Do the Hustle in SG

In each of these out of the country kinds of trips, the day that we would most likely be excited about would be the day of arrival, while we dread the day that we leave and say good-bye to such a wonderful place. Our final day in SG was dedicated to last minute shopping, roaming around un-toured parts, and of course, taking endless photos from everyone's cameras. Our plan was to do the hustle and we started our day off in Marina Bay Sands. We took the MRT from Lavender, then switched lines from East West line to North South line at City Hall interchange. Then from there, to Marina Bay. We walked from the MRT station to Marina Bay Sands past SG's 1st dragon boat international competition, Marina Regatta, where we got to see Team Pilipinas compete for a round.

Team Philippines

Marina Regatta - SG

The Bay was teeming with tourists, both international and local. It was actually quite a sight, since from where we were standing, I could see a lot of tourist destinations such as the Merlion on my left, the Marina Bay Sands on my right, and the Helix Bridge and Singapore Flyer straight ahead just past the Marina Bay Sands. It's a jackpot if you think about it, you can actually take photos of all these from one vantage point such as ours, or any point within the Bay for that matter. So if you're up for fast-paced touring, doing the hustle around the Bay would be perfect.

Marina Bay Sands as my backdrop

After taking some photos, we then headed inside Marina Bay Sands malls. The plan was just to pass through the mall, but then, we spotted some pastry shops and delighted with the sight of macaroons! Some shops were on sale during that time, so I indulged on shopping, and bought one box of macaroons each from 2 shops: TWG Tea, and High Society; so that I can taste different flavors from different shops.

However, we ended up spending too much time buying macaroons, so we had to find a place to have lunch. We chose to eat in the food court where I decided to have my last chicken rice meal before I leave SG.

SG Chicken rice

After lunch, we hurried outside Marina Bay Sands to the Helix Bridge. The view was quite amazing; you can actually capture the Marina Bay Sands along with other infrastructures as shown in the picture below.

At the Helix Bridge

Team OT with at Marina Bay

Just beyond the Helix Bridge is a spot where you can take a photo of yourself with the Singapore Flyer far behind.

With the SG Flyer

Then walk a little towards Esplanade, where you can take a photo of yourself with the Merlion statue behind. We opted not to go nearer since we were running out of time, and we had to hurry back to V hotel for check-out. We also had a plane to catch.

With SG Merlion

From V hotel, we then went straight to the airport still via train. And from there, home.

NAIA Terminal 3

From the moment this trip was conceived to the moment that we landed back on Philippine soil, I can say that I learned a lot from this trip; about life, about friendship, about chances, and about Occupational Therapy. And among these learnings I've gained, one thing that I'm positive I'll never forget is related to the phrase:

Ships on harbor are safe, but that's not the reason why ships are made.

If you think about it, never in my wildest dreams have I ever imagined myself going on an out of the country trip during my internship year. From a fresh OT intern's point of view, it is only but a hassle to be pulled out of the centers just to spend money on a trip like this. Furthermore, being pulled out would mean less number of thesis half-days. Not to mention that it would be energy consuming as well. But after the trip, none of these ever mattered. All of the things that we worried about, before saying yes to this trip, did not matter for even a bit. I learned, that it is indeed not within the confines of our comfort zone are we able to learn about the world; we could read about it all we want from the books, magazine pages, or articles, but we can only be able to fully understand such once we're in it --- this means stepping out of our comfort zones, exploring and discovering the marvels of the world. Sure we're not always going to find pots'o gold at the end of the rainbow, but even in such travels, one is still able to learn.

In life, there are times when we are faced with difficult decisions; on whether or not we should grab a chance. In such instances, reasoning is our best friend; we weigh the pros and cons of each decision, and then we decide. Other times though, reasoning isn't the one that we should turn to, for there are decisions that aren't made with the mind, but with the heart. And these are the decisions that make each and everyone of us unique. For it is in difficult crossroads in life are we able to define who we are. When we decide to take on the safe road, sometimes, we do the right thing, and sometimes we don't, and we'll only be able to find these out at the end of the road. But another thing that I'm certain is that during these difficult times that we have to choose between roads and when we think that 'there's still next time', we should also keep in mind that 'next time' is always too long before it comes again.

So that's it for my SG adventure. Thank you for bearing with me as I recounted one unexpected journey. Join me again on my next adventure.

XO.

- Keso

Rush Hour

Running late? Well, the Philippines is probably the worst place you could ever be if you are. Every once in a while, or for most people, we find ourselves rushing to catch the time, even though no one probably ever did.

