Fukubukuro at Fullybooked

I started 2019 with books, reading and time for good friends.

 A few days after the New Year, I met with friends, Darrel Marco and Ann Grace Bansig for a holiday get together. We missed Audrey Anday so, another reunion was scheduled. We met at a bookstore, of course, in Fullybooked and headed to a nearby Japanese cafe for an early dinner. Apart from our passion for books and reading, we also share the same advocacy, a love for travel and food!

Imagine our surprise when we found out that Fullybooked is still running the Fukubukuro reading and book promotion. For Php 2,000.00, we got a Fukubukuro with three books and a journal.

Fukubukuro is a combination of two Japanese words, fuku, meaning luck or good fortune and, fukuro, for bag. Fukubukuro is a lucky bag which store owners use to put in mystery objects from their stores to sell to customers. It is a Japanese custom in the New Yera for stores to sell fukubukuro at a very low price.

I suppose the contents of our Fukubukuro bag from Fullybooked contained books that we truly deserved to get.

Darrel got the copy of Antoine De Saint Exupery's The Little Prince, a pocket book edition that he can bring with him in his travels. Ann Grace got the DIY book for travelers and tourists that is aptly titled, The Best Things In Life Are Free (Lonely Planet). As for me, I took the journal and Robert Greene's The Laws of Human Nature because, well, I am already a certified #titasofManila.

After all the internal drama and struggles of 2018, I feel I have just begun a new life cycle. What better way to chronicle this journey but through journal writing and reading books to accompany me in this life journey.

Fukubukuro, indeed!

BSE Library Science Batch 94 Reunion 2017: Librarians Just Wanna Have Fun!

What I have resolved to do since my reappearance last year in my college batch's annual reunion was to join them every chance I get. We climbed a mountain in Pampanga that April 2016, a few weeks before my Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). This year, thanks to God, I was able to spend a weekend with them in Cabongaoan, Burgos, Pangasinan.

It was a long drive. We never ran out of stories. We talked like we have seen each other just a day ago. Since we are all librarians, we talked about issues and controversies in the profession at large and lent advice to each other on our professional and personal endeavors in life. We missed the rest of the batch, seven of those weren't able to go. We wondered how they are and hoped they could join the reunion in the coming years.

In Burgos, Pangasinan, at the town proper, we went to market for our food the whole weekend. The adventure has truly begun! Buying fruits and vegetables we don't usually see in our urban marketplaces and groceries was delightful. There were cashews, lato, duhat, and even pako. Tagalog veggies and fruits in season abound. Baguio veggies were on sale too. Fish and seafood looked so fresh, like these were caught from the sea at dawn. And yes, it was! The fish meat was white, sweet and juicy! The veggies were crunchy and the fruits were refreshing

From there, we journeyed an hour more to Brgy. Cabongaoan. It is a remote place! We were off the grid the whole weekend!

We stayed in Roven's Place, a beach resort that is far from fancy. But, we liked it there very much. It is an idyllic place where we pumped water from artesian wells for our bathroom needs, where we grilled fish and cooked food using charcoal and where the sunset is as beautiful as our unspoken dreams. The beach is amazing, by the way.

Our stay there that weekend is a wonderful memory that I will tell my grandchildren.

Friendship is a delicate thing and only time can truly reveal friends who can walk with you through the road of life. Friendship is indeed a grace!

Here is my letter to my future grandchildren:

My dear grandchild/grandchildren,

*Give your friend a helping hand, especially when she happens to be the group's designated driver and is tasked to bring you all safely home. 

*Appreciate the best cooks in the group. They can either feed you well or poison you with so much big sister sermon.  

*Help out. Pump water. Clean up. Wash the dishes. You may all be friends, but good friendships are rooted in trust, fairness and honesty.

*Listen. Listen to each other. Listen to yourself.

*Thank God. Because, despite yourself, He gave you this beautiful world to share with friends.

