Closer to home

It has not been easy taking photos because of the weather. Our days in Adelaide have been cold, windy and wet so I am not going to risk ruining my new pink camera.

Many of the photos I have been taking are very close to where we live.

My first DSLR set

Whoa! It has been a great adventure exploring what my new pink Pentax K-r can do and I am not sure if I even scratched the surface. After hundreds of useless clicks, I was able to produce these photos.

These ones were taken at a notorious cruising place in Adelaide called Apex Park. It is also a quiet place for some wild birds to make babies. Goodness, this place is just so sexual!

I think the West Terrace Cemetery is the biggest in South Australia so it is inevitable that I visit it (being the morbid creature I am). I experimented with the camera's HDR capability so I decided to take advantage of it.

Lens Lust

 

I can actually remember the first time I picked up a camera. I took a photo of my father walking towards a swimming pool resort in the Philippines. I do not have the shot anymore but he is on the left side of the frame and the rest shows only the blue sky.

My second model is my sister as I asked her to sprawl on the stairs and I am sure it was not the most comfortable place to put your back on. I really wanted to do more shots but films were too expensive.

My family had a very simple point and shoot camera back then but I have already decided that I would buy myself a very good camera.

In Bangkok, I was able to buy another point and shoot but a bit of a high end. It is the Fuji S6500 and this is where most of the photos on this webiste come from. I had a lot of fun with it but I was still not happy.

A week ago, my Pentax K-r arrived from Hong Kong and it has been a struggle getting to know it. In a few weeks, I will be able to show some of my early creations with this pink baby.

Go back to where you came from

Living in Australia has been a struggle for me, especially when understanding politics. I have never been a part of a cultural minority. In Thailand, I did not really consider myself as a resident so I did not really care much about politics there. In the Philippines, I had the power as I am Malay, Catholic, middle class and born in Manila. In Australia, I am a brown man living in a sea of dominantly white people.

 

The refugee issue is a learning curve for me as my only knowledge of refugees were the boat people who came from Vietnam and settled in Palawan. And suddenly in Australia, I am surrounded by people who bear psychological and physical scars. I just do not see them but I work with them so I had to suddenly research about them.

It is not easy to get real information on refugee issues as both the ruling party and the opposition party in Australia are far from hesitant in using racist and fallacious remarks just to please what they think the whims are of the voters. They have coined words like "queue jumpers" to paint asylum seekers as criminals. They use slogans like "stop the boats" as if illegal immigrants arrive that way (they usually arrive by plane carrying UK passports).

 

Unfortunately, these two major parties are successful in disseminating false information as well as hatred towards refugees and asylum seekers. So many words have been tossed back and forth but none of which come from the refugees themselves. But then how can this government host a venue for these people when they are only a minority--their numbers are so small that they will not have an effect on elections.

 

Until SBS produced a show that Australians should be proud of. "Go Back to Where You Came From" selected six white Aussies who have very strong views on the refugee debate. Though the refugee stories were told from the point of view of non-refugees, some screen time was given to asylum seekers and refugees themselves. At last, mass media gave them a chance to tell their stories using their words.

The stories presented are horrible and dehumanizing. Their experiences may have broken their bodies but not their will to gain freedom and contribute to this world. Finally, we get to see that they are people, too, and not just elements that will make politicians get their seats in the parliament.

 

Many people are denying the veracity of these stories though and that is to be expected because their beliefs are being challenged. It is not easy to admit that one is wrong. They will eventually change and learn to empathize and learn how to become human.

 

This is only the start. More refugee stories will come...

(watch the program here)

Big itch to scratch...literally

It is not easy to write when it is about to turn winter here in South Australia. The days are getting shorter so I cannot really spend a lot of time outdoors. It is also becoming colder so it is much more sensible just to stay indoors.

 

Something struck last week though. While in the Barossa, I started itching all over. Sometimes, the itchy spot is on my neck and then it goes to my chest and other parts of my body.

 

Welts also started to appear and I felt very hot. Sleeping at night was impossible because the warmer I get, the itchier I get. If I remove the sheets, I am just going to freeze to death.

 

I am currently taking antihistamines and they are working very well. I am also having some tests done to make sure what is triggering these reactions.

 

Yes, my life is soooo exciting!

I Am Beautiful

As a kid, I really hated what I saw in the mirror. I thought I had a sickening face because of my lips and my underbite. I thought nobody could love me.

 

I felt I had to be really talented and intelligent to compensate. I had high marks in school. I learned how to speak well infront of an audience. I went to the gym and had a fit body. I also wanted to be the nice and funny guy.

