General Talk!!

[katana]

I'm BAACK!!! I missed this place! Been really busy, doing research, overseeing things, talking with some people and took some much needed R&R.

@Ahmad
I think it has to do with the fact I confuse a lot of people with things I say or do.  LOL Believe me, it's unintentional. I have my brain to blame for that, it's scattered all over.



@humbert
I'm from Bicol Region. Where are you now, my traveler friend?

[humbert]

I'm BAACK!!! I missed this place! Been really busy, doing research, overseeing things, talking with some people and took some much needed R&R.

@Ahmad
I think it has to do with the fact I confuse a lot of people with things I say or do.  LOL Believe me, it's unintentional. I have my brain to blame for that, it's scattered all over.

@humbert
I'm from Bicol Region. Where are you now, my traveler friend?

KATANA!! So happy to have you back!

You said you confuse people? Hmm... maybe I don't know you that well, but here you've been very easy to understand and have never misled anyone. You're also extremely friendly and very charming when you post messages. As I've said many times, I like you very much and I'm delighted you're here.

As for me -- now I'm finally back home in San Antonio, TX (USA), which is where I live. The heat in Mexico was killing me - we're talking 42°C and higher during the day with no A/C until bedtime. Here in San Antonio it can get just as hot, BUT at least here A/C is everywhere you go and I can have mine on at home all day. If I tried to pull this stunt in northern Mexico, I'd have to file for bankrupcy because the government imposes stiff electricity taxes to subsidize the poorer South.

I found you on the map. What I didn't see was a town or city called "Bicol", it was a region with a national park not too far away. I haven't researched it, but I imagine Bicol National Park is a tropical forest chok full of insects, frogs, snakes, vampire bats and everything imaginable. Is there a town or city where you live?

You know, one thing that always intrigued me was the fact that, after nearly 400 years of Spanish occupation and when you consider that almost all Filipinos have Spanish names, that the language isn't spoken there. I researched the subject and found out why, and I was just shocked! The events that transpired after Dewey's invasion of Manila Bay in 1898 were simply deleted from history class. It's just incredible! I did learn that the goverment in Madrid established the "Instituto Cervantes de Manila" in an attempt to bring the language back (or at least try). Let's see what happens.

[katana]

@humbert

I sympathize with you, I imagine that the temperature in Mexico is almost the same here in the Philippines. Today, it went as high as 39ºC! It's not just the heat but the humidity, as well... Hormones & humidity can get people really cranky! 

I found you on the map. What I didn't see was a town or city called "Bicol", it was a region with a national park not too far away. I haven't researched it, but I imagine Bicol National Park is a tropical forest chok full of insects, frogs, snakes, vampire bats and everything imaginable. Is there a town or city where you live?

LOL I don't live in a tropical forest though I live in a little town in one of the provinces of Bicol Region.

We retained our own language though we borrowed some español words & phrases & integrated it in our native tongue. My eldest sister had a Spanish class in college, I used to pore over her activity manuals when I was still in grade school.  Some oldies still can speak & understand Spanish and there's a province in the south which uses a dialect similar to Spanish language though there might be some colloquial differences.

History is written or deleted depending on who wrote it and on which side that writer was.

[humbert]

@humbert
I sympathize with you, I imagine that the temperature in Mexico is almost the same here in the Philippines. Today, it went as high as 39ºC! It's not just the heat but the humidity, as well... Hormones & humidity can get people really cranky! 

Katana! So nice to see you back. In a way you remind me of the Chief -- you are a person we'd love to have on here daily, however we also know you work and have your priorities, and accordingly this simply isn't possible.

Regarding the heat, tell me about it! The temp here today was also 39°C, with 40° to 42°C on tap for next week. The A/C here just doesn't stop. I'm terrified of my electric bill. As you correctly stated, over there it's far worse due to high humidity. I'm willing to bet the heat index over there approaches 50°C. At least here during mid-afternoon my hygrometer is reading 30% relative humidity, over there it's probably much higher.

LOL I don't live in a tropical forest though I live in a little town in one of the provinces of Bicol Region.

Oh no! What I was referring to was a place I saw on the map called "Bicol National Park", and I imagined it to be a tropical rain forest. Of course you live in a city, although I'm not 100% sure which. The Bicol region, however, is clearly on the map.

We retained our own language though we borrowed some español words & phrases & integrated it in our native tongue. My eldest sister had a Spanish class in college, I used to pore over her activity manuals when I was still in grade school.  Some oldies still can speak & understand Spanish and there's a province in the south which uses a dialect similar to Spanish language though there might be some colloquial differences.
History is written or deleted depending on who wrote it and on which side that writer was.

ABSOLUTELY TRUE! Here's a quick question - when was the last time you ever heard of a war criminal in a victorious army? I refuse to believe that in any war, the winners weren't guilty of sin. They were probably worse than the losers, but we'll never know.

