Grow your own mini garden

Our herb and spices corner garden

When we were young, we had a big backyard garden full of fruit-bearing trees, sugar canes, and vegetables patches including squash, ampalaya, and eggplant. The canal by an old well grew a healthy shrubbery of kangkong and talbos ng kamote. Sometimes, when we dug holes when playing  marbles, we would come up with clumps of sweet potatoes.

The fruit-bearing trees were the main focus of our playtime. For our bahay-bahayan, we would grab the fruits as snacks and declare their thick branches our home. If we we were feeling a bit adventurous, we would make a cauldron of spices using all the flowers, veggies and weeds that we could pick all around us. For us, the garden is just a playground.

Looking back, I realized how lucky we were to have that garden. It was not only because we had a big place to roam around but we also saved a lot of money as we used the spices, veggies and fruits we could get from our garden. Once, a cousin and I even bunched a few kangkong stems  together and sold them in the palengke near our place for extra income!

Now, a big backyard is not the most important requirement if you are interested to start a garden of your own. For a mini garden, all you need is patience, time and of course, a little space!

Read more.

DIY: Garden Label Sticks

Okay, this post might not be too relevant in our part of the world as it's autumn now; but for those of you who are still busy in the garden, you might want to try this: your very own garden label sticks.

This idea came to mind because we cut down some trees; we separated the bigger branches and the smaller ones which we plan to use for our grill. And while doing that sorting, my girls, who got bored, started carving into some branches. And the garden labels sticks were born :-)

Materials needed to create your own garden label sticks:

The garden labels made from tree branches

Materials needed to create your own garden label sticks:

- enough branches as needed

- a knife

- paint brushes

- a pair of pruning shears

- paints (we used watercolors, which lasted the whole summer despite the rain)

here's what we need: enough branches, knife, paints, paint brushes, pruning shears  

How to make a garden label stick:

More Harvests

Harvest time is here!

Mini radish is our first harvest.

Oh, and this year, my husband and I decided to have an assortment of plants our backyard. Aside from the usual fruit-bearing trees we have (cherries, yellow plums, greengage, apples, peach, etc) we have also added more vegetables, herbs and spices.

That means, we had more work in the backyard. We had to create more space for the plants. We had to water them more. We had more weeds to pull. But when it is time to harvest, we are glad for the hard work!

Pechay (or Chinese cabbage) and lettuce are ready, but the carrots need time.

We are already enjoying coriander and other herbs and spices such as parsley, dill,  basil and  mint leaves.

Zucchini

Those Cloth Bags

In Germany, you don't get free plastic bags or paper bags if you buy groceries in most local stores. You have to buy them. It would cost 10 zents up to an Euro per piece.

Why would you want to pay extra for those bags if you have enough bags at home, right? So we normally bring our own bags when we shop.

Those ubiquituos cloth bags that are the popular give-aways during Christmas time and anniversaries of stores. Those practical cloth bags that are washable. Those mostly cream-colored bags that you could keep folded when not needed.

We have lots of them and we keep them around, easy to reach. Always there.

We keep them in the trunk of our car. I have one in my bag. My girls have a piece each in their school bags. I still might even have a folded one in my winter coat!

Now, what do you do if you forgot your cloth bag? Do you buy a plastic bag?

Of course not. Use those sturdy empty boxes inside the supermarket. They usually have them near the cashier area. If there's not one available, then simply check out the supermarket and you would always find an almost empty box that you could use. Please don't forget to be orderly in clearing the bag you chose, though.

And now for the picture of bags in this post.

Those are Philippine-made cloth bags promoting the products of the different regions in the country. Those bags are sturdy and spacious. And those bags costed only less than a hundred pesos each.

So I grabbed almost a dozen of them and gave them out as a souvenir to friends in Germany of our trip in the Philippines.

Yes, cloth bags are great gift ideas, too. Yes, they are practical but they look good and sturdy; and most of all they are not bulky nor heavy compared to other souvenirs.

Our Halloween Decors From the Garden

Lots of talks about global crisis. Lots of talks about financial problems. Lots of talks about saving money.

Well, by being creative and resourceful, you could already save loads of money. Just like with seasonal decors. It is nearly October and it is Hallowen time.