 

But that did not mean I liked my face.

 

With the help of my friends and past lovers, I started to see that I am not hideous. I will not deny that praises did not affect my self-esteem but deep inside, I still have those little doubts.

 

I think getting older helps me view things in a different way. My new quiet home in Adelaide also helps me to calm down and appreciate what I have. A couple of weeks ago, I took my very first profile self-portrait.

 

Now I can see that I am beautiful and I do not need your approval.

Born This Way Blog

I have known about the Born This Way blog for quite some time. I was excited to find it because it presents photos and stories of gay individuals when they were young.

 

Obviously, I also believe that I was born gay and am proud of it. Hence, I submitted my story and it was published last week.

 

Here is my story.

 

The Next Drag Superstar

I spent my teen years adoring RuPaul's videos. At such a young age, I started thinking that drag queens are fun.

 

When I heard that she was launching a reality show of drag queens, I was hesitant to watch it--how can you have fun with a dozen of drag queens. I thought of endless lip-singing and catfighting.

 

But I was wrong--being in drag is an art. It is even more varied than the colours of the rainbow and I am sure it is more difficult to master than a Picasso or a Michelangelo.

 

The third season of RuPaul's drag race presents US drag queens that encompass a huge spectrum of not only the gay population but ethnic and cultural backgrounds. There were Caucasians, Puerto Ricans, South East Asians, rich, poor, famous, and infamous.

 

All the Caucasian queens were booted off in the middle of the competition and the arena was prepared for the battle of an African American, two South East Asians and three Puerto Ricans. For half of the season, the bi-lingual multi-racial queen is the norm.

 

Raja (Indonesian-Dutch) presented a fashionable and edgy side of drag while Manila Luzon (Filipino-American) presented a quirky Imelda side. I was really hoping for Manila to win but Raja really deserves the crown because she is (despite her age) fresh and FIERCE!!!

Fishy Easter

We are currently having a 5-day weekend here in Australia. Many Aussies have planned holidays interstate or overseas. Steven and I simply wanted to spend some time in Nuriootpa.

 

There were tons of people who wanted to make the most out of their holidays so they drove as fast as their machines could allow them with no consideration of other people on the road. And we did arrive in the Barossa safely. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same thing for the people who have died on the road in the past few days.

 

I tried so hard to be a good Filipino but I did not have much of a choice but eat red meat. Fish is insanely expensive in this part of the world.

 

We also tried our best to catch some fish. Unfortunately, my partner is short of patience especially after seeing a couple of Vietnamese catch carp every three or five minutes. And no, I am not exxagerating--those Vietnamese have fish magnets! Steven and I spent an hour without catching even a tadpole.

 

Anyway, I think I took a very nice photo of Steven when he was still patiently waiting for a nibble.

Teaching kids the gay lifestyle

We should start teaching our kids the gay lifestyle while they are young. We should let them cross dress for school plays and even teach them how to lip synch to Abba songs. Though it should not be done everyday, we should also teach them the difference between night makeup and day makeup.

 

And when they get older and have the ability to remember dates, then we should teach them about the Stonewall riots, the Sydney Mardi Gras and even the Philippines' Super Si Reyna. And with supervision, we can let them watch the life of Brandon Teena.

 

They do not have to be gay to enjoy gay culture as gay men do not have to try vaginas to enjoy straight culture. They simply have to be aware of the gay people that paved (and paving) the way towards a more tolerable society.

 

And I am sure teaching them while they are young will prevent gay bullying and gender-related suicides. Plus we will have more gay men and women who are realizing their full potentials rather than worrying about getting hurt by their classmates.

Karoonda Farm Fair 2011

The Karoonda Farm Fair is becoming a tradition of the Pope-Mejia family. It is the best time for Steven to catch up with people he grew up with. It is also a good time to enjoy the South Australian countryside.

This year, we went to the event with a Malaysian friend Dianne to dispel her notions of what country life is. Country folks do not ride on horses and have chiseled bodies. They are just as ordinary as the ones in the big cities.

This year, I was more confident talking to the exhibitors. I learned more about sheep and their differences. I also got to talk with Centrelink and Beyond Blue representatives. It seems depression is an important issue not only among the migrants and refugees I work but with farmers as well. It seems there are so many things out of your control if you are trying to grow something from the soil.

I took home with me lots of teaching materials and a sore butt.

The Office Barong

 

Last December, I bought two office barongs in Manila. The office barong is the cheaper version of the pineapple Barong Tagalog, the traditional shirt for the Tagalogs. Filipino males wear them when they go to work and that includes teachers as well.

