Oct 07 2009
Of Morning Routines, Work-Related Temper, Representing the Philippines and My New Blogging Strategy
So I made it. Here I am at the Hyatt Regency in Yogyakarta. Aaaaah, the sun. I haven’t seen the sun in a long time and it greeted me warmly when I arrived amidst the different bodily smells in the domestic airport of Yogyakarta (pronounced Jogjakarta, or simply Jogja). No typhoon cancelled my trip from Manila and no earthquake welcomed me in Indonesia. It was a difficult trip although Yogyakarta is near Manila. From Manila to Singapore to Jakarta. Then, I had to take the domestic flight of Garuda from Jakarta to Yogyakarta. Three whole legs. Despite that, I arrived at a reasonable time in Yogya – around 4:30 pm, and as I went a day ahead of my boss, I was able to enjoy my room for the evening and take a good rest.
Morning Routine
When I’m on official trips and I’ve had a reasonably good sleep, my morning routine would be – wake up, exercise (either run if there’s a beach or nice hotel grounds or yoga in my room), breakfast, toilet and bath, me time, dress up for the meeting, then go to the meeting. I like having breakfast early (around 7 am) ahead of the other delegates because considering I’m with them the whole day for four or five days, I don’t like socializing with them so early in the morning.
But on my second morning here, I mixed up my routine a little and so I – woke up, exercised, bathed and dressed up for meeting, breakfast, toilet, then meeting. As I had my breakfast a little later than usual (around 8:15 am), the other delegates were there, already dressed up as well, so I had to chitchat with them, extending my breakfast time (and shortening my me time).
Anyway, I realized some things. First of all, they had their meeting documents and stuff with them already when they went down for breakfast. So that means they don’t go back to their rooms. And that means that they don’t go to the toilet after breakfast. And that means that they don’t brush their teeth. I’m not questioning their hygiene, mind you. You know that Filipinos are sticklers when abroad, puckering their noses when assaulted with different bodily smells of different nationalities. But this lot of different nationalities smell quite good. I’m just wondering about their brushing their teeth and toilet after breakfast.
Work-Related Temper
I also wonder about these lawyers (some of them are not diplomats but are only lawyers). They battle it out in fierce negotiations and heated debates, lashing out nasty words to the point of being rude and impolite. Yet after the meeting, they have lunch together and socialize like they’re the best of friends, inquiring about health and family and well-being. It’s all just work, I guess. Nothing personal. But does work give you a license one to be rude and lose one’s temper?  And how can they just leave those emotions behind in the meeting room?
Representing the Philippines
It’s a big part of my job to represent the Philippines and I always try to be my best and defend it as best as I could when abroad. I think that every Filipino should be a diplomat when abroad (and also in blogs… as people around the world read blogs). I mean, we all know our troubles and what’s wrong with the Philippines. Let’s keep the debates and criticisms within the Philippines, within ourselves. We should be like a family. We may squabble among ourselves, but outside the family, we try to defend the family name. I always believe that outside the Philippines, we should ALL emphasize all the great things we have going for us – the people – our resiliency, intelligence, kindness, creativity, talent – and the beauty of our country. I think it was an Indonesian diplomat who said, we may be poor, but the rest of the world doesn’t have to know.
Anyway, I consider myself quite good at defending the Philippines. When other nationalities say the Filipinos are all domestic helpers, I say that it’s an honorable career, they’re very good at it, and what would their kids do without the Filipinos. I also say that they should take care of their Filipino domestic helpers because their nationality is notorious for abusing and exploiting them. When they say that the Philippines is in disarray, I say that it’s democracy at work.
It’s not easy mind you. Last night, I was watching CNN at work and they showed the literally mountains of garbage swept away by Typhoons Ketsana and Parma. I cringed thinking that the other delegates were watching CNN at the same time and feeling disgust for the Philippines. Anyway, I suppose I can use the last resort defense – blame the politicians. After all, all other countries have politicians, and we’re all together in suffering under their selfishness and stupidity.
My New Blogging Strategy
One of the reasons I found it so hard to blog during the last few months is because I was always thinking – I have to finish my backlog first. I have around 12 trips to blog about since January. At least, do the China Chronicles, which got stuck at Part 1. But now I thought, just forget it. I told myself, just blog about the present Toe, just blog about the present (geez, I’m like Gollum now – talking to myself). Then slowly do the backlog. Those memories won’t go away.
- My Hua Hin Diary (Day 2)
- My Hua Hin Diary (Day 4, Day 5 and Day 6)
- Upgraded in Jakarta
- My Hua Hin Diary (Day 7 and Day 8)
- Point of Order
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It’s like they’re laying the blame on diplomats for all the squabbles in the country. Can’t they just do away with all those things and proceed with the pressing order of the day? But then again, when you’re in the foreign service, you have to expect all these to be thrown your way.
You’re so patriotic, Toe. I salute you!
Way to go Toe I like your diplomatic approach in depending the negative image our beloved country is besieged with. I know it isn’t an easy task.