          Love,

          Lola Gay

We parted ways with new resolutions: eat healthier, stay strong in faith and love, do our best to make this place a better place one day at a time. Whoever thought we would come this far? We were young and scrappy in the early 90s in PNU. The years have made us gentler, wiser, more forgiving of ourselves. 

I look at my friends and I am in awe at the beautiful people we have all become. Our lives are never perfect. For some reason, we smile. We stand strong. God is truly good!

Filipino Librarians: The BSE Library Science Majors of PNU Batch 1994 (Part 1)

I graduated with a bachelors degree in Secondary Education at the Philippine Normal University in 1994. I majored in Library Science and picked as many English courses as my electives. Thanks to the big change. 

It was in the first semester of my sophomore year when the big change happened. From a state college, PNC transformed into a state university. I didn't feel and witness any educational reform or changes within the university except for a slight increase in tuition and matriculation fees. I remember paying 500 Php for my tuition and matriculation fees during the second semester that year until the scholarship came in junior year. Other than this, it was the individual enlistment ala-UP that was the most memorable.  

We are missing nine classmates here: Andrea Arcilla De Guzman, Helen Aripol Advincula, Galddys Addatu Florendo, Rowena Domingo, Myraflor Mayo Velasquez, Elvira de Luna Regio, Abigail Calinisan, Lourdes Barros and Nelson Immaculata 

I had classes with my co-majors and got mixed with other education majors in my batch. Needless to say, the BSE Library Science majors of my batch remained a tight group and we got to know other education majors in the batch. Class discussions on the GE subjects were more exciting. Major subjects were intense and focused. I had time for curricular activities and college organizations. I had a love life.

What didn't change was the way our LS professors taught us. They were punctual and persevering; patient and committed. Despite budget cuts and limited resources, they tried and strived to give their best. 

Early on we all knew our LS group was a minority. But, we also knew that a job awaited us after graduation. I am proud to say that my batch had two honor students and all fifteen of us have kept jobs to this day.

May nagbago ba?

When six of us met for a mini-reunion, it was just like college. Some things never change. People don't really change. I have not seen my batch mates in years. But when we met last week, time and distance didn't matter. It was like we have seen each other the previous week!

Amabel Sibug is our moral compass. She is based in Jordan, working in the Pontifical Library there, and thanks to social media, she manages to keep in touch. As a Teresiana, we get to be prayed over by her every night. No wonder we all turned up well despite ourselves. Loy Danila, our class cum laude, has been steady and stable all these years. She is working in the records department of one of the top companies in Makati. Malou Banlaygas remains to be a student of life. After years of working in a university library, she is still learning so much about life and love. 

Maji Dizon Dalisay, after her stint as university librarian in one of the top universities in Pampanga decided to become a full time mom. She is raising three lovely daughters and keeping home with her husband. That's a full time job to reckon. The choice of family life is worth it. Mean Jimenez Salvador is now pursuing a PhD and is continuing what her artist husband, Lirio Salvador, has started, a museum and art center in Cavite.

A journey is more meaningful with friends whom you can walk beside with.

As for me, well, here I am. Still telling stories.

Our mini-reunion was punctuated with a trekking expedition to Banal na Bundok, near the foot of Mt. Arayat. I don't know about them, but to me, it was an experience of going full circle. Was it only yesterday when we journeyed together in PNU? What were our battles then? How did college change us? How has life treated us? How did we respond? What are we now? Who are we? Who am I among my peers and friends?

I am proud to have walked with these wonderful people in my younger years. Now that we have achieved a little bit of something for ourselves, not just the job or the degree, but the knowledge that there exists goodness in the universe, I can say that I have never been alone. I have always belonged.

I went home that night feeling so blessed. I have nothing else to give the profession who made me who I am today but myself.

Japan Trip 2015: Friends New and Old in Osaka and Kyoto

A groupie before they bid me farewell for my lone journey to Kyoto

I look back at the week I spent in Japan and words come to me to describe it: mentoring; adventure; kindness; intellectual discourse; art and culture; international mindedness; serenity; order; discipline; risk taking; friendship.