I decided to wear them to school to set an example to my students that they can have fruitful lives in Australia while not losing their original identities. I also encourage them to wear their own clothes if they want to.

In buses and trains, Caucasian people do stare and hesitate to be beside me. When I go to shops, Caucasian attendants are also taken aback. Those are the only times that I am reminded that I am wearing something that Aussies have not seen before.

Unfortunately, it is getting colder here in South Australia and such a shirt is very unsuitable as it is made to be worn in a muggy and hot climate.

When the system fails

Yesterday, Australians were swamped with videos of a year 10 student being bullied and punched by his attacker. And there are tons of videos out there of a similar nature but this one stands out because the victim fights back--he wrestles his attacker to the ground and ending the ordeal...for now.

The victim has allegedly been bullied for years and the school system has not done enough to stop it. Perhaps, the poor kid has had enough and decided to protect himself when the school system should have prevented it from happening.

As a consequence, the bully was suspended for four days and so was the victim. The abused kid has been tormented already and I do not understand why the system has not only failed him but is also causing more damage.

I know the government does not give much power and tools to the school and the teachers in stopping bullying. It is a fact of life here for Australian kids and unfortunately, we cannot see an end in sight.

All my friends know that I was bullied as a kid, too. It was not really physical (physical bullying is not really common in the Philippines) but psychological. I knew I had the strength to fight back and I wish I had the balls to do it.

So I am glad that one victim fought back.

The Thai in Me

When I moved to Australia from Thailand, I did not know how to cook Thai food. I spent a lot of time (and very little effort) consuming Thai cuisine but I did not take the time knowing how to make it myself because the food is available 24/7 on the streets of Bangkok.

My first few years in Australia was spent on remembering Filipino dishes and learning Australian ones which was very easy. Ingredients are also cheap and readily available. Unfortunately, both food are very fatty so I gained a lot of weight--8 kilos!

Last December, I bought a small Thai cookbook in Manila and I was really impressed with myself. The taste brought me back to Bangkok and it also gave me a chance to show Steven the things I really miss about Thailand. Then I bought an Australian-published Thai cookbook and it has a lot more recipes.

It is very expensive to buy the exotic herbs and spices but with our combined salaries, we can afford it. I am also slowly getting leaner so I am sure I will be able to show off my body next summer.

Lost Dog-Lovers

I am not really sure how Steven and myself smell but it seems we attract a lot of lost dogs. All around Australia, these canines appear out of nowhere.

The first incident was at a park in Woodville, South Australia. It was a black dog that was trembling with fear. It would come to me but then as soon as it got near, it would hesitate. Unfortunately, it walked away and disappeared in the dark as most parks in Australia are not lit.

The second incident was in Queanbeyan, New South Wales. It was a slender brown dog begging food from the McDonald's restaurant. It was very tame and it actually smelled nice. A pity that we had to leave it.

A few days ago, a male Border Collie-Kelpie came to our very doorstep. He was very excited to see us and wanted to play so it was difficult getting any information from his collar. We found out that his name is Jet and he lives right around the corner from our unit. We managed to get hold of the owner but before that, Steven took a photo of me with this 13-month old cutie.

Obviously, Steven and I desperately want a dog but like I mentioned, we only live in a unit. Perhaps, in a couple of years, we will be able to purchase a house and start a small gay family.

Born This Way

I saw Lady Gaga for the first time in 2008. It was in the Miss Universe contest swimsuit part and I thought her music really did not go well with the image that I had in my head of the competition. I thought I will never hear about her anymore.

 

And I was wrong.

 

She has hit song after hit song. She has a growing number of fans--men, women, adolescents and even kids. She has now become a gay icon as she made very public statements in supporting gay marriage and the fight against bullying.

 

And she has come out with this new song "Born This Way". I was very ecstatic when this came out because it paints being gay in a very positive way. In fact, it has to be celebrated.

 

I can't help but think of the younger gays and lesbians in my family. I am proud to say that it does run in my family. I hope they will have a very productive gay life like mine.

Battered Butt

My butt is aching and that is not because I am the new bottom boy of Adelaide. It is because of our new bikes.

Steven and I bought a pair of cheap bicycles last week and we have been dragging our way around Adelaide since. We usually ride for about 90 minutes to go around Semaphore and to the Adelaide Aquatic Centre from our place in Alberton.

Back in Manila, I would never ride that long and on proper roads. I would only go around the block and that is all. Hence, my butt feels like it has been violated by a dinosaur.

Drivers can also be a worry as some disregard us. They would swerve on to the bike lane when their turn or park as if we do not exist.

