In Preparation of Mirko’s Wedding

 It’s Mirko’s wedding today, one of the very best friends of Mauro. The guys prepared nice stuff for the party as well as in front of the house.

The wedding is still this 4pm and I am preparing myself to work on the onsite video…something that these Italians are not used to. Still trying to finalize which background music to use.

Caregiver The Movie

Just like I am craving for real green mango, I also crave for original filipino films! Anything that is not in Italian and definitely not in English!

I heard about this movie by reading Inquirer, especially the Showbiz and Entertainment section. It came out last May, however, got interested with it just this August, just when I learned how to download a lot of stuff with my Mac among several other things.

It took me sometime to be able to view it in 3 video websites that I also just discovered while surfing. It is similar to You Tube, the sites are Veoh, Crunchyroll and Pinoy Channel TV. And I was able to view it here. I usually go for the original movies on DVD but due to limited access, I learned to satisfy myself with poor quality videos online.

The movie of Miss Sharon Cuneta is simply superb. She did very well in this movie together with the other actors in the flick. I have read a review (actually should not be considered as such since the person did not even watch the film and just based on trailers and adverts) saying that it is hyped (is there such a word?), primarily due to how fluent Sharon spoke English in the film?? Anyway…

Surely there may be some flaws in the movie. I may have not noticed some, though, I guess I was simply enjoying watching a video and a long one…again, I was just for the pleasure and leisure of watching a Pinoy movie, my first after 3 years!

Although, one thing I noticed is that when John (Estrada) was explaining to Sharon some words that the British use like lift for elevator, etc. I knew the reason but for the film’s purposes and the characters I thought there is no need to explain it.

Overall, the movie was entertaining and worth my time, I could NOT agree with a comment about the movie being “hyped,” instead, only as HYPE. Obviously and primarily, this is a movie, everything has to be exaggerated and secondly, it needs all the attention that it could get…they are trying to sell…they are sold to me. I am just sorry that my participation was not in terms of an actual cinema ticket that could eventually translate to the sales of the film.

As an OFW myself, I witnessed all types of Pinoys working in various countries with similar experiences and sad to say, worse conditions in order to send decent money to the Philippines. Without going too far and too long, salient Filipino trait is their resiliency… to weather, food, job, people, culture, etc. I believe that this is among the top factors or the best trait why Filipinos are a favorite employee or worker in various countries.

Lando and Dino

To celebrate the third year anniversary of Spreca, a bar, pasticceria and gelateria, they sponsored a comic show – Lando and Dino. A popular Macerata comic duo with antics that make the local wild and cry from laughing.

Everyone laughed except me, I’m still struggling with my Italian and they had to speak Maceratese, an Italian dialect! Quite tough for me…Mauro loved this kind of show, it’s a pity he was not around to see this one with us.

My First iDVD Project

 

Finished my first iDVD Project using Mac. I have to admit that it is not really easy editing the movies as the software I have in my system is something new for me. We still have a PC but I figured I just have to start working now to learn it, besides I have all the time for it.

The first work is a movie of all the photos and videos I have compiled while working with SPG and for the special colleagues I have worked with in my department. 

iDVD is cool to use though it took about 4 hours to encode and burn the entire stuff…I still have to learn a lot of stuff but I’m taking my time. Sleeping is a bit difficult for me in the last couple of nights and maybe I am adjusting to not working. Somehow I miss working but I kind of expecting these moments before I tendered my letter to our CEO.

I used making and editing movies the iMovie. Way too different from the Windows Movie Maker which I’m used to as I thought it is a bit limited in text and video transitions…but I am still an explorer…I think iMovie offers more or the same as Windows Movie Player. One thing that I don’t like about it is that unless your photos are not imported in your iPhoto you can not use the video or photo. Most of my photos and videos are in my external hard drive.

Anyhow, I am pretty excited to hand over the DVDs to my colleagues on Monday, I just need to fine tune some things on it or maybe not.

Planning for the Next Holiday – London or Stay in Italy?

I’m jobless now and as mentioned before, I am totally tired and stressed from work and I just need to get out of Nigeria even for a while….and I have a LOT of TIME for that!! 

Chatting with Luca (one of Mauro’s best friends) to help me plan the next holiday as he and his wife, Barbara, are planning also for a holiday in July. I wanted to go to London, Luca said that I need around 350 euro for the entire trip. Mauro wanted also to go and hoping I would change my mind to just travel around Italy…and there are still a lot of regions I still need to go to and see. Tuscany is what Luca suggested as he wants nature – mountain and sea. He warned me about walking under the sun!! Summer is here!!       

I have talked to Kat as well and my cousin, Mia, both in London….I know Mauro won’t like it and I really wanted to go..even if I have to travel alone… selfish eh??

Anyway, the original plan was for me to travel to Italy this month, however, I don’t want to be away from Mauro and we have both agreed that until I get tired of staying in Lagos I could go. I have been a bit busy even in the last 3 days working on the yard sale..but I don’t see myself that busy for the next two weeks (my idea is just really to travel). There are still tons to do – wedding, Nigeria scrapbook, etc…

Mauro also thought that this is one of the best time that I could stay in Italy with his family as I might not have the same opportunity when we move to Dubai. I liked the idea, however, my Italian is not perfect and I am still struggling for some words. But when I am in Italy, Mauro says that I tend to speak Italian better as I am a way forced to. No one speaks English in the family!!