Therefore, we need to decorate a bit, or more, depending on what we would find in the garden and what we would stumble upon in our regular walks into the woods.

The kids have started collecting nuts, dried leaves and branches -- while my husband and I already harvested squash and corns. Enough to create an attractive Halloween display. Of course, we hauled our old and dependable Halloween decors out, too.

Last but not the least, there would be lighted candles on the Halloween night to attract the trick or treaters.

As for the Halloween costumes, the girls would stick to the black and white do-it-yourself shirts and muck-up ;-D. You see, Halloween for them means scary so those princess and glittery costumes does not count at all. (Although they did wear their princess costumes in the Philippines in 2009 but that's because they cannot believe that they are allowed to go trick-or-treating when the sun's still shining.)

Attempted Break-ins

Twice, in more than a month actually.

The first time, my husband and I woke up at around 2 am because the neigborhood dogs were barking in frenzy; which doesnt normally happen. My husband looked out of our window, facing the street, and he saw someone jumping from the empty lot beside our house. He went down and checked, there were no disturbances within our perimeter; so we went back to sleep.

We reported the incident in the morning and were told that we should call the security guard on duty on that same hour that it happened.

The next time last week; our housemaid was surprised to see a dress which was supposed to be hanging at the back -- lying in the front gate. That was when she noticed that the front gate was wide open. And when she went around the house, she saw evidence that somebody attempted to get into our house.

By that time, I was already up and she called me in a voice filled with fright. I saw that the screen in one of the windows were already damaged and that they used my Nordic walking stick, to lift the wooden lock in our sliding door! I think they were disturbed by something or someone because they flee.

I woke my husband before I went to the security guard to report the incident. And to my surprise, I also saw a police car roaming around! It turned out that another house, in the next street; were ransacked early morning. All their important belongings were taken; the good thing is that nobody from the family woke up thus nobody was hurt.

Police investigators came and went into our house. We informed our girls on what happened. We showed them the damages and explained to them the implications. They were alarmed, but a little excited seeing the policemen going in and out.

But we also told them, that from now on; we would have important changes imposed.

- Double checking on the doors and windows before sleeping
- Regularly checking that all windows and doors are functioning properly, meaning we could close them tightly
- Never inform anyone that you are alone at home
- Always leave certain outdoor places well-lighted
- Keep important telephone numbers within reach (now we have them plastered in the living room, in the kitchen, in all the bedrooms)
- We bought a dog!

In our neighborhood, we also talked to the homeowner's association which agreed about the following:
- unscheduled early morning walks together (just a phone call a day or two to inform them)
- an extra guard at night that would roam around
- a fund raising campaign to buy CCTV cameras
- exchanging phone numbers
- immediate reports when someone noticed something dubious
- be more aware of each other's guard dogs' disturbances at night and early morning
- regular perimeter checking, to immediately report damaged fences

You could see the group effort and the spirit of volunterism in our small community. That may not be enough to completely stop the crime, but with our same goal to keep our village safe -- we have started to form friendship.

We're off cleaning a beach shore!

It is 3:51 in the morning, I am already up. I need to finish a writing project because I am starting a new project.

In a few hours, I would wake up the whole household.

We are going to the beach. This time, not only to relax and bum around; this time we have a purpose; this time are have no space for all the rubber duckies and shovels and beach toys, this time I wont bring a book, this time we are going to work, this time we have a car full of cleaning materials!

We are off to the Dulong Buhanging Beach in Mulanay, Quezon to clean its shore!

We were in Mulanay, Quezon; a province around 300 kilometers away from Manila, the Philippine capital. Mulanay, Quezon is a coastal town with a population of 50,000.

We realized we need to do something when we visited the place two months ago on a whim; with an eenzy, weenzy goal. We dropped by the beach and boy, we had a great time! The thing is, if you forget what you would first see before reaching the beach; you would really enjoy the place.

The usual thing: dirty beach shore, with broken glasses almost everywhere you step! It was not a nice thing to see.

In fact, my girls were the ones who opened my eyes and gave me the idea. Always being warned to watch their step -- as a result, both of them were very meticulous on how to move around when in a strange place and particularly on a beach shore, we were picking up debris and broken glasses before we knew it!