We are doing this for some fun and to lose weight. So hopefully, I will be in my Bangkok shape in a few months.

Boring NAIA Terminal 1

Most international airlines use the terminal 1 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport. It is the oldest in the country and unfortunately, the age shows.

After spending 2320 pesos (or around 53 US dollars) to use the airport, I got to be in the departure gate with no TV, no radio or any form of entertainment. There were no drinking fountains and reasonably-priced food. There were no internet and no computers.

Surprisingly, we also found out that there were no electric outlets for our laptops. So for 53 dollars, one gets nothing.

Mt. Makiling / Avatar

Steven describes the experience like being in Pandora--the magical forest-world of Avatar. In many ways, Mt. Makiling is.

 

We stayed in a hostel close to the entrance of the Mt. Makiling forest reserve. At night, we were serenaded by mating frogs and crickets. In the morning, lofty trees covered in vines salute us and their leaves bathed our bare heads.

 

And we went deep into the forest. I was literally crying because it was painful to walk more than 10 kilometers at an incline. It was all worth it. We had no guide so whatever we saw was a surprise for us. The path to the flat rocks was dense with huge roots, mud and barks of trees. And these trees block out the sun so it was like dusk the entire day.

The greatest surprise was the bubbling mudspring. It was very tempting to dive in but the sign said that the temperature was around 80 degrees Celsius. It was still amazing just staring at the thick mist that nourishes every nook and cranny of that area. 

We also went to botanical garden and found the plants very powerful. Every man-made structure was slowly being broken down by vegetation. It was green all over as if the sky rained with green fungus and moss.

Our stay in Mt. Makiling is one of the most unforgettable parts of our trip. It was very enchanting especially after spending several weeks in grimy and noisy Manila.

The Lazaro Clan 2010/2011

I left the Philippines in 2006 and since then, I have been trying my best to visit them every year. This year's visit was dramatic, revealing and a lot of fun.

 

More faces are added to the clan. There are some new wives and a lot of new husbands. With these new couples are dozens of children--some of which I do not recognize anymore.

 

Of course, I also miss a lot of old faces. There are some that I wanted to see but have already passed on. There are some that I wanted to see but they already have other clans of their own.

 

I hope you enjoy these photos and videos of those fun moments that I had the past holidays.

Meeting Carlos Celdran

 

I have been to Intramuros countless of times. Steven has been there last year. Why did I go there again during my latest trip to Manila?

 

Carlos Celdran.

 

I have heard about Carlos long before emigrated from the Philippines in 2006 but my admiration blossomed when he made a very unique protest last year. He did not like the Catholic Church's stance on the Reproductive Health bill which will help our fellow Filipinos to better manage the size of their families.

 

I was beyond ecstatic when I saw him. I wanted to tell him that I believe that he will be an important part of history. I wanted to thank him for waking us Filipinos from apathy towards the church's abuse of its power and influence.

 

I wanted to scream and hug him but I didn't. I only settled for a photo with him.

 

Food Trip/Guilt

I am fat. No, I am not denying it. I was 64 kilos right before moving to Adelaide in 2008. Last month, I was 70 kilos. Right after our plane landed in Adelaide last week, I weighed 72 kilos.

I admit I have been very lazy working harder in the gym. I seldom push myself to the limits anymore.

I have also been less careful of the things I put in my mouth and my time in Manila last Christmas holidays made things worse. I just had to eat everytime I see something I miss or something that is new.

One night in Singapore was spent eating anything exotic--genuine Chinese congee, Singaporean seafood soups, fish cakes, etc. I felt I had to make the most of my very limited time there.

My friend Dinah took us to a Korean restaurant near Rockwell. I scoffed several pounds of veggies. Though it was healthy, I think I just ate way too much--enough to feed an entire family.

But the most delicious shit I found during this trip came from Laguna. It is Lety's Buko Pie. It is the best version of the classic young coconut pastry I have ever had. It oozed with very soft sweet coconut meat covered in delectably crumbly crust.

As you can see, I have done so much damage on my body and I want to go back to this figure. This is one of the last photos I have taken of myself in Bangkok three years ago. Do you think I can go back to 64 kilos by the middle of 2011?

The State of Philippine Museums

I love going to museums. It is like History 101 for any country in the world and that is why I went to a lot during our latest visit to the Philippines. We visited University of the Philippines' Vargas Museum, Makati's Ayala Museum and Manila's Pambansang Museo and the Museum of the Filipino People.

