given by the travelling partner
to his/her partner who freely opts or forced to stay domestic
than jet-setting.

Pasalubong, btw (by the way) is not only for those who
are waiting for your return from your journey but these
are the goodies given to the nice people of your destination
for waiting for your visit. In short, they are symbolic
small things saying you have not forgotten these people
and if you are married, related, friend, supportive to someone from
this Wow! 7,107-island Archipelago, then you are in such a big
trouble if you do not know what "Pasalubong" is all about.
Well, the Datu has known his trouble and he seems to be
getting used to it. So don't despair, nothing is really
so serious with us people coming from this Wow! 7,107-island
Archipelago if you do not really care about the implication
of not having any Pasalubong.

But to be fair to the Datu, when he opened the plastic
Travel Value bag and started giving me its contents, I was
all forgiving for his forgetting my ordered moon cakes from
Hongkong. He handed me the following treasures which I either
ordered or sent as Pasalubongs by friends and members of my clan
back in the "Madercountry."
* Filipinas Photographs by Isa Lorenzo from dear Ricarda K.
* A Bag out of recycled tetrapaks from Ricarda K.
* Book "How to Win an Election" given by Klaus P.
* Book "The German Club - A History of the German Community in
the Philippines" given by Thorsten F.
* One small bottle of Taba ng Talangka (crab eggs)
* 3 Pieces of JMGoulbourn linen blouses (each piece costing about
850Pesos...my order and not pasalubong)
* A plastic SM bag full of Choc Nuts, Adobong Butong Pakwan
(dried watermelon seeds),dried mangoes and pastillas from Lengleng
* Malong from Luz M.
* Tausug table cloth from Zeny S.L.
* Badjao pearl bracelets from Zamboanga (no longer called
City of Flowers but Asia's Latin City)
* A necklace of smoked topaz from China
* Two wooden necklace from my elder sister
* Two hundred pieces of calling cards...thanks Paula G. for ordering them.

If I miss mentioning your pasalubong, please do email me and will
hold the Datu responsible for this oversight. Maraming Salamat!
Grazie Tanto! Vielen Dank!
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Wednesday, 11 July 2007

Can you spare a 50 Euro bill please?

 
 
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While clearing the aftermath of our tiramisu meet and eat
(will post later on this), I heard from WDR 2 something
about fake Euro bills and the release of one German hostage
in Iraq. There is a circulating speculation on the amount
of ransom paid by the German government regarding the release
but I was amusing myself with the thought that there must
be a correlation between rise in counterfeiting Euro bills
and talks about ransom.
If ransom is involved, who would be more keen on
recognizing fake bills from the genuine ones? The giver?
The receiver? Just an amusing thought early this morning.
But I really checked on my 50 Euro bills (not that I have
them all the time at home like a dutiful, economical but
loving wife and please don't confuse economical with
economic says my dictionary of contemporary English) stashed
away in this Da Vinci Code book and googled some tips
on how to tell fake from my faith in these 50Euro bills.
So if you wish, do check these how to tell tips
www.bundesbank.de/bargeld

and take note this short tip from an economically loving wife:
*Bill should not be slippery but according to
the German word 'griffig' which is translated in English
as handy! Hah! Handy Euro bills! With the bill, of course,
we are talking about the paper money, bank note.It should
not easily slip out of your fingers when you are feeling
the note. (Hallo Tita Sol, I know you are thinking
of something else because you are a flute player!)
*If you are managing a paluwagan then be extra careful in
getting the dues from your banking ala Pinay group or get yourself
a fake bill detector.(The detector should not be fake but should
help you in sorting out your notes.)It should be worth the cost as you
could lend it to other economical wives for them to
check bills handed by the dutiful Breadwinners for their budget.
*And just for fun...how about surprising yourself with redux of
"Wanted Penpal" in one or two bills, write your sites, links, whatever
and see who will heed your SOS. BTW, I still say that word, Baduy.
You see, living abroad makes you really economical with trendy Pinay
or Pinoy words despite the mighty web. But check your bills and if
in doubt,give them back to the giver. And if you really are sure
you have fake bills in your piggy banking, I could offer these
tips:
a) Try depositing them back to your saving banks. According to one
introduction to this phenomenon of counterfeiting Euro notes,
even some banks employees could not tell the fake from the real
ones. So to whom shall we go?
b) Check local Lotto dealer for fake bills detector. If none, pay
the fake note and if you win, don't forget our developmental
projects for our dear Motherland.
b) Try donating them to a church. It has such a power it could
convince any bank to convert their collection to any amount worthy
of time deposit interest. Maybe local banks or your favorite church
will donate them further to a more powerful institution...
the Vatican Bank. Who knows, it could mean that the cycle has been
completed. Just entertaining amusing thoughts this one summery
Wednesday.

Sunday, 8 July 2007

Cologne: Christopher Street Day Aloha!