When we reluctantly left the area after a short but unforgettable visit, at first, we wanted it to be just a family project. Visiting shores and cleaning up, just like that. And then somebody said we could ask the city officials to help our, or even ask for sponsors.

Well, why not? After all, there are a lot of shores to clean. And this is just the initial stage.

So our family project, turned into an advocacy. To make a better place for the future generation.

Presenting, our first

Renew and Re-Green Project -- at the Dulong Buhangin Beach in Mulanay, Quezon.

In cooperation with the Mulanay, Quezon city officials led by Mayor Prudencio Maxino Jr., City Engr. Delio de Leon, its SK group -- with the generous sponsorships of:

Pilipinas Shell, Pepsi-Cola, at Clorox Phils. Intl.

The International Filipino, the newspaper for Filipino OFWs and migrant workers and Deutsch Resources Management Inc.

Wish us luck!

Trees have feelings, too!

While on a long drive to the province last week, MC was bewildered by the many posters plastered all over the walls and the street posts, hanging on trees branches and stapled on the stems of the plants and trees.

She said, 'Mama, why are they doing those things?'

I told her that it is election time. They placed those posters for people to know who to vote.

She said again, 'Mama, don't they know that trees have feelings, too? It is painful for them when those posters are nailed or stapled on their stems and branches.'

I told her she's right. The juices of the trees would flow when they do that, and that would be their tears.

She said once more, 'How could the trees talk to them to let them know that it hurts?'

I told her that when the wind blows and the trees would sway to the wind, you would hear them talking. It would be up to you to interpret what they are saying.

To which MC added, ' You see, I am sure they would say, please stop hurting us.'

How much carbon dioxide does my blog create?

I got mail. And it was something that's already been peaking my interest because I am really for saving the environment for the future of my children and it goes on and on; I have started with working on renewable or alternative energy projects. Stumbling on organization such as Kaufda.de is a lucky bonus. Thus, it got me so excited, I am going to share it to you -- word per word!

Hi Raquel,

I just stumbled over your blog http://www.homeworked.blogspot.com - nice work!

I am part of a young team in Germany, working for an initiative called "Make it green!". Our goal is to contribute our part in reducing the carbon footprint by raising awareness of the severe environmental damage caused by carbon emissions . One of our activities is to raise awareness of the carbon emissions resulting from the use of the internet - specifically of blogs. A blog with 15,000 visits a month has a yearly carbon dioxide emissions of 8lb. To neutralise these emissions we have created "My blog is carbon neutral" buttons so bloggers can demonstrate that they care about the environment and the carbon footprint of their blogs. We present them a small but nontheless worthy solution to contribute to environmental issues. Our idea is to show possibilities to make a contribution to protect the environment.

To find out how you can participate please visit http://www.kaufda.de/umwelt/carbon-neutral/how-you-can-join

And how do we actually neutralize your blog's carbon footprint? We are planting trees in cooperation with the Arbor Day Foundation in Plumas National Forest in Northern California for our project to neutralize the carbon footprint of blogs. Thousands of wildfires burned down many national forests over the past ten years and 88.000 acres of Plumas' were destroyed by two fires in 2007. To help replanting we need the support of bloggers all over the world! For every participating blog we plant a tree. One blog - one tree.

Why do we do this? We are a German based company called kaufDA, which provides advertisement brochures of local stores online to help consumers search for specific products and find good deals in their neighborhood. This reduces the amount of brochures printed and so the project helps the environment by reducing unnecessary paper in mailboxes. An American on average receives 41 pounds of junk mail per year. This has the same carbon footprint as burning six gallons of gasoline.

We'd be glad to plant your tree! Help us and show that you care! Every tree counts!


Best wishes from Germany,

Christin

"Make it green!"-team

Make your blog carbon neutral! For free!
Being part of the initiative “My blog is carbon neutral” is an active contribution to help the environment! All you have to do is described here. Make it happen - make it green!

