IMHO

Plotting and Purpose

Day 7
8 March 2006

It seems that the power goes out every other morning in Mirador Hill, but it hardly really matters. Unlike in the warmer Manila climes, I have no need of airconditioning or even an electric fan (I have a very low heat threshold), and the full-length windows open out into the brightness of the morning, tempered by low-hanging clouds and the fact that my bed and the whole house face north (as determined by Jeryc’s trusty compass).

As I told a friend who called earlier this evening, I am very much “hiyang” in BC. For lack of a more precise translation, that means that BC most certainly agrees with me. Except for the usual skin dryness that plagues me in colder climates (the lack of perspiration-inducing humidity overdries my “dry zones,” which my dermatologist won’t be too happy about), I’m very comfortable – mentally, emotionally, and cryogenically, where I’m at. It’s almost been a week since I arrived, and the “break-in” period is just about ended – I think I’ve sufficiently acclimatized myself, and now it’s time to look into making a life and a living.

Logistics-wise, my major “problems” are garbage disposal and the unfortunate predicament of running out of LPG to cook with. I know for a fact that garbage collection is done early Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, but I just have to haul myself out of bed to drag four big trash bags full of cleaned-out junk down to where the truck is supposed to pick it up. I attempted to foist two bags of trash upon the Jesuit Villas, but the big garbage drums I’d assumed to contain common-area trash were full of collected rainwater, so now those same bags are now stinking up the trunk of my car until I turn them in to the collectors tomorrow morning. As for the liquid petroleum gas, I’ve found a couple of nearby stores that sell the filled tanks…but will not deliver (argh). Which means that in the untimely event that I run out of gasul, I will have to drag both the empty tank and later its much heavier refill up and down the flight of steps by myself. I just hope I run out when a man (or a powerlifting woman) happens to be visiting!

My Net fix has also been addressed – instead of getting wi-fi, I can conveniently hook my laptop up to a connection at an SMBC net café and e-mail, surf, and work out of my own computer. It was at that café this afternoon that I met up with my “soul sister,” and favorite BC resident Binx, and we headed off to PKNY (yet again) to talk about the Lord, life, relationships, and the myriad possibilities that this move to BC has to offer. I was pleasantly surprised to see Bliss Café’s Jim Ward bike up to enjoy a snack at PKNY – Bliss is moving next door to bigger digs on Leonard Wood, and we got invited to the soft opening next week. “Welcome to BC!” Jim enthused as he found out about my “impending” relocation…he moved here two years ago from Makati and has never regretted it one bit. What person in his or her right mind would?

Because I’m ready to move on from the “settling-in” period, it was probably due time to explore career and service options. I’m listening closely to God’s direction, but in the meantime welcoming the many opportunities that are presenting themselves. Binx is a wellspring of invaluable advice and ideas to pursue: from co-developing a short course English proficiency module with her for ESL students, to part-time teaching at the many schools and uni’s up here, to setting up that dream restaurant/B & B, to practicing law (her suggestion, which I promptly rejected!!), and of course, to working once again with streetkids through the Cabrini mission. In addition of course, to my current writing projects, which, by virtue of the miracles of technology, allow me to “telecommute”: a magazine assignment has me writing about one of Baguio’s hotspots (which will have me interviewing, tomorrow, a renowned BC resident/attorney/public official who also happens to be the brother of one of my favorite law school profs).

I cannot say in honesty that I miss Manila, for while many of the people I love are back there, I know that they will always be there, a mere five hours’ drive away through truck-and-tricycle-traffic. I love Manila because of the people who live there; I love BC because of the place that it is…now if only I could convince all the people I love in Manila to come up here and live in BC. Hmmmm!!!

posted by Honey Oliveros @ 2:31 PM