In the Philippines, a commuter has lots of forms of transportation to choose from. We have, what I've always thought to be an original from the Pinas, the "jeepneys," which I was already in high school when I found out that it wasn't. It is in fact a remnant of when the Americans were at war with the Japanese years ago. The Americans used it for transportation during the war and then after the war, they left the used jeepneys here in the Philippines. Jeepneys are long open vehicles with 2 side entrances up front, one for the driver and one for passenger/s, and a rear entrance for loading/unloading passengers to the jeepney. Jeepneys are cheap means of transportation with only specific routes that they follow. But they don't have "jeepney stops"; drivers just stop whenever a passenger says "para", "sa tabi na lang", or similar notions to tell him to stop, such as knocking the roof of the jeep. This is what makes it convenient since you can stop directly where you need to go, but this also causes instant traffic. It usually has a capacity of around 20 passengers. A modification of the jeepney is a multi-cab, which is actually pretty much the same as the former, except it is shorter and only run for shorter distances. For both transportation means, you usually either give your fare directly to the driver or if you're seated farther away from the driver, you ask the other passengers to pass your fare to the driver. On special instances, there's a booth where you're asked to fall in line to pay for a chip that's equivalent to your fare or a conductor asks for your fare.

Another popular means of transportation is the petite tricycle. From it's name itself, it has three wheels. It is a means of transportation made up of a motorcycle attached with a sidecar. It has a capacity of usually around 4 to 5 passengers. They are like taxis, except they are open and they are not metered. Instead, the driver usually has a fixed price per destination. A modification of this means of transportation is the pedicab, which is pretty much the same as a tricycle except it is not run by a motorcycle, but by a bicycle, and it is also cheaper. However, tricycles go for the extra mile while pedicabs are just for shorter distances.

A third means of transportation is the bus. The buses we have here in the Philippines can be either open or air-conditioned. And just like the ones found abroad, the buses here have specific routes and bus stops, although the latter isn't actually strictly implemented since the buses here can actually stop anywhere that's not specifically prohibited. Buses can operate provincially or only within the city or a specific area. In each bus is a driver and one or more conductors, with the latter being the one issuing tickets and collecting fares from passengers. Some buses have television set for entertainment, while others only play music.

For some places here in the Philippines, we have boats or barges for transportation. While here in the metro, we have the light rail transit, the Manila Metro rail transit, and the Philippine national railways. All of which are trains with specific train stations where they issue tickets for one-way travels or tickets with stored value.

But for a common commuter like me, jeepneys would have to be our best friend. As was mentioned earlier, they are cheap, fast, and convenient in such a way that they can stop wherever you want them to. But the latter is actually one of the reasons why we have instant heavy traffic here in the metro. And for that, for me, here are the top 5 reasons why it's not that fun to commute in Manila during rush hour.

5. Overtaking Anyone

 Overtaking is a driving act involving a rapid maneuver to get ahead of another vehicle in front. Here in the Pinas, it is very rampant especially in the provinces where there isn't much strict implementation of traffic rules. It is good in such a way that one can actually use this maneuver to get ahead of slower vehicles especially when one is in a hurry. But it is also a hassle to commuters alike since during rush hour, everyone is simply impatient and would want to overtake anyone just to get to their destinations. Indirectly, it causes more accidents, which can potentially result to traffic jams, which in turn, aren't easily resolved since I'm quite sure that 99% of parties involved in such accidents would say that they weren't at fault for the accident, except when so much evidence is at hand.

When you look at it within the context of life, we people tend to overtake those in front of us. We may have reasons for doing so. Sometimes, it's right to do so: because we are better than those before us and it comes naturally for us to overtake them and lead the way. Sometimes, it's wrong: because we tend to think that there is a hierarchy and that those walking at the back tend to be the weaker/lower ones, and so we try to overtake those in front. But for me, there are times that we should be content on where we are and try to be patient, for in the end of the journey, it matters not who finished first, but rather, who was able to do the most on the way there.

4. Swerving

 Swerving is a driving act which can be likened to suddenly changing one's mind while on the midst of doing what he has already decided upon, i.e. swerving is suddenly turning and changing one's direction while doing a turn to the right/left. Indirectly, it also has a potential to cause accidents, which would now cause the traffic to go haywire. It is a really common mistake that causes one to get an instant ticket from traffic enforcers, especially here in the Philippines.