“My blog is carbon neutral” is an initiative, originally started in Germany by the “Make it green” programme, that has the goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. We plant a tree for your blog and thereby neutralise your blog’s carbon footprint for the next 50 years! Everyone can make a small contribution to the environment. Every tree counts!

I am signing up because I want to have a tree planted for my blog, and for my other blogs, too. I do want a greener future! Join us, too!

Opportunities in Renewable Energy

Slowly but surely, I am going back to being a working mom.

The first project I worked on is something that is very close to my heart because it means helping mother nature. I am talking about opportunities for renewable or alternative energy.

And here's an invite for all of you who are in the Philippines and in Thailand:

The Philippines in 2008 became the first Asean country to enact a milestone renewable energy law, which mandated both renewable portfolio standards and feed-in tariffs for wind, solar, biomass, small hydro, and ocean power. The RENEWABLES GLOBAL STATUS REPORT cited the Philippines as one of only 46 countries with such law in 2009.

Just last month, February, the Department of Energy (DOE) awarded 112 service contracts for the development of renewable energy sources, with investments expected to reach as much as P66.8 billion. The 112 service contracts are expected to generate a combined 2,264.1 megawatts (MW) in additional capacities. The latest contract signing brought to 206 the number of service contracts that have been awarded by the DOE since 2009.

To keep the momentum going, private companies will need to sustain the continuous inflow of technology and investments in the renewable energy sector. It would really help if we can also learn and tap into the strengths of other Asean countries. Philippines is number one in geothermal, but Thailand is the biggest producer of ethanol in Asean, Indonesia the leader in hydropower and so on.

All of these: technology sourcing, finding of potential investment partners, sharing of experience and exploration of business opportunities in the whole of Asean will be presented at a seminar on “Opportunities in Renewable Energy.” The presentation is a preview of the full exhibition Renewable Energy Asia, set for 2-5 June 2010, in Bangkok, Thailand.

We wish to invite you and your organisation to this presentation to be held on 27 April 2010, 3-6 pm, Makati Shangri-la Hotel.

The seats are limited so please confirm your attendance per email (raquel.erhard@gmail.com) or call/text 0915-3305977.

This is for a greener future!

The Village Cleaners

Driving home after a visit to their playmate, MC looked out of the windows and shook her head.

'Papa, the world is not beautiful anymore,' she said. Not only my husband was curious but all of us inside the car; we also glanced outside.

We saw garbage all over and sort of agreed with her.

'Why could people not throw their garbage in the trash cans?,' she continued. 'I also saw people in our village throwing something on the streets.'

IC also pointed out that the vacant lots are being used as a garbage area. 'It is yucky,' she smirked.

We applauded both girls for being aware of proper garbage disposal. We have disciplined them that if they couldnt find a trash can, they simply give it to me or to my husband. I admit, my bag is one garbage bin :D

My husband and I decided to challenge the kids with the following suggestions:

- start talking to people you see throwing junk on the street and tell them it is wrong
- tell your friends to dispose of their garbage properly
- ask our village officers to install garbage bins in busy areas
- declare yourselves as the village cleaners
- start a project to keep our village clean
- ask the help of the adults
- keep the discipline instilled in you that if you dont see a trash can, you keep it in your pocket or give it to mama and papa to dispose of

Well, both girls agreed with enthusiasm. In fact, they added the following ideas, too:

- papa should collect money from the people caught throwing junk on the street
- we should inform them who doesnt follow their rules as village cleaners just in case they missed on someone
- they will draw warnings for people and paste them around the village
- they will ask another friend who properly disposes of her garbage to join in the project

After the list was made, the girls got themselves plastic bags and used gloves to collect the junk in the vacant lot beside our house. They found cigarette butts.

They know the culprit, too. Our driver.

Guess who got a lecture and was fined by the girls that afternoon :D

Watch out, the village cleaners are on the move!

Mama, we need to save water

Ofter fetching the kids from school, IC suddenly stopped complaining about the sun blinding her on her seat in the car and blurted out.

'Mama, we need to save water. If we use too much water now, it might leave the earth empty of water when we are older,' she emphasized.

We all nodded in agrement with her and asked her to continue talking.