 
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Homo europaeicus geht aufrecht...
Homo Europaeicus walk upright

The traditional yearly Christopher Street Day
was blessed with sunny, dry and really hot weather
and the news said that there were about 20 thousand
participants to this year political demonstration
of gays and lesbians in Cologne.
I am sharing some photos I took while squeezing
my way through the crowd in Heumarkt. I promised Korkie P.
that I would be posting some photos for her. Enjoy them!


Who Are You? Brad Pitt's Avatar? Why are you on the other side?


Equal Rights for All Brides!

Cool Angel in a Summery Cologne City


Stand By Your Woman!

Saturday, 7 July 2007

07.07.07 Live Earth Concert and My Pledge for Mother Earth

 
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Live Earth Tokyo update reported from the ground:
Twenty year old Japanese pop star Ayaka moved many at Live Earth
Tokyo to tears, telling the captive audience, “We now hear a lot
about global warming. This is really everyone’s business.” Ayaka,
who is known for her smash hit “I Believe,” continued, “There are
many things we can do.I want everybody to take action.” Ayaka, the
third performer on-stage in Tokyo, followed Al Gore’s virtual
appearance at Makuhari Messe.
The Tokyo crowd went wild for pop and hip-hop artist Ai Otsuka.
Between sets, Ai said her participation in Live Earth had encouraged
her “to start with [changing] small things.” Ai said she now brings her
own bag to stores when shopping, turns off lights when she’s not
using them,uses water as little as possible and rides her bicycle as
frequently as she can. “I sometimes think we should turn off
everything around the world for just five minutes,” she said.

AL GORE APPEARS ON LIVE EARTH TOKYO STAGE AS A HOLOGRAM
http://www.liveearth.org

After opening the Live Earth concert series in Sydney via live satellite
feed, Al Gore launched Live Earth Tokyo this morning in a high-tech,
virtual way – as a hologram.
After a stirring introduction by Lumi, the virtual-reality singer
of Genki Rockets, a head-to-toe-likeness of the former U.S. Vice
President materialized on stage and shared urgent yet hopeful words
to the crowd gathered at Makuhari Messe. The holographic Gore had
an expression of amazement as he delivered the following words:

What an amazing world we live in – I love it that I can stand here
on this stage in Tokyo and speak to you in holographic form. It is
astounding that in just these recent few decades we have invented
technologies that enable us to connect and instantly communicate our
ideas and intentions with people on the other side of the globe.

Because of the communication channels and technologies now
available to us, this venue is, at this moment, connected to the
entire world. You are all communicating to well over 2 billion people
right now -including all the Live Earth audiences in Sydney, Shanghai,
Johannesburg, Hamburg, London, Rio de Janeiro and New York and
the broadcast audience who will be watching on television and the
Internet in over 100 countries.

The human race is also connected by the climate crisis. It is a
global problem that transcends boundaries, languages and cultures.
The climate crisis will impact everyone, everywhere on Earth.

If we look at the Earth from space, it looks like a blue ball coated
with a very thin layer of lacquer, within which the air, water, and
living beings exist.

This fragile layer is all we have. It’s our only home – and we owe
it to our children and our children’s children to protect it.

With Live Earth, we hope to connect people through the power of
music and engage them with a simple, universal message: SOS. ANSWER
THE CALL. The Live Earth concerts have the potential to inspire a
mass audience to take immediate action and build a global movement
for change. You can launch this movement today by pledging to make
meaningful and lasting changes in your life. There are so many areas
of our lives that contribute to the problem of global warming – and
those are the very things that can we can change today and make part
of the solution.

And you can commit to this pledge at LiveEarth.org.

As you are making these critical changes in your life, be sure to
call on your leaders and elected officials to do the same.

It’s time to begin to heal the planet. Together, we can transform
the way we relate to our environment. Global warming is now the
greatest challenge facing our planet, the greatest we’ve ever faced.
But it’s one problem we can solve – if we come together as one, take
action and drive our neighbors, businesses and governments to act as
well.

This is what Live Earth is all about.

To all assembled here in Tokyo, at the special event in Kyoto, and
around the world: I thank you for being a part of Live Earth.

And I ask you to ANSWER THE CALL!

http://www.liveearth.org

THE MOVEMENT GOES LIVE! AL GORE KICKS OFF LIVE EARTH SYDNEY


Live Earth Sydney is now underway. The concert at Aussie Stadium
started with an aboriginal welcome and song & dance performance
followed by a surprise welcome issued via live satellite by Al Gore.

In his welcome address, Gore praised Live Earth Sydney’s lineup and
thanked all in attendance for “being the first to launch this movement
to solve the climate crisis”. Gore then read the Live Earth
Pledge and urged everyone in attendance — and everyone watching
from home — to sign their name to the pledge at LiveEarth.org or by
sending a text message of LEAD to 199 66 777.
The Live Earth Pledge reads:

I PLEDGE:

To demand that my country join an international treaty within
the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in
developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the
next generation to inherit a healthy earth;

To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing
my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to
become “carbon neutral;”

To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating
facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store
the CO2;

To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my
home,workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;

To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable
energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;

To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and
protecting forests; and,

To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my
commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable,
just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.

