There was news recently of the Philippine run of “Les Miserables” beginning this March and of a Filipino-Australian girl who is cast as Cosette. My girls know many of the songs in “Les Miserables,” especially Cosette’s solo, “Castle on a Cloud.” Shobe immediately asked, “If she’s here, how will she go to school? Maybe she […]
Some time in late July, my friends and I discussed which classes we planned to take for the incoming school year. Our department was rather small, so there usually weren’t a lot of classes offered (there was only one class per course number). This upped our chances of being in the same class with our […]
Mei Lan Fang (梅蘭芳 1894-1961) was a famed Peking Opera actor in China. When the Japanese invaded China and occupied Shanghai, Mei stopped his stage performances and lived in seclusion at home. Chu Min Yi (褚民誼), the executive secretary and minister of foreign affairs of the puppet government then under Wang Jing Wei (汪精衞), attempted […]
A team of researchers from Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran headed to Cagayan Valley and Ilocos in January 2016 to find out more about locations No. 5 Lam-Ong and No. 6 Thay Gu Khang. Initial research was conducted by Conor Lim Dunham at the National Library, National Archives, University of Sto. Tomas archives and the Archdiocesan […]
The National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), as of last count, listed the Philippines as having more than 7,500 islands. Some of our islands are now disputed territory. To combat China’s “historic” claim to these islands, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has been using ancient maps of the Philippines, including the Selden […]
Although fruits are very healthy and rich in vitamins and fiber, too much of a good thing can also pack added inches to your waistline. As always, moderation is the key word. Don’t eat too much of any one thing. Not too much wine, too much fats or too much eggs. In fact, some of […]
There’s a wise saying, “Everyone should have three kinds of friends – those younger than you whom you can teach, those of your same age to hang out with, and those older from whom you can learn.” As teaching is my vocation, I am always around the younger crowd. Most of my peers are married, […]
Hokkien, on the tongues of Tsinoys, has grown and evolved, taking on a life of its own. Sometimes words simply fail us. With some creativity, Tsinoys have strung together words to form colorful phrases that simply hit the bull’s eye. Here are some expressions unique to Hokkien as favored by Tsinoys. Idioms, expressions Hokkien pronunciation […]
The May 30th Movement (五卅運動) was a major labor and anti-imperialist movement sparked by the killing of Chinese protesters at the Shanghai International Settlement (or concession) on May 30, 1925. The protesters were demonstrating against the Japanese No. 8 Cotton Mill whose Japanese foreman shot dead Gu Zhenghong (顧正紅), a labor leader, on May 15. […]
One day, flowers will arrive at the house and they will be for my daughter.I was once on the other side of that doorbell – the teenager carrying a nondescript box of chocolates waiting for the door to open. Flowers tend to elicit a few too many stares. At least that’s how I saw it […]