She further explained that this morning in pre-school workshop, they were talking about the importance of water in our body and the world. Water is needed by the water to keep it healthy. Water is needed by the world to keep all healthy. And most of all, water is needed so that everybody would be clean.

She added, 'we cannot go to the beach if there is no more water.'

Then it rained. I heard her and her sister getting ready to shower in the rain to save water. And while they were doing that, I told them to fill the water drum with rain water as a reserve.

I dont have to tell them that water, rainwater, adds fun to play, too. :D

Leptospirosis

the kids' first adventure in floodwater

The Department of Health in the Philippines warns the public on leptospirosis after the floodings in Manila.

With the recent spate of flooding in the country, the cases of leptospirosis rises and this is a cause for concern.

I am ashamed to admit that I havent heard of 'leptospirosis' until a few months after arriving in Manila. The first time that the house we were renting got flooded (see photo above); we treated the flood as an adventure. I even let the kids play, collect trash floating around (my eldest told me the trash would prevent the water from receeding) and let them experience 'flood.'

And then when I was proudly showing the photos to friends; a doctor mentioned to me about leptospirosis. He said it is very dangerous to let people wad in floodwater because of this condition.

Leptospirosis is caused by swallowing the bacteria directly from water, absorbing it through cuts in the skin, or through food. Although the disease is commonly associated with rat urine, infection can also come from animals like cattle, pigs, horses, dogs, and wild animals. The bacteria live in freshwater and are killed immediately by heat, disinfectant, acids and alkalis.

The disease’s incubation period is seven to 12 days after exposure. Symptoms may appear suddenly as early as four days after exposure, or as late as 21 days. Common signs and symptoms are flu-like and include fever, a red skin rash and general weakness. Headaches, reaction to light, muscle and joint pains, vomiting, and fatigue are also common. Incubation period may last up to a month. Death may also occur.

Anyone with a history of wading in floodwaters and who has the symptoms of the disease should consult the nearest doctor or health facility for treatment immediately.

Other guidelines to prevent the disease are as follows:
- All drinking water should be brought to a rolling boil for at least five minutes and preferably up to 20 minutes.
- Fresh vegetables and fruits should be washed in clean water before cooking or peeling
- Use protective gears like rubber boots and gloves if you want to wade in floodwaters
- Make sure that all things (furnitures, appliances, etc) that were under floodwaters are thoroughly soaped and washed

---

The typhoons that damaged a part of the Philippines left a lot of people displaced: Now I am using my blog to let you know that there are many schools rendered 'useless' by the typhoon; thus there is the Adopt-a-School Program. There are more than 100 schools who need help such as notebooks, pens and pencils, papers, etc... Or you could email me for more information at die_erhards@yahoo.de

MANILA, Philippines — The Inquirer is publishing the list of Metro Manila public schools damaged by Tropical Storm “Ondoy.” The Inquirer hopes that benefactors will rush to help meet the urgent needs of these places of learning for the nation’s children.
Please adopt a school now. To find out how to do so, please contact Inquirer Learning editor Chelo Banal Formoso at 897-8808 to 09 local 399, (Sun) 0922-8182942, (Smart) 0918-3824061. Here are the list of schools: click

What the flood taught us

The girls tend to go back to the day of the big flood that damaged our house.

Sometimes they reminisce with tearful excitement; sometimes they reminisce with sadness; sometimes they reminisce with teasing laughters. When they usually start doing those reminiscing, I am always there to listen to them.

Everytime they pluck out their memories, I always ask them what the flood taught them; here are their list:

1. The floodwater is dirty; they should wash properly if they wadded in floodwater esp. as they saw different things floating around.

2. The rainwater is good, but too much rainwater is dangerous; especially to those living near body of water. Our former house is beside a creek.

3. When the floodwater receeds, the water and the mud left would be slippery.

4. Water leaves marks all over. Their swing and their toys were already washed but we could see the blemishes.

5. All things that were under water should be washed and soaped or else they would smell bad.

6. We should not cry over damaged things, they are only things and they could be replaced.

7. What should go to the garbage should go to the garbage. No compromise.

8. Big and heavy things do float and flips over. Just like our ref. (see photo above)

9. It was not good that mama was not there when it was happening; the most important thing is that we are together as a family.