For today, I will write about FRIENDSHIP.  

Friends Old and New

I think when people travel, they are bound to discover new ones and were helped by the good old ones. This happened to me at the onset. It was Ann Grace Bansig who pushed me to submit a paper in the IAFOR LibrAsia Conference. I remember it well. We were having a light dinner in Tokyo Tokyo last year when the idea of attending conferences in 2015 came about. There is no harm in trying so I told Grace and Darrel (who was with us at the time). After reading the guidelines of the IAFOR's Call for Papers, I submitted my paper on leadership and school librarianship. In less than a week, I got an acceptance letter. A few weeks after this good news, Grace sent a text message informing me of the good news she and Darrel received from IAFOR. We were all very excited at the opportunity to engage in conversation with librarians from different cultures and backgrounds. And yes, the idea of visiting Japan thrilled us to the bone!

A lot of friends helped me too in planning and preparing for the trip. Many of them wished to remain anonymous especially the kind of help they extended to me. I am sure of one thing though, I will do more random acts of kindness especially to travelers and librarians dreaming of traveling abroad to attend a conference. I will pay "it" forward.

With Ryota who is a Manny Pacquiao fan. He believes that Pacman will defeat Mayweather!

Candy May Schijf, a friend I have met over in FB, whom I briefly had an EB (eye ball) at the Rizal Conference in November last year, submitted a paper and it too got accepted. Her friend from DLSU Taft, Willian Frias got an acceptance letter as well.

So our company of three, became five. In December 2014, we met to plan the trip. We had constant convo in FB on flight details, lodging, logistics and visa applications. A week before the trip, Cristina Villanueva of UP Baguio sent word via FB since she learned that there are Filipino librarians attending and presenting in the conference. She too was a presenter and session chair at the IAFOR. We arranged to meet in Osaka during the conference.

Leaving Manila on different routes and plane reservations, we all met at Osaka International Convention Center on Day 1 of the IAFOR LibrAsia. Happiness!

At Tennoji Park. Our first encounter with the glorious sakura!

Dare and Grace

One dynamic of friendship I find worthy of reflection is that of collaboration. This is very evident in the relationship of Darrel Manuel Marco and Ann Grace Bansig. I have seen these two together in many instances where one's personality and strength complement the other. Where Grace lends energy and sprite, Darrel provides balance and introspection. In my imagined reality, I see them as a couple perfectly fitted to each other. But, sad to say, this is just me dreaming romantic dreams unsuitable for others to make it come true. The point is, good friendships thrive in all walks of life and in all peoples regardless of age, religion, cultural background and sexual preferences. This is the magic of friendship that is why, it must be nurtured and kept healthy.

Sadly, I didn't see Darrel and Grace present their paper on the Overseas Filipino Worker and Philippine Children's Literature since I needed to be in Kyoto on Saturday night. More on this in another post.

I am impressed to see both of them go beyond the horizon. How many Filipino school librarians venture into writing about children's literature, analyzing context and determining the constructs of knowledge found in these children's stories? Only a handful dare to do so. I think it is relevant that school librarians look at the reading materials that children read because, after all, school librarians bridge children to books and information sources. From what I read in FB, the duo dared to push the envelope during their presentation and they both accomplished this with grace. Congratulations!

As of writing, Darrel and Grace are still in Japan, meeting friends and having the summer of their lives! As I posted on FB, I wish them well and that their friendship may bring forth more collaborative endeavors in the future. 

Friends in Kyoto

I spent my last day in Japan in Kyoto. I took the subway from Osaka then made the connecting ride via the Limited Express in Kyobashi. It took me an hour to reach Demachiyanagi station. I met Lani De Vera there, a friend from way back. She teaches English in an IB school there. She treated me to dinner in a ramen house and the ramen was delicious! I spent the night at her place and the morning after, we met her friend, Midori-san.

With Lani and Yanagida-san who has been to Bohol and Cebu.