We have so many plans on where to go for holidays and as of now I can’t just go like before. Not single anymore and I have to consider my partner in all of my decisions. Mauro supports me very well in all of my plans (he is a bit so-so with London as he wants to go there in December), Cuba in August (the Astolfi family are all going there), September in Italy for the wedding of Mirko, Dubai for the new work place of Mauro and hopefully, me! February 2009 to West Coast, USA with the Lagos group!! We have enough plans even until 2010 when we will go to South Africa for the World Cup!!

Planning for the next holiday is always fun and exciting..at the end of the day, it is just really enjoying the place you decided to go or land in….still have not answered the question as to where we are going in July!!

 

Tarkwa Bay Suya

Tarkwa Bay, a popular beach for expats and locals alike, is about 20 minute boat ride from the Embassy area or from the Lagos Yacht Club.

We normally order a plate or two of fruits then as for lunch we order at least 3-2 sticks per person. The photo is not a normal site for suya as they usually serve it without the BBQ sticks. It’s my first photo of the suya…it is great with onions, grilled bread on top of old newspaper!! (The newspaper was fairly new that day…from March 2008!)

2wheels2africa.com

 

it’s amazing when you just meet people from all walks of life and from different countries – to top it all, totally different ‘trip’…it was just lucky for us to hook up with these guys traveling around africa from london with their bikes (they also created a site about their journey www.2wheels2africa.com)

jeremy (english/finnish) and keith (irish) are 2 amazing guys we have met during their stay in lagos last weekend. it’s their 4th month travelling with their bikes. we went to pat’s bar, an irish-owned pub in victoria island, had pizza in manuela’s residence and then hit off to piccolo mondo. on a rainy sunday, we saw iron man in silverbird. for them, they were spoiled but for us it was just a good feeling to see new faces and fresh fish in lagos. reminds me of my first couple of weeks when i arrived in lagos 2 years ago (celebrating my second year on 25th of may). 

meeting jeremy and keith makes me think how much i have done in my life. i wish to turn back time and took a certain period of my life to just “travel” – and not just travel but to really experience the life of a certain city. seeing is one thing, experiencing it is another.

move around using public transports, eat local cuisine even street food, spending time how the locals do, drinking the local beer, etc. i had all the time before but did not have the money…now that i have the money, i hardly get the best of my weekends in order to beat work deadlines!

making the most out of your life and your time (better, youth) is not just a tacky cliche – it is true…

the next couple of months would be something also exciting for mauro and me – i just can’t wait as well - the wheel of life is truly turning…

American Idol Season 7

ok, ok, for some, this is a bit corny. but to be honest, i was not a big fan of it since it started. i never even wanted to see how they do it. with the advent of reality shows, the only one i really liked watching was “amazing race” and “fear factor”… then i moved to lagos when it totally changed my tv habits. primarily prompted by what’s available only.

for this season, he is my guy, the photo above – david cook!! after his billie jean stint, i just can’t have enough of him. all his song choices are so smart, okay, okay, maybe not all…but this guy still rocks!

my bet is he is this year’s american idol…

“Your English e de pass my power”

“Your English e de pass my power”

By far, this is the best I have heard next to “I de like I no de.” Mauro sent it to me via text and I knew he was sharing a novel and funny (as usual) experience with one of their workers. When Mauro came home, he was so excited to tell me about the story. Just as before, it was one of the typical dealings by Alain, one of Mauro’s colleagues, with one of the laborers.

The phrase simply means that “i did not understand you” or “what does that word mean?” But within the context of their conversation, it was a “safe answer” to an “oga.”

Don’t get me wrong, we are not making fun of Pidgin English nor saying we are authorities in English. The simple Pidgin English syntax (if there is at all), is so simple that it could be easily understood, however, i cannot grasp the fundamental thought process of mere combining certain and common words, sometimes, in contradiction of what one is trying to say. Like earlier, I asked my driver to clean the car’s mudguard, “I don hear you, madam.” I got upset immediately only to realize after a minute that he meant that my driver heard me. I still get confused with the “don!!”

Dealing with locals, I must admit, sometimes affect my English – come on, we deal with them everyday, I know somehow, in one way or another, it will just get into me. However, I realized that I treat Pidgin English as another language/dialect in order for me not to get confused with the proper English. Nigerians appreciate one’s efforts when you try to speak their language. Just like me back home, I truly like it when Mauro try to speak some Filipino words – even the basic and Spanish-based “Kamusta.”

In the last couple of days (maybe months), I have been learning a couple of new Pidgin phrases. I tend to forget them but imagine the power of words how it could influence you, your thoughts, your judgement…the choice of words could make you either smart or otherwise.

Jumping into the bandwagon

It had to happen eventually. 

Everyone is doing it..so why can’t i?

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