I'm glad you brought this up because I want to pick your brains. Responding to what you said in another post, your are NOT boring me with Phillipine history, au contaire, I want to learn and most importantly, learn the truth. I'm familiar with the your overview of Phillipine history. What I want to know is something that either I was absent from school the day it was taught, or it was simply deleted from the curriculum. I refer to the events shortly preceding and especially after the American invasion in 1898. Somehow I'm beginning to think that the Americans were up to something nasty, and this had everything to do with the reason why today Spanish isn't spoken in the Phillipines. This contrasts with what happened in Puerto Rico and my native Cuba at about the same time. Nobody was mistreated, in fact, very much to the contrary. I often wonder if the simple fact that the majority of our population (and that of Puerto Rico) just happen to be causasian maybe have had something to do with it. I might add that to this very day, Spanish is very much the first language in Puerto Rico -- and the Americans have simply looked the other way.

I also heard somewhere that Madrid had established something called "Instituto Cervantes de Manila" (no translation necessary) in an effort to bring Spanish back. True? Also, somewhere recently I heard of someone named Emilio Aguinaldo. Ever heard of the man?

I'm asking you because I'm tired of looking up sources of information. Frankly, I don't know what to believe any more. I want to hear this from a real Filipina who, I believe, would be far closer to the truth. Now I'm the one who hopes isn't bothering YOU by asking so much - all I want is to learn the truth.

[katana]

Katana! So nice to see you back. In a way you remind me of the Chief -- you are a person we'd love to have on here daily...

I'm honored. Thank you!

ABSOLUTELY TRUE! Here's a quick question - when was the last time you ever heard of a war criminal in a victorious army? I refuse to believe that in any war, the winners weren't guilty of sin. They were probably worse than the losers, but we'll never know.

I think they call them HEROES complete with medals and other such awards! It's a bit ironic, really. 

I'm glad you brought this up because I want to pick your brains.

I can feel the onset of a nosebleed already. Just kidding! 

I refer to the events shortly preceding and especially after the American invasion in 1898.

The books where most Filipino children got their history knowledge were those distributed by the government in schools so I'm assuming that it was written based on a collective memory of some people who were given the authority to write what happened or what they thought happened. If someone comes out (or came out) with a different version of what transpired during those periods, people will initially have doubts regarding the credibility of that person or group since an entirely different version had been grilled to our memory ever since.

My history professor in college (she had a very radical outlook in life) once urged our class to read a book about the Commonwealth era, she said it was the closest we'll read of what really transpired during those years. Me, being a typical student, read only the part needed to survive her class & put it out of my mind until now. 

Instituto Cervantes de Manila

I've heard of it or read of it in the news. It's a school/institution which teaches the Spanish language & culture located somewhere in Manila City. I don't think they (the Spanish Government) should worry about bringing back or teaching us their culture. It is very much embedded in who we are as people & as a country that even the new generation is still very much influenced by it.

Emilio Aguinaldo was one of the leaders of the revolutionaries against Spanish rule and the one who established the Republic.

I welcome the chance to use my brains again, it's been sitting in the corner accumulating dust lately.  It's no bother, really. But I must apologize bcoz I'm rusty when it comes to history. I'm not much of a history buff though I had my nationalistic moments.

Do you reckon we won't be alienating other members with all this talk about my country's history and what-not? 

[katana]

Thanx, Bladeshark for putting this under a different topic... I'll be more comfortable discussing anything else here.

[humbert]

Katana! So nice to see you back. In a way you remind me of the Chief -- you are a person we'd love to have on here daily...

I'm honored. Thank you!

I'm firmly convinced you're an extremely intelligent person and an asset to your forum. I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say I'm happy to have you with us.

[I'm glad you brought this up because I want to pick your brains.

I can feel the onset of a nosebleed already. Just kidding! 
I welcome the chance to use my brains again, it's been sitting in the corner accumulating dust lately. 

I'm probably the biggest brain picker around here . You're my next victim . Also, I know perfectly that nobody has all the answers. Just tell me what you know, never mind the rest.

Do you reckon we won't be alienating other members with all this talk about my country's history and what-not? 

Don't worry! My friends here know me and I know them. They know all about my brain picking and so far if someone has objected, nobody's told me anything. My first victim was the Chief when here was here longer, followed the other guys (notably Ahmad). The only thing the Chief objects to is creating a situation where all this degenerates into a debate, and naturally proselytization. Not only do I faithfully follow the rule because the Chief said so, but more importantly because we see eye to eye on this matter. I despise proselytization, it's disrespect multiplied by a factor of 10.

[Ahmad]

Loved to be a victim, buddy. 

[humbert]

Loved to be a victim, buddy. 

I appreciate that very much ! There have been times when I thought I was just taking up your valuable time. Please know that all you've done is teach and enlighten me, and I owe you a debt of gratitude. Naturally the very same applies to all who've been kind enough to do the same.

[Ahmad]

I appreciate that very much ! There have been times when I thought I was just taking up your valuable time. Please know that all you've done is teach and enlighten me, and I owe you a debt of gratitude. Naturally the very same applies to all who've been kind enough to do the same.

I've learnt a lot from you, so it's me who thank you for this.
Love you, buddy.