It was raining that Easter Sunday. I wore three layers of clothing but the cold climate got through my bones. This did not stop me from enjoying the walk down the Philosopher's Path. Lani and Midori-san planned a hanami but due to the rain, a change was imminent. Lani and I found ourselves in Midori-san's home. It was mid-way the Philosopher's Path. I just have to say this: the whole place was like a setting in a Miyazki movie. More on this in a future post. Again.

With Midori-san whose name means "green" in Japanese.

At Midori-san's home, we met Yanagida-san, her husband. He is a retired teacher. He likes taking photographs, traveling and listening to music. He showed me his CD of Celeste Legaspi songs. He showed me his album filled with his photographs of fall, winter, summer and spring in Kyoto, Okinawa and Mt. Fuji. He even offered his place for me the next time I am in Kyoto. Their hospitality warmed me enough to still the shaking coldness in my toes and fingers. Midori-san fed us a plateful of pizza, salad, fresh juicy tomatoes and sweet bread. The coffee was great too! The brunch was perfect for the long walk she had thought out for us to take.

The rest of the morning, Midori-san was with us as tour guide to the Nanzen-ji Temple. There I saw girls in kimono, a temple gate that reminds me of Avatar (think Aang and the gang), an aqua-duct, more sakura and rain. Lots and lots of rain!

At noon, Lani brought me to Kyoto Station where I started my journey towards Nagoya to Central International Airport. I have fond memories of these three cities: Nagoya, Osaka and Kyoto. I meant to go back to Japan. God willing.

Now, I need to save up. And do more thinking and working and engagement in an endless conversation on matters that are relevant to the profession.

Sights and Sounds of Christmas: Friends who never forget

Thank you, Mona Dy and Laura Molina Hoffman!

Lalaine Aquino: Mga Alaala ni A

Matipid si Lalaine Aquino sa pagsagot ng tatlong tanong. Pero, swak na swak! Less is more, ika nga.

a. Ano ang paborito ninyong kwento ni Astrid? At bakit?
b. Bigyan mo siya ng metapora bilang manunulat, halimbawa, si astrid ay isang bumubulusok na kometa :-)
d. Ano ang ala-ala ni astrid na habang buhay mong dadalhin?

1. Bayong ng kuting--isang simpleng kwento ng pagkalinga sa hayop
2. Si Sstrid ay isang makulay na bulaklak na ang pamumukadkad ay nagsilbing magandang inspirasyon para sa ibang manunulat.
3. Ang walang katulad niyang ngiti at ang "go!go!go!" attitude niya sa buhay.

Augie Rivera: Mga Alaala ni A

May tatlo akong katanungan para sa mga napili kong guest blogger sa tribute kay Astrid.

a. Ano ang paborito ninyong kwento ni Astrid? At bakit?
b. Bigyan mo siya ng metapora bilang manunulat, halimbawa, si astrid ay isang bumubulusok na kometa :-)
d. Ano ang ala-ala ni astrid na habang buhay mong dadalhin?

Sinagot ito ni Augie Rivera sa pamamagitan ng isang link sa kanyang Multiply site. Narito ang kanyang eulogy para kay Astrid na maituturing na sagot sa mga tanong na nasa taas.

Pero hindi napigilan ni Manong Augie na magbahagi pa ng mas maraming detalye. Heto pa ang kanyang mga alaala ni A.

Gustong-gusto ko rin ang 'Bayong ng Kuting', at yung essay niya na binasa ni Agay Llanera (KUTING) nung eulogy night. Ginamit ko pa nga sa eulogy na sinulat ko sa itaas.

Siguro, si Astrid ay tulad din nung ama sa story, na naglakad-lakad at nagpunta kung saan-saan para ipaampon ang mga kuting. Si Astrid, nag-iwan at nagpaampon din sa mga kaibigan ng kaniyang mabubuting alaala, na tila mumunting kuting ngayon na ating inaalagaan.

