funkylady

Operation Firefox

2 comments Posted by k at 6:03 PM

I opened my browser and saw this really cool ad from Firefox.


They're looking for 'agents' to put up 3.5-feet firefox stickers in prominent places, but you gotta have a plan, if chosen you get an Apple Macbook as grand prize. I might try putting it up at the Angel of the North statue but I'm afraid that would result in me being booted out of this wonderful, highly-developed and migrant-friendly nation who have done so much for the world.

The Angel of the North at Gateshead. Photo taken from http://www.ukswebsite.co.uk


Another fox-y update, I made the quickest purchase I've ever done in my whole life last Monday. Less than ten minutes including the PIN punching and receipt-waiting. What did I buy?
Puma Complete Trailfox image from zappos.com

This. The Puma Complete Trailfox women performance running shoes that I've been wanting so long that I can't believe I had to fly thousands of miles from home just to get my hands on. I am so walking the 12-mile length of Hadrian's Wall on Sunday, wish me luck!

 

Labels: ,

Great day out

1 comments Posted by k at 7:22 PM

It's 9 degrees today according to the news. I decided to went back to the house and change into a warmer jacket when I felt the unforgiving coldness as I stepped out of my centrally heated flat. Good decision. Here's a view of where I live atop the Metro station and some pics taken during our Saturday outing to Ikea.

Longbenton Metro Station

Ikea Gateshead

I lost my bag at Ikea. I just realised it when we were on our way back to the City centre. We went back and looked for it at the bus stop and asked the customer service staff if somebody has returned it, unfortunately somebody decided to take it home and use my hangers, candles and rugs as well as my Swedish chocolates and chips. We just decided to buy the same things again plus some extra so as not to feel disheartened over the whole thing.


Asa-chan

Losing a whole shopping bag was not too bad because I got to spend the day with Asa-chan. She's very sweet and decided I am her one-e-chan and held my hand the whole time. She would sit beside me instead of her mom and dad and I was trying to teach her how to count in English. All she managed to do was imitate my fingers as I count. I've got to learn how to count in Japanese! We hit it off really well, must be the matching clothes we wore that day :)



 

Labels: ,

38.7 million people against poverty and inequality

0 comments Posted by k at 6:00 PM

38.7 million people from 111 countries have joined the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT movement against poverty and inequality last October 17

Photo from GCAP. School children in Soweto, South Africa

"In the Philippines, a massive 7+million people were mobilised at events involving faith groups and at the Anti Poverty fair. Campaigners called on the Arroyo government to change their position regarding the worsening condition of millions of Filipinos trapped in poverty." (GCAP Media release 10/18/07)



 

STAND UP at Newcastle

0 comments Posted by k at 5:17 PM

I went to the Millennium Bridge yesterday and joined the 140 or so students, a professor, and a smattering of activists for the STAND UP and SPEAK OUT against poverty event here in Newcastle. I know the number is quite dismal compared to the organised event in the Philippines but Britain and its citisens has a reputation of being quite apathetic about poverty in developing nations. Still, it was an achievement and it was hard work for the students who organised it. Majority came from the University of Newcastle. I met a retired professor and we'll have coffee some time to chat about his advocacy for the University to make an official commitment to the Make Poverty History campaign.

The view from the bridge was exhilarating and it was very cold and windy I thought it would tilt. It does tilt (so cool!) to make way for the passage of huge ships, it's an architectural feat. Being new to the city, I did lots of consultations with colleagues and checked out Google maps just to be sure I won't get lost, and I didn't.



The Millennium Bridge

I got home around 6 or 7 last night and was quite undecided what to eat. I'm running out of food stock and there's no Metro between Benton and Shiremoor, Northumberland Park is sandwiched in between and it's where I'm supposed to go grocery shopping as it has a big Sainsbury's very close to the station. I ended up sauteeing mushrooms, onions and bell pepper in butter and put a dash of salt and pepper. It was the best!! And I'm not saying that because I cooked it but it's really good. I'll try to cook it again when my colleagues come over for dinner some time and let them be the judge. I ate it with re-heated chicken adobo and fresh greens with caesar dressing. Finished off with vanilla ice cream. Bliss.

 

Labels: ,

Getting lost and some more sillyness

1 comments Posted by k at 5:33 PM

I got lost today going to the office. I turned right instead of the opposite and went around in circle for 15 minutes. This is nothing compared to yesterday though. I thought I badly need hangers and a trash bin and ended up buying grocery, a pillow and no hangers which I had to carry to the nearest Metro 10 minutes away. At the house, I forgot the security code and the alarm went off for about 5 minutes. I was half-expecting the police to come in but eventually got the numbers right. I learn something new everyday. Great.
It's drizzling this morning and surprisingly it's not too cold. I'm totally loving peppermint tea which I bought for 39p for 20 bags yesterday. Lots of frozen food which I thought was dodgy but ended up buying ham, no choice. Lots of things get out of stock easily because of the number of students buying stuff everyday. Will post pictures soon. Ciao.

 

Labels: ,

Goodbye Manila, Hello Newcastle

1 comments Posted by k at 6:17 PM

I've been very busy these past few weeks. Sorting out visa, entry and exit clearances, getting pissed off by the sheer incompetence of some people, though everything seems to be sorted now. I've started to pack my luggage, put my new skywards tags, list down things I still need to buy, and squeeze in last minute meet ups with friends and relatives. We just got back from a one day visit to my lola in the province over the weekend, very hectic and tiresome but I just have to see them one last time before I leave for a whole year.

I'm quite excited, it's gonna be a new environment, new people, new work altogether. I'm expecting lots of challenges too. Right now I'm trying to get accommodation remotely, google map comes in handy in locating potential flats close to the University.

My thinking is that I've survived Johannesburg, I'll definitely survive Newcastle. But looking at the weather and the kind of assistance that I'm getting, I'm starting to doubt that. My stay in SA is soo organised: somebody had picked me up from the airport, I already have a place to stay before I got there, transpo going to work all sorted out. This trip looks like a journey to Mars coordinated by Philippine airspace travel (which is basically nonexistent). At the moment, I'm quite stumped deciding over which shoes to leave and which to bring.

Good thing about me is that I don't easily give up. I was able to communicate with a Filipino living there in Newcastle and he's really so nice to help me out. Too bad he's moving to Australia.
I've also been negotiating with a Brit for my accommodation, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she'll see reason over the Western Union money transfer thing which I'm not gonna budge in.

I have a hundred things to do and only two days left, I think I'll be needing some vodka.

***
This is gonna be tough for hny and I, but we have plans on meeting up probably next year and we're both praying that he'll get the scholarship so we can travel around Europe together :)

 

Labels: ,

Newer Posts Older Posts Home

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)