WATCH: Stockholm, Sweden


Here is my video on my short trip to Stockholm.


For more blogposts on Stockholm, click the links below.

Stockholm, Sweden Part 1
Stockholm, Sweden Part 2

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular This Week

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

Is it Socialism or Populism?

Image
"Are you confused about the difference between socialism and populism? It's like the difference between giving everyone a small slice of the cake or promising a few people the whole cake. Let's take a closer look!" There are some politicians that are associated with socialism but some would consider them representing the ideology of populism. This is the focus of this blogpost. Allow me to clarify the distinction between populism and socialism. Populism is a political approach that seeks to resonate with the general populace, often challenging the established elites. Populist leaders might make sweeping promises to gain popular support, even if such promises might be challenging to keep in the long run. An instance could be a leader pledging to reduce taxes for all, regardless of the long-term economic implications. On the other hand, to understand socialism, consider this simple analogy: Imagine you have five candies and five children. Your goal is to dis...
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

Noblesse Oblige: A Guiding Principle

Image
Some ideas refuse to disappear, even when the world changes around them. One of them is the French expression Noblesse Oblige. It simply means that privilege comes with responsibility. If life has given you education, opportunity, influence, or success, then you have a duty to use those gifts for something greater than yourself. It is an old idea, perhaps even an unfashionable one, but I think it still deserves a place in the modern world. I have thought about this a lot over the past few years. When I left the Philippines and moved to Norway, I did not arrive with privilege. Like many immigrants, I started almost from the beginning. I had to learn a new language, adapt to a different culture, rebuild my career, and prove myself again. Nothing was handed to me. Every step forward came through long shifts, sacrifices, studying after work, and refusing to give up when life became difficult. Today, I live a life that my younger self could only imagine. ...
Read more

Metanoia: A Journey of Transformation

Image
Imagine a caterpillar undergoing metamorphosis, emerging from its cocoon as a majestic butterfly. This metamorphosis represents metanoia, a process of shedding old limitations and embracing new possibilities. Similarly, in human experience, metanoia manifests as a journey of self-discovery and growth. This is the focus of this blogpost. Metanoia, a term originating from Greek, encapsulates the profound concept of transformative change. It signifies a shift in one's mindset, a deep inner transformation leading to a fundamental change in perspective, beliefs, and behaviors. Examples of metanoia include personal growth. A person stuck in negative thought patterns and self-limiting beliefs can experience metanoia through therapy or self-reflection. They let go of fear and embrace self-compassion, leading to greater confidence and fulfillment. In addition, society often undergoes metanoia, catalyzed by collective movements or paradigm shifts. For instance, the civil rights m...
Read more

7 Things I Can No Longer...

Image
This came a little bit early. But I expected it somehow. But this will be first and perhaps the last time I am going to write about you here. Thank you for over 1000 days of being together. I do not know what to say but these are the things I am feeling in the last few weeks. These are the things I can no longer do. 1. See you with enthusiasm Yes. You were right in the last few months, I see you more as a very good friend. A confidant. However, I saw that as part of the process. A downturn before a possible upswing. I did not see that as a closed chapter not worthy of going back again. There was a time just few days ago, I somehow regained that enthusiasm, but as I have said I do not have to show everything I feel before things are certain. However, now I just have to develop that enthusiasm in me without you. 2. Hold you with passion It was because of the things that happened to me. I wanted to have some space. Because of that, I looked like a person losing passion....
Read more

Andres Bonifacio: 5 Modern Day Learnings and Reflections

Image
Today (November 30) marks the birth anniversary of the known Filipino hero Andres Bonifacio. Many including me are used to hearing Bonifacio's name but never really got to deepen the appreciation and knowledge about him. There were controversies and unresolved issues regarding the motivation, personality and death of Bonifacio; but in this blogpost, the focus would rather be on the learnings we could possibly derive from the story of Bonifacio and how we could reflect on it when applied on our own respective lives. Family and friends first At the age of 14, Bonifacio needed to stop going to private school to support his five other siblings because both their parents died of illness in a duration of a year. Because of this, he earned a living for his family until his siblings had been regularly employed thereafter. On the other hand, by mere impression, Bonifacio treated Rizal as a friend or as an important person of the Filipino revolution. Motivated by this, Bonifacio with his c...
Read more

Solve: Why Math is Hard?

Image
Before I became a nurse, teacher, licensed real estate appraiser, I became first as a mathematics lover. Some consider me a geek then, but I was not, I just simply love the logic of mathematics. Now, I can say my mathematics skills have deteriorated significantly, when I am confronted with numbers, I do not leave my chair not until I somehow figure out what could be the problem. So, why then mathematics is difficult to many of us? Is there something can be done? Mathematics is much more than counting and simple arithmetic. It is a cumulative science in which new results are built upon and depend on earlier results. Humans have accumulated a huge amount of mathematical knowledge – far    more than a person can learn in a lifetime, even if the person spent all of their time studying mathematics. This history perhaps will give us the impression the necessity of mathematics. We may not appreciate the subject, but it useful because without it, the world will end up in chaos,...
Read more

Bullying: A Part of Filipino Culture?

Image
Bullying became a hot topic in Norway today after a young teenager died of emaciation due to eating disorder that was primarily linked to anxiety from bullying at school. This was quite taboo in this Scandinavian country, given the nation is very keen on respecting socio-cultural differences and on protection against any form of discrimination. Discussions have been made on how to handle and prevent bullying and who takes the responsibility in these cases, whether the family, school or the State. Personally, I was not reacting in anyway as my mind says the concept is remote and almost impossible to happen in the Philippines. Perhaps, I was referring it to death, but not to bullying. However, after several days I was quite uneasy on the topic and further asked myself if I was ever bullied before and what it has caused me in the long-term basis. To my surprise, bullying was a crucial point in my childhood. My coping skills allowed me to hide in my consciousness what had happened...
Read more

Det kan du lure på

Image
Når ting forandrer seg vet man ikke Om enten hva betyr noe eller man skal like Ambivalens kan være uro innen hjerte Det føles noe er galt, verre enn smerte Skal man gå videre eller ta et skritt tilbake? Skal satse på noe mer eller raser alt ned sakte Man har noe magefølelse eller mistanker Usikker om ord og handlinger virkelig stemmer Der starter man å tenke hva er det som usant Unødvendige tanker, bortkastet tid, ikke sant? Ironisk for man er nygjerrig men ingen lyst for Å lette etter for svar for hva skjer også hvorfor Av og til er det bra men plutselig snur det da Har man gjort noe ikke nok? Hvorfor? Hva? Tenk når én kan gi alt er det dumt å gjøre slik Da blir det på en måte et slags alvorlig svik Vent bare for den tiden det er du som lurer på Hva har blitt gjort erfarer du deg det likt også Hvorfor ting skjedde, ingen svar, bare stille Alt blir uklare, tåkete og rett og slett ille Vi lever nå, og er det viktigst å bli ivaretatt nok Synlig p...
Read more