Category Archives: Lifestyle

This is the best piece of advice I could ever give to those who want to travel the world, or much closer to our hearts, the ASEAN: Getting lost is not a bad thing at all.

Lost in ASEAN
By Chet Lloyd G. Montoro

For those who enjoy travelling and going to new places, it may be a common thing to not know exactly where you’re going. Sometimes, you come to a point where the internet fails you and your handy maps don’t exactly help. Getting lost in your own country or city is fairly easy, but getting lost in a different country is a new matter altogether. It, then, leads us to a question – what happens next?

In my experience, there has always been a thin line between excitement and panic. Getting lost forces us to engage ourselves in conversations – mind you – these are not small-talk. Instead, we try to look as nice as we can, so as to allow strangers to feel delighted all the while helping us out. Also, this prevents others from thinking that we’re about to do something nasty!

That small moment where we realize we have to step-up our game and to converse gets me excited. When I got lost in Melaka, Malaysia, I realized that my English won’t be of any help. I arrived there at night and everyone in the bus was worried because I didn’t have a place to stay. My lucky stars sent me two German angels, though, who offered to bring me to their hostel: I know what you’re thinking, and it wasn’t like that! They only offered to bring me to the concierge of the said hostel and to ask if there were still any vacancies. Going through the Chinese New Year in Chinatown in Melaka pushed me to use non-verbal cues and my own version of sign language to simply get my message across. Fortunately, I learned that a nice smile breaks barriers and allows for a much relaxed atmosphere. It is this very tool I used to ease the hassle and pain of explaining myself to locals.

This is not always the case, though. Sometimes, locals know how to speak English well and I found out that even when they speak English, it doesn’t guarantee you won’t get lost. Learning from this previous experience, I further pushed my luck to its limits when I got lost in Genting Highlands. Little did I know, I needed to pre-book my bus ride home. Try to picture a small guy – that’s me – seated on the nearest seat beside the bus ticket counter and finding out that the next bus will leave in four days. This is the panic I was telling you about a while ago. When faced with such a situation, we don’t scream. Instead, we let internal panic to take over.

As I am the type who wouldn’t really cry in front of a crowd, I sat silently beside the ticket counter and focused on the big fail I had just witnessed. After almost an hour, my lucky stars have granted me further luck when two Indians approached me and asked if I wanted to split a cab. These two guys spoke English well enough to get me teary eyed with their offer. In my head, I was already plotting to talk to the Pork Floss vendor near me so I could get back to the city center. Thankfully, I never really had to do that. At the end of our ride back, I gained two new friends and a concise walkthrough of Indian culture. You see, it’s not about who you are or where you’re from or what you do; but it’s entirely about your capacity to adjust and to communicate.

Most of us would resort to asking questions when we get lost. However, I do not belong to this category. During a recent trip to Singapore, I made it to a point that I had with me three physical maps, my Google maps, and instructions I got from blogs. You might think I didn’t get lost, but I did! I thought that since a number of Singaporeans speak English, I’d find it easy to get to my destination. Alas, accents get in the way. The first cab ride my family and I took was with an Uncle who spoke fluent English with a fluent accent. It took us ten minutes to get to the place where he dropped us off, but it wasn’t exactly where we needed to go to. To cut the story short, we walked and followed the maps as we were afraid that the next cab experience would be the same. My brother and I were laughing it off, but my parents were already frustrated. This is why stopping for a while and really pondering on the next steps really matters.

Now, this is a common thing I noticed in all of my travels across the ASEAN – locals are willing to help. While spreading my big map in front of my face, a handful of Singaporeans approached me and offered a hand. I respectfully refused them thrice, but they never really left. Naturally, as a Pinoy traveller with delikadesa and with parents who are tired of walking endlessly, I finally agreed to receive help. This is the part where I share with you the concept of humility and acceptance – being humble enough to shut our ego and acceptance that we cannot refer to blogs as the Word; they are only but a guide. Moreover, we bring out our mobile devices too much and try our best to source our best friend, Google, for the right answers that we sometimes forget that the best answers come from the locals themselves. In fact, the most genuine of experiences root from the very information a local could give.

This is the best piece of advice I could ever give to those who want to travel the world, or much closer to our hearts, the ASEAN: Getting lost is not a bad thing at all. This allows us to stick to the basics and infuse panic with a hint of excitement. We should muster up the courage to talk to locals – hoping that at the end of the day, we may have a stranger turned into a friend. In the midst of buildings or sceneries foreign to our minds, we may find ourselves physically lost but we will arrive at that point where we find places and locals unknowingly growing on us.

(Submitted for the #MyAseanStory blog writing project )

The year of the Fire Rooster begins January 28, 2017. It happens once every 60 years. The last time was in 1957.

Trustworthy, with a strong sense of timekeeping and responsibility at work 

Image via bjjheroes.com. Some rights reserved.

