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,...
2014 was a year characterized by bold turns in my life. It was a year that I ventured out from my comfort zone. This was a year of humble achievements and hopes for a better 2015. New Plans Since my options were few at the start of the year, I adjusted my plans accordingly. It takes a courage heart to do so but as I gain more experience and resources, I reviewed my previous goals and set my personal objectives high again. There were times I doubted myself if I could achieve something, especially those which are out of my control. But at the end, I found no reason to get distracted such that presently I can say I have almost the same level of optimism with that before I came to Norway. New Jobs The year started with my own search of a new job. It was not easy and very frustrating. I was used to being ask to work before, rather than me finding work for me. It was nearly depressing but I coped well. I just need to accept that not everytime one can get what he or she wants. However, in...
It has been fifteen years since I completed nursing school. I culminated my student days as a Summa Cum Laude at Father Saturnino Urios University in the Philippines. It was a rare academic feat, but I managed to excel inspite of the difficulties I had back then. As I reminisce how it has been, I would like to point out the learnings I had through the years, and this will be the focus of this blogpost. Summa Cum Laude is the highest Latin honor one could get in the university. It does not just mean being the class valedictorian with the highest grade in the batch, but it means possessing a grade considered one of the highest throughout the school's history. In the Philippines, there are very few with Summa Cum Laude honors, and it is extremely rare in Nursing. Yes, I did that. Well, it was unexpected. I was actually expecting at least Cum Laude, the third highest Latin honor. However, some rules were changed, making it less difficult to get Cum Laude such that I was lit...
Happiness seems elusive for many. It is something one can not ask for from anyone. It is felt and sometimes earned. It is not a right that one would require everyone to give, instead it is a privilege that everyone wants. However, the fundamental prerequisite for happiness is something others impose unto others, that is recognition. Recognition of one's presence is the most important aspect to be happy. If others do not appreciate or even one does not realize the importance the meaning of his or her existence, one would never be entirely happy. This is somehow reflected in various life areas, and this is the focus of this blogpost. FAMILY A parent, a sibling or a child must not expect the other family member to actively make one happy by giving recognition. To be appreciated is something what everyone expects in a family. It is considered by some the one of the functions of a family, but this does not tell about what everyone in the family should do. Recognition is a ideal stand...
Soon, I would mark my sixth year of living in Norway. It is difficult to sum up the past six years in few words. A lot of things I have experienced, and many people I have encountered. At least, I could say I have learned a lot during this period. However, what makes it more challenging for me as an immigrant in Norway is the contrast in cultures and social norms between my home country, the Philippines and Norway. Both countries were ranked high in different survey of happiness, depending on how happiness is defined on these surveys. And this concept of happiness is reflected in the norms in both countries. In this blogpost, I would enumerate ten of these cultural differences. 1. Love for nature I could say that both Philippines and Norway have been blessed with beautiful landscapes. Philippines is known for its beaches, while Norway has fjords giving way to beautiful unique sceneries not found in other countries. However...
2010s has been a special decade for me personally. It has made me realize who I am and the virtues that are important for me. These virtues have influenced how I decide on things, how I solve problems and how I socialize with people around me. This decade is the beginning of my adult life. How unique this decade has been will be the interest of this blogpost, which will be divided into five sections. Working This decade was about me working like there was no tomorrow. There were there 3 working period in this decade: 1. Working to be recognized To be recognized is the ultimate goal of the early phase of this decade. I was struggling to be relevant at all times. That was exhausting because I easily learned I actually did not need to do that. I knew I had something to offer to others. I can do the work I am given, and I do not need recognition just to convince myself I did a good job. 2. Working to survive Survival was the goal after I moved to Norway. It was th...
Emotions affect the way one think, which in turn affects all the things that happen to someone. I have always believed on this. Since I was very young, I developed gradually the process of becoming "emotionless". Is this possible? How could this affect one and decisions in life? Subjectivity is a term that relates to emotions. When we become so happy, we feel too elated that we want the feeling to linger more. Some even think that being happy may cause one to worry for something sad that may happen afterwards. I was once part of these few people, who believed on the temporary nature of happiness. Now, no more I believe on this, for becoming successful involves one to believe that life of abundance is possible. This can only be achieved if one focuses on goals in life and repeats this continuously in the mind, regardless on, whether it may be possible or not. Unfortunately, extreme focus is not an easy task. This involves one to be very objective on things, leading to ...
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...
We have so much to do, so limited time, but so little things accomplished. Yet, we still feel bored. Isn't that a paradox? People get easily bored. Sometimes, even the most exciting and adventurous among us can find ourselves feeling a little bit bored. But hey, that's okay - boredom can actually be a good thing! First, let's talk about the signs that you're bored. Maybe you're scrolling through social media for the hundredth time today, or you've resorted to counting the tiles on your ceiling. Perhaps you're watching paint dry or taking extra long bathroom breaks just to pass the time. Whatever the case may be, if you're feeling uninterested, restless, or just plain blah, you might be bored. Boredom has always been a part of human life, but it seems like we're hearing more and more about it these days. With the prevalence of smartphones and social media, people are increasingly complaining about being bored. However, is modern bo...
There are things and situations that could potentially affect us but are either intentionally made unaware from us or by chance we get not to know them. These somehow could may help us in a way, but the fact that these are still attempts to hide the truth creates a pressing dilemma. Is it better to remain ignorant on hard truth or is it better to know everything, including all that could potentially harm us. What are the implications is the focus of this blogpost. Out of sight. Out of mind . What we see, know and we experience are the grearest source of stress. It is generally impossible to control what we perceive that could lead for us to feel stressful or anxious. Furthermore, this stress is itself the major influence on how individuals act and decide. This is because people avoid all measures that could lead to stress and ofcourse would prefer to take the alternatives that provide opportunities and benefits. It is therefore somehow advantageous if one got not to know things that ...
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