Gore delivered his welcome address from a studio overlooking the
Capitol Building in Washington, DC, where he will be presiding over
Live Earth’s special broadcast event at the Smithsonian’s National
Museum of the American Indian
featuring Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood.

Following Gore’s remarks, Australian radio announcer Robbie
Buck took the stage and introduced the first band to play Live Earth:
the Melbourne-based blues/roots band Blue King Brown
.

My own pledge:
* I will continue sorting out my basura or better avoid basura at all.
* I will bring always my pair of chopsticks when eating at this sushi
bar and will remind the other sushi aficionadas to bring theirs, too.
* I will remind my Japanese friend not to use so much wrappings for
gifts and not to use too many toothpicks!
* Will stop using strong bulbs...switch on to more candles for ambiente.
* Will never use disposables for picnics, gatherings and meetings.
* Will never stop to make kulits to relatives back home to plant trees, sort out basuras, love their rivers and lakes
and walk than just wait for the next tricycle and ex-communicate people who throw basuras out of cars,buses and jeepneys.

What about you energy saving bloggers?

Monday, 2 July 2007

Book Launching in Quezon City on July 4, 2007

 
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The Philippine Social Science Council
and the
Philippine Migration Research Network (PMRN)
cordially invite you to a
Pre-Launch
of PMRN's 7th Publication
In De Olde World: Views of Filipino Migrants in Europe
on
Wednesday, 04. July 2007, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
at the Frank Lynch Resource Center
Philippine Social Science Center
Commonwealth Ave. Diliman, Quezon City

Congratulations to Ms. Filomenita Hoegsholm,
for editing this important documentation on
migration of Filipinas and Filipinas to
Europe. The editor is a member of Babaylan
Interim Committee, Babaylan, The Philippine Women's
Network in Europe.
For further information on the book, please email me
pinayskaleidoscope@gmail.com or
babaylanes@gmx.de

Sunday, 1 July 2007

People like Barbra Streisand



People,
People who need people
Are the luckiest people in the world
Were children needing other children
And yet letting our grown-up pride
Hide all the need inside
Acting more like children than children
Lovers
Are very special people
Theyre the luckiest people in the world
With one person,
One very special person
A feeling deep in your soul
Says you are half now youre whole
No more hunger and thirst
But first be a person who needs people
People, people who need people
Are the luckiest people in the world.

With one person
One very special person
A feeling deep in your soul
Says you are half now youre whole
No more hunger and thirst
But first be a person who needs people
People, people who need people
Are the luckiest people in the world.

http://www.lyricsfreak.com

I was in Berlin but in the periphery and later I learned
that Ms. Streisand performed for about 18,000 people
in a concert last Saturday, April 30 in Berliner
Waldbühne.
I am attaching a short report on her performance
taken from www.ad-hoc-news.de
1. July. 2007.

*Barbra Streisand in Berlin euphorisch empfangen*

Rund 18 000 Fans haben der US-Sängerin und Schauspielerin Barbra
Streisand am Samstagabend in der Berliner Waldbühne einen
grandiosen Empfang bereitet. Ihr einziges Deutschlandkonzert ihrer
ersten Europatour eröffnete die 65-Jährige mit einer Hommage an
Berlin, an die deutschen Komponisten vom Barock bis zur Moderne
und an Apfelstrudel. Bei ihren ersten Songs demonstrierte
Streisand jene klare Stimme, die zu einer der am meistverkauften
weiblichen Künstlerinnen überhaupt machte.

Aktuelle *Nachrichten* - Berlin (ddp-bln).
Rund 18 000 Fans haben der US-Sängerin und Schauspielerin Barbra
Streisand am Samstagabend in der Berliner Waldbühne einen
grandiosen Empfang bereitet. Ihr einziges Deutschlandkonzert
ihrer ersten Europatour eröffnete die 65-Jährige mit einer Hommage
an Berlin,an die deutschen Komponisten vom Barock bis zur Moderne
und an Apfelstrudel. Bei ihren ersten Songs demonstrierte Streisand
jene klare Stimme, die zu einer der am meistverkauften weiblichen
Künstlerinnen überhaupt machte. An ihrer Seite sorgten Tänzer und
ein 58-köpfiges Orchester für eine begeisternde Atmosphäre in der
Open-Air-Arena. Für ihren ersten Auftritt in Deutschland war die
Waldbühne in einigen Tagen Umbau vier Meter in den Zuschauerraum
erweitert worden.
Bis kurz vor dem Konzert waren noch Restkarten an der Abendkasse erhältlich.
Die Ticketpreise im Vorverkauf bewegten sich zwischen 95 und etwa
560 Euro zuzüglich Gebühren. Einen Teil der Konzerteinnahmen will
die Künstlerin in ihre Stiftung geben, die verschiedene Sozialprojekte
für Kinder und Jugendliche unterstützt. Wegen der strengen
Sicherheitskontrollen sollte die Waldbühne am Samstag bereits um
17.00 Uhr geöffnet werden. Dennoch verzögerte sich der Einlass auf 18.00 Uhr.
Streisand schaffte ihren Bühnen- und Gesangsdurchbruch 1964 in der
Broadway-Produktion «Funny Girl», 1969 erhielt sie für ihre Rolle in
der Film-Adaption einen Oscar. Parallel arbeitete sie an ihrer
Gesangskarriere, nahm unzählige Platten auf und sang Duette unter
anderem mit Neil Diamond, Barry Gibb und auch Donna Summer ein.
Berühmt wurden außerdem ihre Filme «Is was Doc?» an der Seite von
Ryan O'Neil (1972), «The Way We Were» von Sidney Pollack mit
Robert Redford (1973), «A Star Is Born» 1976 mit Kris Kristofferson
und später «Yentl», «Nuts», «Herr der Gezeiten» und 2004 die
Komödie «Meet the Fockers» mit Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller und
Dustin Hoffman.
Dabei trat Streisand immer wieder als Produzentin, Regisseurin,
Drehbuchautorin und Komponistin in Erscheinung. 2001 erhielt sie
vom American Film Institut den Life Achievement Award für ihr Lebenswerk.
ddp/chd/stu