Noong July 2009, barely a month bago siya namatay, nakasama namin siya ni Mike sa binyag ni Maia, bunsong anak ni Nono Pardalis (ANINO at KUTING). Pauwi from Calamba, nangungulit siyang kumain kami ng crabs for dinner. Buti na lang pinagbigyan namin siya ni Mike at nagfoodtrip kami sa Dampa sa likod ng Metrowalk. Yun na ang pinakahuli naming pagkikita. Pero lagi kaming magkachika sa Yahoo messenger, at hihiramin pa nga sana niya ang libro kong 'Man on Wire.' Wala akong kamalay-malay na noong linggong yun ay itatakbo na pala siya sa ospital at papanaw makalipas ang ilang araw.

Inaasahan kong magpaparamdam si Astrid, kahit sa panaginip.

Mga Alaala ni A

Agosto ng pumanaw si Astrid.

Ang huli naming pagkikita ay 6 Agosto, 2009. Nasa Vibal Foundation pa ako noon bilang library consultant at siya naman ay nabigyan ng isang proyekto na makapagsulat ng isang aklat pambata. Nagkasalo pa kami ng tanghalian kasama si Dr. Luis Gatmaitan, Rhandee Garlitos at mga taga Vibal Foundation nung araw na iyun. Natatandaan ko na kaunti lang ang kinain ni Astrid. Napansin ko rin ang pamamaga ng mga pisngi ni Astrid pero hindi ko inisip na malubha na siyang may sakit. Hindi kase siya madaingin. Hindi siya maarte. Hindi siya emo. Hindi siya madaling sumuko sa mga pagsubok.

Nung tumawag sa akin si Mona Dy, kaibigan kong matalik at bagong kaibigan pa lang ni Astrid noon, sinabihan niya akong dalawin sa ospital si Astrid. Sabi ko, "Nasa Samar ako at may teacher training, Mona. Pagdating na pagdating ko sa Manila, dadalawin ko si Astrid." Biernes yun. Sabado ng umaga, 23 ng Agosto, nakuha ko na lang ang text ni Mike at Augie Rivera na pumanaw na si Astrid. Nagpa-excuse muna ako sa training ng ilang saglit sapagkat hindi ko mapigilang lumuha. Ang dami kong mga pinalagpas na imbitasyon ni Astrid. Ang dami naming projects na pinag-usapan subalit hindi nasimulan. Ang daming pagkakataon na nakita ako ni Astrid na mahina, subalit naroon siya upang magbigay ng tulong at payo sa akin.

Tatlong taon na siyang lumisan sa mundong ito at palagi ko pa rin siyang iniisip. Pinayuhan ako ng aking mister na ipagdasal at ipaubaya na sa Dios si Astrid. Kung tutuusin nga naman, namamahinga na si Astrid. Hangang sa huling sandali, tinuruan ako ni Astrid. Seize the day! Go! Go! Go!

Astrid, sa mga susunod na araw, kaming mga kaibigan mo sa KUTING ay magbibigay pugay sa iyong naging kontribusyon sa panitikang pambata. Sa aking blog, iisa-isahin namin ang mga masasayang alaalang ibinigay at ibinahagi mo sa amin. May mga piling taga Kuwentista ng mga Tsikiting (KUTING) ang nagbigay ng kanilang maikli, subalit matamis na tribute para sa iyo.

Sana mag-enjoy ka!

When it rains it pours!

My family and I would like to continuously thank all the people who sent donations in cash and kind to lift our spirits and help us rebuild and recover. The prayers and encouraging text messages of friends from KUTING, MAGIS DEO, Vibal Foundation and my friends in the library profession are greatly appreciated. The moral support is enormous!

Right now, I'm praying for strength and wisdom as my family and I work out plans and ways to rise from our Ondoy ordeal. We are still pleasantly displaced at my in-laws. We have not gone back to Pasig since water has not subsided yet. We have accepted what has happened and with the rain coming in every week (God forbid!) we have decided to completely let go of the house. We will go back and clean up when water dries up. Whatever state the house shall be in when we see it weeks from now is something we have to brace ourselves for.

For now, life goes on.

