My Christmas Gift

I have been going out with a very nice Mexican-Swiss. It is very cool to say that he is a singer for a jazz band. How butch!

But then I am really happy when I am with him. I feel relaxed and I do not feel like he is hiding anything from me.

I met him on Christmas Eve so he must be my ultimate Christmas gift. Oh by the way, he is the very first man who has given me a rose. He is so sweet.

This means I have to consider going to Switzerland next year.

First Christmas outside of the Philippines

I was thinking of my family the whole Christmas Eve. I miss the gathering, the misa de gallo, rice cakes, lanterns and the energy of Filipinos at this time of the year. I also miss my mother's homemade ham, the gift-giving, our old Christmas tree and the warmth of my home in Manila.

Here you can see Christmas trees and other decors but you will not feel anything. There is no warmth. There is no meaning. There is no feeling. There's nothing. These are only for tourists but they cannot mask the artificiality of all.

But then surprisingly, I enjoyed my Christmas Eve last night. I met a new man and some of my new friends here.

I cannot mention names right now but I will in the future. It is just amazing how I enjoyed this Christmas Eve in a way I did not expect. Romance can go a long way it seems.

I still miss the Christmas I am accustomed to in the Philippines.

Manderlay

I am a fan of Lars von Trier. I know that most sequels suck but I think the US trilogy is supposed to be a trilogy. The first one is Dogville with Nicole Kidman.

Although Manderlay is not as strong as Dogville, the message is very different and equally intriguing. I just never thought that slavery can be presented this way. I will not write anything more for those who have not seen the movie yet.

I miss Nicole Kidman. I do not know why she is not in this sequel. I cannot wait to watch the last installment.

Oh by the way, can anyone tell me if Isaach De Bankolé's dick is really blurred in the cinematic release?

Koh Samet: my first beach in Thailand

I was in Koh Samet from December 12 to 14. I went there by myself and it was my first Thai beach. All in all, I enjoyed it and might go back there next year.









There are lots of animals on the island. The most noticeable ones are the dogs because they keep some of the residents awake at night. They are very friendly though.











Koh Samet is a volcanic island so it was very interesting to see the rock formation. I spent a lot of time here because it is quiet and not many people go there.








Night can be exciting as well but I did not drink throughout this vacation. I simply walked along the beach and snapped some more photos.





Oh I also saw more titties in three days than dickies in my entire life. You won't see them here though.



Thanks again Bob for lending me your camera.

Where is my Rocky Horror?

Thanks to John Wilber for sending me a DVD-R of this movie.

What can I say but I adore Peter Hinwood. He is an Adonis. Too bad he did not do anything after this film. I would buy his porn if there is any available.

Back to the movie, it is very entertaining and I was surprised how stunning Susan Sarandon looked at that time. Damn, she had the curves! Tim Curry is also convincing as a TV. I think he still would look as scarey if he appears in drag now.

Oh I would appreciate it if you guys have pictures of Peter Hinwood in drag. Yummy!

My Second Bangkok Apartment

I live at UK Mansion. It is an apartment building on Silom Soi 6. I have been living there for about five months now. I do not like it that much but it is home. Here are some pictures:













Thanks to Bob Chopp for lending me the camera.

Seven months in Bangkok

I have been living in Bangkok for seven months now.

Do I know more about this country? I am not really sure. Only Thais can judge that.

Do I know more about my country? Yes and I can now appreciate its uniqueness. I thought the Philippines is Westernized but it is simply Americanized.

Do I know more about myself? Well, I have a very good idea about myself before I flew here. But the period I have been here just reinforced the things I know about myself. I have known for years what kind of people I like and dislike.

Sometimes, I am with people I do not like and I am with them out of loneliness and desperation. Sometimes, I ignore my gut-feel because I just want some company. And then I end up being sorry for spending some time with this or that person.

It can be very lonely out here and it is hard to make real friends. It is hard to make friends with Thais because of the language barrier and they know very little about my country. It is hard to make friends with the expats (most of which are Westerners) because they see me as a prey and not as an equal.

I am really really hoping that I am surrounded right now with people who are going to be my real friends.

Revisiting Schindler's List

I was only 15 years old the first time I saw this film in the cinema. I was shocked by its content and how cruel people can be. Now that I am 28, I see this film very differently. Now that I am living in a city where people are different from each other and now that I have interacted with Jews (and one of which is a friend), I value this film more than I did.

The music is very sad. The stories of survival are now more compelling. Their accounts are more significant amidst all the wars that the world is facing. Maybe it is only a dream that people will learn how to live with each other peacefully.

Despite the grains and lines (I am sure this will improve with the introduction of the Blu-ray and HD-DVD), this DVD collection is priceless. The documentaries are actually as strong as the film itself. I am really proud that I have this in my collection.