Photo of Barbra Streisand is taken from
www.telegraph.co-uk/arts/main Sunday, 1. July.2007

Saturday, 30 June 2007

For Caro and Christian



 
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Our best wishes on your Wedding Day, 29. June. 2007

Wednesday, 27 June 2007

Siebenschlaefertag Seven Sleepers Day on June 27

Here comes the sun...mild temperature, birds are chirping and one
small bee is buzzing around our Hortensien or Milflores blooming
wildly now in lila colors in our mini terrace...fresh, clear air,
promising a good summer? Welcome Siebenschläfertag!

Das Wettter am Siebenschläfertag sieben Wochen bleiben mag.
Wie's Wetter am Siebenschläfertag, so der Juli werden mag.
Ist der Siebenschläfer nass, regnet es ohne Unterlass.
Regnet's am Siebenschläfertag, es sieben Wochen regnen mag.

What the weather brings on Siebenschläfer day
For the next seven weeks will be the same.
Rain on Siebenschläfer
Seven weeks wet weather!

These are my rough translations and summary of the German country
sayings (Bauernregeln)about weather forecast on June 27,
Siebenschläfertag or Seven Sleepers Day. And as the saying goes,
if the weather is fine on June 27, then the weather for the next
seven weeks will also be good and if it is rainy and stormy,then
I should say you will have all the time to blog. So check before you
book for a holiday in Germany and ask if the hotel has Hotspots
for all eventualities.

The origin of the word Siebenschläfer traces back to the legend of
the Seven Youth i.e. Maximiniamus, Jamblicus, Martinian, Johannes, Dionysius,Constantinus,Malchus and Serapion who hid in a cave
somewhere in Ephesus (West Turkey) during the persecution of
Christians under the Roman Emperor Decius in 251. They were walled
up within the cave but God protected them by putting them into sleep
for 195 years. They were released on June 27, in the year 446.

Alle sieben können übrigens als Patrone gegen Schlaflogsigkeit
angerufen werden - es müssen ja nicht gleich 195 Jahre sein. Bayerischer Rundfunk 2006

For those who are suffering from insomnia, these are the holy
men to be invoked for help but not necessarily for 195 years of sleep.

My very first information about this Siebenschläfer came from
Christoph who lived with us together with his girlfriend Krystel
and her son Oliver and his three parakeets and a pair of guinea pigs
in a Wohngemeinschaft, a sort of apartment or house sharing.
Ours was in the third floor of a pre-Second World War house with high
stuccoed ceilings,and we comfortably shared the 140 sq. meter
residence, enough space for our own bookshelves,privacy,joint
cooking and dining and for the parakeets to explore all the open rooms.

But the saying which instantly comes to my mind came from
our Dutch friend who taught me this Bauernregel on Siebenschläfer.
He is now a successful lawyer.
“Wenn der Hahn kräht auf dem Mist, dann ändert sich das Wetter,
oder es bleibt wie es ist”.
When the rooster crows on the dungheap, then the weather will
change, or stay as it is.

Kapag ang tandang ay tumitilaok sa ipot,
magbabago ang panahon
o mananatili ganon.




Watch out for the weather today and let us compare notes after
seven weeks, okey? Or share some of your sayings about
the weather.

Payong, sunglasses, abaniko
Alin sa kanila dito
Payong, sunglasses, abaniko
Alin sa kanila dito?

Monday, 25 June 2007

Handy turns 15

Just learned that Handy turns 15 years today while watching
TV. Handy to the Germans and mobile to the non-Germans?

My first mobile would not fit that name Handy, though. It was
actually a mini walkie-talkie and an object of much teasing
when I visited the home country once with it. "Aba, kaskasan ng yelo
pa yan model ninyo pala sa Europa!" "Hoy, you're still using that
ice-shaver model from Europe," was the favorite one-liner tease.
Or these remarks complete with introductory praises:
"Magaling to. Maraming games to." This is excellent. It has many
functions, many games. You can use your mobile for truth or
consequence game, or it is not so heavy, just throw it away!