Our call for help is still on going. Donations are very much welcome. If you can lead me to sponsors and donors for my storytelling workshops, email me at zarah.gagatiga@gmail.com or send SMS via 09209602884 / 09182293587. Thank you so much!

Photos from Donsol

You can view them in my personal blog, The Coffee Goddess.

Hermie Salazar, Filipino Librarian

This is my friend Hermie Salazar.

She is currently the University Librarian of the University of North Eastern Philippines. I met her in 2004 and we were together during the IFLA-UNESCO sponsored workshop in Bangkok, Thailand on Information Literacy (IL). At that time, IL was the new buzz word particularly in school librarianship. We presented scholarly papers and country reports together with other librarians of the Southeast Asian region. Needles to say, we had a blast and promised to keep in touch. We did. Over the years, we'd meet and exchange news, going ons in the profession and share a sliver of our personal lives with each other.

Just recently, Hermie whipped up a Storytelling Workshop which I conducted for her learning community in UNEP. The visit was enough for us to finish the whole gig and business of the workshop. Fortunately, a little time was left for some catching up.

I've always wondered why she chose to work in Iriga, of all places, when work for a librarian of her caliber abound in the city. So she claimed that she is out there on a mission. Now that is one thing I've learned from Hermie. Maybe it's about time for me to revise and revisit my views, dreams and purpose on this career. Perhaps, it's about time for me to see beyond the profession.

Advocacy is good. But living out a mission is another.

Home for Christmas

Two Filipino Librarians who are currently based overseas will be home for Christmas. Peachy Limpin has sent word of her homecoming and Von Totanes is counting off the days till he's back for the Holidays.

I don't know about Von, but Peachy and I have scheduled a date. We have a lot of catching up to do. I doubt that four hours of dinner would be enough.

Good Finds at The Manila International Book Fair 2008

Yes, books were aplenty at the MIBF last September 12-16, 2008 but I bought only the titles that fit my budget. Though I only had three titles in my book bag, my best finds at the book fair were friends, old and new.

Here's Andy Arcilla-DeGuzman, an old friend from college. She now has two kids and works as librarian at the Philippine Christian University in Dasmarinas, Cavite. Her kids are Victor (8) and Nicole (7). Andy and I go along way back. It's pretty strange how we would only meet once a year at the book fair. With email and texting technology, I'm challenged to keep in touch with her more frequently. We have a lot of catching up to do.

(L-R)Frauline Oclarit, Ariel Oclarit, Me and Dr. Luis "Tito Dok" Gatmaitan.

The Oclarits were at the MIBF to touch base with friends and professionals in the library industry. Frauline and I met during the 2005 IASL Conference in Hong Kong. Imagine that! She's from Mindanao and I, from Manila but we met in bustling Hong Kong, a Chinese territory. She presented a professional paper at the time while I was the eager participant. This time around, she's helping out hubby Ariel in setting up DREAM Children Project (Democratizing Reading Among Mindanaoan Children) in barangays in South Cotabato. From their stories, four reading centers have been set up already but books are wanting as well as people who could help run sustainable programs for literacy development. I am awaiting email from either of the Oclarits since I am interested to help out in whatever way I can. The thought of going to South Cotabato is dangerously exciting!

I'm with Melody Remorca and daughter Marky. Luis Gatmaitan poses with us and takes a bite of Pilandok's mango. In 1997, Melody and I began telling stories for Museo Pambata and National Bookstore. At the time, NBS still had their famed Kiddie Book Club. Part of their activity was storytelling sessions in several branches. I did storytelling gigs for NBS on weekends and partnered with Melody several times in many a storytelling sessions. A decade after, we're still very much active in the industry that shaped who are.

In spite of these happy encounters, I could not help but think what destiny is trying to tell me. For the past three months now, I've been bumping into old friends and acquaintances; people I knew from my past. I'm tickled by the idea of a bigger plan forming in the cosmos for me to know and discover what is. I know I'n being "speculative" about this, but good finds are hard to find. It's the kind that does not happen every day.