Still haunted by the PCV

It has been two weeks since the PCV admitted that he had been lying for the past months to me. I should have moved on, right?

No, I haven't. I am still hoping that most of the time I spent with him is true. It is hard to believe that all that time, he was lying to me. What about the other stories he told? Were they lies as well?
How can one lie for so long and for a long time? How can a person to deceive another and look him in the eye? Is he really that bad?

Perhaps, I just have to move on without knowing those answers. 

Lost: Jorge Sanchez

Jorge Sanchez is my Colombian colleague who disappeared last Saturday (November 24, 2006). He is around 5' 6" in height and weighs about 150 lbs.

He was last seen in his apartment the morning of the 24th in the Thong-lo area of central Bangkok.

I hope you can help us find him. Please drop me a message if you ever have seen this man.

 

Visiting Rwanda

It was difficult to keep a straight face while watching this movie. Genocide is really hard to understand and perhaps, I never will.

I bought this DVD because it is one of the Mangpong titles that is less than 100 Baht but I bet it will have a lasting effect on me. I know genocide still exists today and we the media do not take notice of them as they do not involve the white people. For CNN or BBC or Reuters or the Associated Press to take notice, there should be a white face on their story.

I know I will visit this continent someday. I know I will be less ignorant soon. I really would like to go to Africa.

Objectifying 007

I would love to torture James Bond myself. That would be very very nice!

I thought I was going to see him half-naked just once but I was surprised to see his naked buffed body countless of times in this movie.

I must say that this is the best Bond film I have ever seen in my life. I admit though that I have not seen all of them. I am too young for that.

This Bond is gritty, dirty and did I say naked???

Seriously, Daniel Craig presents a very convincing young Bond who is also very vulnerable and romantic. I am sure the next Bond movies will be great as well.

E. T. (20th anniversary edition)

I have never seen the original movie in its entirety. I know this is a bit unusual especially coming from a Filipino of my generation.

It is an entertaining movie and that is mostly because of the talented child actors. Drew Barrymore as Gertie really stood out. This makes me want to grab a copy of "Firestarter".

The 2-disc DVD set has loads of documentaries both about the original movie and the 20th anniversary edition. It is nice to see all the characters all grown up and wrinkled but some of them are praising the movie too much. It just makes me wonder Dee Wallace-Stone was overpaid for this interview.

The CGI E. T. is not really flawless because it looks a lot livelier than the puppets. Spielberg should have replaced all of the puppets instead to make a seamless presentation of the creature. Spielberg should have learned something from Gollum.

Missing Colleague

One of my colleagues is missing and we do not know where he is. He is also an expat like most of the English teachers here in Bangkok. I am very worried about him. I hope he is OK.

This reminds me of one of my fears in living overseas. What if something bad happens to me, will anyone know? What if I fall ill and I cannot even stand up to buy medicines, who will I call?
Rotem (an Israeli friend) and I are going to exchange information that will be used if such events arise. I hope we will not be able to use these but we do not want to be alone when such things happen.

Jorge, I hope you are alright.

I am "Pinoy Abroad"

For several months, I watched a Filipino magazine show called "Pinoy Abroad". As the name implies, it is all about Filipino expats. It tells stories about Filipinos who are succeeding and failing in their plight to make it overseas.

I knew I was going to be one of these Pinoys abroad. But then, my story is a little different. I am not surrounded by Filipinos. I am not able to speak Tagalog everyday. I do not get a chance to see Filipino programs. I am literally a lonely Pinoy abroad.

But then as weeks and months pass by, I learn to love my country more and more. I love how we smile and crack jokes amidst adversities. I love how sour sinigang can be. I love how my family have dinner together as we watch TV Patrol (a primetime news program).

I am not coming home yet. I am waiting for something to happen first.

Little Africa in Bangkok

I found Little Africa in Pratunam yesterday with my friends. It was very interesting to see salons, boutiques, cafes and restaurants catering to Africans.

As a Filipino, I know very little about this continent. We are never educated of the history and the culture of people from this ancient land.

I am aware that many Thais do not like black people that much. I know that people with dark skin are considered bad and scarey. I do not know why. It is very sad. Actually, I have never seen or met any teacher here of African descent.

I will probably visit this place again alone.

Lessons learned from the PCV

Mister PCV just told me that he is not as good as I thought he was. He is a liar and a deceiver and a monster. I really regret getting to know him. I should have gone home that night I met him the first time. It was raining and that should have been a sign that I should not have showed up.

Mister PCV taught me how to distrust him but he has not taught me to distrust people. I am sure there are still some good people out there. I am sure there are still honest people.

I have lost one thing though and that is a friend. But then maybe I never had that friendship.

I am very upset but this will pass and I will be able to crack a joke again.