I think I have not thrown my first Handy yet. It is somewhere in our
flat, maybe in the cellar together with those stuffs waiting to be
sorted out:trinkets, magazines, copies of reports, marmalade
glasses,gloves, baking pans, electric typewriter and bamboo poles.
Yes, we have two bamboo poles imported from China keeping watch
over other boxes of stuffs also waiting to be sorted out in the cellar.
"Puedeng panglitson,sa tutuo lang."

But back to the Handy's turning 15 today. It reminds me of our
networking which is also celebrating its 15th anniversary this 2007
with the theme Gender, Migration and Development. Maybe we could
discuss on the forms of our communication through these years
from telephone, emails, cellphones, chatting and Skyping and their
role to the present situation of the network. More inspiration and
concern with faster communication or more distraction?

The TV moderator commented that the Handy is still very much in
its "youthful" year and it shows so much promise of development.

Hallo! Hear that, dear women in our network.

Thursday, 21 June 2007

Basic Women's Orientation Training in Germany

 
 
 
 
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A Weekend of Basic Women’s Orientation Training in Germany

15 Filipinas representing the different European country member
organizations of Babaylan, The Philippine Women’s Network in Europe
participated in this year’s Basic Women’s Orientation Training held in
Kohlhof near Mannheim, Germany on June 1-4, 2007. The weekend
training was organized by Babaylan Interim Committee.

The participants shared experiences and discussed issues concerning gender while enjoying some alternative group exercises in determining factors which influence gender and gender bias i.e. what attributes are associated with the word BABAE
and LALAKE,what is gender stereotyping, commodification and
marginalization of women, reproduction and production and sexual
division of labour.

As part of the year long celebration of the 15th anniversary of Babaylan Europe, the training coincided with the meeting of the country representatives of the network. They discussed the result of congress and assessment of the network held in Landquart, Switzerland on September 22-24, 2006 and planned a series of activities to be carried both by the local and Europe-wide members for the year 2007-2008.

After the seminar, the participants visited the shrine of Dr. Jose Rizal in Wilhemsfeld and the city of Heidelberg.

Babaylan Network is planning to hold its bi-annual Conference and Congress with the Theme Gender, Migration and Development this coming October either in Switzerland or Germany.

For interested Filipinas, please contact local Babaylan in your country or email:
babaylanes@gmx.de

Tuesday, 19 June 2007

146th Birthday of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

 
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A Las Flores De Heidelberg

José Rizal

Id a mi patria, id, extranjeras flores,
sembradas del viajero en el camino,
y bajo su azul cielo,
que guarda mis amores,
contad del peregrino
la fe que alienta por su patrio suelo!
id y decid ... decid que cuando el alba
vuestro cáliz abrió por vez primera
cabe el Neckar helado,
le visteis silencioso a vuestro lado
pensando en su constante primavera.
Decid que cuando el alba,
que roba vuestro aroma,
cantos de amor jugando os susurraba,
él tambien murmuraba
cantos de amor en su natal idioma;
que cuando el sol la cumbre
del Koenigsthul en la mañana dora
y con su tibia lumbre
anima el valle, el bosque y la espesura,
saluda a ese sol aún en su aurora,
al que en su patria en el cenit fulgura !
y contad aquel día
cuando os cogía al borde del sendero,
entre ruinas del feudal castillo,
orilla al Neckar, o a la selva umbria.
Contad lo que os decía ,
cuando, con gran ciudado
entre las páginas de un libro usado
vuestras flexibles hojas oprimía.

Llevad, llevad, oh flores !
amor a mis amores
paz a mi país y a su fecunda tierra,
fe a sus hombres, virtud a sus mujeres,
salud a dulces seres
que el paternal, sagrado hogar encierra ...

Cuando toqueis la playa,
el beso os imprimo
depositadlo en ala de la brisa,
por que con ella vaya
y bese cuanto adora, amo y estimo.

Mas ay llegáreis flores,
conservaréis quizas vuestras colores,
pero lejos del patrio, heroico suelo
a quien debéis la vida:
que aroma es alma, y no abandona el cielo,
cuya luz viera en su nacer, ni olvida.

To the Flowers of Heidelberg

by José Rizal

(A Translation from the Spanish by Nick Joaquin)

Go to my country, go, O foreign flowers,
sown by the traveler along the road,
and under that blue heaven
that watches over my loved ones,
recount the devotion
the pilgrim nurses for his native sod!

Go and say say that when dawn
opened your chalices for the first time
beside the icy Neckar,
you saw him silent beside you,
thinking of her constant vernal clime.

Say that when dawn
which steals your aroma
was whispering playful love songs to your young
sweet petals, he, too, murmured
canticles of love in his native tongue;
that in the morning when the sun first traces
the topmost peak of Koenigssthul in gold
and with a mild warmth raises
to life again the valley, the glade, the forest,
he hails that sun, still in its dawning,
that in his country in full zenith blazes.