Regarding your hotel habits, we too would always go back to the room after breakfast to spend quality ‘me time’ hehe in those really fine 5 star hotel bathrooms. I tend to avoid public toilets as much as my bladder can stand.
Wow, I’m really happy to see you blogging again! You were gone a while. I’ve slowed down too but I think that happens when you’ve been blogging straight for years. Keep it up!
yeah, just blog about the present—wishing you luck on your new blogging strategy.:P
i smiled at the “Filipinos are all domestic helpers” bit. this reminds me of my sister’s comment the other night about those who serve. although we were not talking about domestic helpers, she said that those who serve other people are stronger, those who need serving are wimps and weaklings.:P
the work-related temper is like politics pala. we see senators figuratively killing each other at the Senate floor, then see them later walking on the corridors, laughing and talking like best-friends.
i am comforted that you are there defending the Philippines.
Thanks Fidget.
They’re not really blaming us. It’s just that we represent the country so they ask us about our country’s problems. (By they, I mean other nationalities). 
Daphne, haha… me too… between dehydration and using public toilets, sometimes I choose dehydration.
Thanks Pinayhekmi.
I don’t know if I can keep it up though. 
Thanks luna miranda.
Pano nga nila ginagawa yon no? Parang switch yung mga emotions nila.
i admire you the way you defend the country and the Pinoys. it made me feel guilty somehow for not able to keep my disappointments about the government and the bad officials of the country. blogging is a vehicle for me to vent.
As for other nationalities teeth brushing practices, I have observed that North Americans generally brush their teeth before they go to sleep at night and when they wake up in the morning
No brushing in between it seems. It sounds odd but most of them have great teeth. Maybe because they floss and also water here contains flouride and protects the teeth plus the trip to the dentist for preventive maintenance twice a year also helps methinks 
I know, I know you can’t put down your employer hehehe
Hope you have fun in your interesting trips and blog about it more pls !
Hmm, I wouldn’t be surprised if you one day become ambassador. You certainly deserve the post more than those presidential appointees…
That’s a good strategy when it comes to blogging. I am just a photoblogger, but I have photos as far as 3 years back that haven’t seen the light of a blog. So, I guess my backlog is longer than yours and I should have no excuse, because I really don’t need time to come up with great post like you do
Enjoy your trip, even tho’ it’s work related.
Hi Bing! I think it’s okay to vent in blogs… it might reach the right people and something might be done about our complaints. But we as a people, and bloggers could help a lot in this, should also try to emphasize the good things about us… so that the world would know that despite everything, we are a great nation.
BW, oo nga. I suppose that it’s only in Filipino offices where workers brush their teeth after lunch. Black people have the best teeth.
Snglguy, malapit na ‘yon… mga 20 years na lang.. haha!
Ewok, you must have lots of photographs!
Yes, I enjoyed my trip… kakapagod but it wasg great.
the world entrusts their kids, old people and sick people with us. what could be more honorable than that?
Maam Toe…good to know you’re safe..:)
I agree with your blogging strategy. I should also use that as my digital scrapbooking strategy. Just scrap the present, work through the backlog when you can.
hi po ate san po kayu sa quezon ako nga po pla c paul john errol catalla taga pagbilao,quezon po 09071451863
nice blog po
http://paulnatic.blogspot.com
Sixter, ang lalim.
See ya tomorrow. 
Thanks Jasmin!
Vera, mahirap pa din no.
Hi paulnatic. Asawa ko taga-Quezon.
Everyone has their own blogging strategy. Sometimes today’s blog will just come rushing to you, demanding to be blogged right away. Then there are those that can wait…trips that will have to live in your hard drive/USB device for now, until they are summoned to existence in the blogoverse.
fortuitous faery, I wish I could summon those trips to the blogoverse.
Hello Toe, nice to see you back to blogging again. I took up your advice and tried to start a blog. But the next thing I know, I’m nose-deep into work. *sigh*
I wanted to catch up on my blogging and take care of my backlogs (so the entries would have a semblance of a chronological order) but alas, work does not cooperate.
I might just adapt and copy your strategy and “carpe blog!” (seize the blog??)
ahhh, forget about the backlog. just keep blogging. i don’t even blog anymore.
BTW, looking good Toe. I’m surprised you posted a true pic of yours here.
I’m busy with FB now, in case you’re curious why I dropped blogging. Immediate gratification with limited and targeted audience. hehehe. Pus can’t beat comments worth only 25 words or less. Not much thought or thinking required. hehehe
Oh, that domestic thing. It’s deeper than that, people I’ve come across, don’t even think the Philippines is a worthwhile destination, even though you and I and the rest of the Filipinos KNOW it’s a gem of a country. It’s just all negative impression. Maybe we should hire the people at MadMen to promote us?….
Subang, LOL at carpe blog!
So what’s your blog address? 
mom-fka-atty, what’s your FB name? I couldn’t find you. Yes, we definitely need to market our country better!
Behold! The efforts of a a reluctant blogger: http://rattusrattusmindanensis.wordpress.com/
Carpe blog!
Subang, hey let’s seize the blog!