WATCH: Dresden, Germany


Here is the video of my short trip in Dresden, Germany


To read for more about Dresden, click below:

Dresden Part 1
Dresden Part 2

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular This Week

Padayon Lang: Just Continue ᜉᜇᜌᜓᜈ᜔ ᜎᜅ᜔

Image
There are words that stay with us long after the people who spoke them are gone. For me, one of those words is the Cebuano phrase: “Padayon lang.” These simple words describe my life motto. It is short, almost ordinary. It does not shine with poetry. Yet it has a quiet strength, the kind that you don’t just think about but actually feel deep inside. Literally, it means “just continue” or “keep going.” But in Cebuano life, padayon lang is less of a command and more of gentle encouragement, just a soft pat on the shoulder, a light that shows you the way in the dark. I first heard it as a child, when I struggled with school and say, “Padayon lang sa imong pagtuon.” Keep studying. It is not a word of triumph. It does not promise success. Unlike congratulations or I’m proud of you, padayon lang accepts that life is hard, that the road is tiring, and yet it reminds us that moving forward, even slowly, even step by step is still worth it. It is the Cebuano spirit of resilience, no...
Read more

Cebuano: The Language and The People

Image
Living in Norway for over 2 years, I have often encountered questions about the languages I speak. I usually answered I speak Norwegian, English and two Filipino languages. Then, people start asking if the second Filipino language is a dialect of the other. Given my mother tongue is Cebuano, the second language referred, I abruptly debunk the misconcept that it is a mere dialect. My most common explanation is that all Filipinos speak the Filipino language, but those who only learn to speak Filipino have difficult time understanding or communicating with one speaking Cebuano. Throughout the span of my childhood, I got to grasp the political and cultural differences of Filipinos speaking Filipino language or Tagalog as referred by most, and those coming from the Southern Philippines speaking Cebuano. The language in itself has become the boundary between the two groups of people. Due to their innate differences, misunderstandings result, not because of mere language confusion, but of cu...
Read more

Seijaku: Calm in the Middle of Chaos

Image
There is a Japanese word I recently came across: Seijaku. It is connected with silence, stillness, and finding peace even when life around us is busy. I like this idea because my life is rarely completely quiet. There is work, studying, languages, travelling, exercise, family, friends, and always something to do. For years, I became quite good at being busy. Finish one thing, move to the next, and keep going. But being good at being busy does not always mean being good at living. I used to think peace would come later. After this busy week. After this course. After this problem is solved. But there is always another "after." Life never suddenly says, "Congratulations, everything is finished. You can relax now." 😅 Perhaps the challenge is finding small moments of stillness while life is happening. Drinking coffee without checking my phone. Walking home without rushing. Sitting quietly without feeling that I should be doing something productive. Working as a nurse ha...
Read more

Filipino Ethics: A Closer Look

Image
What seems to be correct in a Filipino perspective? Ethically speaking, where lies the boundary between what is right and wrong? As a Filipino myself, it is quite difficult for me to see that, because everything seems to be very subjective. Every Filipino could justify his or her action regardless of what it is. Nothing seems to be intolerable, and everything could explained as long as someone dares to do so. This makes the Filipino society chaotic and disorganized in a way. Nothing seems to be a standard way of evaluating actions and decisions. Ethical theories would not be sufficient even to explain the Filipino ethical standards. However in this blogpost, an attempt to put this relatively subjective threshold into an objective framework is to be made. Familiarity and consensus Change is something everyone of us would like to avoid. Filipinos takes risks when the available options are too few, but in general, most Filipinos would not want to change anything that is part of...
Read more

Filipino Body Language

Image
Non-verbal communication is an essential part in a society, as well as understanding the values the community believe in. This reflects a good overview of how communication and tradition have evolved through time. These expressions are never constant, such that meaning changes from time to time, and is greatly affected by the events or the kind of environment one belongs in. Filipinos, being a society with mixed Asian and Western influences have unique facial and body expressions. These are the focus of this blogpost. 1. Silent stare Stares could mean evil look for Filipinos. It may indicate sarcasm or manipulation. It is considered rude to this, especially when in a conversation because it may also indicate disinterest or disrespect. 2. Lip/Eye pointing This is quiet funny gesture common not just in the rural areas, but also in urban communities. It is quiet hard to explain the direction in verbal language, so it is better to point them vaguely, interestingly with the use of lips,...
Read more