And tell of that day
when he collected you along the way
among the ruins of a feudal castle,
on the banks of the Neckar, or in a forest nook.

Recount the words he said
as, with great care,
between the pages of a worn-out book
he pressed the flexible petals that he took.

Carry, carry, O flowers,
my love to my loved ones,
peace to my country and its fecund loam,
faith to its men and virtue to its women,
health to the gracious beings
that dwell within the sacred paternal home.

When you reach that shore,
deposit the kiss I gave you
on the wings of the wind above
that with the wind it may rove
and I may kiss all that I worship, honor and love!

But O you will arrive there, flowers,
and you will keep perhaps your vivid hues;
but far from your native heroic earth
to which you owe your life and worth,
your fragrances you will lose!

For fragrance is a spirit that never can forsake
and never forgets the sky that saw its birth.

(Translated from the Spanish by Nick Joaquin)

Sa Mga Bulaklak ng Heidelberg

Pumaroon kayo sa mutya kong bayang pinakamamahal,
O mga bulaklak na hasik sa landas niyong manlalakbay,
At doon, sa silong ng maaliwalas na langit na bughaw,
Sa mga mahal ko'y di nagpapabaya't laging nagbabantay,
Inyong ibalita itong pananalig na sa puso'y taglay
Ng abang lagalag na di lumilimot sa nilisang bayan.

Pumaroon kayo, inyong ibalitang madilim-dilim pa,
Kung kayo, sa bati ng bukang-liwayway, ay bumubukad na,
Sa pampang ng Neckar na lubhang malamig ay naroon siya,
At sa inyong tabi'y inyong namamasid na parang estatuwa,
Ang Tagsibol doong hindi nagbabago'y binubulay niya.
(
Inyong ibalitang kung sinisingil na ng bukang-liwayway
Ang buwis na bango ng inyong talulot pag ngiti ng araw,
Habang bumubulong ang bagong umagang halik ang kasabay
Ng "Kung inyo lamang nababatid sana yaring pagmamahal!"
Siya'y may bulong ding inaawit-awit sa katahimikan,
Kundiman ng puso na sa kanyang wika'y inyong napakinggan.

At kung sa taluktok niyong Koenigsthul ay humahalik na
Ang mapulang labi ng anak ng araw sa pag-uumaga,
At ang mga lambak, gubat at kahuya'y binubusog niya
Sa daloy ng buhay na dulot ng sinag na malahininga,
Yaong manlalakbay ay bumabati ring puspos ng ligaya
Sa araw, na doon sa sariling baya'y laging nagbabaga.

At ibalita rin na nang minsang siya'y naglalakad-lakad
Sa pampang ng Neckar ay pinupol kayo sa gilid ng landas,
Doon sa ang tanod ay ang mga guhong bakas ng lumipas,
Na nalililiman ng maraming punong doo'y naggugubat.

Ibalita ninyo kung paanong kayo'y marahang pinupol,
Pinakaingatang huwag masisira ang sariwang dahon,
At sa kanyang aklat ay ipinaloob at doon kinuyom,
Aklat ay luma na, datapuwa't kayo'y naroon pa ngayon.

Hatdan, hatdan ninyo, O pinakatanging bulaklak ng Rin,
Hatdan ng pag-ibig ang lahat ng aking nga ginigiliw,
Sa bayan kong sinta ay kapayapaan ang tapat kong hiling,
Sa kababaihan ay binhi ng tapang ang inyong itanim;
Pagsadyain ninyo, O mga bulaklak, at inyong batiin
Ang mga mahal kong sa tahanang banal ay kasama namin.

At pagsapit ninyo sa dalampasigan ng bayan kong irog,
Bawa't halik sanang idinarampi ko sa inyong talulot
Ay inyong isakay sa pakpak ng hanging doo'y lumilibot,
Upang sa lahat nang iginagalang ko't sinisitang lubos
Nawa'y makasapit ang halik ng aking pag-ibig na taos.

Maaaring doo'y makarating kayong taglay pa ang kulay,
Subali't ang bango'y wala na marahil at kusang pumanaw,
Wala na ang samyong sa talulot ninyo'y iningatang yaman,
Pagka't malayo na sa lupang sa inyo'y nagbigay ng buhay;
Iwing halimuyak ang inyong kaluluwa, at di malilisan
Ni malilimot pa ang langit na saksi nang kayo'y isilang.
(Isinalin sa Pilipino di kilala)

Thursday, 14 June 2007

Medienforum in NRW: TATORT 10th Year


TATORT Nachtgeflüster

Freitag, 15.06.2007, 19:30 – 21:00 Uhr
Cinedom, Black Box*

Jubiläums-Ausgabe anlässlich des 10-jährigen „Dienstjubiläums“
des Kölner Ermittler-Duos Schenk / Ballauf,WDR/ARD 2007
Buch: Stefan Cantz / Jan Hinter; Regie: Torsten C. Fischer
Darsteller: Klaus J. Behrendt, Dietmar Bär, Tessa Mittelstaedt,
Joe Bausch u. a.