When you look at it within the context of life, swerving is something that we usually do at times when we are having doubts on whether or not we are doing the right thing at that very moment while we were doing it. But for me, sometimes, it's not the decision that makes it right or wrong, it's always up to us to make whatever we've decided to do, the right choice, because all of the time, we have an option to do so.

3. Parking Anywhere

Here, there, everywhere. People would park their vehicles wherever space would permit. It is good in such a way that if you were really in a hurry and you needed to park your car, you can do that in front of the establishment and signal that you're in hazard. But it is such a hassle especially when the parked vehicle causes the road to become too narrow for others to pass easily, or it takes up half of the lane, causing traffic because it would now serve as a block to other vehicles passing through especially when the car is parked near an intersection or a street curve.

When you look at it within the context of life, we have moments of being parked at certain points in our lifetime when all we can ever do is to sit quietly, stare blankly in space, and not be able to think or do anything, but just stare. We may have these kinds of moments, we black out anywhere. But we should always try to start our engines again and never give up, for as long as we have life in our body, we can live. Sometimes, it is okay to rest if we must, but make sure to make it quick and move on.

2. Beating the Red Light

Yes, this could be one of the most violated traffic rules ever. I mean, as a commuter, this is really helpful if you're in a hurry and all you want to make the driver do is to make the vehicle fly past the stop lights! It is certified that PUVs would really stick their necks out there just to catch that yellow light. But this is such a pest because it has a high propensity to cause accidents.

Not just accidents, it can also cause blockage to the intersection when the PUV tried beating the red light but then, gets stuck in the middle of the intersection because the lane is still packed with other vehicles because of another stop light in the proceeding intersection, and this is one of the most common causes of heavy traffic here in the Metro.

When you look at it within the context of life, we always do this, trying to make it through each finish line we encounter day by day by day. It's as if, it is the only thing that matters; trying to finish as early and as fast as we can. But this should not be the case in our lives; we should not be hurrying to end each day as if we're never going to get old. Instead, it is better if we try to make the most out of each moment, no matter the circumstances. Because, when you think about it, this is our one and only life, and it is ending one second at a time.

1. Stopping Anytime

I've seen one sign posted on the back of a jeepney driver's seat which says:

(Please hold on: Sudden stop is sometimes necessary)

I know that what it says is right... at times. But, it is also wrong most of the time - if you put it in the context of traffic. Here, it would instantly cause heavy traffic because almost all of the PUVs do this; be it for loading or unloading passengers, buying water bottles, rags, cigarettes, etc from street vendors, etc. As I've said earlier, it is really convenient because it let's you get off at exactly the point where you want to. But sometimes, I believe that it would be really so much better if PUVs would follow the concept of bus/jeepney stops. Yes, it would be a hassle to walk some distance from the stop to your destination, but then again, if you look at it within the context of life, it is better to stop at the point where it is right to stop than to have to stop somewhere you think is right but is totally wrong.

These are the reasons why I love and hate to commute here in the Metro, especially during rainy season. But, hey, don't get me wrong, I still love the Philippines no matter what. It's just that since we love something, we would want to see it in a better place someday.

One Night with the King

Sometimes when we awake from a very beautiful dream, we have the urgent compulsion to write everything that we can remember about that dream before it becomes as vague as a moment in our life from what seemed like a couple of lightyears ago. And just like awaking from a very beautiful dream, I write this story before I forget. For moments like one night with the king is something I should remember for a lifetime.

Every year, people come and go. Hell, everyday, people do come and go. For life is like a great terminal where people wait for their respective buses/vehicles for transport. Once on board, some busy themselves with work, others watch and enjoy the ever changing scenes from the windows, some would sleep or rest, while others do a combination of such. But regardless of what one was doing, everyone's worried about the journey, and how fast they can get to their destination. Some would want to speed up the journey, while others wished they had taken the longest route. Everyone anticipates the destination, but no one really ever wants to get there first. Time plays with everyone; speeding up during the happiest of times, and slowing the hell down during the lowest of the low times. But whatever detour we might encounter on the way, everyone keeps on going. Sometimes, because the sceneries in our windows do not change for the longest time, we start to think that they wouldn't, and then we just keep on going and going until we finally reach a point in our journey when we forget where we are going, as well as the reasons why.

This year, everything was about beginnings and endings. Every month, we encounter these two. Every rotation, we see new, and sometimes even old, faces. We learn, we experience. We remember, we forget.

Of course, we tend to remember more those moments that made an impact or those that were significant  for reasons we can or cannot say. This dream was one of those moments. And these are what transpired.