The Flood

I havent officially announced it in my blog, but because of the flood; I am now.

We have been living in the Philippines last June because as my husband said, 'he saw a better future with the kids there instead of Germay.'

As a good wife, I didnt disagree. As for the kids, they agreed as they see more opportunities to play with their loads of cousins in Manila; and they are excited to go into a school with a swimming pool.

And then the flood. It happened yesterday morning. I was unfortunately out of the house as my sister, my mom and an aunt wanted to visit a cousin who's confined in a hospital.

We left before 9 am; but before reaching our destination, it rained very hard and the streets were full of water. We managed to find a parking area in a restaurant.

Meanwhile, at home, my husband and my two kids, with our housemaid were in panic because the water was coming inside our house fast. I called up some people to ask for help at home.

Help came but the floodwater's faster. The whole first floor's been damaged: all furnitures and appliances.

To be continued...

A Call to Unite for RP

And this is a challenge for my fellow Filipinos all over the world to unite to help our country be a better place to live in, a wonderful place to visit. I know we all have different reasons why we left the country. Thus, you might want to read thru this letter by Harvey Keh and simply choose what you could comfortably contribute...

Dear Fellow Filipinos,

Good day to all of you!

Recently, I came across an article which talks about the main reasons why India is slowly but surely growing into a world power with a fast developing economy. One of the major reasons cited by the article is the fact that many Indians who have left to study, work or live abroad have now started to go back and help their country through various means. In an interview that I watched at CNN, many Indian youth have expressed that they want to study or work abroad just like Filipinos but the only difference is they see themselves coming back after
a few years to bring back what they learned to help their country.

As I thought about this, I realized that we can learn much from the Indians. Imagine if every Filipino working or living abroad would just do his or her own small share towards helping our country, then I think in a few years we could also expect that our country would grow and not be left behind by our Asian neighbors like Vietnam, Thailand, China and India. I thought of suggesting some easy ways that Filipinos living abroad can help our country and I hope that you will consider doing some of these suggestions to help our Philippines:

Volunteer your time, talents and skills. Yes, you can volunteer for Philippine based Non Profit Organizations or foundations even if you are abroad. How? By doing things over the internet. For example, many Non-Profits need accountants who can help them fix up their financials or if you are good at designing websites or promotional materials, you can also offer your services to help promote the causes that the Non-Profits are currently working on. Another thing needed by non-profits here is to promote their cause to Filipinos abroad, you can volunteer your time to be their overseas Filipino champion who can help them reach many more Filipinos living abroad. Just think about what you can do and I’m sure there are a lot of foundations who would be happy to receive help from you.

Be an AHON Foundation Coordinator. AHON Foundation helps build public elementary school libraries all over the Philippines. Recently, DHL agreed to support AHON by agreeing to ship books in good condition from the mainland United States to the Philippines for free! However, we would need coordinators who can help us organize a book drive, collect books in their areas and be a pick-up point for DHL. U.S. Libraries and schools usually change their books every 3 years and I’m sure there are so many good books that Filipino students can still use if we can just bring them here in the Philippines. If you are interested to be an AHON Foundation Coordinator in the U.S., please email Donna Odra at dmodra@yahoo.com or you can visit our site at http://null/xml/deref?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ahonfoundation.blogspot.com.

Invest in the Philippines. I recently learned from a friend that a sure sign that the economy is growing is the fact that there is a property boom. Looking at newspapers, you can see condominiums, townhouses and subdivisions being developed left and right. Moreover, my friend tells me that by investing in real estate property, you not only help provide jobs to those who build the condominiums but a multiplier effect happens since you also provide jobs to suppliers of cement, steel and other materials used to develop property. Of course there are investments scams and shams thats why you need to check first before you invest, it might be good to ask your relatives who live here to check so that you don’t rely on just what you see over the internet.