Maulheld oder Mörder? In einer Nighttalk-Sendung brüstet sich ein
anonymer Anrufer damit, einen Polizisten erschossen zu haben.
Und er werde wieder morden. Diese Story sorgt für Schlagzeilen.
Doch Freddy Schenk (Dietmar Bär) und Max Ballauf (Klaus J. Behrendt)
verfolgen eine andere Spur im Fall ihres ermordeten Kollegen Krauss:
Er war ein gebrochener Mann. Nach der Affäre mit einer Kollegin hatte
seine Frau ihn verlassen. Seitdem griff er immer öfter zu Flasche.
Und er war hoch verschuldet. Bei den Befragungen verstricken sich
seine Freundin Rita Anspann (Brigitte Zeh) und sein
Box-Trainingspartner Harkan Simsek (Aykut Kayacik) in Widersprüche.
Derweil taucht beim Radiosender ein anonymes Schreiben mit dem
Schlüssel für ein Bahnhofsschließfach auf.Der Anrufer hatte nicht
geblufft. Im Schließfach finden Schenk und Ballauf die Tatwaffe.

In Anwesenheit der Schauspieler *Klaus J. Behrendt, Dietmar Bär*
sowie Gunher Witte (Tatort-Erfinder), Gebhard Henke
(WDR, Tatort-Koordinator der ARD), Sonja Goslocki
(Tatort Köln-Produzentin bei Colonia Media Filmproduktion)
Moderation: Bettina Böttinger

Taken from medienforum nrw

Tatort celebrates its 10th Anniversary. From my photo album,
I am sharing a digitalized version of these moments with the
two living landmarks of Cologne City, Schenk and Ballauf.
Btw, Tatort has projects in the Philippines: they support projects
for street children and kids in prisons. We could really hope
that they save those kids somehow, someday, but soon.


I walk a mile for this moment...


How's the soup, Detective Schenk?

 
Posted by Picasa

Klaus: "You have the right to remain silent but please smile at least."

NB: If you two guys chance on these postings, my invite to
a hot but cosy Thai dining is still open or we could also do
adobo con Torta.

Wednesday, 13 June 2007

Fiesta ng Kabataang Pinoy 2007 sa Bonn




The Tropa ng Kabataang Pinoy sa Deutschland would like to invite your organisation to the "Fiesta ng Kabataang Pinoy 2007 (FKP 2007) to be held in the Rheinaue (Freilichttheater) in Bonn on 16 June 2007, Saturday.

In cooperation with the Philippine Embassy Bonn Extension Office, headed by Consul Edgar Auxilian, FKP 2007 also joins the worldwide celebration of the 109th Anniversary of Philippine Independence. It takes on the theme "Celebrating the Filipino Spirit".

FKP 2007 is a fund raising activity for the participation of the Tropa to the World Youth Day celebration in Sydney, Australia to be held on July 2008. In addition, it will also support CRIBS Philippines (Create Responsive Infants By Sharing) for its project on the rehabilitation of young female victims of abuse.

Here is the schedule of Events:

9 June 2007
10:00 a.m.
Preliminary round of Little Miss Philippines
Shalom Center - Bad Godesberg

10:00 a.m.
On-the-Spot Poster Making Contest
Steyler Mission, Sankt Augustin
application form

Saturday, 16th June 2007

10:30 Santacruzan
11:30 Living Rosary
12:30 Holy Mass (anticipated)
14:30 Variety show & games
15:30 Little Miss Philippines 2007

For more information, please visit the Tropa web-site,
www.bahaykubostrasse.com
Thank you and see you there!
Tropa ng Kabataang Pinoy sa Deutschland
c/o Jang Jimenez
Schenkendorfstrasse 13
53173 Bonn, Germany
Tel. (49-228) 368 2273
E-mail: tropa@bahaykubostrasse.com or tropa.kpd@gmail.com

Tuesday, 12 June 2007

Love for One's Native Land, Philippine Independence Day June 12, 1898

In celebration of Philippine Independence today
June 12, I am posting this declaration of Andres Bonifacio's
love to his motherland.

*PAG-IBIG SA TINUBUANG LUPA*
ni Andres Bonifacio

(Madarama sa tulang ito ang mapusok na diwa ng Ama ng Katipunan)

Aling pag-ibig pa ang hihigit kaya
sa pagkadalisay at magkadakila
Gaya ng pag-ibig sa sariling lupa?
Aling pag-ibig pa? Wala na nga, wala.

Pagpupuring lubos ang palaging hangad
Sa bayan ng taong may dangal na ingat,
Umawit, tumula, kumata't at sumulat,
Kalakhan din niya'y isinisiwalat.

Walang mahalagang hindi inihandog
Ng may pusong mahal sa Bayang nagkupkop,
dugo, yaman, dunong, katiisa't pagod,
Buhay ma'y abuting magkalagut-lagot.

Bakit? Alin ito na sakdal ng laki,
Na hinahandugan ng busong pagkasi,
Na sa lalong mahal nakapangyayari,
At ginugulan ng buhay na iwi?