I was born on the Year of the Fire Rooster. I have always known that I was born on the Year of the Rooster and it is one reason, I collect a few rooster knick knacks . What I didn’t expect was that 2017 is the Year of the Fire Rooster. I don’t normally believe in Zodiac signs but hey, I don’t get to celebrate the Fire Rooster every decade. It takes 60 years and the next time it will occur, I will be 120 years old.

Let me list down the Fire Rooster characteristics that I think are so ME and those that are NOT me . This site says

Under the passionate influence of the Fire Element, the Fire Rooster becomes the most dramatic and energized of all the Rooster signs. The Fire Rooster lives life in enthusiastic, dynamic bursts, which explains why they are so comfortable taking risks. At times, the strong will of the Fire Rooster can make them seem dominating, but this is only a result of their genuine interest in doing the best for themselves and others. Nevertheless, the Fire Rooster can make a very successful leader in the right situation.

So far so good. I think I am a leader in some ways and other times, I just want to be a follower.

The Fire Rooster Personality 

Let me refer you to this gotohoroscope website.

Roosters are quick witted and have a great sense of humor, although it can be rather sharp and brutal at times.

I sometimes think I am funny but yes, I can be brutal and sharp especially when I was a mother to my young children.  The Fire Rooster personality further adds that “Friends of Rooster people have to get used to the fact that they do not hold back on anything, and that their brand of honesty can be unsettling. ” Yes, I tend to be tactless but I have learned to be more gentle. with my words.

I can afford to be offensive on social media when I deliver commentary on corrupt people or criticize the government. I know  such commentaries are offensive but the truth has to be told. They say “Roosters expect everyone to have the same blunt nature and become quite frustrated if you waste their time by talking around a subject (in order to avoid hurt feelings) when it would be faster to just say thing straight out. ” Yes, I hate beating around in circles. Go straight to the point please.

Most Roosters are meticulous people who never miss an appointment. Not only that, but they are never late!

Yes, this is so true . I hate being late so I tend to arrive early for an appointment. I also don’t  like it if people are habitually late. I agree that “To a Rooster, the deadliest insult is when you do not keep an appointment, so write down meetings with Roosters in red ink! ”

This part is not true for me about Roosters having  tremendous amount of mental and physical energy, and that they never sit still. I can sit still for hours when it comes to writing or engaging in social media.  The part on “Nor do they ever stop multi-tasking” is true though but I learned to take breaks by walking 10,000 steps a day.

While most Roosters prefer to work alone (believing no one can match their level of perfection or diligence) Fire Rooster make great team leaders.

This is so true. I  learned to be a team leader in my early twenties when I had to deal with projects. I don’t really know what my team members think of me because for me, a team’s

Image via crystalwind.ca. Some rights reserved.

success lies in bringing the deliverables.  The Fire Rooster personality adds that “they inspire others through their organization and work ethic, and use their sharp eye to discover what will most bring people together”.  I hope I did or I hope I continue to do so.

Of all the Roosters, the Fire Rooster is the most concerned about his appearance.

I admit I am vain but I think I got that from my mother. I tend to look at the mirror all the time to check on my hair, makeup and clothes.  They say the Fire Roosters will spend as much time as necessary to look their absolute best at all times. I only do so when I go out but at home, I just wear my house clothes and not bother with how I look.  My husband thinks I am too vain. I tell him, I like to look good in photos.  Perhaps this personality is true : “Friends and coworkers often feel that the Fire Rooster is too vain. He or she is preoccupied with clothing, accessories, and the perfect hair style. ”

Roosters always seem to have a notebook or scraps of paper with them, they are constantly writing notes and reminders.

Based on this fengshuiweb.co.uk , I found this characteristic so true but I use digital paper or One Note to take down notes or do checklists.

The Chinese sign of the Fire Rooster is also a bit bossy.

I definitely think I am bossy. Even my husband says so. The Fire Rooster Personality has an explanation : “Since Fire Roosters are very smart and talented, they assume that their way is always the best way, and that everyone else should follow their way exactly. Of course, Fire Roosters have the usual Rooster honesty, which means they have no problem telling people exactly what they are doing wrong and why they should be doing it the Fire Rooster way. If they are not careful, this can lose them friends. “

I often wonder what my high school classmates think. Most of us were born in 1957. Come to think of it, we all tend to be bossy during our reunions. In this situation, I just wither in the background so things can move smoothly.

I am certainly look forward to 2017.  I didn’t know it would be my year until I saw the Chinese Rooster images in the markets here in Singapore. Most of all, I didn’t know I am a Fire Rooster. There is much to be hopeful for, and the crowing of the rooster will soon be heard as the Chinese Lunar New Year’s Day takes place on January 28, 2017.

Cheers to health , love, prosperity this 2017.