Blog Good Things about the Philippines. With so many free blog sites available, its now very easy to develop and maintain a blog. Imagine if all of us during our free time become the pseudo-Tourism secretary and create and maintain a blog that would showcase nice things, places and people in the Philippines, we would be able to easily market the Philippines as a beautiful place to visit for foreigners. This will also counteract the notion that the Philippines is unsafe and unsanitary. Moreover, lets show that our country is not just a place for foreigners to find mail to order brides or domestic helpers. Through our own blogs lets showcase what it is to be truly Filipino. Once you are finished with developing and updating your blog, email an invitation to view it to all your friends especially to those who don’t know much about the Philippines. Hopefully, the next time someone Googles the Philippines, he would read about how beautiful our country and its people is and would feel that he would miss half of his life if he didn’t find the time to visit our country.

Sponsor a poor Filipino Scholar. I know this sounds like a cliche but by investing in education, the effects are tremendous. By supporting a well-deserving but financially disadvantaged Filipino Scholar, you not only help him finish his education but you also help his present family and future family. In short, by helping a Filipino youth finish college there is a multiplier effect that happens since you now provide him with a better opportunity to find a good job that would in turn help him provide a better life to his or her present family and eventually his future family. By giving the gift of quality education, you help solve poverty not by just one person at a time but by one family at a time. How much does it cost to help a Filipino youth to finish college? Just US $500.00 a year or less than US $ 2.00 a day. If you want to help, just email Pathways to Higher Education-Philippines at snubla@ateneo.edu or you can visit our site at http://null/xml/deref?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pathwaysphilippines.org

Visit the Philippines. I remember when I was flying back home from Hong Kong last year, my seatmate in the plane was a Filipino who has lived in L.A. for the past 35 years of his life and not one single time did he ever find the chance to visit the Philippines in those 35 years. He was very excited and I told him that many has changed since then, that’s why every chance that I get to meet a Filipino living abroard I strongly encourage them to visit the Philippines since you not only get a renewed sense of nationalism but by visiting you also get to see how many things we can still do to help our country. If you solely rely on what you see on the internet or what you watch through TFC, Pinoy TV or the Mabuhay Channel, this wouldn’t be enough for you to really understand what is happening in our country. In the economic side of this, by visiting you spend money in the Philippines which then helps prop up the economy and provide more employment to Filipinos. And of course, I’m sure your relatives would love to see you again and prepare a small feast of adobo, lechon and sinigang for you… so don’t wait for 30 years! The Philippines would certainly welcome you back with open arms

Mentor a Filipino Youth Online. A good friend of mine based in Koronadal City, South Cotabato started a few years back a very innovative online mentoring system by which Filipinos living and working abroad could help impart good advice to Filipino College students and serve as their mentor to guide them in making their decisions and in charting a good path in life. The mentoring happened online through emails and chats, now you can even talk to each other through Skype or even Yahoo Messenger. If you have the time and wisdom to share with our Filipino youth, you may want to consider being an Online Mentor and help ensure that the Filipino youth of today will achieve a better and brighter future. If you would like to be a mentor or learn more about this program, you can email Jing Ureta at mc_ureta@yahoo.com or personnel@ndmu.edu.ph.

Teach your children the language and culture of the Philippines. A few months ago, I met a couple who migrated to Australia 15 years ago and started their family there. When I talked to their children who grew up there and were 8 and 10 years old already, I was amazed that they could speak fluent Tagalog and they really knew so many things about the Philippines. They even knew how to sing the Philippine National Anthem despite the fact that it was only their first time to visit the country. I hope that many Filipino families would also teach their children our culture and heritage so that they can grow up with a sense of Filipino identity wherever they may go. Its very hard to teach someone to love the Philippines and contribute to nation-building if he wasn’t raised up to believe that he is a Filipino in the first place.

Send this email to your friends who work or live abroad. In my encounters and talks with Filipinos living or working abroad, they have always told me that they really want to help and be part of nation-building but they just don’t know how. Now, through this email we can help by presenting some concrete ways by which Filipinos can keep in touch with our country and be part of our efforts to make this nation great again. I’ve always believed that by doing one good small thing at a time, great things can eventually happen!

I have started my drive to help by posting this letter. Try to do more by linking the words 'Philippines' and 'country' to www.wowphilippines.com.ph. And of course, the words 'Filipinos' to the www.filipinaimages.com or other websites that create a positive image of the Filipinos. Now I promise to blog once a week about how beautiful our country is. Meanwhile, my kids are continuing their journey into the Tagalog language and is learning about our culture and language almost daily through my stories and their books. And we plan to make the Philippines our home in the future. Of course, we visit the Philippines regularly... I cant wait to go home this February!