Ay! Ito'y ang iang bayang tinubuan:
Siya'y iona't tangi sa kinamulatan
Ng kawili-wiling liwanang ng araw
Na nagbigay-init sa buong katawan.

Kalakip din nito'y pag-ibig sa Bayan,
Ang lahat ng lalong sa gunita'y mahal,
Mula sa masaya'y gasong kasanggulan
Hanggang sa katawa'y mapasa-libingan.

Sa aba ng abang mawalay sa bayan!
Gunita ma'y laging sakbibi ng lumbay,
Walang alaala't inaasa-asam
Kundi ang makita'y lupang tinubuan.

Pati ng magdusa'y sampung kamatayan
Wari ay masarap kung dahil sa bayan
At lalong mahirap. Oh, himalang bagay!
Lalong pag-irog pa ang sa kanya'y alay.

Kung ang bayang ito'y masasa-panganib
At siya ay dapat na ipagtangkilik,
Ang anak, asawa, magulang, kapatid;
Isang tawag niya'y tatalidang pilit.

Hayo na nga, hayo, kayong nagabuhay
Sa pag-asang lubos ng kaginhawahan
At walang tinamo kundi kapaitan,
Hayo na't ibangon ang naabang bayan!

Kayong nalagasan ng bunga't bulaklak
Ng kaho'y ng buhay na nilanta't sukat,
Ng bala-balaki't makapal na hirap,
muling manariaw't sa baya'y lumiyag.

Ipahandug-handog ang busong pag-ibig
At hanggang may dugo'y ubusing itigis;
kung sa pagtatanggol, buhay ay mapatid,
Ito'y kapalaran at tunay na langit!

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/trans/tagalog

Love for One's Native Land

Can there be other loves that can surpass this love
In being so unblemished and of pure nobleness
Like the love that one has for his nativeland
What love can greater be?
No love, no other indeed!

Who has a heart of gold will offer everything
For his country's sake, which always nurtured him.
His blood, his wealth, his mind; his fortitude and strength
Although his very life, he may lose at the end!

That old time of grace and tranquility
Day of great rejoicing which is just at hand
When the slaves whose grieving shall at last be free
Will come to pass nowhwere, save on this fair land!

The greatest pain of all is losing one's own country
When even memories are in the grip of sadness.
There is no other longing and no other desire
Except to see the land where one first saw light of the day.

Those of you who lost your flowers and fruits
Like trees of life become like deadwood sad
From onslaughts of despair and avarice of brutes
Renew your lives and bloom for this our land so dear.

And offer thus to her the whole night of your love
So long as there's a drop of blood that you can shed
If in her defense our lives would be the price
There is no greater fortune, 'tis heaven to our eyes!

Sunday, 10 June 2007

Religion, Spirituality and Social Responsibility

With the official closing of the Evangelical Kirchentag
in Cologne today, I am posting some thoughts and photos
I took during a day visit to some programme and fora:









"Coming together as friends in religious contexts requires
respect for forms of worship different than our own.
These differences keep heart and mind open.
They are soul food.
If we are to find a path of our own, it helps to
know and appreciate the paths of others.
To realize that the household of God is indeed big
enough for all gives everyone room to live and grow.
The idea that there is only one right way home, one path
for all, creates judgment and separation.
Women's spirituality is about connectedness."
Joan Borysenko

Friday, 8 June 2007

G8 Summit 2007



Reports on the G8 summit in the oldest seaside resort of Germany,
Heiligendamm say that a breakthrough has been reached on climate
protection.
Heads of State and Government of the leading industrialized
nations (G8) aim to at least have global CO2 emission by
2050. They agreed to reach this goal as part of a U.N.
process with big emerging economies to be incorporated
in the process.
For complete story, please see www.g-8.de

I am saving this page exclusively for posterity. 2050!
Where will my blogs be decades from now?
But I am affirming my stand, I am against such expensive
gatherings where huge amount of money is used for the
protection of these few elites and shows of concern.
Why all the bother when all decisions are made before conferences?
They might as well stay in their home offices and country and do
video conferences.
I can imagine the participants of the Summit in Heiligendamm
saying...

Ah, my Beloved, fill the Cup that clears
TO-DAY of past Regrets and future Fears -
To-morrow? - Why, To-morrow I may be
Myself with Yesterday's Sev'n Thousand Years.

(from The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam of Naishapur,
Edward Fitzgerald)

...my thoughts, my small voice I am giving for the hope
of stopping poverty.
Herbert Gronemeyer...'pengeng Pera!!!!!

Pinay von Alemania

Note: Photo is taken from www.g-8.de

Tuesday, 5 June 2007

Kirchentag in Cologne



June 6-10, 2007
Cologne, Germany

"living, active and sharper!
(Hebrews 4:12)

Friday, 1 June 2007

In the leafy month of June

"A noise like of a hidden brook.
In the leafy month of June.
That to the sleeping woods all night
Singeth a quiet tune."


S.T. Coleridge