For one of my episodes on One Proud Mama, I had to interview Professor Khrysta Rara of the UP CMC Journalism Department. Of course, I jumped at the chance to interview her at the College. Because well, it's a reason to go to UP. Even if I work so near the University, I rarely get the chance to visit the grounds.

Once my crew heard that our next location would be UP, they wanted to have lunch there. Much to my chagrin. I couldn't contain my joy that I was going to see UP again. I know it seems weird but after a stressful week and anticipating another tiring week, I needed my dose of iskolardom.

Rey and Jeff (my crew) wanted to buy the shake they had from previous shoots. I was asking them where exactly this extraordinary shake was and they couldn't give me a name. But, they did know where it was so I allowed them to be the pilots for the trip. Upon hearing about the shake, Casaa immediately came to mind. I remembered the refreshing watermelon shake I would usually crave on those hot summer days when I was the bibo undergrad taking the extra units during the summer to lighten my regular load.

As we were circling the now one way academic oval, we passed Palma Hall without stopping. I realized they weren't talking about the watermelon shake I craved and headed for the Shopping Center area. And then it dawned upon me that we were headed for Lutong Bahay. The crew were like kids when they saw the shake stand.

And I couldn't help saying out loud, "Ah! Lutong Bahay lang pala ang hinahanap niyo."    Crew: "Malay ba namin, lutong bahay ang tawag dito. Di naman kami taga-rito."

Oo nga naman.

After a hearty lunch at Lutong Kapitbahay (the one across Lutong Bahay - they didn't have official receipts kasi eh), I felt calmer. I don't know why I started to feel that way. I was tense the entire morning because this was just a last minute shoot and we had a deadline. But the visit to UP certainly made me feel better. I suddenly wanted to walk to the Bahay ng Alumni for the chocolate cake and iced tea. My ears were alert just to hear the bell of the dirty ice cream man who may just be meters away.

Soon enough, we had to meet Professor Rara at my home for four years in UP - the College of Mass Communication Plaridel Hall. It seemed so familiar yet unfamiliar. It looked the same on the outside but on the inside it felt different. Obvious changes was that the ladies washroom on the ground floor was getting a facelift. The journalism department now had two doors (or they really had two doors to begin with?).

However, what I really missed most was the people. No blockmates to see sprawled all over the couches of the ground floor. No one screaming out my name when I entered. No laughter echoing through the halls. And since it was lunchtime, I didn't even get to see my former mentors in the halls. Despite all of these, CMC still had that the same feel. You knew something was going on. You knew there was tension in the air. Yes, the feeling of undergraduate pressure and knowing that it is all worth it. 

How I miss UP and the calmness that it brings even if I had more than several moments of insanity due to the demands. Hehe. But, seeing UP all over again, it reminds me of home. It was my comfort zone for four years. No matter how tough the "real world" gets, I still have that University just two jeepney rides away for me to reminisce when ratings and loading didn't matter. And where hearing the bell of the dirty ice cream man can make one's day.

 

props to kai...

she told me exactly what i needed to hear.

but the worst isn't over, it is just about to begin.

haaay, ang buhay nga naman.

kaloka.

nung una, lost ako. ngayon, lost and confused.

kaya,...

damn it pa rin.



********

thank you, thank you...

for...

- birthday celebrations with my family
    it may just be a simple dinner out or at home but it's always great for all of us to be together sharing a meal and our stories.

- friends who never fail to provide the most creative, most humorous and most out of this world birthday greetings (for GP and PG audiences...hehe)

- for the internet, multiply, yahoogroups, and whatever other online calendar...because the most unexpected people end up greeting me

- hugs from really, really good friends who i haven't seen in the longest time.

- a reason to splurge and say, "hey, it's my birthday! i need to live a little!"

- Greek food...hehe

- Spanish food...double hehe

- a pa-simple lambing moment that brought unexpected joy

- the opportunity to get to kill two birds with one stone with my job - i'm earning a living and i get to travel.

- the rowdy, riotous, crazy, wacky boys of Balik-Bayan

- chika time with the OPM peeps and other QTV friendships

- thoughtful people like ate gemma and japs

- and everything and everyone else who seem to have made my birthday, my day =)

i love birthdays. i love birthday cake. i love the birthday card. 

i look forward to what may come and what i hope may come in the future. =)

 ***

Watch as the life of one of the country’s premier writers unfold before your eyes in Balik-Bayan!

On the big and small screen, he has brought us stories that can touch us in different ways. Let Ricardo Lee share with us his own inspiring story as we visit his hometown. He brings us south to the tip of Bicolandia – Camarines Norte.

Who would have known that such an artist hails from the quiet town of Daet, Camarines Norte? But, don’t let Daet’s unassuming nature fool you! This town’s got a lot to offer for all travelers.

Surf’s up mga biyaheros! A short ride away from the city’s center is a beach that runs for miles. Bagasbas beach plays host to local and foreign surfers. Challenge the waves as you go surfing or try something different. Perhaps, kite surfing?

Looking for a haven away from the city? Try Calaguas Islands. Fine, white sand welcomes biyaheros on the shores of these untouched islands. Just the way nature meant it to be.

Take a stroll down memory lane with Ricky Lee as he relives the moments that made him who he is today. From visiting his favorite tambayan, reuniting with treasured friends and proud mentors, and to exploring his hometown’s finest products, we find out just what fuels this brilliant writer.

Join this proud son of Daet as the story of his life airs on the small screen. Only on Balik-Bayan, Fridays 10pm on Q!

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side note: i loved shooting this episode. it was very tiring from the pre-production pati hanggang sa post-production but i will definitely treasure everything. don't forget! may 2, 10 pm on QTV!

Balik-Bayan Goes to Leyte!

Get ready for an adventure filled with spunk, humor and sassiness all rolled into one vivacious episode as Balik-Bayan heads to Leyte! Who’s our tour guide that’s got the goods? Well, it is none other than the sexy comedienne, Maureen Larrazabal.

Maureen starts her journey home with a larger than life encounter at Palo, Leyte. She discovers the General MacArthur Landing Memorial and just couldn’t resist giving it a taste of her bubbly personality.

Nearby sits a silent bystander to World War II. The Palo Metropolitan Cathedral’s magnificent architecture was witness to the horrors war can bring to human life as it served more than a sanctuary to soldiers and civilians.

Watch in amazement as nature yields power, literally. The Leyte Geothermal Steam Fields stands proud in the city of Ormoc. Home to the world’s biggest geothermal power station, along with four other stations in the area, it supplies power to Cebu, Negros, Panay and Luzon. Now that’s nature at its best!

Hungry for more? Fill your stomach with all the tasty goodies Leyte has to offer. Here they combine the best cooking methods in one unique dish – Sinuglaw. It’s sinugba and kinilaw in one flavorful package.

For the health conscious, here’s a treat for you. Ancestor to a mealtime favorite, wild boar brings a leaner quality to dishes that pork fails to offer. One of Ormoc’s secrets -succulent wild boar that can make your mouth water without the fat!

But, our lovely tour guide is not just about fun and games on this adventure. She’s in for her most nerve-wracking challenge! She’s coming home to meet her family in Leyte for the first time. What took Maureen so long to come home?

Find out why and join Maureen Larrazabal as she’s got everything you need for a road trip. Good food, gorgeous sights, good company and a journey to one’s roots.

This Friday on Balik-Bayan, 10PM on Q!

...

hope you guys watch