The Colors of My Niece Juyen

Image
Today, we are celebrating the eleventh birthday of my niece. Time flies so much. It seemed that it was just recently that I got to know that my sister, her mom got pregnant. I was worried by then, but I was excited how my niece became a tough and quite learned individual. I had a hard time describing my niece, so I thought of using the different colors to sum up every learning we got from my niece, our advices to her as she approaches her teen years, and everything that concerns her and makes her busy. BLUE I am guessing this is her favorite color, because she is fond of selecting or preferring objects of this color. Although my sister want red or pink for my niece, I agree personally that blue is indeed a good color. It symbolizes peace and tranquility. In connection to this, I hope my niece will eventually understand in depth and its real breadth the things within the family that for certain bothers her. It will take time for her comprehens why things are such, and why what she wan...
Read more

7 Reasons Why Many Filipinos are Good Singers

Image
One thing that makes me proud of being Filipino is that there are many good singers in our country. I am not saying that the Philippines has the best singers in the world, but it is obvious that many Filipinos have showed to the world the God-given talent they have. 1. Parents encourage their children to develop their singing talents Children singing old songs and acting as if the song fits them well. Love songs, rock, whatever genre songs maybe Filipino children can sing that. Some even report that children learn humming a melody before able to speak well. Ofcourse, parents are very crucial in the development of this talents. If a talent has been acknowledged at an early age, this provides time for child to improve his or her talent in singing. Watch the newly-launced TV show Voice Kids Philippines. 2. Competition helps produce more good singers The most-watched Television shows in the Philippines are singing competition. Most artists are discovered in these platform...
Read more

World Takes a Pause

Image
As of this writing, the Corona virus is affecting the lives of billions of people in the world. Perhaps, some countries are more affected than others. Europe is now the epicenter of the pandemy, but USA currently is having the most number of new cases. Because cities are closed, and restrictions have been made to reduce human interactions and hamper the spread of the disease. Suddenly, the world is making a pause. Do we get something good out of this? We have to reflect on this situation, so we become better individuals when the pandemy begins to subside. Here are the things we all could have realized in the last few days. We realize what we truly need. Food, water, shelter and protection. Those are what all individual needs. Higher needs include recognition, belongingness and confidence. These higher needs currently seem less relevant when survival is one's utmost concern. These needs are to be met, but no one could require someone to meet them in a way one wants it ...
Read more

Kinishinai: Pillar of Japanese Society

Image
In the bustling streets of Japan, amidst the sea of polite bows and exquisite sushi, lies a cultural gem known as "Kinishinai." This seemingly simple word holds profound significance in Japanese society, encapsulating a mindset that is both endearing and peculiar. This is the focus of this blogpost. Kinishinai, loosely translated as "I don't mind" or "It's okay," embodies the spirit of acceptance and harmony deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. It's not merely a phrase but a way of life, reflecting a collective mindset of tolerance, flexibility, and humility. In Japanese social interactions, Kinishinai serves as a lubricant, smoothing over potential conflicts and fostering a sense of communal tranquility. Whether it's accommodating unexpected changes or graciously accepting imperfections, the philosophy of Kinishinai promotes a harmonious coexistence. Surprisingly, the essence of Kinishinai resonates beyond the shores of Japan,...
Read more

Shikata Ga Nai: New Perspective

Image
The first time I saw this phrase was in Facebook. It caught my eyes because it is associated with being negative but quite common and seemingly normalized. It intrigued me because it somehow compares to the Filipino saying, " Bahala na. " Literally, this Japanese phrase means "nothing can be done about it." This expression has contrasting themes, and this will be the focus of this blogpost. Have dignity in difficult times. Force majeure, a situation beyond our control. This is perhaps a tragedy, calamity or perhaps an accident, economic hardships, or just as simple as an end of a relationship. All of these situations are difficult to handle. However, even these are stress-provoking, we have to maintain dignity in ourselves. Even though one has little or no alternatives left, he or she is expected to accept and endure the pain or consequences in a dignified manner. For example, if one has budgeting deficits, one has to accept to work for long hours. So be...
Read more