 

The National Museum was shameful and embarrassing. Although it houses some of the most expensive painting in the country, these art pieces are so dirty that one could only guess the real colour sand details of the art pieces. Many of the animal skeletons are either missing or broken and all are hidden in the dark. Most of the museum is actually closed and blocked from public viewing as these parts are being rebuilt. Nevertheless, it is depressing that the place that should contain the things that define us as a country is in shambles.

 

The Museum of the Filipino People stands right beside the National Museum and it charges everyone a 100 peso fee upon entering. I am not really sure why but half of their collection focus on shipwrecks and relics found in them. They definitely do not reflect the Filipino people. Half of their collection is devoted to indigenous tools but many of the explanations are missing and/or kept in the dark where nobody can read them.

 

The Vargas Museum is a must for students learning how to paint as it is also a home to some priceless paintings. It also has some very recent paintings that have become very popular (i.e. Joy Mallari's "Doll Eyes") and works of aspiring artists. Unfortunately, the priceless paintings can only be viewed at certain days and at certain hours of those days. And we missed those few hours.

The Ayala Museum is a private museum owned by the Ayala Corporation (who else?). Its presentation of the Philippine democratic history history in diorama is even better than what I have seen in Australia. But the most memorable part of their collection are the gold pieces. I did not know that we produced so much jewelry and goldenware before the Spaniards came. Many of these pieces even date as far as the 10th century. That collection really made me proud that we had such a rich life before the white people came. The only downside to this museum is there is a different fee for foreigners--a 100% difference.

So I thought that I was going to introduce Steven to Philippine history and culture but instead, I was able to show him a representation of the Philippines' present state. As the government-owned museums are in shambles and in the dark and so is our own government. As we see glimpses of our beauty once in a while, we also see glimpses of our ugliness half of the time. Only the big private corporations give us light but then they also reflect the great disparity between the rich and the poor.

Jaw-dropping Singapore

Last year, Steven and I did not leave Changi Airport on our way to Manila. We regretted it because we felt there was something big outside.

 

Last December, we saved some of our vacation money for Singapore. With only typed instructions from friends, we ventured out this high-tech city.

 

We stayed at the Hotel 81 in Chinatown, very close to a metro station. Public transport system made our jaw drop several times. These trains run every few minutes, they are fast and their routes are easy to understand.

 

The street stalls offer various cuisines from mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam and even Thailand. I am guilty of binge-eating in Singapore eventhough we stayed for one night only.

 

I have never seen a city as multi-cultural and multi-national. We saw Australian and Filipino businesses. We heard languages from different parts of the world in public places and even as public announcements. And Singaporeans can also speak English!!!

How can this city-state be so high-tech and efficient on one hand and so traditional on the other? I ate on the street and yet there was a security camera pointed at me. Chinese dragons and merlions are around and yet I see people attached to mobile devices.

In an eerie way, I also felt like I was home in the Philippines because of the number of Filipinos living there. In every corner, I heard Tagalog. If I were single, Singapore would definitely be on my short list of countries to live in.

Bagging South Australia

I have lived in three different cities already and sadly, my birthplace is the dirtiest. Grey skies greet any newcomer upon landing. Your throat and your eyes will burn upon setting foot out of the ridiculously small airport.

Filipinos and the local businesses are trying to change though. There are days when you have to bring your own shopping bags. I have also discovered that most of the shopping bags right now are degradable.

I know it takes several months to completely break down one plastic bag but at least it is one step towards environmental sensitivity.

South Australia has already banned the use of plastic bags in many businesses (except for video shops, department stores, meat shops, etc.) but I am sure all SA businesses can afford to use degradable bags alongside recyclable ones. I usually do not know what to do with my huge heap of plastic bags at home.

Having An Affair

I bought my first high definition TV a few months ago and my partner can testify that I am having an affair with it. It seems I cannot live without it. I spend so many hours with it. I even think of it while I lay in bed with my partner.

Our Samsung LA40C650 just makes everything fucking brilliant. My blu ray movies appear three-dimensional because the computer in the TV produces images in a very fast manner. TV shows look like they were shot with a handy cam because one can even notice the imperfections of the cameraman's hands. Youtube videos also look very clear as they are streamed directly on to the TV itself.

 

Nowadays, it is a pain visiting other people's homes as many of the people we know still have CRTs. They flicker a lot and are just too small. Yes, I am a size queen!

Airplane monitors are the worst. They are way too dark and the definition is all over the place. It feels like I am wasting my time trying to decipher what I am looking at--is that King Kong or a man in an ape suit or is that a black brush with limbs?

I am sure I am not alone. High-definition TVs are changing our standard of how TV images should look like all the time.