As if for some unknown reasons, the rain poured it's heart out and flooded the streets of the Metro. Thus, resulting to heavy traffic in almost all of its roads making it one hell of a way to end a week for commuters. That day was supposed to be significant since it was supposed to be the day when the protagonist, A, would graduate from a very significant rotation of her life, The H. However, because of the flooding, A never got to the rites on time. Luckily, there was an after party and that was where all the moments happened.

The party was a combination of booze, food, great company, games, "fun," and swimming! A never thought she'd enjoy herself since her two best buds were unable to come. Nonetheless, making the most out of the fee that she paid, she constantly tried stopping herself from sighing all throughout the night. It's not just because her two best buds weren't unable to come, but it was because she was seeing someone she knew she could never have, and that was in itself too upsetting, that's why she kept on wanting to let out a good sigh.

She kept on convincing not just other people but also herself that she was having a good time. She laughed with others, swam on the pool, ate good food, and drank lots and lots of liquor. Until she finally broke through the net that her killjoy mood has enveloped her with. She finally decided to just do whatever she wants to do. And one of her first thoughts was... to try out one great drink from a very "adorkable" server, C. She considered her moves and what she would have to do for her to reach her goals that night. But she could think of none that aren't involving having herself look like she was trying real hard. Until an opportunity came knocking in the form of a hunk, D.

D put his left UE around her and asked her why she liked C so much. She knew what was happening in an instant so she just went with the flow and told him, surprisingly, the truth... that she herself doesn't know what made her have this so much puppy crush with C. And then they talked about the drink C's been serving, and A said she wanted to give it a try. So D guided her to the server, and then, strike one.

Strike one: drink an unknown drink for the first time, down it in one gulp, and then tell the person serving it "good job!" WTF? Well, that was what happened. A couldn't help herself, so she took advantage of the situation. So the next thing involved a camera, and two shots with one of them having C's right UE around her. Amazing how fast things came about.

And, then, nothing again for hours.

But then, the heavens sent another hero, in the form of E, with his cards! Playing cards was really fun, especially if you add a consequence for the loser: the classic truth or dare. The moment I played with my mates, I knew something would be up. We had a few rounds, and then F came, and in an instant I knew things would get crazyyy! The second time I lost was to F, and the deed that I had to do was follow C outside as he takes a walk with 7 others. And then, strike two.

Strike two: run after him, then slow down while approaching him, and then say, "I was sent here?" Ok. WTF? And then, walk for around 20 to 30 minutes. Initially, awkward... but then, we shouldn't forget who our protagonist is, this is A we're talking about. So, she took the liberty to rack her brains for topics and then she thought, "WTH? Just be yourself. Give it out on the open; whoever you are. And then all they have to do was whether they take it or leave it." So she started small talk and then that was strike two. The moment she came back from that walk, she knew everything's changed. For strike two was what she has wanted all this time... a chance to talk seriously about things, and to level up the surface on which both of them walk. It was over for her, she wasn't expecting anything more to happen. Except, another round of games, but this time with C, gave her strike 3.

Strike three: who would have thought that a game of cards would be this much fun? Except there were dire consequences at the end of each game, that our dear A strived and tried her very best so that she does not lose against C. Because at the end of the game, it all came down between her 2 aces, and his single card. So she won, and he lost. WTH. And the consequence was... something she would never have anticipated, that she even tried to avoid it by going to the shower area and pretend she was looking for someone. But when she came back, all she could ever do was accept whatever happened.

One night with the king was a book telling a story of a girl who was sent to the King's chambers to please him for a night so that maybe in the morrow, she might be chosen to be the next queen. But instead of pleasing the king with her body, the protagonist spent the whole night talking and amazing the king with her thoughts on life, war, kingdoms, and love.

All of the girls in the kingdom wouldn't have dared to do the same thing as she did if they were in her place. But then, that was what made her so special. Because she was the only one who liked the king so much that she thought of the most special way to please him. She wanted to make him feel that he was safe and that he can be anyone that he wants to be whenever he's with her.

Sometimes, we would do everything or anything for the people that we love. And we would know for a fact who are these people that we would give up everything for, because these are the people that we would spend endless nights thinking about, and imagining that someday, maybe someday, they'll see us and then appreciate us for whoever we are, and who we can and will be.

I want those moments. I envy A because she had moments like those.

For sometimes, it's not the world's greatest riches that are the most important. Sometimes, simple chances to be with those you love can become the greatest treasure one can ever have, because these are the treasures that one can never buy.

- Keso