Mama, Look!

We've got a house guest, a peacock butterfly, who stayed for two days. At first, the kids were scared seeing this fluttering thing inside the house; but they cant resist the excitement when they saw the colorful wings. I told them to simply look and enjoy this beautiful creature.

We tried to bring it outside during the first day but it wont fly into the direction of the open windows. The kids wanted to shoo it away, but I told them, to let the butterfly relax, too. Well, they did. Both kids were for the first time, quiet for the longest hour, they wanted to just look. They admired the butterfly in silent wonder.

On the second day, MC asked her Papa to help it fly out of the window. She knows that for the butterfly to survive, we must bring it outdoors. I dont dare touching it, I am afraid that it would crumble between my fingers. It looks so gentle and so fragile.

It took a few minutes before my husband could successfully bring it out. It simply clung to him for a bit there. The kids were sad that the butterfly is gone; but they are hopeful that they would see it alive, real soon.

The Plastic Bag

My husband got the shock of his life.

While buying jogging pants for the kids a few weeks ago, we went to a discount store near us. We found out what we're looking for in a few minutes.

My husband took charge of paying. I was standing beside him when the cashier asked him if he wanted a plastic bag for his purchases and he said 'yes.'

Oh, I was amused and tried to hide a smile. We didnt buy a lot, we could easily carry the things between us. But I let him do his thing.

As his usual practice, with the receipt in the hands, he checked that the cashier got the prices right, while walking to the car. And then he stopped in the middle of his stride and exploded, 'what! I had to pay for the plastic bag?'

Aha, that was why he nodded when the cashier asked him if he wanted a plastic bag. He wasnt aware that he must pay for it. And here I was thinking he is suddenly soo generous! Of course, he accosted me about it. Hey, it is not my fault! I told him I thought he knew that he must pay for the bag. And to leave me alone in my laughter, hehe! I had to tease him, too, my shame-faced and already pikon love!

He actually thought about returning the bag to the store, really! I told him he can do it but I wont go back with him inside. He let it go after thinking about it for a full minute! Back home, he told me to keep the bag in a safe place. Never to throw it away. He said he may want to see it sometimes to remind him how stupid he was!

P.S. We usually bring our own washable bags and baskets whenever we do our grocery shopping here in environment friendly-Germany and in most of Europe; we need to pay extra for the plastic bags. The big department stores provide the shopping bags free, but with the discount shops, you need to pay extra.

Thunderstoms and a Brown-out

Photo: The fire trucks in action.

'We are going to get a thunderstorm tonight,' that was the forecast. No bother. Kids were already too sleepy at eight that night.

Just as the sand man came to them, big drops of rain battered the window pane. I had to run around the house and close most windows. Then, the brown-out. I wouldnt notice it, as it is still light outside, but I happened to glance at our phone charger and the red blinking light was off.

My husband was already in the cellar checking if water is already seeping in -- good thing, it was dry down there. He's got a flashlight ready, too.

We left both terrace doors open, as it was really too hot despite the rain. The carpet got a bit wet because the wind was so strong. That was the least of our problems. Because I also got a glimpse of the garden furnitures and the cushions -- with their covers blown away. Oh yeah, what can we do? Nothing. It felt like an hour or so passed, but that wasnt the case. The brown-out was over in a few minutes, five at least. And the downpour changed into a drizzle after 10 mins.

The kids are still sleeping peacefully. Already in our sleeping attire, my husband and I went out to check the damage done. The garden furnitures are all wet and in shambles. Moisture seeped into the cellar, there's a few centimeter of water in the basement -- and the fire trucks are in the neighborhood!

Apparently, a cellar was flooded. The firemen needed to pump the water out. Across the street, a garage was flooded. They needed to bring three well maintained and well loved motorbikes out. No damages, the young man yelled at our questions. People like us, are out in the street. Mostly in their night attire, ready to bed -- but that didnt stop them for giving a hand. Good to know!